Day of Reckoning

'Well, he would, if the tide was out. If the tide's in, the entrance is covered. It's called St Richard's Force.'

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' He took the large brandy Dora brought and gave it to the old man.

'Oh, it's a medieval thing. Force meaning pressure, and when the tide goes up, the water goes in that tunnel like you wouldn't believe.' Handy swallowed his brandy greedily. 'The thing is, Harry, it's an interest of mine, London under the ground. There's tunnels from Roman times, Norman times, Tudor sewers, then the Victorians covered everything up. I mean, all these modern multi-storey buildings and office blocks haven't the slightest idea of how many tunnels and sewers go through their foundations.'

'And you do?'

'Always been an interest of mine.'

'And St Richard's Dock?'

'Riddled, Harry, it's like a honeycomb down there.' 'Are you sure?'

'Harry, I've got old books with maps, Victorian.'

'Really?' Salter turned to Billy. 'Do me a favour, Billy, take Handy round to his place and get these books. I'll phone Ferguson, tell him what we've got.' Which he did, and Ferguson, alerted on his mobile, returned to Pine Grove.

An hour later at Pine Grove, Handy Green sat with Roper and showed him some very interesting plans in some very old books. Roper checked the information, then got to work. Ferguson and Salter watched with Billy. Baxter and Hall were in the canteen. The screen came alive with ground plans.

'Extraordinary,' Roper said.

'What is it?' Ferguson asked.

'A network of Victorian tunnels and sewers adjacent to the St Richard's Dock infrastructure. There are places where you'd only need a sledgehammer to smash through Victorian brick into the St Richard's basement.'

'So what's that bleeding mean?' Salter demanded.

Roper said, 'Let me check the St Richard's specifications.' His fingers moved on. Finally, he nodded. 'Interesting. State-of-the-art security, but it's all external. If you come up like a mole, you're home free.'

'That's it, it must be,' Salter said.

'I'd say.' Roper turned to Ferguson. 'Brigadier?'

'Looks like it, but when are they going to do it, that's the thing.' He turned to Salter and his nephew. 'Will you stay on the case? We know the place, but we need to know the time.'

'Well, I don't think it's on Tuesday, if you follow me. Not from what Manchester Charlie Ford indicated. It'll be a week to two weeks.'

'Well, do what you can.'

A pleasure, Brigadier. It makes a change being on the right side for once. Come on, Billy, we'll leave and take Handy with us. Tell you what, we'll keep an eye on the beach.'

They left, and Ferguson said to Roper, 'Do you have anything for me on County Louth?'

'I've extracted everything I can from Regan. From what I've surmised, I've done a breakdown on the Kilbeg place. Do you want a quick look?'

'If you like.'

When Roper was finished, Ferguson sat there thinking about it. 'A tricky one.'

'Very.'

'But I think it should be done sooner rather than later, in view of what's happened.'

'I'd be inclined to agree.'

'Let's have something in the canteen and wait for Dillon and Blake.'

'Just one thing, Brigadier.'

'Feel free.'

'I'm an old Irish hand, and I tell you now, there's no way you can drive into that coastal area of County Louth and pretend to be tourists.'

'Yes, I can see that. You're suggesting a sea approach?' 'It's the only way.'

'Show me County Down, Louth, the Scottish coast.' Roper tapped it up obediently. 'There you go.'

Ferguson said, 'What would you say about Oban on the west coast there? Would that be a suitable point of departure?'

'Perfect, Brigadier.'

'Excellent.' Ferguson took out his mobile and called Hannah Bernstein at the office. 'Dillon not in yet?'

'Just landed at Farley Field, sir.'

'Good. I want him down here, Blake, too. Things are moving, Superintendent. We're going to make an Irish expedition. Speak to transportation. A motor cruiser, that kind of thing.'

'Certainly, sir. Home port?'

'Oban. Any equipment Dillon needs, we'll call him when he arrives. Make the meeting here and come yourself. I'm sorry, but I may have to put you in harm's way again.'

'It's what I'm paid for, sir.'

Dillon and Blake wolfed bacon and eggs and listened to Ferguson and Roper.

Hannah said, 'I think it might be useful if Dillon and Sergeant Major Black had another chat with Regan, sir, just to make sure he's being honest.'

'A sensible idea,' Ferguson said. 'Let's do it.'

They went up to Roper's suite first and he showed them the situation at Kilbeg on the screen. 'It's very remote, a village on the coast, population a hundred or so. Scattered farms, hard-line Catholic Republicans. You couldn't move an inch without the whole countryside knowing.'

'So it's got to be by sea,' Ferguson continued.

Dillon nodded. 'That's right. We'll go under cover of darkness. Do a frogman job, if necessary.'

'Transport's already arranged a suitable boat from Oban,' Hannah said, 'called the Highlander. They'll need to know what equipment you want as soon as you can.

'No problem. I'll draw up a list. Are you coming, Blake?' 'I sure as hell am.'

'Also the Superintendent,' Ferguson said. 'I want an official police presence.'

Dillon sighed. 'At it again, Hannah, trying to get your head blown off. What is it, guilt?'

'Get stuffed, Dillon.'

'Hey, for a nice Jewish girl with a Cambridge degree, that really is elegant.'

She laughed in spite of herself. 'Now what?'

'Oh, let's look at the map again.'

Roper went over it. 'There's this old abbey which is the entrance and cover, but the interesting thing is this rural farmhouse to the east. That's an emergency exit. Regan says they only keep a couple of guys in the bunker as caretakers. Murphy turns up occasionally. He's the local hero.'

'Fine,' Blake said. 'We go in and blow it to hell.'

Ferguson nodded. 'Let's have Regan in for interrogation. You, Sergeant Major Black, Dillon. The same variety hall act, just in case there's something he forgot.'

When Sergeant Miller brought in Regan, Dillon was sitting by the fire. 'Ah, there you are, Sean. They tell me you've been very helpful.'

'I've done all I've been asked.'

Behind the mirror, Ferguson, Blake, Hannah and Roper watched. Suddenly, Roper said, 'He's lying, the bastard's lying.'

'How do you know?'

'Body language, instinct. I don't know, but there's something he hasn't told us.'

'Right, Sergeant Major,' Ferguson told her. 'Put the boot in.'

She burst through the door a moment later, boiling over with rage. 'I'm sick of lies, Dillon. This little sod's lying through his teeth. There are still things he hasn't told us.'