by Mark Arundel
Geoffrey pulled up in the Seat and opened the passenger door for me from the inside. I decided to leave Bradshaw with a threat, as I couldn’t see it would do any harm. I said menacingly in his ear, ‘Don’t come after us. If you do I’ll kill you.’ He didn’t reply. I pushed him back inside and then closed and locked the door. I jumped into the Seat and told Geoffrey to drive. He lurched forward and then raced away with the little Seat engine screaming.
We both physically relaxed. We had pulled off a difficult escape and I had recovered the position. I was looking forward to telling Charlotte.
‘How did you answer your phone?’ I asked.
He grinned like a schoolboy. ‘As soon as Treadwell and Baines took me I knew the only chance you would have of finding me was my phone, so when they were putting me in their car I managed to move it from my pocket and put it down the front of my pants without them seeing.’ Geoffrey’s mind then wandered and he asked, ‘Why did you shove me over in the hotel?’
‘I thought the Chinese woman was an assassin.’
‘Oh.’ Geoffrey obviously thought it highly improbable but decided to believe that I’d really believed it and therefore had good reason to shove him.
Returning to the question of his phone I said, ‘So how did you answer it?’
‘What?’
‘...your phone.’
‘Oh, yes. Well, I’d changed it to silent as you told me and had it on vibrate. When the call came it couldn’t be heard but I could feel it…’ He broke off embarrassed.
‘Yes...,' I encouraged.
‘Well, the vibrating was a nice feeling and it made me react.’
'...react?’
‘Yes, you know, stimulated me causing movement.’
‘...movement?’
‘Yes. And it was this movement that enabled me to push one of the buttons which answered the call.’
‘Oh, right.’
I was still laughing when the green bus hit us.
Chapter 15
Duplicate eliminates the chance element by comparing the results of multiple pairs playing identical hands.
The local green bus clipped our front left wing. The noise and violent unnatural movement of the car were the first I knew about it. The turn was about ninety degrees and the suspension bounced as a toy pushed on by a heavy-handed child. Geoffrey had driven out too far on the road at the junction. It was almost dark now and he hadn’t turned on the car’s lights.
Luckily, it was only a glancing blow; a minor collision in which neither of us sustained an injury just a shaking. Geoffrey was still gripping the steering wheel and his doughy face in the stark, bland streetlight looked even paler than usual.
I said to him, ‘Are you okay?’
He nodded but didn’t speak.
‘It’s just a scrape. Stay here while I take a look.’ I got out inspecting the damage. The car had a dented wing and a smashed headlight. However, the wheel looked all right. I thought the car would still drive okay. The bus driver had stopped and was leaning through his window. He hadn’t bothered to get out. Some of his younger passengers were staring through the rear window. The driver shouted something in Spanish and gestured with his hand. I shouted back in English.
He asked, ‘Okay?’
I replied, ‘Yes, okay.’ He gestured again, said something in Spanish, which I didn’t hear clearly, and drove off. The gaping youths sat back down. I assumed bumps and scrapes were a regular occurrence for bus drivers on the island and not taken too seriously.
I went to the driver’s door and opened it. I told Geoffrey to swap places. ‘I’ll drive,’ I said. He moved over and I got in. I switched on the lights. Only one headlight came on.
Other cars had to drive around us to get by. Some of them sounded their horn. I didn’t want to be stuck there. We needed to get moving but to where. I turned the key and the engine fired. I rammed the gear lever into first and sped away in the direction the car pointed. I didn’t know whether Bradshaw and his two pals would try to follow us, but I did know I didn’t want to find out.
After only a short distance I realised the car was more seriously damaged than my cursory inspection had detected. A grinding metallic noise was sounding from the front and the steering felt as if the left front wheel was square instead of round. The car began to slow even though I was stamping on the accelerator and the grinding noise had worsened significantly.
