by Mark Arundel
I expected to feel pain. He had an easy shot and I was a sitting target. I was still upright, which I took to be a good sign. It was only after a full second had passed that I realised it was not me with a bullet wound but the man. The pistol had fallen from his hand and he was down on one knee grasping his wounded arm.
I swung my head to look. Standing in the kitchen doorway, pistol in hand and with an expression that shall never fade from my memory was Xing.
Time only existed for one purpose. I jumped to my feet and ran to Charlotte.
Her face was empty. I wanted her face back. I loosened the cord from around her throat and positioned her onto her back. I listened for breathing and felt for a pulse. Neither was there. I was determined. I had done it before in a combat environment, but both times, my attempts had failed.
I knelt over her. With the heel of one hand on the centre of her chest and with my other hand on top I compressed hard and fast. Charlotte’s breastbone flexed deeply under my body weight and I pushed it in and out two or three times a second. I had to reach her heart.
After about twelve seconds, I stopped and moved to her face. It was still empty. I lifted her chin, pinched her nose closed, sealed my open mouth over her motionless, open lips and blew. I maintained a firm, steady breath. I turned to see Charlotte’s chest rise from filled lungs. I returned to the chest compressions and then I gave her two more breaths. After a minute or so, I checked for a pulse.
The disappointment I felt made me desperate. I used my big, rock hammer fist. If I failed, Charlotte’s need for her breastplate was irrelevant. I punched downwards, hard and fast. I was brutal. My fist was going to beat her heart until it surrendered and started pumping again. I wanted her back. Watching Charlotte die because Meriwether was an obsessive egomaniac was not a memory I wanted to live with.
I sensed someone nearby. It was Xing. She was watching silently.
Again, I tried to find a pulse. The anger roared inside me. It was unconnected to reason and I channelled it through my fist. I pummelled Charlotte’s breast with a volley of punches so hard that it left me gasping. I slumped and I closed my eyes. My body had lost its strength. To face the truth was hard.
Without conviction, I checked one last time. My hand moved up to Charlotte’s neck and my fingers pressed down on her badly marked skin beside her windpipe to feel her carotid artery.
All the strength returned to my body in a single exalted rush. It banished all my tiredness and anger. The pulse was faint but faint was enough. Charlotte was alive.
Xing questioned me with her eyes and I nodded. ‘I’ve never seen anybody punch someone back to life before,’ she said. ‘When she wakes up she’s going to want to know how she got butted in the chest by a charging rhinoceros.’ As if Xing had made it happen just by her words, Charlotte opened her eyes and her face came back. I could see focusing was a struggle, but her shallow breaths were steady. She lifted her head and then felt the pain. Her head went back and she closed her eyes.
‘You’re going to be all right,’ I said and squeezed her hand.
I found Grace’s K106 in my pocket and called Meriwether.
‘What’s happened?’ he said. His usual ebullient voice was now flat and worried.
‘Send a paramedic to Charlotte’s apartment immediately,’ I said.
‘I already have,’ he said. ‘I put two of them on stand-by. They should both be with you any minute. I instructed them the moment you left. Tell me.’
‘They hung her,’ I said. Meriwether was silent.
‘But she’s alive,’ he said.
‘Just,’ I said. ‘She needs urgent medical treatment: oxygen, adrenalin and every drug they’ve got.’
‘She’ll have it,’ he said.
‘Is everything all right with you?’
‘Yes, yes, it’s all under control,’ he said. Some of the cheerfulness had returned to his voice.
‘Are you alone?’
‘No, no, I have our two house guests, of course, and some more friends are on their way. Everything is fine. All in all, it’s worked out rather well.’ As to how far Charlotte would agree with that I was not sure.
‘All right, I’ll speak to you later,’ I said and ended the call.
As I slipped the K106 back inside my pocket and felt Charlotte’s pulse for reassurance, the two paramedics arrived.
