and wouldn t use it even if I had kind of way. Dressed in an elegantly cut tweed suit with a creamy white panama hat crammed down on her long grey hair and a flouncy white silk scarf round her throat. She just sparkled with charm and grace and gave every indication that she ought to be off organising a garden party somewhere. I was quite taken with her. Molly, less so.
What the hell kind of car is this? said Molly.
It couldn t stand out any more if it had a target painted on it.
And hello to you, too, Molly Metcalf, said the agent in a clipped, cut-glass, finishing-school voice. I m Diana, one of the Regent of Shadows s most established agents. Hello, Eddie Drood! Delighted to meet you both. And this is a 1958 Plymouth Fury. Classic American muscle car, fully restored, with all kinds of useful extras. And, bless me, look at the chrome on that!
It is a bit conspicuous, I said.
It s registered to the Regent, said Diana. An official Department of the Uncanny vehicle, with all the right papers filed in all the right places, so no one will bother you. And, after all, it s not as if you can hide from Crow Lee s all-seeing eye, no matter what you re driving. Sneaking up on the Most Evil Man in the World was never going to be an option. I m sure the Phantom V s privacy shields were first-class; your Armourer always did do good work. But they won t hide you from Crow Lee. His many agents will undoubtedly be watching all the roads for the Phantom V, but they won t be expecting you in this. Word will get out, of course, but driving the Plymouth should buy you some wriggle room.
Very kind of the Regent, I said. I ll take it. Does it come with a warranty?
She doesn t even come with insurance, said Diana. She s called the Scarlet Lady. Take her; we re glad to be rid of her.
Why did I just know she was going to say that? said Molly. All right, what s wrong with her?
She s not been exactly lucky, said Diana. In fact, we ve searched her thoroughly several times, just in case someone accidentally built a dead albatross into her somewhere. But I think she just needs a firm hand on the wheel and a chance to prove herself.
Molly looked at her. I want the Phantom back. I knew where I was with the Phantom.
You never liked the Phantom and you know it, I said.
I like this even less, Molly said firmly.
Hush, said Diana, She ll hear you.
Convince me, I said.
The Scarlet Lady has first-class protections, and more built-in weaponry than some third-world countries, Diana said briskly. She can hit Mach four with the wind behind her, can outrun anything on four wheels and can punch right through a brick wall without even slowing. And she has a sat nav programmed to take you straight to Crow Lee s little hideaway down in Surrey. That is where he s retired to, in case you were wondering.
We had already worked that out, thank you, said Molly.
How clever of you, darling, said Diana, smiling sweetly at Molly for just a moment before giving me her full attention. Eddie, there s something I need to talk to you about. Not really any of my business, I know, but that s never stopped me before. I need you to consider this. I know you don t want to think about it, but even if you do bring down Crow Lee and destroy his nasty little organisation, there s still no guarantee you ll be able to find or retrieve your lost family. You have to face the possibility that the Droods could be lost forever, wherever they are. You have to consider that on this occasion, even your formidable best might not be good enough. Have you thought about what you re going to do if there s nowhere for you to go back to after this? And you really are the Last Drood. What will you do?
Carry on the family tradition, I suppose, I said.
Fight the good fight. What else is there?
Molly gave me a sharp look there, which I didn t understand till later. Diana gave me a brilliant smile.
The Regent was lost for a long time after he left his family. So he made himself a new family his Shadows. That hasn t changed just because we re calling ourselves Uncanny these days. You could join us, Eddie, become a part of our family. I know it wouldn t be the same how could it? but we would make you very welcome. And you, too, of course, Molly. You could do good work with us, both of you. You don t have to be alone in the world.
I could hear the sincerity in her voice. I had no doubt she meant what she was saying, and it did intrigue me. It also puzzled me that this should mean so much to her.
Thank you, I said. That s very kind, but
He doesn t need you, said Molly. He has me.
Think about it, said Diana. She smiled briskly at both of us and was immediately all business again. The Regent assured me that we ll take good care of your Phantom V while you re gone. You can pick her up again anytime you re back in London, after this is all over.
I wouldn t mess with the Phantom, if I were you, I said carefully. The Armourer builds his cars to look after themselves.
That s Jack for you! said Diana. Never met a car he didn t customise till it hurt. Trust me, I did raise that point most forcibly with the Uncanny car pool. The Phantom will be treated with the utmost respect.
You know the Drood Armourer? said Molly, not even bothering to hide her suspicions.
Of course, Diana said easily. And then she just stood there, smiling easily.
More secrets, Molly said disgustedly.
Of course, said Diana. We are secret agents, after all. Secrets are our business, our stock-in-trade. Now, I know what you re thinking.
No, you don t, said Molly. Or you wouldn t still be standing there.
I could practically see the tension spitting and sparking on the air between them, so I made a big deal of going round to the driver s-side door and opening it to look inside. The sat nav immediately turned itself on.
About time! it said in a harsh and strident female voice. Come on. Get in, park your arse and let s get moving! I haven t got all day!
I just stared at the sat nav for a moment. We re not going to get on, are we?
Like I care, said the sat nav.
I straightened up and looked at Diana. Would the Regent be very upset if I was to rip out the sat nav and throw it under the next passing heavy-goods vehicle? It s not as if we re going to need it. We re not driving down to Surrey.
We re not? said Molly.
We are going directly to Crow Lee s place through the Merlin Glass, I said. You have heard of the Glass, Diana? Yes, of course you have.
We maintain up-to-date files on everyone, Diana said carefully. On friends and enemies and everyone in between. I m sure the Droods are in there somewhere. Though I don t think our researchers believe half of what they ve heard when it comes to the Merlin Glass. Some have been heard to suggest that it s all just Drood misinformation, designed to demoralise people like us.
Believe every bit of it, Molly said sweetly.
Especially the really disturbing parts.
The clue is in the name, I said. Merlin Satanspawn always believed that weapons should be double-edged. But we re not going to Crow Lee s place in Surrey straightaway.
You re not? said Diana.
Molly and I have already discussed this at some length, I said carefully. If we just drop in on him now, he ll have all kinds of defences ready and waiting for us. I ve got a better idea. The Merlin Glass operates in time as well as space. You might remember, Molly, that during out recent side trip to foreign parts, the Glass returned us to the exact moment in time and space that we left from. Therefore
Hold everything, said Molly. Are you saying what I think you re saying?
Time travel! said Diana, clapping her hands together excitedly. You re talking about time travel, aren t you?
I was going to say that! said Molly, sulking. She glared at Diana. Don t you have somewhere else you ought to be?
Wouldn t miss this for the world, said Diana.
Molly glowered at me. Since when did you start discussing family secrets in front of strangers? You might
