Ashes of Time (The After Cilmeri Series) (27 page)

“
I’ll let him tell you
that,” Mark said.

Meg thought back through everything that had
happened in America. “What about your friend George? Was he in on
it?”

Meg could hear Mark’s hesitation when he
spoke. “The Consul-General told him to give you every assistance.
She didn’t tell him why.”

“
To screw the Americans,
that’s why,” Anna said. “And us, I guess.”

“
The minute Callum reaches
us, we should just leave,” Meg said. “If some poor guy hadn’t been
flying the plane, we could have crashed it into the ocean and been
done with all this.”

“
I keep telling you, we
can’t return without what David needs,” Anna said. “Not if we can
help it.”

“
I’m working on that,” Mark
said.

Meg had forgotten for a moment who they were
talking to.

“
That’s why Callum called
me first. That’s why I’m also coming to you.”

“
I do
not
want another chase through the
streets of Cardiff,” Cassie said. “Where are we
meeting?”

Anna had already started repacking the
duffel. Cassie headed off with the phone tucked to her ear, still
talking to Mark. Meg stared out the window, finding her anxiety
rising and falling with every breath. The budget cuts to the
Project made sense now. The powers-that-be had wanted her family
when they were in front of them, but they didn’t want the expense
of waiting for them between trips. Callum’s group hadn’t made any
headway in duplicating what they could do, so the government had
decided to focus on watching for their re-entry and then springing
into action. It was just Tate’s bad luck that Meg and Anna had come
into this world in such a remote place—and that Cassie’s and
Callum’s loyalty to Meg and her family trumped their loyalty to any
modern government.

Cassie returned with the phone put away,
carrying two swords and a finely woven mesh bag nearly the size of
a backpack. Meg didn’t ask what was in it, and Cassie didn’t
explain. With some maneuvering and distorting both ends of the
duffel out of shape, she managed to fit all the items inside the
larger bag.

“
That’s what you meant by
being ready,” Anna said.

“
It’s time to go,” Cassie
said. “If there’s anything else you want or need, now’s the time
because in an hour we could be gone.”

That sounded very good to Meg.

Anna nodded her agreement. “Let’s go
home.”

Chapter
Sixteen

November 2019

Callum

C
allum clamped down on the string of curses that were running
through his mind at his own government’s betrayal. “Whatever
impulse prompted you to notify Director Tate that we were
close—”

“
He requested that I ring
him as you exited the airplane, but his mobile was busy so I left a
message and didn’t speak to him directly.” Jeffries shrugged. “It
seemed reasonable to try again. Honestly, sir, I didn’t
know.”

At the next traffic light, only a few blocks
from where the women had left the SUV, Jeffries had rung up Tate.
Cardiff Castle had still been in view to the west, perched on its
motte, and they’d just passed City Hall. Because the light had
turned green as Director Tate had answered the call, Jeffries had
pulled to the side of the road to speak to him. Callum had insisted
he put Tate on speakerphone.

“
Sir,” Callum had said.
“This is Director Callum.”

“
Callum!” Tate said. “I
trust your flight was smooth?”

“
Yes, sir. I apologize for
arriving at such an early hour and on the weekend too.”

“
Early to you; late for
many of us here.”

“
Yes, sir.”

“
I understand that not only
Cassie but several guests accompanied you on your flight,” Tate
said.

At that point, Callum had glanced at
Jeffries, who leaned across the gearbox to whisper, “I didn’t tell
him. Jones asked me not to.”

Once Jones had brought in George Spencer to
produce Anna’s and Meg’s identification, Callum had accepted that
he’d opened his plans to his own government. Callum hadn’t seen a
way to counteract that, not if he wanted Anna and Meg safe in
Wales; it had seemed like an acceptable risk.

When Callum didn’t respond, Tate spoke
again, “The Consul-General in San Francisco let me know that you
had successfully rescued our two time travelers from the Americans.
That was good work. I’m looking forward to meeting them.”