‘Leave him,’ I said. ‘It’s this one through here.’ The paramedics were a man and a woman. They carried bags and moved quickly. ‘A closed windpipe leading to cardiac arrest,’ I said. ‘She was gone for about two minutes.’ They made her breathe oxygen from a canister and began an examination to determine her condition.
Xing had secured the two men in the kitchen using plastics restraints that she must have brought with her from Meriwether’s house.
‘How did you get here so fast?’ I said.
‘I watched you go. Meriwether told me the address. I grabbed one of the Glocks and left a few seconds later. Outside, you were sawing frantically to get a bicycle. I ran to the main road. When I saw a black cab, I jumped in front of it. The driver stopped. I gave him the address and I arrived just as you ran inside. I followed you up.’ Xing then gave me one of her shrugs. She wanted to express her belief that her actions were not special or difficult. The truth, though, was that she was special and that her actions had saved both Charlotte and me.
‘Why didn’t you kill him?’ I asked.
‘...kill who?’
‘...the man in the kitchen. You only shot him in the arm.’
‘I thought we might need to have them alive, like the two at Meriwether’s house.’ I thought it was significant that Xing had used the word “we”. ‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘Meriwether seems to have gotten what he wants.’
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘Meriwether seems to always get what he wants.’
33
FRIDAY, 18:23—21:01
Once the paramedics were satisfied, we moved Charlotte to her bedroom. I carried her while they arranged the bed and positioned the pillows. She felt very weak in my arms.
The female doctor stayed with her while her male colleague went to treat the two men. Neither of the paramedics had asked questions other than those they needed to for their medical work. I wondered if they were employees of the intelligence service. It seemed likely. Whom else could Meriwether trust?
The man I had fought with and knocked unconscious had come round and was sitting on a kitchen chair. The wrist restraint that Xing had put in place still held his hands behind his back. Apart from a painful chin, he was fit and healthy. I could feel my head where I struck him. It was one more entry to add to the list of injuries, not that I minded.
The other man did require treatment. The medic cut away the clothing. The bullet had passed straight through his bicep but missed the bone. It required attention and administration of the necessary drugs. He did it without seeming to care about the police uniform or asking me whether he could remove the wrist restraint. It confirmed my thought about his employer.
The K106 rang. It was Meriwether. ‘It’s all sorted,’ he said. His voice was bright as if confirming Sunday lunch with a likeable but elderly relative.
‘What is?’ I said.
‘A man from the S.T. office is on his way. He’s already been here. He won’t be long. He has the codes to give to the two operatives. They rescind the order. It’ll make them stand-down, so you can let them go. Are they fit enough to walk?’
‘Yes, they can both walk.’
‘Good. My two have just left. How’s Charlotte?’
‘She’s in bed.’
‘Excellent, that’s the best place for her. I’ve arranged for the female doctor to stay with her tonight and then a new one will come and relieve her in the morning. There’s no need for a stay in the hospital. Charlotte wouldn’t want that. She can recuperate at home.’ It was business as usual for Meriwether. ‘You may as well get off too once things are all settled. I take it Mossie is with you.’
‘Yes
, she’s here,’ I said. It seemed pointless to tell him what she had done. Without her, Meriwether could have been looking at a very different outcome. Perhaps he already knew that.
‘Perhaps you would put her up tonight if you don’t mind,’ Meriwether said. ‘I’ve still got some business to take care of.’
‘I’ll suggest it,’ I said.
‘Good man. Well, I must go. We’ll speak tomorrow.’
Charlotte was almost asleep. ‘You saved me,’ she said. Her voice was croaky and faint. I could see it hurt her to speak.
‘Go to sleep,’ I said. ‘We can talk in the morning.’ Charlotte closed her eyes and fell asleep. I think the doctor had given her something.
The man from the sanctioned termination office arrived. He wore brown shoes and a duffel coat. ‘This will only take a minute,’ he said. He went to the two men and spoke to them quietly. One of them asked a question. ‘I don’t know,’ was the only answer he got. The two men left directly afterwards. Neither of them spoke. ‘Good evening,’ the man in the duffel coat said as he left.