I remembered the Russians’ abandoned hire car and found the key still in my pocket. I said to Geoffrey, ‘We’re changing vehicles; you’ve broken this one.’
I stopped by the side of the road and we got out with Geoffrey clutching his bag. I couldn’t be sure the Russians’ car would still be there but there was a good chance and anyway, it wasn’t far away.
In the first hour of darkness, we were much harder to spot. The pavements were busy with people and despite the street lamps and the lights from the buildings and the cars, we were invisible. Even so, I kept Geoffrey close and we walked at the same pace as most of the others around us so as not to attract any undue attention.
After only a few minutes, we approached the opening to the shopping arcade where we had jumped off the bus and made our escape from the Russians earlier in the day. I wondered whether they had given up by now. They would realise they had missed their chance and would expect us to be long gone. Hanging around hoping to get another opportunity was pointless. Unless, of course, they were getting up-to-date intelligence, which was a thought I didn’t like. If so, they would know we were still in the area. Ever since we had found them waiting for us at the villa I’d been wondering how they knew. Perhaps someone was helping them. These thoughts tumbled through my head as we walked past the arcade opening and then my head cleared as I saw the Russians’ hire car parked in exactly the same spot as I remembered.
‘I whispered to Geoffrey, ‘Keep walking.’ We strolled past the parked saloon and I scanned the vicinity and made a quick check of the vehicle inside and out. We stopped in front of a shop window and I casually looked back and searched the area for any suspicious people or any other parked cars. It was dark and I took my time. Having just escaped one difficult situation I was not keen to walk straight into another. I wanted to be certain the car was not under surveillance. I considered the possibility of a sniper and checked all the likely positions. After satisfying myself, as far as I could, that it was safe I said to Geoffrey, ‘Stay here while I fetch the car. I’ll drive up and stop so you can get in.’
‘Why don’t I just come with you?’
‘There might be a sniper.’ I gave him my Sony phone and said, ‘If I were to get shot do not come to the car; walk away and keep walking. Call Charlotte on my phone and tell her what’s happened. Don’t use your phone; I think Bradshaw, Treadwell and Baines used it to find us earlier. Do whatever Charlotte tells you. She’ll help you.’
Geoffrey’s face registered concern and he said, ‘Maybe we should leave the car? It’s too dangerous.’
I reassured him with a soldier’s smile and said, ‘I’ll be back in less than a minute.’ I left Geoffrey still looking unhappy and walked briskly back to the car, opened the driver’s door and jumped straight in. The engine started immediately and there were no shots from any snipers. I drove up to Geoffrey and saw his expression lift. I opened the door for him and he got in. Only then did I switch on the headlights. I pulled away with a good feeling. Geoffrey was safe and we had successfully changed vehicles. We were looking good. Then I remembered that we still didn’t have anywhere to spend the night. I decided to call Charlotte first and then think about that afterwards. Perhaps the conversation with her would help solve our accommodation problem.
Geoffrey said, ‘I’m hungry; can we get some food?’ He was right. I was hungry, too. We needed to eat.
I said, ‘That’s the next thing we’re going to do after I’ve called Charlotte.’ I remembered the meal I’d had at Alicia’s restaurant on the previous night and wondered how safe it would be to go there. Hunger w
as making me dim-witted.
I turned off the main drag onto a side street and drove to the top. I found a small forecourt and reversed up to the building. The parking spot was away from any street lamps and gave me a good forward visibility and the building covered our rear. I left the engine running but turned off the lights.
I said to Geoffrey, ‘Give me back my phone.’ He handed it over and I called Charlotte.
She answered straight away and said, ‘What happened; is Geoffrey safe?’
I said, ‘This little adventure holiday you’ve sent me on just gets better and better.’
She said ‘Tell me; is Geoffrey all right?’
‘I got to the villa and Geoffrey was there. Guess who else was there?’
Charlotte made an exasperated sound by sucking in air through her teeth and said, ‘Please, just tell me.’
