Next in Line (William Warwick, #5)(99)

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William phoned Holbrooke from the governor’s office, to be told he was at Number 10 briefing the Prime Minister with the news that the SBS team were now all aboard the Cornwall, waiting impatiently for the sun to set. Something even the Prime Minister had no control over.

William’s next call was put through to Holbrooke in the PM’s office, when he spelt out in great detail not only what Chalabi expected him to do, but also that Diana was definitely alive and well and, equally important, was on her balcony on the starboard side.

‘How can you be sure their cabins are on the starboard side?’ demanded Holbrooke.

‘There’s no way Lady Victoria would ever use the term “shit-scared”, even if she felt it.’ William went on to warn the Assistant Commissioner what Khalifah had in mind for the Princess when they reached Libya, even if they did go along with his demands. ‘He’ll be calling back in forty-one minutes,’ said William, checking his watch, ‘when he’ll be expecting me to confirm that Khalifah is on his way to Heathrow. If he isn’t, I’m in no doubt he’ll carry out his threat to kill Ross or Victoria, or both.’

‘I’m sure you’re right,’ said Holbrooke, ‘because, like us, he’ll be working to a strict timetable. I’ll tell you exactly what I want you to say when he phones back, but never forget that your first priority is to buy me as much time as possible. The SBS can’t make a move until after sunset, 20.43 local time, which isn’t’ – he checked his watch – ‘for another two hours and nineteen minutes.’

William listened carefully as Holbrooke spelt out in detail the message he expected him to deliver to Chalabi, because he knew he wasn’t a man who repeated himself.

‘The First Sea Lord’s on line one,’ said an urgent-sounding voice in the background.

‘I’ll be with him in a moment,’ said Holbrooke. ‘Your single purpose, Warwick, is to buy me time,’ were the last words William heard before the line went dead.

William made four separate calls during the next thirty minutes. The first was to the Hawk at the Yard, who assured him that three cars would be waiting outside the prison to take him and Khalifah to Heathrow, well before the hour was up. Almost as if command had changed hands. He next called Paul, followed by Rebecca and, finally, Danny, to brief them on the roles they would play during the next two hours.

He barely had enough time to get back to the hospital wing, making it with only minutes to spare. He hardly recognized Khalifah, who was now dressed in a thawb and keffiyeh, and looking more like an Arab potentate than someone who’d just emerged from solitary.

‘You’re only just in time to prevent the next execution,’ said Khalifah as William rushed into the room. ‘I presume you have a car on standby, because I know Chalabi is looking for any excuse to sacrifice Inspector Hogan, who for some inexplicable reason seems to irritate him.’

The phone rang. William didn’t need to ask who it was on the other end of the line.

‘I presume you’ve spoken to Holbrooke and arranged everything?’ was Chalabi’s opening statement.

‘Yes. A car will be outside the prison in a few minutes’ time ready to take Khalifah—’

‘His Excellency Mansour Khalifah,’ corrected Chalabi. ‘Yours isn’t the only royal family.’

‘—Khalifah to Heathrow,’ said William.

‘Where I assume his private jet will be waiting to fly him back to his homeland.’

‘That’s not going to be quite so easy,’ said William defiantly. ‘The plane hasn’t been serviced for over three months and, although the engineers are working flat out, it could be some time before the airport authorities will allow it to take off. Unless, of course, you’re willing to risk your leader’s life?’ he added, taking a calculated risk.

For the first time, Chalabi didn’t respond immediately.

William took advantage of the silence. ‘Once the safety regulations have been carried out, the plane will be refuelled. But we still face the problem of finding a crew who are willing to fly him to Libya. It’s not what one might call a destination of choice.’

‘Stop bluffing, Warwick,’ said Chalabi. ‘I’ll call again in an hour’s time, when I expect …’

‘I’ll need at least four hours before I can be sure everything’s in place.’

‘I’ll give you two, not a minute more. Should His Excellency fail to pick up the phone when I call his private plane in exactly two hours’ time, the executions will begin. I’ll even allow you to listen to Lady Victoria’s final words before she joins Inspector Hogan in the deep.’

The line went dead. William had bought Holbrooke an extra hour, but would it be enough?





CHAPTER 35





IT WAS STILL BROAD DAYLIGHT when six officers and two dozen hand-picked ratings cast off from the Cornwall in six boats, an hour before the main party were due to depart. Captain Davenport had emphasized during his final briefing that although theirs was a secondary role, it was no less vital if Operation Overboard were to succeed.

An SBS party of fourteen would set off in their RIBs an hour later, and the last to leave would be Davenport and six of his most seasoned operatives in the two helicopters. They would have to time their departure to the minute if they were to take advantage of their most powerful weapon – surprise.