For Your Own Protection(73)

‘You’d better answer it, hadn’t you?’

‘We haven’t had a chance to get our story straight.’

‘Tell him what he wants to hear,’ Matt urged.

‘Okay, okay.’ Sean took a deep, steadying breath and pressed the ‘Answer’ button. ‘Yes, we have what you want . . . We want to meet on neutral ground, to exchange the money and drugs for Beth and Charlie . . . Absolutely, we promise, we won’t try anything stupid – of course not . . .’ Sean listened, then glanced at his watch. ‘I think that’ll be okay. We should have everything ready by then . . . Just two things . . . Firstly, we want your assurance you won’t have anyone following us. Secondly, we want proof that Beth and Charlie are okay.’ Sean looked over at Matt as he listened to the reply, closing his eyes briefly as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

‘What did they say?’ Matt said.

‘He said we won’t be followed on our way to the exchange.’

‘And Beth and Charlie?’

‘I’m sorry, mate. He didn’t answer that question.’





CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE


Michael packed quickly, making sure he had his passport and the e-tickets for the car ferry that evening. It wouldn’t do any harm to get to the port early. He’d feel more secure there.

He rolled the suitcase to the front door before retrieving the three carrier bags stuffed full of cash from the back of his wardrobe. Carrying the bags outside, he hid them in the sizeable compartment in the car boot where the spare tyre was supposed to sit. They just about fitted while still allowing the panel on top to lie flat. The tyre itself he carried back into the flat and left in the hallway, deciding that if he was unlucky enough to undergo a spot check on the crossing, suspicions might be raised by seeing the tyre on display. He’d run the risk of getting a puncture instead.

He hauled the case over the front step and out on to the path, muttering a silent goodbye to his home of five years before loading the case into the boot.

Michael had two hands on the lid of the boot when a thought came to him. It was about the last time he’d used the suitcase. Last year he, Annabelle, Alex, and Rachel had headed off in this same car on a road trip to Paris. They’d rented out a private apartment right in the centre, within strolling distance of the Eiffel Tower. It had been an amazing trip, full of friendship, laughter, and love.

Holding tightly on to the boot lid, he gazed down at the case, drowning in the memories.

Then he reached down and unzipped the small front pouch. In his rush to get away, he hadn’t given it a second thought. Usually he used the pouch to slip in a card with his name, email address, and telephone number, in the event of it being lost. The others had teased him about this habit, which he had picked up from his mother.

He slid his hand inside and felt for the card from the Paris trip. Pulling it out, he was surprised to see that it had been replaced by a postcard featuring several famous Paris sights: the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and a view of the River Seine.

Intrigued, he flipped over the card. There was a short, handwritten message:

To the best of times! Friends forever!

It was signed by Rachel and Alex, with love.

Michael stood there, clutching the card, in shock at the appearance of this relic from a happier age.

He looked up at his flat, then back at the card.

Just then, his phone rang. He nearly answered it, but instead set it to silent and slipped it into the case.

He had made his decision.





CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR


‘Here we are.’

Sean indicated right and swung across a gap in the traffic. They’d been unable to reach Michael by phone, so had set off for his apartment in Camden. ‘Adelaide Terrace. Number twenty-three.’

When they got there, they cruised along the road, which was lined by imposing white Georgian townhouses.

Matt looked out for the right address. ‘You really think Michael will go along with this?’

‘I’ll force him if I have to.’ Sean’s threat was disconcerting.

‘I hope it won’t come to that.’

‘I know things about Michael that he won’t want to find their way out into the wider world,’ Sean said cryptically.

‘Is that Michael’s car?’ Matt asked, nodding towards the red Audi A3.

‘I think so.’

They pulled in behind it. But as Sean turned off the engine, the Audi wheelspinned and shot off at high speed.

‘What the hell?’ Sean said, turning to Matt. ‘He was in the car.’

‘Follow him,’ Matt said instinctively. ‘We have to speak with him.’

Sean fired the car back up and set off in pursuit.



‘Why would he flee?’ Matt said. He could see Michael’s Audi six cars in front as they travelled up the A40. Both their cars were limited to the speed of the other traffic, which was pretty heavy.

‘Maybe he thought we were someone else.’

‘Samson?’

‘I spoke to Michael yesterday. Told him James had disappeared. He was pretty shocked – talked about things reaching a head. Maybe he just panicked.’

‘Then we need to let him know it’s us,’ Matt said. ‘And here’s our chance.’