‘Yes, Geoffrey is safe. He’s sitting right here next to me.’ Then I turned to Geoffrey and said, ‘Charlotte’s been very worried about you. Tell her you’re all right.’
I held the phone and Geoffrey said, ‘Hello Charlotte. I’m all right. He rescued me. He was very good. He…'
‘That’s enough.’ I pulled the phone away from him and said to Charlotte, ‘So, who do you think had snatched him?’
Charlotte said, ‘I don’t know.’
‘I’ll tell you; it was your friend Mr. Stephen Bradshaw and he was with his two friends Baines and Treadwell; the two I told you about earlier.’
I listened carefully for Charlotte’s response. I wanted to hear the intonation in her voice. Did she know, did she suspect or was it a complete surprise?
She said, ‘I see.’ It was not a complete surprise then.
I repeated her, ‘I see,’ with my own exasperation. ‘Charlotte, it’s time you told me what’s going on. Tell me everything you know.’
She said, ‘Did you kill anyone when you rescued Geoffrey?’
‘No. Would that have been a problem? You told me I could do whatever was necessary remember. Would killing Bradshaw be a problem, or Treadwell or Baines?’ Charlotte didn’t answer. I repeated, ‘Tell me everything you know.’
I heard her breathe in and then she said, ‘As you guessed when we met, I do work for SIS.’
‘SIS,’ I repeated.
‘...the Secret Intelligence Service.’
‘...and Bartholomew Meriwether, who does he work for?’
‘He used to work for SIS or as he still calls it the British Secret Service.’
‘...and now?’
‘Now, well, we both work in intelligence but he’s independent of the central organisation. He’s something of a specialist; like me, I suppose. He’s run an unusual operation that takes a particular interest in sensitive areas. He handles situations that require a sensitive approach.’
‘Like this one?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you and Meriwether, what do you do in your unusual operation?’
As I said, we make sure difficult situations are handled with sensitivity.’
I laughed and said, ‘Charlotte, you’re not telling me much.’ The use of the word ‘sensitivity’ had made me laugh. I had already worked out most of what she told me for myself. I said, ‘What I need is information about this situation.’
There was more breathing from Charlotte. She hadn’t liked me laughing. She said, ‘As I’ve already told you, you were chosen by Mr. Meriwether and me especially for this mission.’
‘But why all the pretence and where does Bradshaw come in?’
‘The charade was necessary to get you in. It was essential that through SIS I persuaded the Foreign Office to insist to Bradshaw you were the one used.’
‘...used for what?’
‘...used for killing Geoffrey.’
‘But you don’t want me to kill Geoffrey.’
‘...exactly.’
I couldn’t decide if I was more or less confused than before. I said, ‘Charlotte, just give me the easy to understand version.’
‘All right, listen. SIS received an instruction from the Foreign Office that Geoffrey posed a threat and authorised a termination. Meriwether and I decided Geoffrey must not die. We knew how they would go about killing him, so we devised a plot to get you in and then we could turn you from killer to protector. And so far, our plan has worked perfectly.’
I said, ‘but why the disagreement over Geoffrey?’
Charlotte paused and then said, ‘There’s a double-agent.’
I laughed again and echoed, ‘A double-agent.’
This time, Charlotte ignored my cheerfulness and said, ‘Yes. That’s why the Russians are there and, we think, the Chinese. The double-agent has leaked the intelligence on Geoffrey and those two foreign intelligence services want him dead.’
‘And why did our intelligence service want him dead?’
‘...for the same reason.’
‘And that is?’
‘...because he just might be an economic Einstein.’
‘...an economic Einstein.’ I didn’t know what that was. Did it sound like something for which intelligence agencies would kill? ‘But why would that make our intelligence service want him dead'
'It wouldn’t. However, they might think it would if someone gave them false information, someone like a double agent. Do you see?’