“
Of course, sir,” Callum
had said. “I’m sure we can arrange that later today.”

His answer had prompted a pause of several
beats from Tate, who’d then said, “They aren’t with you?”

“
No, sir. Not at the
moment.”

Jeffries had then made a slashing motion
with one hand across his throat, but Callum hadn’t needed his
warning to know that something wasn’t right.

“
I’m sorry, sir, but it
looks like there’s trouble ahead of us,” Callum said. “An accident,
I think. If you’ll excuse me, Jeffries and I will be along
shortly.” Callum closed the connection and moved for the door
handle.

Jeffries opened his door at the same time
Callum did.

“
What are you doing?”
Callum had said.

“
Coming with you,
sir.”

“
You can’t,” Callum said.
“It could be your career.”

“
It could be yours too,
sir,” he’d said. “Besides, I’m not doing anything wrong—just
walking with you to get a cup of coffee.”

“
You should take me in,”
Callum said.

“
I’m not going to do that,
sir,” he’d said. “And the only way you’re going to stop me from
coming with you is to shoot me.”

Since Callum hadn’t brought his gun with
him, that was going to be a little difficult. Callum studied
Jeffries for more time than he had to spare and then decided he
could tag along, based on nothing more than the few interactions
he’d had with him, and the fact that Jones thought well of
Jeffries. “Leave the keys and mobile phone in the vehicle. Do you
have anything else on you that’s traceable?”

“
No, sir.”

Callum eyed him. “Did you discuss a plan
with Tate in advance in case I scarpered? You’d come with me in
hopes I’d lead you to the women?”

“
No, sir.” Jeffries
remained calm. “It’s a good plan. Either way I come out on
top.”

“
Exactly.” Callum laughed.
“No point in going down with the ship.”

“
No, sir,” Jeffries said,
and then a worried look came into his dark eyes. “It isn’t right,
sir.”

“
What isn’t?” Callum was
tempted to ask Jeffries to stop calling him ‘sir’, but since he
knew it wouldn’t do any good, he didn’t bother.

“
Any of this.”

“
I’m sure Tate would say
it’s just business, to use the American expression.” Callum set off
across the street, ignoring horns that honked at him. “Come if
you’re coming. I’m calling Jones.” Callum wanted to speak to Cassie
too, but she was safe at the flat. Jones needed to get out of the
office and get his arse down here with those plans David wanted.
Then the four of them could be on their way to the Middle
Ages.

Callum spoke into the phone, telling Jones
what had happened, what he planned to do now, and what he needed
from Jones. Jeffries hurried after Callum. “Where are we going,
sir?”

Callum held up one finger to prevent
Jeffries from interrupting his conversation with Jones. He spoke
into the phone, “How long do you think we have before they send the
troops after us?”

“
They might give you a
quarter of an hour to come quietly,” said Jones. “They may still
have hope of that.”

“
Text me if you hear more.
I need you to ring Cassie now and tell her what’s happening. I’ll
ring her myself with a meeting place as soon as I have one.” Callum
disconnected.

“
We need to do this fast,”
he said to Jeffries.

“
Yes, sir.”

Callum frowned, deciding he had to try.
“Please stop calling me ‘sir’.”

“
Aren’t you a lord in the
Middle Ages?” Jeffries said.

“
The Earl of Shrewsbury,”
Callum said. “How did you know that? I kept it out of my
file.”

“
Jones told me.”

“
The man has too loose
lips,” Callum said.

“
So, I’ll keep calling you
‘sir’, if that’s all right.”

The food shops were beginning to open.
Awnings for the ethnic grocery shops had been raised, and of
course, coffee and tea had been available since five, even on a
Saturday morning. Although the safe house was very close, Callum
didn’t dare go to it, not only because he didn’t want Jeffries to
know about it, but in case they were being followed.

They headed back through old town Cardiff,
coming into it from the opposite direction from which Cassie, Meg,
and Anna had entered it. Near the entrance to a coffee shop with a
line snaking out the door, Callum stopped to ring Cassie
himself.

