As Tom came close to the first pond, he could see no sign of the girl but he wasn't alarmed as they weren't actually due to meet for a further ten minutes. There were a number of other adults and even a couple of children walking back up towards the car park. A couple of dog owners were playing with their pets on the grassy bank at the water's edge. It was a favourite spot in summer for families to bring a picnic but in the current freezing temperatures nobody was thinking of picnics or swimming.
Tom had been a frequent visitor in that warm summer with Rachel, which now seemed a life time ago. Nothing though had really changed. One man was throwing a plastic ball into the icy pond for his black Labrador to retrieve. Surely worth reporting to the RSPCA as a case of animal cruelty. As the dog emerged from the water he shook his coat dry and soaked a nearby couple in the process. They took it with good humour but quickly moved out of reach of a repetition.
Tom stood with his hands in his pockets to wait for the girl with no name. He scanned the vicinity, trying to spot her approaching. There were several likely spots where a woman could use the trees and bushes for cover, perhaps even now observing him and checking it was safe to meet. A Jumbo Jet flew low overhead on its final descent into nearby Heathrow airport, making him think of some of the many warm places he would rather be right now. But despite his fears he was hoping the evening wouldn't end in anti-climax. It may even add another chapter to the book that had been mentioned.
Tom spotted a large rotund man breathlessly walking towards him. Not a man who enjoyed walking or any other form of exercise, Tom thought. He was probably used to taking his car to visit his next door neighbour.
"Do you know what time the park closes?" the man stopped and asked Tom.
“About twenty minutes I think.”
“Thanks, I’m on your side by the way.” He smiled and continued walking back the way Tom had come.
Tom was surprised by the man’s words and doubtful what help he could be. He knew Miller had promised to have a few men positioned to help if necessary and he begun to see if he could spot who they were. He was grateful for the backup. It was some small comfort. The time passed slowly and he kept glancing at his watch. She was late. He shivered again. This time it was purely from the weather. His new coat zipped up around his neck but still his ears were exposed and feeling the cold. He decided he should walk back towards his car. Perhaps she had left something there for him or maybe it was her idea of a joke, to have them freezing half to death.
"He’s heading back up the hill,” Taylor said into the walkie-talkie.
He was positioned inside the ice-cream van at the top of the hill which at this time of year was in demand for its hot tea if not its ice cream. Taylor was Miller’s right-hand man and had organized the support team. He was glad Miller had thought to arrange for Simpson to bring the walkie-talkies. Communication would have been impossible otherwise.
The ice cream van was conveniently placed for him to be able to monitor the whole of the car park and the path down to the ponds. Luigi, the owner of the van had quickly agreed to the presence of his new assistant, not that he'd been given any choice in the matter. The car park was emptying fast and soon there would be no customers for teas or ice cream. As Taylor looked around he could detect nothing out of the ordinary.
"Everything's quiet," he reported.
Sam had also entered the park by the Kingston gate and keeping to the cover of the trees followed the wall of the park around in the direction of the ponds. She had to stop at one point to make preparations for her return. It was a distance of about three miles but she was supremely fit and anyway, having arrived early, she didn't have to hurry.
She took the circuitous route because she wanted to look for any signs that she might be walking into a trap. By the time she reached the ponds she was reasonably confident there would be no nasty surprises lying in wait on the return journey. Eduardo had suggested the meeting place and suggested the location to meet. It turned out he had used the park a couple of times for business transactions.
It was a further quarter of an hour before she identified Ashdown walking down the hill. She was surprised by the shape of the man who approached him but seemed just to ask a question. Certainly he was no danger. To say he was overweight would be putting it mildly. If he slipped and lost his footing he'd roll down the hill like a ball. This is going to be a piece of cake she thought to herself.
Miller was about one hundred and fifty yards parallel and to the left of Tom as he walked back up the hill. He was hidden from his view by a line of trees that marked the beginning of a wooded area. He and one of the men – Dave, who normally served as a bodyguard in the back-up car, were protecting the flanks against any attack from someone using the trees for cover. They had been particularly worried about the possible presence of a sniper and while Miller kept watch on the targets, Dave had free reign to search for potential trouble.
Miller's other backup –
