Part 7 (2/2)

”Don't panic. I'll handle it. Just keep cool, all right?”

Greta Novikova said, ”Trouble?” As.h.i.+mov called for his bill and told her quickly.

She was worried. ”Can you handle this?”

”You shouldn't need to ask. We'll take a taxi to my place, where we'll get my car and suitable weaponry. You can chauffeur me.” He smiled a terrible smile. ”They're only gangsters, my love. I handled them in Moscow, I'll handle them now.”

Ali Selim, of course, would not have agreed with him. He rang the bell for Abdul, the caretaker, and met him on his way out to the car.

”Something's come up. I'm needed in Iraq. I'm not sure for how long, but I'll be in touch.”

”As you say, Doctor.” Abdul never questioned the imam's comings and goings.

Selim got into the Peugeot and drove away. The Baghdad airport, as happened so frequently, was closed to aviation traffic, which was why he was headed to Kuwait. He'd drive the rest of the way. It was surprising how cheerful he felt, the closer he got to Heathrow and away from Queen Street.

The Lynda Jones Lynda Jones was moored at the other end of the wharf from the Dark Man. More than fifty years old, it had been lovingly restored, and it was the joy of Harry's life - it took him back to his childhood days as a river rat. He sat there now with Billy, at a table under an awning, and Baxter and Hall held Harker between them. was moored at the other end of the wharf from the Dark Man. More than fifty years old, it had been lovingly restored, and it was the joy of Harry's life - it took him back to his childhood days as a river rat. He sat there now with Billy, at a table under an awning, and Baxter and Hall held Harker between them.

Dillon stood by the stern railing, light spilling out into the darkness, the occasional boat pa.s.sing, all lit up. The whole place had a rather melancholy air to it, although, for the life of him, he couldn't think why. He s.h.i.+vered slightly and lit a cigarette.

Harry said, ”Okay, Charlie, don't waste my time. Who told you to stick those two hoods on Dillon?”

Harker tried to struggle, and Baxter and Hall held him firmly. Billy leaned forward and slapped his face.

Harker said wildly, ”I've told you, Harry, you don't know what you're getting into. This is big-time stuff, believe me.”

”And who are we, the little people? f.u.c.k this for a game of soldiers.” Salter nodded to Billy. ”Try the hoist and put him over.”

Baxter and Hall put the struggling Harker down and Billy pulled on the stern hoist, took the hemp rope suspended from it and looped it around Harker's ankles. Baxter and Hall heaved until Harker was clear of the side, then swung him over and dropped him headfirst into the river.

He hung there for a while, struggling, weakened, then stopped. ”Have him up,” Harry told them.

Baxter and Hall pulled Harker out, then swung him over the rail. He lay on the deck, retching up river water.

”Had enough?” Billy demanded.

”You've signed your own death warrants,” Harker said weakly.

”We're wasting our bleeding time here,” Salter said. ”Over with him again.”

”No, for G.o.d's sake. I'll tell you.”

They untied him and sat him on a chair. ”Give him a f.a.g,” Salter said, which Billy did.

Dillon cut in. ”So who told you to put those guys onto me?”

”A Russian called As.h.i.+mov. He runs security for that oil billionaire, Belov. As.h.i.+mov has links with Dr. Ali Selim at the Queen Street Mosque. They recruit English-born Muslims for some outfit called the Wrath of Allah. To arrange an underground route for them to Iraq or Syria. They use one of my boats to Amsterdam, then go on to Kuwait on false pa.s.sports.”

”You b.l.o.o.d.y b.a.s.t.a.r.d,” Salter said. ”What do you do when they come back and set bombs off in London?”

Before Harker could reply, there came a single shot. It took Harker over the rail into the water.

As.h.i.+mov grabbed Greta's sleeve. ”Come on, move it,” and they hurried away through the shadows.

Leaving the Volvo close to the Dark Man, he and Greta had watched from the shadows and heard something of what was being said. Without hesitating, As.h.i.+mov had pulled out a Beretta, taken careful aim and fired. He seldom missed.

On the Lynda Jones Lynda Jones, the four of them crouched, waiting, and Billy reached to flick off the light switch. A moment later, they heard a car start up and move away. ”Well, that's it, whoever it was,” Salter said.

”A pound to a penny it was As.h.i.+mov,” Dillon said.

Billy switched on the deck lights again and they peered over. ”No sign of Harker,” Dillon said.

Billy shrugged. ”There won't be. The tide's going out.”

”Well, at least we know where we stand,” Dillon said. ”So if you gents will excuse me, I'll go and have words with Ali Selim. I'll keep you posted.”

”No, you won't,” Billy said. ”I'll take you in the Range Rover.”

In his quarters at the mosque, Abdul was cooking a late supper when the doorbell sounded. He went to open it and found Dillon standing there, who pushed him back and stepped in.

”Get me Selim.”

”But he isn't here. He left a couple of hours ago.”

”Left? Where's he gone?”

Abdul was sensible enough to be frightened. ”Iraq. He said something had come up, that he was needed.”

”Is that so? And when is he due back?”

”He wasn't sure. He - he said he'd be in touch.”

Dillon snorted. ”I wouldn't count on it.”

Dillon returned to the Range Rover, and when Billy asked, ”Everything okay?” told him what had happened.

”I'd say he's done a runner,” Billy said. ”Once you started sniffing around, that would be enough. What's next?”

”I'll call Ferguson.”

When he did, Ferguson said, ”The waters really are getting muddied, aren't they? I'll speak to Roper. Meet me at his place.”

Dillon turned to Billy. ”Regency Square.”

”The Major's place? Things are starting to get interesting. Quite like old times.” And he drove away.

It was shortly afterward that Abdul again answered the doorbell at the mosque and found As.h.i.+mov, who pushed past him, Greta following.

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