Next to leave was the male doctor. He too was circumspect and left with very few words.
Xing was standing beside me. ‘Are you hungry?’ she asked.
The doctor was checking Charlotte’s vital signs and taking note of the readings. ‘We’re going to leave,’ I said. She nodded. ‘Help yourself to anything you find in the kitchen. Charlotte won’t mind.’ She smiled. ‘I’ll come back in the morning.’
Downstairs in reception John was perturbed. ‘Will Miss Miller be all right?’ he asked. ‘They told me she had fallen ill.’
‘She’s going to be fine.’ I said. ‘Her doctor will stay with her tonight, but tomorrow she will quickly improve. It’s nothing too serious. She has a very sore throat.’
Propped against the wall was the bicycle. John saw me looking at it. ‘Someone left it outside on the pavement. I thought I had better bring it inside before it disappeared. You don’t know who it belongs to do you?’
‘No, sorry, I don’t,’ I said. ‘Someone may have reported a missing bike to the police. Maybe if you call the station...’
‘That’s a good idea. Yes, I’ll do that.’
The restaurant was on Eccleston Street. Inside, it was dark and the pianist played jazz that slowed the heartbeat. Behind the bar, the spotlights reflected off the bottles and sparkled in the mirror.
My enthusiasm for food was not great, but Xing insisted she was hungry. I watched her eat Scottish smoked salmon while I picked at a bowl of chips.
‘I like this Scottish fish,’ she said. It was easy being with her. Our shared experiences had built an understanding that was developing into respect. The relationship we had was unique. We knew that such a bond for people like us was rare.
‘Will you now return to Hong Kong?’
‘You took the risk of getting shot, why?’ Xing said. I noted she had not answered my question.
‘...when?’ I said.
‘...when you were shooting the rope to cut down Charlotte,’ she said.
‘No,’ I said. ‘I wasn’t taking a risk.’ Xing’s eyebrows moved and I saw one of her expressions.
‘...why not?’ she asked.
‘...because I knew you were there,’ I said. Her expression altered. She wondered whether to believe me. I could see she was remembering. After a pause, she resumed eating her Scottish fish.
‘Meriwether suggested you stay the night at mine,’ I said.
‘Yes, all right,’ she said.
In Pimlico, beside the Thames, the winter evening had taken on a bitter calm that made my apartment feel warm despite the need to turn up the thermostat.
Xing stood by the glass and stared out at the view across the water. I walked over and stood beside her. ‘Why do you think Meriwether would risk his life and Charlotte’s life like that?’ she said.
‘Some people will always gamble if the prize is big enough,’ I said.
‘Becoming chief of the secret intelligence service must be very important to him,’ she said.
‘Yes, perhaps,’ I said. Xing turned to me and her eyes were dark and reflective. She pulled off her top over her head and then shook her hair. The black mane contrasted against the white bra. Without taking her eyes from my face, she unbuttoned her trousers and wriggled out of them.
‘Take off your clothes,’ she said. I found it impossible to stop myself doing exactly that.
34
SATURDAY, 06:46—10:59
The following morning, I rose early. I wanted to visit Charlotte to make sure she was all right.
Xing was sitting up in bed, drinking tea from a mug and watching me dress. Her hair acted on the bedside lamp like a black hole: no light escaped from it.
As before, the sex between us had left me wondering how accurate the psychological assessment by Meriwether was. He believed that Xing was a nihilist. Many features of Xing’s character made Meriwether appear right. Even so, I had a doubt. Perhaps working with her had given me a deeper insight. Perhaps it was because I had seen her naked. Either way, the warning Meriwether had given me was still in my head. Killing you would be as easy to her as blinking. Of course, Meriwether had imparted these words of warning when Xing and I were still getting to know each another. Now that our relationship had developed, perhaps the blinking-killing phase was behind us.
I left Xing in bed. Her plans were still a mystery to me. I wondered whether they were still a mystery to her too.
