Double Deception

By Craig Cox

Thomas Craig, a very successful Australian lawyer, is framed for multiple murders by an old school friend who lives a double life and turns out, almost unbelievably, is planning the unthinkable.

Thomas is innocently thrust into a world of murder, drug deals, Colombian cartels, a KGB assassination plot, Wall Street and ultimately U.S. polit

• Language: English
• Publisher: Craig T Cox
• Release date: Feb 16, 2024
• ISBN: 9781963746747

Book preview

Double

Deception

by Craig Cox

Copyright @ ‌2023 by Craig Cox

‌

ISBN: 978-0-6486450-0-9

All Rights Reserved

The right of Craig Cox to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988.

In this work of fiction, the characters, places, and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or they are used entirely fictitiously.

Condition of Sale

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Double Deception

Craig Cox was raised in Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. He is a first-time author.

Craig describes himself as a businessman and keen sportsman with cricket as his passion. He now plays for Tamworth and also Hunter Taverners in the NSW league.

He has a demonstrable passion for Australian and American politics. The latter is highly prominent in Double Deception. His business background, including a Diploma in Business Management, provides Craig with an informed view on financial markets in Australia and on Wall Street, America.

Double Deception was borne out of the Author’s travels and experiences in England, The Caribbean and United States of America. He does point out whilst the storyline is based on some actual events and characters, it is fiction. However, any similarity to persons living or deceased is purely intentional!

We hope you love Craig’s debut novel and who knows…a sequel may be in the offing.

Acknowledgements

Double Deception is written as a tribute to my close, lifelong friends:

Andrew, Bretty, David, Greg, Russell and Tony.

Also, a tribute to the six beautiful, intelligent women who manage my life:

My wife Louise, Ashlie, Sarz, Luci, Jacq and Ellie. The support of these loved ones has been immeasurable.

Finally, to Lyndsay and Carole whose support in times of need has been endless.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: Murder On Antigua – Who Is Framing Thomas Craig?

Chapter 2 English Wedding – The Mates Gather In Pulborough

Chapter 3: Inspector Leigh-Jones Digs Deep

Chapter 4 The Captain

Chapter 5: On the Run

Chapter 6: The Conversation

Chapter 7: An Uncomfortable Discovery

Chapter 8: Another Body

Chapter 9: Safe for Now

Chapter 10: More Questions Than Answers

Chapter 11: The Captain Has Vanished

Chapter 12: What We Know So Far

Chapter 13: Anger is Brewing

Chapter 14: The Inspector

Chapter 15: Two Trusted Mates

Chapter 16: Things Aren’t Always What They Seem

Chapter 17: Who Is Walter?

Chapter 18: Pablo Who?

Chapter 19: The Resource

Chapter 20: Deadly Big Apple

Chapter 21: Innocent

Chapter 22: David…Walter…What!!

Chapter 23: M.U.S.G.A

Chapter 24: The Tower

Chapter 25: What Did You Do…Lynz?

Chapter 26: Fear Returns

Chapter 27: What If?

Chapter 28: Never Forget

Chapter 29: Homeland Security

Chapter 30 Project Abraham

Chapter 31 A Credible Threat?

Chapter 32: ‘Finish The Job’

Chapter 33: Eureka Moment

Chapter 34: Free To Go

Chapter 35 A Beautiful Thing

Chapter 36 Seven Seas

Epilogue

Prologue

Revenge is a dish that tastes best when it is cold.

Don Corleone – The Godfather (1972)

The dinghy has two people on board. Only one is still breathing…Thomas Craig.

Thomas regained consciousness as the morning Caribbean sun gently warmed him as it hit the aluminium floor where he and Elvis lay.

The Zodiac is tied to Desert Wind, a 68-foot Irwin luxury cruise yacht. Thomas hasn't a clue how he got there, let alone how Elvis came to have a single-entry bullet wound between his eyes.

Holy shit, Thomas thought to himself as he noticed his blood-stained hands and clothes. Presumably, it was Elvis's blood. 

Holy bloody shit, he thought to himself again as he further noticed his bloodied finger prints smeared over the Zodiac as if indicating a scuffle had taken place.

Thomas knew he was in deep trouble! How was he going to explain this scene to the authorities? He wouldn't have to wait long for that.

---

I must get on board Desert Wind and see if Penny knows what the hell happened here last night.

Penny is the ship's cook. She was preparing the evening meal for The Captain and Daria. She had planned an early night after the clean-up. Everyone else was going ashore to Fatty's Bar and Grill.

Thomas pulled himself up the rope ladder leading to the foredeck.

His hangover was sufficient to kill most horses, and his thirst would drain a small rural dam back home in Australia.

There was no sign of Penny. The only sounds were Falmouth Harbour’s waters lapping the sides of Desert Wind and a light Atlantic Sea breeze rattling through its rigging.

Antigua, and particularly Falmouth Harbour, really is paradise on earth, except for one thing: Elvis is dead in the dinghy with a splitting headache!

Thomas headed below deck with still no sign of the ship’s cook.

Nervously, he peers through the hatch and scans downstairs. Desert Wind’s living quarters, whilst cosy, are very liveable but don't appear to be hiding any surprises. At least not Penny.

