‘The old man has taken it into his head that Charlie and I were responsible for the death of his sons and put a price on our heads. But Charlie’s the reason I’m talking to you. I’m a big boy, I can take care of myself.’ He pointed at Shepherd’s empty glass. ‘Another?’
‘Sons?’ said Shepherd. ‘You said “son” before. Singular.’
‘Abdal Jabbaar killed himself in the Ukraine. His brother died while Charlie and I were interrogating Abdal Jabbaar.’
‘Under what circumstances?’ asked Shepherd.
Yokely smiled tightly. ‘That’s classified.’
‘But two of this man’s sons are dead? And he blames you?’
‘He blames the two of us,’ said Yokely. ‘Now, do you want another drink?’
‘It’s my round,’ said Shepherd.
When he got back to the table,Yokely was whispering into his mobile phone. He cut the connection as Shepherd sat down.
‘So, here’s the scoop. The information I have is that Othman bin Mahmuud al-Ahmed has hired a Palestinian to kill us both. Me and Charlie. His name is Hassan Salih but that means nothing. He uses lots of different aliases.’
‘Picture?’
‘If I had one, you’d have it. This guy has stayed off our radar. He’s a real pro.’
‘But you’re not worried?’
‘Not for myself, Spider. I’m always on the move, I have no family to speak of, no real base. And I’m well protected by virtue of what I do. Charlie’s a whole different ball-game.’
‘You have to tell her,’ said Shepherd.
‘And if I do, what then? She and her family go into hiding. Her kid gets pulled out of school. Her career is put on hold. For how long? The killer just waits. Eventually she goes back to work and so does he.’
‘I get the feeling you have a plan.’
‘We know there’s a contract on her so we watch her.’
‘Without telling her?’
‘It’s the only way, Spider. And you know people, right, people who can keep an eye on her?’
‘She’s a former spook. She’ll spot a tail a mile off.’
‘So tell them to be careful. Keep their distance. I’ll arrange full-on electronic surveillance and every professional killer we know will be red-flagged.’
Shepherd sipped his whiskey. ‘You’re using her as bait.’
‘We’re protecting her.’
‘You’re using her as bait to catch a killer who’s also got you on his hit-list.’
‘You say tomato, I say potato. If I didn’t think it was the only way to go, I wouldn’t be here.’ He sipped his Guinness. ‘There’s something else you should know.’
‘I’m listening.’
‘Salih has been tracking Button’s mobile. The one she uses to talk to you.’
‘So he’s got my number?’
‘I thought you should know.’
Shepherd’s jaw clenched. ‘Richard, if he knows my mobile number and he has the right contacts, he can get my call lists. Which means he gets all the numbers I’ve been in contact with.’
‘I’m afraid so.’
‘Which means he’ll have my home phone number.’
‘You can change your Sim card,’ said the American.
‘That’s locking the stable door and you know it,’ said Shepherd. ‘Besides, I can’t go changing my number mid-operation.’
‘There’s no reason to suggest that he’s interested in you,’ said Yokely. ‘I just wanted to be straight with you.’
Shepherd massaged the bridge of his nose. ‘Let’s just say we get the guy,’ he said. ‘The father will hire someone else. If he’s as rich as you say, he can keep paying until the job’s done.’
‘I’ll take care of the father,’ said Yokely.
‘Meaning what?’
‘Meaning I’ll take care of him. Sooner rather than later. It’s just a matter of choosing the time and the place.’
‘You’re going to kill him?’
‘I’ll neutralise the threat,’ said the American. He raised his glass in salute.
‘Tomato, potato,’ said Shepherd.
Salih stood in the shadows of a spreading willow as he watched the narrow-boat go by. It was on the Regent’s Canal, heading to Camden Town, packed with revellers dancing to a four-piece jazz band. The musicians were good, riffing on a Duke Ellington classic, and Salih was tapping his foot in time to the tune. It was a little after nine o’clock, and the moon was almost full, the sky so clear that Salih could see the craters on its surface. He turned up the collar of his coat and walked to the basin where the narrow-boats could turn around a small man- made island.
The Russian was waiting there, smoking one of his small, foul-smelling cigars. ‘How are you, old friend?’ asked Merkulov.
‘Everything is good,’ Salih said.
Merkulov hugged him, then the two men started to walk along the towpath, their feet crunching on the gravel. ‘She was in Belfast today,’ said Merkulov. He took an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to Salih. ‘There’s a list of her recent calls.’
Salih pocketed the envelope. ‘What about the number she keeps calling in Belfast?’
‘It’s in there too. It’s a pay-as-you-go, so it could belong to anyone. But I checked the numbers called from it and one is the home number of a SOCA officer, a man called Daniel Shepherd. The address is in Hereford, near the Welsh border. Either whoever has that phone is calling Shepherd, or Shepherd is calling his home.’
Salih frowned. ‘Hereford is where the SAS is based, right?’
‘Yes.’
Salih nodded slowly. ‘So this man is possibly former special forces, now working for Charlotte Button in Belfast?’
‘That’s an assumption, but probably valid.’
‘Can you get me information on him?’
‘I still have no reliable contact in SOCA, but I do know several former SAS officers. I can check him out through them. But it will be expensive.’
‘How much?’ said Salih.
‘It’s not a question of how much I pay them,’ said Merkulov. ‘If they give me information on Shepherd and something happens to him, they’ll be gunning for me. I can check him out, that’s easy enough, but I’ll need your assurance that you won’t do anything drastic to him.’
‘Drastic?’ repeated Salih, with amused eyes.
‘You know what I mean. If I check him out for you and a couple of days later there’s a bullet in his skull my life will be over.’
‘He’s not my target, Viktor. You know that.’
‘I’m sorry if I sound paranoid, old friend, but one doesn’t fool around with the SAS.’
‘How much would you want – to check out this Shepherd?’
‘Twenty thousand pounds should cover it,’ said Merkulov.
‘Agreed,’ said Salih.
‘Whoever’s paying you has money to burn,’ said Merkulov.
‘Money is no object,’ said Salih.
‘Why does he want Yokely and Button so badly?’ said Merkulov. He finished his cigar and flicked the butt into the canal. It spun through the air in a shower of sparks, then plopped into the water.
‘I don’t care why people hire me,’ said Salih. ‘All I care is that they pay. You’re the same. Money is our only
