Moon was in such a panic, he told him. Moon George Moon.
Who sent you?
I dont know. I hadnt seen him before in my life.
He pulled away, turned to run, and Roper shot him in the right thigh. He hit the pavement, writhing. Roper said, Remember this somebody tried to mug you and it went wrong. That would be a good line if you want to stay out of court when the police come.
Yes, Moon babbled. Yes.
Roper went down the square, taking out his mobile and dialing 999. Ambulance needed in Regency Square. Two men down. Looks like a shooting. The operator asked for his name, but he switched off and called Dillon.
Sean, Ive had a spot of bother. He explained what had happened. Ill wait for you in the Italian restaurant at the end of the square.
Ill call Billy and well be with you soon, and Ill notify Ferguson. I dont like the sound of this. First Hannah, now you. I think youd be better off in the Holland Park safe house.
Ruby was upstairs at the Harvest Moon when the bell sounded at the alley door. She went down, opened it and Levin smiled at her.
We need to talk. He moved in and followed her upstairs.
She led the way into Moons office and turned. What is this?
Moon and Harold made a big mistake. Youll be hearing from them quite soon. They are, as we speak, seeking treatment in the accident and emergency department of some third-rate National Health hospital.
Ive just heard. Had a phone call from the hospital. It said theyd been mugged by a black street gang. Is it bad?
Gunshot wounds to the legs and so richly deserved, just like the IRA. Ive never seen such incompetents. The story about being mugged does two things. It keeps them out of court and it doesnt involve the people I work for. If it did, George and Harold would be dead in the near future, one way or the other.
So what do you want here?
Two thousand, Ruby?
Youve got cheek.
Its the principle of the thing. Ill do you a favor. Give me a thousand and you can tell Moon I came back and took it all. A thousand for you.
She thought about it, then went and unlocked a cabinet at the end of a bookcase, took out a packet of banknotes and tossed it to him.
Hes my husband, you know.
Then Im sorry for you.
Its not as bad as you think. He swings the other way. She smiled. Id get out of here if I were you. Ill be getting callers.
He turned to the door, turned again and tossed the thousand pounds on the desk. Oh, what the hell. Tell him I took the lot, and he went downstairs and moved back along the alley to his limousine.
Dillon and Billy arrived with a People Carrier, loaded Roper inside and a number of personal effects he needed, and took him to the Holland Park safe house. This had happened before in times of stress. Because of this, Ferguson had had all the right computers and technical equipment installed to suit Ropers special needs.
So, Roper was settled in and the Military Police sergeant on duty, Doyle, said, General Ferguson will be along soon, Mr. Dillon. Theres a message from Special Branch. It seems George Moon and Harold Parker insist they were mugged by two men at pistol point and they cant identify them because it was dark, it was raining and they were black.
Black, my arse, Billy said. Ive known Moon for years. Hes a slimy toad. Theres more to this, Dillon.
So lets go and find out what it is. Well be back later, he said to Roper, and went out.
At St. Michaels, Dillon and Billy found Moon and Harold under sedation and awaiting surgery. Billy flashed his new warrant card from Ferguson and forced his way in. It was amazing the power it made him feel. Moon and Harold were waiting in a side ward.
Its me, George, Billy Salter.
What in the hell do you want?
Mr. Dillon here and I are working for the Intelligence Service.
Fuck off, Billy. They wouldnt employ a thief like you.
Now youre upsetting me, George. No big blacks shooting you and Harold.
Well, the police are happy. That takes care of it.
Unfortunately, the guy who stiffed you, George, the guy you were trying to do away with, is a very good friend of ours, so we know what you were up to. Who put you up to it?
Ill say one thing for old times sake, Billy. They could snuff you out like a match, swallow you whole. Now, Harold and me was mugged by two big black men. They had Cockney accents, so they must have been born here. He raised his voice. Nurse, I feel terrible.
Billy said, You deserve to, you toad. Ill pay you back. He nodded to Dillon. Lets go.
Of course, it was another failure he had to report, whichever way you looked at it. In the GRU files, there was quite a list of IRA people like Moon available for employment. It occurred to Levin that reliability was not their strongest feature. The whole affair had been farcical, but it would still look like a failure to Ashimov, never mind Volkov.
The truth was, you could never rely on anybody but yourself, so he drove to Hangmans Wharf and parked close to the Dark Man, but not for any particular reason. Just thinking about it. There was the Bentley parked there, Harry Salters pride and joy, according to his file, and as Levin watched, Joe Baxter came out of the pub, unlocked the door, rummaged around, then went back into the Dark Man. The thing was, he didnt bother to relock the door.
