‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, Doyle,’ Robinson protested.‘What you should be asking yourself is how he managed to get inside this bloody house.
You were meant to protect Leary. How the hell did Kane get in here?’
‘Perhaps he had a helping hand.’
‘Meaning what?’
‘Oh come on, Robinson, don’t bullshit me.’ Doyle took a menacing step towards the CI.‘The only people who knew where Leary was going to be held were me and my team and two or three of your boys. Now I know that no one connected with me opened their gob so that narrows it down, doesn’t it?’
‘What the hell are you trying to say?’
‘That someone grassed us up. Somebody in your organisation gave Kane the whereabouts of this fucking safe house so that he could get inside and kill Leary. You’ve got a rat in your cellar, Robinson. You’d better find them and quick.’
That’s absurd.’
‘Is it? Then how did Kane know where Leary was?’
There’s nothing to link Kane and Leary.’
‘Leary’s brother was killed by Kane. Leary himself had murdered a number of Daniel Kane’s men. I’d call that a link, wouldn’t you, Chief Inspector? He emphasised the last two words with disdain.‘I read the files.’
Robinson exhaled deeply. There’s no proof he was tipped off as to Leary’s whereabouts.’
‘Give me a break,’ Doyle snapped.‘How big’s the Six Counties? And out of all that space, all those places, on the first night Leary’s in a safe house a member of a rival terrorist organisation just happens to stumble on this place. Fuck off. Someone pointed him in this direction. They might as well have put the fucking gun in his hand. For all I know, they did. And if it’s happened once, it’ll happen again.’
‘What do you intend to do?’
That’s my business.’
‘He’s still my prisoner, Doyle.’
‘Not any more. Not as long as you’ve got an informer working with you. From now on, I’ll decide where Leary’s kept. I was hired to make sure the bastard stayed alive long enough to supply the relevant info and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.’
‘It’s not up to you. You have to report to me and—’
‘Bullshit. We’re moving out of here tonight. I’ll make sure Leary shows me the sites of the ten graves. When he has, I’ll phone through their locations. When all ten are revealed I’ll give you a time and place where you can pick him up.’
‘You can’t do that,’ protested Robinson.
Doyle took a step towards the policeman. ‘Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do,’ he hissed. This is my fucking job and from now on I do it my way.’ The counter terrorist walked to the top of the stairs then paused and looked back at Robinson. ‘If it’s any consolation I want Leary dead as much as you.’
‘Why should /want him dead?’ Robinson asked,swallowing hard.
‘Four years ago your daughter was killed in a bomb blast. Responsibility for that bomb was claimed by the Real IRA. A cell known to contain Declan Leary.
You tipped off Kane, didn’t you?’
There was a long silence.
‘How did you know about my daughter?’ Robinson said finally, his voice cracking.
1 did some checking. It’s part of the job. Did you really think that Kane was going to get past me?’
Robinson didn’t answer.
‘Don’t try to find us until this is over,’ Doyle said. He hurried off down the stairs.
Robinson continued to gaze down at the bullet-riddled body of Daniel Kane. He was still staring at it when he heard the car engine roar into life outside
the house.
It was another fifteen minutes before he walked slowly downstairs, crossed to the phone and dialled.
Joe Hendry eased his foot off the accelerator of the Astra and flicked the headlights on to full beam.The twin rays of white light cut through the darkness and the fine mist of drizzle but illuminated only hedges, trees and fields.
‘Are you sure we’re in the right place, Doyle?’ he asked.
There’s a left coming up,’ the counter terrorist told him. ‘About fifty yards ahead. Take it.’
‘Maybe you’re lost,’ Declan Leary offered from his position in the back seat next to Doyle.
‘Shut it, Leary,’ Doyle snapped without looking at him.
Hendry slowed down, found the turn and guided the car on to a bumpy road that was pitted and holed. The Astra lurched alarmingly as the driver struggled to keep control.
‘It’s like driving over the bloody Somme,’ he remarked, using the back of his hand to wipe some condensation from the windscreen.
There, just up ahead,’ Doyle said, pointing in the direction they were travelling.
There was a high wire fence stretching away on both sides of a heavily reinforced gate. Razor wire had been laid in rolls across the top of the fence, some of the wickedly sharp blades now rusted. Beyond the gate there were a dozen or more buildings. Grey, monolithic structures with gently sloping roofs.
‘What is it?’ Mel wanted to know.
‘An old army base,’ Doyle informed her. ‘It overlooks Lough Egish. It’s perfect for us.’
Leary looked ahead then back at Doyle.
The counter terrorist patted Hendry on the shoulder and the driver brought the car to a halt. Doyle clambered out and walked up to the gate. He pulled and, to his delight, found it unlocked. He waved Hendry through, the strong wind whipping his long, brown hair around his face. Doyle pulled up the collar of his leather jacket and strode in behind the car. The vehicle had stopped in front of the nearest Nissen hut.
Doyle pulled open the rear door and dragged Leary out.
‘I was expecting more luxurious surroundings,’ the Irishman smirked.
Doyle shoved him hard in the back, pushing him towards the hut, watching as he struggled to stay on his feet. He was finding it hard to keep his balance with the handcuffs pinning his arms behind his back.
The hut was also unlocked.
There’s a generator in that building, Joe,’ Doyle told Hendry.‘See if you can get it started. We’ll at least have some light.’
Hendry nodded and moved off in the direction indicated.
‘Won’t that attract attention?’ Mel wondered.
‘You can’t see this place from the road,’ Doyle assured her.‘You could have a firework display on the drill square and no one would notice.’
Mel led the way into the hut, recoiling immediately from the cloud of dust that enveloped her. ‘How long has it been empty?’ she coughed.
‘Eighteen months,’ Doyle said.
As he spoke one of the bare bulbs in the ceiling flickered orange then died.
It flared again, more brightly this time then gradually swelled into a purer white luminescence.
‘Well done, Joe,’ Doyle murmured. He crossed to the bank of switches on one wall and flicked them all on. Then he looked around the room.
Apart from a couple of broken plastic chairs it was empty. A carpet of dust covered everything.
‘Looks like we’re sleeping on the floor,’ the counter terrorist said.
‘I don’t know how long that generator’s going to run,’ said Hendry, walking into the hut. There’s not much fuel left. The army must have taken everything
with them when they left.’
‘We can always get extra,’ Mel interjected.‘And food as well.’
‘Hopefully we won’t have to worry about that for too long,’ Doyle said, turning his gaze towards Leary. ‘We’re only here until shithead gives us the locations of those ten graves. After that he’s not our responsibility any more.’
‘I said I’d tell you where they were and I will,’ Leary protested. That was the deal.’