The black cab dropped me outside Charlotte’s apartment building on Upper Grosvenor Street. Inside, the bike was still there, but Charlie had replaced John.
I ran up the stairs and knocked. It was still the same female doctor. ‘She’s doing well,’ she said. ‘She can get out of bed today if she wants to. Her neck and throat will take a while to heal, but her heart, lungs and brain function are all good.’
‘Is she awake?’ I said. The doctor nodded.
‘What happened to her chest?’ she asked. ‘It’s very badly bruised.’
‘I’m afraid I did that,’ I said. ‘I had to punch her, very hard and many times.’ I took the doctor’s expression to mean she understood and that any further explanation was unnecessary. However, I may have been wrong.
Charlotte gave me a smile, but it lacked conviction. ‘The doc. says you can get up today if you want to,’ I said. ‘She says you’re going to be fine.’ Charlotte nodded, but that too lacked conviction. Bruising on her neck, under her chin and along her jawbone looked like an ugly necklace of joined up love bites.
‘I’m going to go away for a while,’ she said. Her hoarse voice sounded painful. I remained silent. ‘It will give me time to mend and to think.’ Too much thinking after what Charlotte had experienced was not necessarily a good idea. I kept my opinion unspoken.
‘Where will you go?’ I said.
‘I don’t know. Somewhere quiet on the coast. I need to stare at the sea.’ I think she did know. Hiding was a natural response to what had happened to her.
‘All right,’ I said, ‘but call me. I want to know where you are and when you’re coming back.’ Charlotte nodded and attempted another smile.
‘I’m going to sell the apartment,’ she said. ‘Living here after what happened will be too difficult. I don’t want to be reminded.’ That was a good idea.
‘I’ll help you pack,’ I said. This time, the smile was stronger.
‘Thank you for saving me,’ she said.
‘It was Xing as well,’ I said.
‘Yes, of course. Thank her too for me.’
‘I’ll tell her,’ I said, although I knew that “thanks” to Xing would not mean anything.
Charlotte’s hand went to her throat. She gently felt the choker of bruises and I could see she was trying not to cry. I sat on the bed, put my arm around her and squeezed. The comfort and reassurance brought about an instant improvement. The tears went away and Charlotte buried her head in my chest. ‘The doctor told me that my heart stopped. Does that mean
I died?’ Charlotte’s words were faint and muffled. I could only just hear them, but I knew what they meant.
‘You may have died,’ I said, ‘but you’re not dead now. You’re alive; remember that.’
I stepped onto the pavement outside Charlotte’s apartment and waiting against the kerb was a car I recognised. Parsons was standing beside the passenger door. Meriwether’s valet wore a dark suit and gloves. He opened the door of the Bentley and said, ‘Mr. Meriwether suggested I chauffeur you, sir.’
‘Chauffeur me where?’ I said.
‘To his place of work, sir,’ Parsons replied.
‘You can drop the “sir”,’ I said. I got in and immediately felt cosseted by the Bentley’s opulent passenger seat.
‘How did you know where I was?’ I asked.
‘Mr. Meriwether gave me your location,’ Parsons replied.
We rode in silence. I was thinking. Not that “thinking” was necessarily going to help me.
After passing through security, Parsons stopped the car by the entrance. ‘I’ll wait for you here,’ he said.
I got out and went inside. A young woman with red hair and a pale complexion briskly approached. She had obviously been waiting. I was expected. ‘I’ll take you up,’ she said.
We passed through further security and then took the lift. We walked a short distance before taking a small flight of stairs. I noticed the door to the room had an airtight seal.
Inside, Meriwether was alone. He sat at the head of a large table, which was clear except for a white cup and saucer, a phone, a tablet device and a notepad and pen.
‘Ah, dear boy, you’re here,’ he said. ‘Come in and take a seat.’ He gestured to the chair beside his. The red-haired woman closed the sealed door and left me inside alone with Meriwether.
He stood up and poured me a cup of coffee. I took it from his steady, outstretched hand. We sat down. He reminded me of an idiom: “Like a cat that got the cream”.