It was a wild card, crazy, but he might get away with it. Levin opened the glove compartment, found the mini-tool kit, opened it and selected a pair of wire cutters. He moved fast, darting along the pavement, and opened the door of the Bentley, reached inside and released the catch to the bonnet. When it sprang open, he went round, raised it and went to work, slicing at cables, brake fluid already spurting out. The bonnet went down with a thump, and he turned and went back to his Mercedes. There was no point in waiting, it could take forever, but then, as he reached for the key, Harry Salter appeared with Joe Baxter and got into the Bentley. Baxter was driving and switched on. The engine roared. He moved away, tried to turn the Bentley. It glided back and bumped against another car. There was the sound of the engine revving again as it moved away, and he obviously tried to brake. The Bentley proceeded at speed toward the edge of the wharf, ready to go straight into the Thames. At the last moment, it skidded, bounced off a bollard and ended up with the front wheels over the edge of the wharf.
Baxter and Salter managed to extricate themselves. There was much shouting, people poured out of the pub, and Levin drove away laughing. Salter and Baxter should have been choking to death, drowning at the bottom of the Thames. It was unbelievable what had happened. Life was just a farce after all, a comedy, a dark one, but still a comedy.
At the Harvest Moon, Ruby answered the bell at the side door and found Billy Salter, Dillon behind him.
What do you want, you sod?
And I always thought you liked me, Ruby. Just a word. Me and my friend Mr. Dillon would appreciate that. You see, weve been to Saint Michaels, and George and Harold have told the police they were mugged, a racial attack in reverse. Theyve got nothing else to say.
So whats the problem?
Well, you see we know who shot them, a friend of ours who was actually attacked by George and Harold in his wheelchair. The thing is, he was armed, Ruby, hes that kind of man.
So? She still stood there, holding the door.
George is a hit man, thats what hes done for a living for years.
So what wed like to know is who paid him, Dillon told her.
I dont have any idea who he was. She flinched, aware that shed been caught out.
Come on, Ruby, Ive got a warrant here. We could take you in.
George is a hit man, thats what hes done for a living for years.
So what wed like to know is who paid him, Dillon told her.
I dont have any idea who he was. She flinched, aware that shed been caught out.
Come on, Ruby, Ive got a warrant here. We could take you in.
Okay, a guy came, spoke to George. No names, no pack drill, George said. He knew the mans principals and they were frightening people. I mean, hed obviously worked for them before.
But he didnt know the man? Dillon asked.
No, there was one funny thing, though.
What was that?
When I was told to get him a drink, George said that considering the gentlemans antecedents, hed probably prefer a vodka.
So he was Russian? Dillon said.
No, a real gent. Drop-dead good-looking, public school voice. He was back here a little while ago. Told me what had happened, but Id already had the police on.
Why did he come back?
His money. Two grand. Took the lot, she lied.
They were still standing in the hallway. Billy glanced up and saw a security camera. That appears to be on.
It is.
He reached up, switched it off and removed the tape. Upstairs, Ruby. Well have a quick look on your TV.
Levin was there, of course, his one mistake, his face quite clear. Well keep this, Billy told Ruby. You stay quiet and well stay quiet, okay?
Men. She shook her head. Piss off, Billy.
Driving away, Dillon said, Theres something about our man. Its as if I know him.
Not me, Billy said. But the Russian link is cool.
Dillons mobile rang, he answered it, then switched off and turned. That was Ferguson. Hes at the Holland Park safe house with Roper, and now your uncle.
Harry? What in Christ for?
Somebody cut the brakes on the Bentley. He and Joe Baxter ended up hanging over the edge of the wharf. Its a miracle they survived.
This is beginning to stink, big-time, Billy said.
You dont have to tell me. Just get us there.
At the Holland Park safe house, they were all assembled. It was a bad business all round. Theyd just run the tape through and found Levin entering the Harvest Moon. They established that he didnt mean a thing to anyone.
So where are we? Dillon asked.
This is a serious situation, Ferguson said. The death of Superintendent Bernstein, followed by what happened to Blake in Drumore and now the attacks on Major Roper and Harry Salter. He shook his head. Billy could have been with you, Harry, it could have been both of you.
Just wait till I get my hands on them, Salter said. Just wait.
There was silence. Dillon lit a cigarette. Well, Id say its more than a coincidence that four members of the Prime Ministers private army have been targeted, Charles. That only leaves you and me. Blake was extra.
Exactly, so the sooner we discover the identity of the gentleman on the security tape, the better.