She picked up immediately. “Where are
you?”

“
Not far. Where are
you?”

“
Safe,” she said. “We want
to be with you.”

“
Come to Hadley’s Coffee
Shop on Queen Street,” Callum said.

“
Mark said that Darren is
with you. Why?” she said.

“
I couldn’t get him to
leave.”

Jeffries’ mouth twisted in a wry smile. “I
heard that.” He raised his eyebrows and pointed into the shop with
his chin.

Callum nodded. “Coffee, cream, one
sugar.”

“
Got it.” Jeffries
disappeared inside.

Callum could have ditched Jeffries then, but
he had begun to think that he might prove useful—and seeing as how
currently his only ally was Jones, he couldn’t be as choosy as he
might otherwise have been. Besides, when Cassie and Callum had
arrived here with David two years ago, both Natasha and Driscoll,
whom Callum had called friends, had proved to be traitors. Jeffries
deserved at least the benefit of the doubt Callum had given
them.

Callum watched him through the window of the
coffee shop. So far all Jeffries had done was order. What he hadn’t
done was surreptitiously borrow someone’s mobile to ring Tate.

Callum’s mobile buzzed with an incoming
call. “Hang on, Cassie.”

He switched calls.

“
Where are you?” said
Jones.

Callum told him about the coffee shop, his
eyes still on Jeffries’ back. “Did you get the maps?”

“
It took longer to print
them than to access them. I’m bringing them, but I’m on a bus,”
said Jones.

“
Which bus?” Callum checked
his watch. “How long?”

“
Twenty
minutes.”

“
Too long,” Callum
said.

“
No choice,” said Jones.
“Number 25.”

Jones knew that would mean something to
Callum. Memorizing bus and train tables was child’s play to an MI-5
agent. “All right,” Callum said, accepting what he couldn’t change.
“The bus turns the corner by the castle. We’ll catch it there.” He
hung up.

Jeffries returned with the coffee. “I should
have parked the car somewhere else.”

“
The last thing anyone at
the Office wants to do is hunt us down,” Callum said. “Right now,
they’re still hoping you’ll bring me in, and that they’ll get to
Meg and Anna that way.”

“
If Director Tate rings my
mobile, he won’t get an answer,” Jeffries said.

“
And he still won’t know
where you are or what you’re doing.” Callum took a sip of
coffee.

“
Why are we standing here
in the open?” Jeffries said.

“
Because we’re in a
surveillance blind spot,” Callum said.

Jeffries turned his head sharply to look at
Callum. “How do you know that?”

Callum didn’t deign to dignify the question
with a reply.

Jeffries ducked his head. “You must have
stashed the girls around here somewhere. Even you aren’t that
omnipotent.”

“
What do you
mean?”

Jeffries waved a hand. “You know, the way
you came out of the debacle after Lady Jane’s death smelling like
roses.”

“
That was then, clearly,”
Callum said, “given what’s happened to the Project
since.”

“
Yeah, but—” Jeffries took
a long drink of his tea, “—you’ll end up all right even after this.
You always do.”

Callum eyed him. Jeffries’ words should have
sounded resentful, but his tone was more admiring than anything
else. Jeffries noticed Callum looking at him and shrugged. “Why do
you think I’m here instead of turning you in?”

“
That is oddly honest of
you,” Callum said. “I hope you’re not in for more of a ride than
you bargained for.”

“
I didn’t join MI-5 to keep
an eye on snot-nosed terrorist wannabes or harmless Welsh
nationalists. We should be out in the field rounding up the men who
bombed GCHQ. Why is Tate wasting resources chasing down you and the
girls?”

“
I can’t answer any of
that,” Callum said.

“
Neither can I,” Jeffries
said, “but if anyone is going to find those answers, it’s going to
be you, not Tate.”

“
I fear your confidence has
been misplaced,” Callum said.