'You in there, Pen?' calls Thomas. No response as Thomas gingerly climbs down the marine-varnished wooden stairs to the yacht’s lavish accommodation area.

You've gotta be kidding me!

Penny is lying in a pool of her own blood on the galley floor, staring straight at Thomas. She is suffering the same splitting headache as Elvis.

Seems to be a lot of that going around at the moment. No guessing whose bloodied finger prints are everywhere.

Now I’m in deeper shit!

---

The last thing Thomas remembers was arriving at Fatty's Bar and Grill the previous night around 8 p.m., accompanied by The Captain and Daria.

‘We should tie one on Tommy, now you are here on the island. We've got a lot of catching-up to do, including the wedding in England five years ago and the good old times,’ The Captain said.

‘Hey, where’s your 21st birthday watch Tommy...never mind.’

‘We'll have dinner on board and take the Zodiac ashore. Shoot some pool, bump into a few famous people, a bit of snow, sink a shit load of vodka tonics, and solve the problems of the world, old mate," he said.

How could Tom refuse?

He knew it would be on The Captain’s tab as money hadn't been an issue so far despite the Australian's best efforts to pay his way, pay for something, anything.

The Captain had even purchased Thomas's return airfares from Sydney and stop-over accommodation in Los Angeles en route to Antigua.

The hospitality so far had been overwhelming. Thomas was beginning to feel embarrassed by the fuss and quietly wondered what the catch was.

Thomas's only thought now was to get off Desert Wind. As quickly as possible in the Zodiac and as fast as its 25-horsepower Mercury would take him.

He must find The Captain.

The Antiguan harbour police arrived just as Thomas hit the starter switch.

A loud hailer screamed, 'Freeze marn, and don't you be startin' that bowt! Dis is de Antiguan Harbour Police, and you is under arrest marn.'

Before he could blink, Thomas was inhospitably pulled from Desert Wind's dinghy.

To say he was man handled would be understating the situation Thomas has found himself in.

Bloodied hands, bloodied clothes, dishevelled, handcuffed, confused, and no plausible explanation. Hardly a great scenario for an Australian lawyer who knew he was in deep trouble!

Thomas knew he had to find The Captain and quick as he was probably the only person in Antigua, apart from Daria, who could prove his innocence.

Could The Captain also provide a plausible explanation as to why Thomas was apparently being framed for the murders of Elvis and Penny?

Thomas had to find him and quick!

Chapter 1:

Murder On Antigua – Who Is Framing Thomas Craig?

Being honest may not get you a lot of friends, but it’ll always get you the right ones.

John Lennon

Thomas Craig is a successful lawyer from Newcastle, NSW, Australia. He is the principal of a law firm, Craig, Barnes, Hanks, & Fatches. Currently ranked at number three in Australia by BRM (Business Review Monthly).

He has travelled to the Caribbean Island of Antigua at the invitation of David Maxwell. David is an old school buddy from Maitland Boys High School near Newcastle and one of his old mates.

David had appointed himself The Captain to anyone who asked after he landed the job as skipper of Desert Wind. Why not simply The Skipper?

Five years ago, David and Tom reunited in Pulborough, West Sussex, along with their old school mates. This followed David’s 15-year absence. There was only the odd email from David wishing one of the mates a happy birthday or a random postcard informing of his adventures on the high seas. His absence was of almost biblical proportions during the missing 15 years.

Pulborough village is 68 kilometres south west of London. It is where another of Tom’s mates was marrying his delightful, pinky-extended English bride.

And now, Tom is in custody at St John’s police station on Newgate Street near the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda and the government immigration office. The capital’s police station is a stately two-storey sandstone building proudly displaying its English heritage.

Tom is woken by the sound of a bunch of keys unlocking his police cell door and the voice of a massive local police Lieutenant. ‘Get to your feet, Australian boy. You’ve got some serious questions to answer!’ Lieutenant Ambrose said. ‘Inspector Leigh-Jones is waiting for you, Mr. Craig and she is in no mood to be mucked around.’

Australian boy began to realise the gravity of his situation. He still had no idea how he came to be covered in blood and why two crew members of Desert Wind had been murdered.

Tom was wearing prison greens, his clothes sent to forensics along with the blood samples taken from his hands and under his fingernails. Even Tom knew there was little doubt who the samples belonged to.

Inspector Leigh-Jones is an attractive, petite blonde English woman with striking blue eyes. She is on secondment from London Metropolitan Police, headquartered at Scotland Yard. Leigh-Jones was brought to Antigua in an effort to uncover those behind the Islands' burgeoning cocaine trade. The Inspector is blessed with, or hampered, some would say, an eidetic or photographic memory. She has the ability to recall specific dates ad infinitum. Both skills drive her colleagues crazy!

Tom entered interview room one with an inhospitable welcome from his interrogator and helpers. Four walls, no windows, a table screwed to the floor with two chairs on one side and one chair on the other. Tape recording machine against the wall and a metal bar on the accused’s side of the table where his handcuffs were secured. A setting right out of an old English police show from the 1970s.

‘Sit down, Mr Craig. My name is Inspector Leigh-Jones from St John’s Criminal Investigation Unit. I am leading the investigation into the alleged murders of Elvis Richardson and Penny Christie sometime in the last 24 hours,’ Leigh-Jones said.

‘You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you