Read Online Lethal Instincts by Kasia Radzka - Free Book Online Page B

when they spoke again.  
    Then there was the address. When she looked it up on Google Maps it looked to be near the water; a shipyard of sorts not far from town. At first she thought it was the Docklands but realised that had turned into a more residential area. More hipsters than ship workers.
    Lexi threw on some comfortable clothes, grabbed her bag and headed for the Tube. She wanted to check out the address in person.  
    Twenty minutes later, Lexi got out of the taxi and made her way onto the port. The smell of sea water, oil and metal floated in the air. The sea breeze reminded her of home. It wasn’t the same as the Gold Coast’s sea but it was the pleasantness of the moisture and salt in the air. In the distance a cargo ship was docked, cranes lifted containers, placing them strategically on the deck.  
    She made her way across the port, passing containers towering over her casting shadows. She found her way to an admin-like building in search of a manager of the docks. Finally, she noticed a man in a hard hat who looked like he was in charge.
    “No trespassing,” he said when he saw her.
    Lexi smiled, ignoring his comment even though she had clearly read the sign upon entry. If they really didn’t care for trespassers they ought to have put a lock on the gate.
    “Sorry about that, I’m just looking for the person in charge of this port; I have a couple of questions.”  
    “You safety control?”
    “No,” she said.
    “Who are you?”
    “I’m working on a story on the benefits of this port for the city of London,” Lexi lied.
    “Yeah, you work for The Guardian?”
    “Among others,” she said.  
    It wasn’t a complete lie. She had written an article or two for them in the past, it was likely that she would again in the future, but there was no plan to write any stories relating to the port unless there was an involvement in the trafficking of young women.  
    “What do you need to know?” he said, dropping the folder against his side and slipping a pen in his shirt pocket.  
    “How does the port operate? How much employment does it offer? What’s the traffic within a twenty-four hour period? What are your quiet periods?”
    She listened as he responded in more detail than she had expected, but regardless she made an attempt to take notes, while she tried sneaking glances at the containers.
    The port was great for the local economy. With hundreds of people employed, it was easier for things to be missed. Every business had their protocols but it was human nature to make mistakes, to not see what was right in front of them, or for the right amount of money turn a blind eye.  
    “What about security issues? Do you have security here? Any breaches?” Lexi asked once he had finished talking fifteen minutes later.  
    “A couple of dogs. Four security guards on split shifts. Cameras at the entry points, near the buildings and random spots around the port.”
    “Do you keep a record of all the cargo that comes and goes in the containers?”
    “Why?”
    “Gives an idea of how much work is involved in running the port,” Lexi quickly said.  
    “Right, yeah, we try to keep records. Customs and such to go through. We have regular checks.”
    “For each container?”
    He shook his head.
    “The inspectors come in and choose random ones for checking. There’s no pattern. At least not one I’ve noticed.”  
    “So you could have anyone transporting anything?”  
    “It’s a little more complicated than that. There are forms to fill, scans to pass. If not here thenn at the arriving destination.”
    “Have you ever had any issues with trafficking?”
    “What’s that got to do with the economy?”
    “Credibility.”
    “Are you suggesting we allow illegal activity?”
    “There have been allegations. I’d like your take on the topic.”
    His phone beeped. He looked at it then told Lexi the conversation was finished and she had to get off the property. He didn’t walk her to the exit so