bite the hand that can haul him out of the sewage tank. Still go armed and watch out for each other.” Sternway gave them a ‘why are you still here’ look and they rose and got moving.
Sternway sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. The plan was working and if he could just get to the end of it he’d get what he wanted and a few other things besides. It all depended on Trevor Stanton.
Euston Tower
2 p.m.
April 19th
McKie sat in his office, which he now shared with Liam, for the duty rota duration. Liam was at the Priory Arms. David roved over the CCTV footage for the area. His roving through cameras took him along the Wandsworth Road. His eye was caught by a single building, white with a Greek portico. He squinted at the screen and saw the name ‘Chelsea Guest House.’ The light bulb went on in his head and he called Jack’s office.
“Jack here.”
“It’s David. His next move if he couldn’t make the pub would be to find a nearby hotel. That might even be a backup plan. They’d know that’s what he’d do. We should stake out the hotels nearest the pub.”
“It’s a good thought, but it’s a long shot. Alright I’ll send you in two’s to the nearest hotels. Do the run around and check. Give them a number and wait nearby.”
“I’ll generate a list of hotels in a two or three mile radius.” David offered.
“Okay David, good brain work.”
Magda called up the pool cars. David met the other two teams in the lobby with the list and maps he’d very efficiently found at high speed.
“We’ll take the Chelsea Guest House.” Tony stood with Ellie.
“We’ll get the Comfort Inn there’s two buildings either side of the road.” Terry offered.
“That leaves me the Belgrave Hotel on the Clapham Road.” Said David thinking he’d got the short straw in the draw.
“You can’t go alone David.” Ellie looked at the map print out he had given her with the list. “Look it’s right near Landsdowne Road, call in at the pub and collect Liam. The landlord can call your Satellite phone if Stanton turns up there.”
David looked dubious.
“Do it Davey. It’s safer, you can’t go alone.” Jaz expressed her concern earnestly and David was moved by the words of support in favour of his safety.
All having agreed on what to do they made their way to the waiting cars. David was disappointed to see the driver get out and hand him the keys at the front of the building.
“Aren’t you going to drive me?” David asked and the pool car park attendant laughed.
“I’m no driver I’m just the attendant. We’ve got staff all over London at ‘Priory’ named locations. The drivers are all out collecting them and bringing them back. You’ll have to drive yourself Mr McKie.”
David got in and sighed. He hated driving and he’d never driven in London before. He steeled himself, switched on the Satnav and pulled out into traffic, knowing he was just going to have to try really hard not to take a wrong turn. The Satnav took him straight towards the Vauxhall Bridge.
Chapter 95
London
2 -15 p.m.
April 19th
A short while later Terry and Jaz sat in the lobby of the Chelsea guest house waiting patiently. They had covered the distance quickly, avoiding the Vauxhall Bridge. After showing badges, the photograph of Stanton and explaining the situation they were given a cup of tea and a place to sit. They waited patiently.
At the Comfort Inn Tony and Ellie had had to make a difficult choice. The Comfort had buildings on both sides of the road. They had thought of splitting up, one each side, but for safety’s sake they had left a number with reception on one side and decided to sit in reception on the other. They too had done the badge, photograph and explanation routine. Tony sat bored reading the hotel literature.
“Double rooms are cheap for a night here.”
“Really.” Ellie’s voice was humorously sarcastic. “What of it?”
“I’m just saying, they’re cheap here.”
“You thinking of getting a room?”
“No.” He paused. “Well not unless I had a need of a bed.” He stared intently at the literature, purposefully.
“Not on company time Deany.” Tony smiled.
“When do you finish?” He asked.
“Whatever happened to romance? You’re a dirty dog Deany!” Ellie smiled when she said it. “You want me you’ll have to woo me.”
They both looked up as a man came into reception and looked at each other when it was clearly not Stanton.
Stanton was delighted at the heaviness of the London April rain. As the coach pulled under the giant glass portico sheltering the bus passengers in the giant parking bay at the back Stanton put on his woolly hat and pulled his hood up. He had no luggage, but he had cash and the card, which he was not sure he’d be able to use.
It was a short walk to Victoria Station. Umbrellas and hooded figures abounded in the intense rain. Stanton felt secure. He could not be recognised on CCTV in the rain lashed ‘muzziness’ and amongst the well covered people he was invisible to his pursuers.
He felt the disk in his pocket and knew that he needed to find the nearest hotel to the Priory Arms. He stopped a passing man and asked him where the nearest Internet Cafe was. The man was helpful and pointed to Victoria Street gave him directions and told him about the Net Lounge.
Stanton made his way in and paid for a half hour and got himself a coffee. He managed to find the Belgrave Hotel using Yell. com and got himself directions, knowing he’d go through Stockwell Tube station. There was no drive to put the disk in. He went and spoke to the young woman behind the counter.
“Hi. I’m logged on over there. I’ve got this disk and I want to send some pictures to a friend. Can I do that?”
“No. We have USB connectors for accessing pictures to put on profiles, but no drives.”
“Right thanks very much.”
Stanton walked away knowing that he needed a laptop. He could steal one or he could ask his contacts to get him one. He made his way to Victoria station and descended into the tube. It was three stops south bound on the Victoria line and straight walk up the Clapham Road. He kept his hood up, even on the underground.
It was a modern reception, light wood, fish tank in the wall. As soon as Stanton walked in he saw Brook sitting at the table, on soft grey, high backed chairs across from the reception desk. Stanton had his hood down, but his woolly hat on and the waterproof coat was done up to the chin.
Brook instinctively knew it was Stanton, the eyes below the hat were hard edged and hunted looking. He rose and greeted him warmly, putting on a show for the receptionist.
“Anton thank god for that we thought you’d remember what we said.”
“Yes. I haf been walking lots since we separate and I remember Belgrave Hotel.” Stanton affected a foreign accent.
He was sure the man was the contact. He had the ‘smell’ of secrecy and double dealing about him that Stanton had learnt to see in his years in the ‘trade’. The girl simply thought them daft older men, her mind unable to see through the layers of deceit both men wore as a matter of habit.
Stanton was shepherded him out of reception, before the girl had a chance to get a good view of his