I was still confused. This was clearly a complicated situation, which I wasn’t going to understand from a five-minute phone call. I wanted to concentrate on staying alive and I wanted information that would help me do that. I said, ‘Why is Bradshaw here and why did he snatch Geoffrey?’
Charlotte said, ‘I’m not sure. He may have worked out that you’re a plant and decided to go and do the job himself. Especially once he heard Treadwell and Baines had failed.’
‘But he didn’t do the job; did he? He had the chance; he had more than enough time but he didn’t do it. When I got there he was telling Geoffrey he wanted answers to his questions.’
‘That’s interesting. Perhaps he knows what Geoffrey is doing and that there’s more to the termination than he’s been told.’
Charlotte was not giving me as much information as I had hoped. This sensitive mission, as she called it, still seemed a long way from ending. I said, ‘Why can’t I bring Geoffrey home?’
‘...because until we uncover the double-agent it won’t be safe. All the time he or she remains in position it’s possible that person can have Geoffrey killed at any time. We’re working on uncovering the person but we need more time. Time you’re going to have to make for us by continuing to protect Geoffrey.’
‘Well, that’s easier said than done. At the moment, we don’t even have anywhere to spend the night.’
Charlotte said, ‘What’s wrong with the villa?’
‘When I got back with Geoffrey, after finding him at his apartment, the three Russians were waiting for us.’
‘You didn’t tell me that.’
I laughed again and said, ‘This is the first chance I’ve had.’
She said, ‘This might be significant. Did the Russians attempt to capture Geoffrey or simply kill him?’
‘Charlotte, I didn’t stop to ask them.’
‘You must have some…'
‘They shot at us. They could have been trying to kill us or, it’s possible I suppose, they could have been trying to shoot out a tyre. I couldn’t be certain either way.’
There was a pause in the conversation while Charlotte considered. I said, ‘Charlotte, can I kill Bradshaw or not?’
‘You better not. Unless he’s definitely about to kill Geoffrey then you can.’ Charlotte paused again and said, ‘It’s too late now to arrange new accommodation and you can’t book into a hotel as someone might trace your name.’ I had already found this out but I didn’t tell her. She said, ‘You’ll have to sleep in the car tonight and we’ll make new arrangements tomorrow.’ Great, I thought, a night in the car.
‘About tomorrow,’ Charlotte said, ‘you need to think of a plan to avoid
being found. You need to find some way of disappearing for a while. Can you do that?’ I felt the full weight of my predicament.
‘Yes, I can do that,’ I said optimistically.
‘Good. I’ll call you again in the morning with the new arrangements.’ She paused and then said, ‘You’re doing a really good job.’
‘Have you got any more intelligence on the Chinese assassin from Hong Kong?’
‘Not yet, but I expect to hear soon. I’ll let you know.’
I ended the call without replying and looked at Geoffrey who had been staring at me throughout. He didn’t look one bit like an economic Einstein.
Chapter 16
It is just a game of skill and luck played with randomly dealt cards.
I stared through the windscreen with a feeling similar to the leaning tower of Pisa. It looks like it’s about to fall over but it never does, and that I hoped would be the same for me.
I felt the throb from my stitched wound and dry swallowed two painkillers. I had to get food and drink and decide where to spend the night.
Geoffrey was still looking at me. He said, ‘What did Charlotte say?’
I said, ‘She says you might be an economic Einstein.’
He laughed with modesty and said, ‘I don’t know about that. It’s only an economic theory.’
I said, ‘A theory good enough to die for?’ Geoffrey didn’t answer. ‘Or kill for?’
I had decided where to park overnight. It was a place among many other parked cars but also out of the way and not on a through road. The marina where we had parked earlier was the perfect spot and there was a small supermarket nearby.
I switched on the headlights and drove away. Geoffrey said, ‘Where are we going?’
‘Back to the marina; there’s a supermarket there. Charlotte can’t arrange new accommodation until tomorrow, which means spending tonight in the car.’