In this riveting mystery book, It seems that someone has arrived in town intent on pulling off what could be the biggest armed robbery since the infamous Lewisham Diamond Heist of 1969 and that there may be a link to a unsolved bullion robbery that took place in Bethnal Green many years ago.
Therefore, an elaborate plan is hatched by the Security & Police authorities to ensnare the gang in the act but without knowing what the target is, they have a problem.
It is time to call upon an old friend all the time whilst staying one step ahead.
Excerpt:
Preparation is everything and for the Commander, this was one important task he was determined to be absolutely ready for.
Walking carefully around the brand new, fully marked and equipped Ford Mondeo patrol car of the National Security & Police Service where it was parked in a side street near Bethnal Green Underground Station in the east end of London, he took his time to check that all was in order from the condition of the tyres to the mountings that fixed the light bar across the roof.
"All right" the Commander then declared once he was satisfied that all was in order before he proceeded to put on a pair of leather driving gloves "Let's do this shall we?" he suggested.
"Yes Sir" Garage Sergeant Andy Pascal of the Advanced Driver Training and Assessment Section of the Service duly agreed whereupon they both got in the vehicle with the Commander taking the wheel.
Once comfortable in the driver's seat, the Commander looked around the interior of the car for a few moments before looking across at Pascal.
"Let's get this party started shall we?" he suggested as he started up the cars powerful and specially tuned turbocharged two litre engine.
"Quebec Tango Two Seven to Control" Pascal duly proceeded to call over the radio, "Eagle One is ready to go" he confirmed.
"Control receiving" confirmed Divisional Commander Tracy Caverner, the Commander's wife from her seat at the main console in the Greater London Control Room at New Scotland Yard "Would you remind my darling husband that the car is brand new and I don't want a scratch on it please?"
"Judging by the wry smile he just proffered in my direction" Pascal confirmed "I think your message has been received and understood."
"All right ladies and gentlemen" Tracy called over her headset to the rest of the Control Room personnel "Let's make sure everyone is awake and paying attention and that all recorders are active."
"X-Ray Nine Nine is approaching final position now Maam" one of the Control Room personnel confirmed "Just awaiting your word to proceed."
"Nigel, tell them the word is given" Tracy confidently confirmed.
Back in Bethnal Green, the Commander pulled the car slowly forward a few feet so as to give them a better view down the main road as they awaited their target that formed the subject of this operation.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to drive Sir?" Pascal asked, more out of curiosity than anything else as it was indeed extremely unusual for the most senior Police officer in the country to be waiting in an ordinary patrol car for what to him seemed like a fairly straightforward operation.
"Its fine" the Commander reassured him "I have been driving since I was ten years old."
"Blimey..." Pascal responded.
"My old man taught me to drive in his Mk 2 Jaguar" the Commander explained "bombing around North Weald airfield, learning the delicate art of the double handbrake turn."
"Was he a Police officer your father?" Pascal asked.
"Nope" the Commander confirmed with a wry grin "He was the best wheelman in East London, if you wanted to get away from a sticky situation quickly and without any law enforcement entanglements, he was your man."
"This should be interesting then..." Pascal remarked with an apparent sense of apprehension.
"Oh yes" the Commander readily agreed "and I do believe here comes our target" he motioned down the road where in amongst the traffic coming towards them was a silver Jaguar saloon car, it sidelights on and maintaining a steady pace so as not to be noticed.
"Buckle up" the Commander suggested as the traffic lights changed and the car they were targeting approached ever closer until it reached the junction parallel with them whereupon it stopped again at the head of the traffic as the signals reverted to red once more.
Through the tinted driver's side window of the Jaguar, it was possible to see the driver look across at them and then realise that he was in trouble as, without waiting for the lights to change, he suddenly accelerated away amid screeching tyres and the sound of a highly revving engine.
In an instant the Commander responded by accelerating quickly away with the sirens and lights of the patrol car in full cry.
"Control from Quebec Tango Two Seven" Pascal immediately called into his radio "Have made contact with target vehicle, making off at speed against the lights heading east. Target is a silver Jaguar saloon, registration number Lima X-Ray Six One Zulu Oscar Delta."
"All received" Tracy confirmed from the Control Room as the high speed pursuit got under way "X-Ray Nine Nine" she then called to the helicopter "Do you have eyes on the prize?"
"Confirmed Control" the spotter aboard the helicopter following the pursuit overhead responded as he looked down on the silver Jaguar and the patrol car weaving themselves expertly at high speed through the traffic below "Live camera feed should be coming to you now."
"Got it" Tracy confirmed as she took a look up at one of the large screens that dominated the front wall of the Control Room which was now showing the live camera feed from the helicopter both in conventional view and also infra-red format which showed the two fast moving vehicles very clearly with the excessive heat being given off from the tyres and exhausts showing as a bright white.
"This guy is good" the Commander remarked as he was forced to replicate the Jaguar driver's double handbrake turn around a sharp corner, skilfully avoiding a collision with a couple of oncoming buses.
"He is going to kill someone in a minute" Pascal responded.
"Oh I am not so sure" the Commander confirmed "This guy definitely knows how to handle a car at high speed, he has been well trained. Unfortunately for him, so have I."
With the sound of loud piercing sirens and revving engines coming up behind them, the traffic in the way of the pursuit needed little persuading to move aside as the two cars came rushing through with speeds touching ninety to a hundred miles an hour in places.
Even though he was an experienced and fully licensed high speed pursuit driver himself, Pascal could only look on extremely impressed with the Commander's driving as he accurately and precisely guided the car at high speed taking into account numerous external factors all at the same time whilst his hand on the gear lever was at times a blur with the speed with which he was changing up and down through the gears.
As the Commander continued to concentrate intensely on the vehicle he was pursuing, his mind flashed back to when he was but a youngster, driving his father's Jaguar under his instruction, a vision made all the stronger as the roads that the pursuit was traversing was not all that far from where he took those somewhat unorthodox first driving lessons all those years ago.
"Control from Quebec Tango Two Seven" Pascal called into his radio as the Jaguar ahead turned sharply off of the main road onto a narrow country lane with the Commander quickly responding to continue to pursue "Target vehicle has now left the main road, we are on a side road, speed nine five, repeat nine five miles per hour."
"I hope there is enough fuel in this thing" the Commander remarked as he accurately negotiated the narrow rutted lane at the break neck speed they were travelling with apparent ease.
"I think I would be more worried about the tyres wearing out first Sir" Pascal admitted "We are giving them a hell of a hammering here."