My uncle only wished to hear that I was strong enough for this, and I was able to assure him I am. We are privileged to be tasked with such a thing, Jemal, so let us be as one.
He nodded, still a touch reluctant. If that is how you see it, so be it.
It is, loved one. She took his hand. Now we are no longer two, but one, and it is a time for acting, not talking, and she led him toward the kitchen.
At Holland Park, when Roper returned, he found Sara watching the news. Anything of interest?
Still no sign of Selim.
And how have you been getting on with the Talbot saga?
It s an incredible story. I can see where Jack Kelly would give you a problem. The peace process totally wiped the slate clean for men like him. She shook her head. And now he s at it again. Do you think Jean Talbot knows?
The received wisdom would be that she doesn t, but I was never totally certain about her.
So what can you do about Kelly?
The IRA threat at the moment is from a ragbag army composed of various factions, Roper said. Kelly, with all those years in the Provisional IRA under his belt, has a membership in the Army Council and is a force to be reckoned with, but coming to grips legally with men like him is very difficult. After all, some of them are serving in Parliament at Stormont.
So how do you keep an eye on him?
I allow my computer to do that. Apparently, he flew in on a private Talbot plane yesterday. If he turns up at Jean Talbot s house, we ll know.
How?
We have an asset in the area. Talbot goes for a run in Hyde Park most mornings, and often has dinner with Owen Rashid of Rashid Oil. Good-looking chap, unmarried, younger than her. Welsh mother, Bedu father. Lives in Park Lane.
You mean she s under surveillance? She frowned. I don t like the sound of that.
Her son was a traitor to the Crown, and she is chairman of one of the biggest arms groups in the world. It s the name of the game. Do you want to go on?
She took a deep breath. Of course I do. So what next?
Holley had spent his day on Malik Shipping business, dealing with agents worldwide, mainly on screen. A final hour had been with Hamid Malik, his partner in Algiers, who treated him like a recalcitrant son.
Why can t the firm be enough for you, Daniel? Business has never been better. We re making millions.
I ve got millions, Holley told him.
Since they gave you Algerian nationality, the foreign minister is delighted with how well you speak for us abroad, even the President.
I m glad to do it, and not only for the diplomatic immunity it gives me. Algeria means a lot to me.
But still you crave for this violent world of action that Ferguson offers you. You re soon to be fifty, and still no woman in your life.
Holley answered instinctively, Oh, I wouldn t say that.
Malik was on it like a tiger. Ah, so there is someone? Tell me at once, Daniel. After all these years, am I not a father to you? Who is she?
It doesn t matter. She s twenty years too young for me.
Are you mad? Malik demanded. What is twenty years to a man and a woman in love? In any case, the way you live your life, you could take the fatal bullet at any time and probably will if you don t change your ways.
She also happens to be a Sephardic Jew.
Malik was suddenly angry. Daniel, I ve managed to survive with a Christian for my partner for almost thirty years. I m that kind of Muslim. Seize the day. Now go in peace. And by the way, there were Sephardic Jews living in Algiers a thousand years ago.
He was so tired that he undressed and went to bed in the early evening and drifted into sleep. It was the sound of his mobile that pulled him awake at ten-thirty. He was surprised at how late it was, but then, it had been a long day.
It was Sara. It s me, Daniel what a day I ve had. Roper is a hard taskmaster. Come and pick me up. I d love to sit on the terrace and have a drink with you.
He wanted to say yes, but forced himself to say no. It couldn t go on, it wasn t right, and to his surprise he realized that for once in a reasonably self-centered life, he was thinking of the welfare of another human being as more important than his own.
I don t think so, Sara. We ve got a big day tomorrow, the noon meeting. Try and get a good night s sleep.
Damn you, Daniel Holley. She sounded close to tears. I m going to walk all the way down South Audley Street to the Dorchester, look up and imagine you in your solitary splendor on the terrace, wish you a thoroughly rotten night, and then walk back.
She clicked off. Holley lay there thinking about it. Was it a tantrum or had she really meant it? But then, he didn t have a choice, because if they were being targeted, the last thing she should be doing was walking down any street at night, even in Mayfair. So he got out of bed and dressed quickly, cords and boots, a khaki shirt and his flying jacket, the holster on his right ankle. He was out the door fast, and behind him the curtains ballooned, stirred, then settled again.
Events had made it clear to Henri Legrande that Holley and Sara were more than just good friends. Their behavior on the walk to Hyde Park and during the riot had convinced him that they were a couple. The chance that Holley would deliver Sara home late from dinner or a show one night seemed obvious, as did the planning of an ambush. It might take two or three nights of waiting, but the moment would surely come.
He sat behind the wheel of the Citro n now, Kelly beside him, and behind were two hardheaded London Irish boys named Fahy and Regan, who had salivated over the prospect of a thousand pounds cash between them for crippling Daniel Holley. They were already drunk, a half bottle of whiskey shared between them, and were rowdy with it.
Where the fuck is this red Alfa you re going on about? Fahy demanded. We ve been here for an hour, man.
Just shut up and wait, Henri said grimly.
That s if you want to see the other half of your money.
From the dark end of Highfield Court where they were parked, they could see the house, and suddenly the door opened and security lights came on and Sara appeared. She was wearing a black leather belted coat, a scarf around her neck, carried a walking stick in her right hand, and her shoulder bag was slung across her front. She started to walk briskly, using the stick, already limping.
Would you look at that? Fahy cried. A fella could have a great time giving that one a seeing-to.
I saw her first. Regan reached for the door handle.
Leave it, Henri said. She s not the target. He triggered the internal locking device, securing all four doors.
Fahy said, She s getting away, for Christ s sake. This is stupid.
He reached over and punched Henri in the side of the head, leaned down, and unlocked the doors. The next moment he was standing on the pavement, pulling up his friend, who d fallen out. They were both swaying a little with the drink taken.
Get back in, you bloody fools, Henri said, tried to open his door, but Regan kicked it close.
They both broke into a shambling run. Along the pavement and for the full length ahead, the only sign of life was Sara.
Will you wait for us, darling? Fahy called.
We ll give you the time of your life.
She glanced over her shoulder, then turned and hurried on, her hand reaching for the Colt, which she was carrying in the right pocket of her leather coat for easy access.
We must do something, Kelly said.
Yes, like getting the hell out of here, Henri told him as the Alfa appeared down the road, and he swerved the Citro n into the nearest side street, parked, then jumped out and moved back to the corner to see what was going
