Chapter 48
Steve finishes his story. He has enjoyed telling it very much. The road to Connor Brooks, via Sara Lindstrat, Tommy Griffin, old Dotty Gunn, and Mike and Sue from the Málaga Bridge and Whist Club.
‘Of course he’s English!’ says Ernesto. ‘That makes much more sense, when do the Swedes ever give us any trouble?’
Ernesto raises a tumbler of whisky to the room.
Steve sees that his new friend, Ernesto Manuelo Santiago de Sousa de Cuéllar, straight off the easyJet from Southampton Airport, looks very at home in a castle. Even in jeans and trainers and a ME ENCANTA MALLORCA T-shirt.
‘In return for this information, I have a photograph for you,’ says Ernesto. ‘This is my gift. Day before Tommy Griffin is assassinated. Palm Springs Airport, the early flight from Los Angeles.’
Ernesto shows them the photograph. ‘We recognize any friends, huh?’
Steve takes a good look. Maybe twenty people in the queue, but one you simply can’t miss. The unmistakable figure of Jakob Eriksson. Or, rather, as they now know, the unmistakable figure of Connor Brooks.
But Steve already knew what he was going to see. Carlos Moss had sent them the exact same photograph. Steve wants to give Ernesto his moment of glory though. As do the others. They all say ‘ooh’ or ‘goodness me’ or words to that effect.
Vern Blackwood puffs out his cheeks. ‘Okay, then.’
‘He has killed them all now, Vern,’ says Ernesto. ‘All but you.’
‘We have to keep you locked up,’ says Amy. ‘No one in, no one out.’
‘Three days,’ says Vern. ‘Then I take my chances.’
Vern is still very much the coolest head in the room. He is banking an awful lot on his friendship with Brooks. Though when you do someone that sort of favour, perhaps that’s reasonable.
‘We can keep an eye on the airports,’ says Ernesto. ‘If Brooks lands in Britain, we’ll know.’
‘And if he does land in Britain,’ says Amy, ‘we’ll have a pretty good idea of where he’s headed.’
Steve nods. ‘We sit and wait. Let him come to us.’
‘So I’m bait?’ says Vern. ‘Fun.’
‘If it goes wrong, then he will kill you,’ says Ernesto. ‘But it won’t go wrong. We are a match for him, you don’t think? We will keep you alive.’
‘I think so,’ says Rosie. ‘I believe in us. We’re in a castle with two policemen and two bodyguards. And me, of course.’
‘I like our odds,’ agrees Steve. ‘Although I do have to pop out tomorrow lunchtime, if I can be spared?’
He is having lunch with Georgie Glazier. What harm can that do? It’s just lunch, not a sauna. And he does want to talk to her about Connor Brooks.
‘Going somewhere important?’ Rosie asks.
‘Dentist,’ says Steve.
‘I thought you didn’t go to the dentist,’ says Rosie. ‘You’re not lying to me, are you, Stevie?’
‘I don’t go to the dentist,’ says Steve. ‘When I said that to you the other day, I thought, you know what, Steve, you should go to the dentist, Rosie’s on the money there, so, you know, I booked an appointment. Check-up.’
Rosie nods. ‘Oh, well, I’m so glad you’re not lying to me. I actually have to nip out tomorrow too, but I don’t suppose anyone will miss me.’
‘And where are you going?’ Steve asks.
‘Dentist too,’ says Rosie.
So they’re both lying about where they’re going tomorrow. Interesting.
‘I’m sure we’ll muddle through without you,’ says Amy. ‘We keep our eyes open and wait for Connor Brooks, or someone hired by Connor Brooks, to cross Rosie’s moats.’
‘How do we advertise Vern is here?’ Steve asks the room.
‘Do you have an Instagram account, Vern?’ Rosie asks.
‘An account? Not really,’ says Vern. ‘I follow a few wellness influencers and the Dalai Lama. But I wouldn’t post because, you know.’
‘Because you’re a criminal,’ says Amy.
‘Because I’m a semi-criminal, yes,’ says Vern. ‘Ooh, I also follow a lot of snooker-based accounts.’
‘Do you do Twitter?’ asks Steve.
‘God, no,’ says Vern.
‘Are you on the AZ6781 EncroChat subgroup?’ Amy asks.
‘Of course I am,’ says Vern. ‘I’m never off it.’
‘What’s the AZ–’ Steve begins.
‘It’s like Snapchat for criminals,’ says Amy. ‘It’s how they organize their deals.’
‘There are also memes,’ says Vern. ‘And essays about money-laundering. Honestly, once you start scrolling you can lose a whole afternoon.’
‘Just post on the subgroup,’ says Amy. ‘Nothing too obvious. And even if Connor Brooks doesn’t see it, someone he knows will. He already knows about Axley.’
‘What should I put?’ says Vern.
‘Write this,’ says Amy. ‘LOL, staying in a castle. Anyone know where to get a decent cappuccino in Dorset? Brooks will put two and two together.’
Vern nods. ‘I should say something illegal though, to make it more convincing.’
‘Anyone know where to steal a decent cappuccino in Dorset?’ suggests Steve.
Vern is thinking. ‘I could say I need five kilos of potassium chlorate. That should do it. And I do actually need some, so that’s two birds.’
He starts typing.
There is now quiet around the table. Everyone is nervous, and that’s understandable. They are playing games with a killer. Waiting for him to strike. Luring Connor Brooks and hoping they catch him before he kills Vern. It is high risk, but it is very high reward.
Steve looks around and wonders what everyone else is thinking.
Amy looks concerned, but she understands the assignment. She will make sure this plan is as safe as can be.
Rosie is drinking a Martini, without a care in the world. She will play whatever card you want to deal her. And, for some reason, she is lying about a dentist appointment. But who isn’t.
Ernesto looks ready for action. Steve realizes that, for all Ernesto’s ease and charm, this is a big case for him too. He’s primed.
Vern looks the least nervous. As he has looked throughout. But it is their job to protect him, and the best way to protect him is to catch Connor Brooks.
The last of the gang, Lee, is the hardest to read.
But then he’s recently had to put two colleagues in a freezer and bury one of them twice.
After years in Afghanistan, it’s understandable that he might be wary of more killings.
Understandable if he is beginning to lose heart.
Everyone else around this table has something personal to gain by finding Connor Brooks.
Lee is just doing a job of work. Perhaps he’s seen enough death for one lifetime?
Certainly there is something unknowable behind his dark eyes.
Lee claps his hand on the table. ‘Okay. Who wants to watch Rampage 8?’