I had to ring a bell to get inside and the front desk was fortified as if they were expecting an imminent military assault. The man behind the mesh, a short, fat fellow with a thick moustache who I guessed was the owner, gave me the kind of suspicious look that told me he wasn’t used to getting drop-in custom. There was a cheap portable TV on the wall next to him. It was showing the French news and I hoped that my escape wasn’t a story here because if my new mugshot started appearing I was in big trouble.
I told the guy I wanted a room for two nights in my schoolboy French, and he was slightly more fastidious than I’d been expecting because he checked my passport before giving me a key and taking €100 in payment, plus a further €50 as a damage deposit, all paid in cash.
The room definitely wasn’t worth the money. It was small, cramped and way too hot, with a view over to the back of the next building – a far cry from the boutique hotel opposite the Panthéon building in the Sorbonne where Jo and I had spent our weekend. But for now it suited my purpose.
I threw off the backpack and got on the bed, pulling out my new phone and using it to get on the internet and check the UK news.
The main headline was big, bold and shocking. Two police officers had been shot dead during the rescue of a kidnap victim in north London. A female suspect had also been shot dead, and two people arrested.
But it was when I read further down the article that I became more concerned because I saw that there were unconfirmed reports that one of the dead officers was none other than Mike Bolt, and that Tina Boyd was also involved. Apparently, she’d been taken to hospital with unspecified injuries.
Christ. What had I got her into? I had to find out what was going on.
I logged into our joint email account and saw that there was already a message in the drafts section. I opened it up and started reading.
Ray. You need to call me. It’s urgent. I have a new number, 07727 918647. I am in hospital but have private room and should be able to talk.
It could have been a trick. If Tina was cooperating with the authorities, they could be using her to lure me in so they could track my phone.
But in the end I still trusted her, and I had to know she was all right. I looked at my watch. Just short of eleven p.m. UK time. I made the call.
She answered with a whisper: ‘Is that you?’
It felt good to hear her voice again. ‘Yeah, it’s me. I’ve just seen a report you were kidnapped and Mike Bolt was killed in the rescue bid.’
‘It’s true,’ she said quietly.
‘Jesus, Tina, I’m so sorry.’
‘The Kalamans snatched me. They brought in that bitch, the one you called The Wraith, to torture me into giving them your whereabouts. I didn’t tell them, before you ask.’
I felt sick. ‘Are you hurt?’
‘A little, but I’ll be out of here tomorrow.’
‘And then?’
‘I don’t know. I’m under police guard at the moment. They’re talking about moving me into witness protection, but I don’t think it’s going to come to that. I’m pretty sure the Kalamans won’t try and get me again. It’s not good for business.’
‘You’re still a threat to Sheridan.’
‘Listen, I got a visit from none other than George Bannister, the Home Office minister and Alastair’s supposed ally.’
‘That’s strange,’ I said. ‘I’m certain he was the person who phoned the Brennans’ French landline today and told me to get out just before the house was raided.’
‘He told me it was him when we spoke,’ said Tina. ‘He also told me where Sheridan is going to be this Friday, and that he’s going to be unprotected and vulnerable. The thing is, the location is just outside Sarajevo in Bosnia.’
‘Go on.’
‘Not now,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll put all the details in a draft in the account. It’s up to you what you do with it. Don’t feel obliged to go after him. I know it’s hard enough for you as it is.’
The thing was, I did feel obliged. It was hard not to, given all I’d put Tina through. But it was more than that. Alastair Sheridan had played a big part in ruining my life. Even if I did manage to create a new life somewhere else – and right now, that was a big if – I’d always be looking over my shoulder. And I’d always know that he would continue to ruin lives, just as he’d done all his adult life. Maybe I should have learned my lesson from what happened with Kevin Wallcott, but one of the few things I’m truly proud of is the fact that I’ve ended the careers and the lives of a lot of very bad people over the years. In that respect, I’ve made the world a slightly better place. Whenever I think about that – which is not often enough – it makes me feel good. And the world would be a much better place without Alastair Sheridan in it.
‘Are you still there?’ asked Tina.
I took a deep breath. ‘Yeah, I’m still here.’
‘What are you going to do?’
This time I didn’t hesitate. ‘I’m going to kill him.’
‘I wish I could be there with you. We make a good team.’
‘Tina, you remember what I said in the car, just before we parted? I did mean it. Whatever happens, I’ll always love you.’
I heard her swallow hard. That’s the thing with emotional goodbyes. They’re so difficult to do.
I cut the call and lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling and trying in vain to calm the turmoil swirling around in my head.
53
