Die Twice (17 page)

“Are they sure? About the quantity?”

He nodded

“So where is it?” I said. “The other canister?”

“If we’d taken those people like I wanted to, we might have a chance of finding out,” he said.

I didn’t rise to that.

“If it’s not here, you can draw your own conclusion,” he said. “This was their laying-up position, obviously. Where was their forward base?”

“Chicago.”

“Right. At least we have to assume so, unless someone proves otherwise. And they’re heading there now. Toward three million defenseless people. So McIntyre escaping is a nuisance, yes. But nothing more. His whereabouts are the least of our worries right now.”

Psychological profiling is used a lot in the navy.

Our bosses rely on it during selection. While you’re on probation. And, of course, in your regular operational reviews. Some of the guys try to get a head start by really getting to grips with it, and learning all the latest theories and technical terms. Personally, I can see a use for it, but I don’t go that far. I generally just divide people into two categories. Lean forward, who tend to be hands-on, seat-of-their-pants types who go out and make things happen. And laid back, who prefer to wait for all the information to emerge before they think, analyze, and respond.

Me—I’m a little of each.

But I guess I lean a little more one way than the other.

I pulled out the remaining bag of polystyrene peanuts and poured them carefully into the wooden box, like I was getting ready to send my grandmother’s best china to a distant city on the back of a mule.
When even the tiniest chippings were used up Fothergill moved in with the lid, brandishing it like a shield. He laid it across the opening, made sure it wasn’t going to fall, and backed away. I held my breath and jammed it home with the heel of my hand. Then I picked the whole thing up, moved it to the back of his Ford, and secured it with a seat belt.

“You should get moving,” I said.

“What about the guns?” he said. “Better not leave them lying around.”

I stowed them in his trunk, then opened the driver’s door and held it wide for him.

“I know,” he said. “Don’t worry. I’ll be right behind you.”

“I do worry,” I said. “Driving around on your own with that stuff is a terrible idea. I should escort you.”

“David, you need to show some faith. I’ve been around a lot longer than you. I can move a box from one place to another without your help. And at this point, there is no higher priority than getting a jump on those guys. Leaving them to run around the Midwest with another canister of gas is not an option.”

I didn’t answer.

“Just go,” he said. “I’ll close this place down. And deal with the mess you made. Someone has to figure out what to do with the guy you shot, for a start.”

“Just leave him,” I said. “Let nature take its course.”

“That’s pretty callous, David.”

“Not really. Not compared to what they’ve got planned for their homeland.”

“That’s not our problem right now. We need to stay focused. I’m going to tidy up, dump the boxes at the office, and be outside the club before you know it. I’ll have your back. You can depend on that. What you need to worry about is getting there. Fast. You know their MO now. The main group won’t show up till after the advertised
time. But they’ll try to drop their joker in early. Get there before him, and you’ve got it cracked.”

I’d covered less than three miles when Fothergill called again.

“What’s up?” I said. “Have they caught you already?”

“What?” he said. “No. Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve got good news. You can forget about the club. Head for the consulate. Meet me there. I’m going to show you why, after all these years, there’s still only one Richard Fothergill.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Meet me. I’ll show you.”

“No. Tell me.”

He didn’t respond.

“Has someone got a gun to your head?” I said. “If they have, just say the word consulate again. Anywhere in your next sentence. It’s safe. They won’t suspect. Then I’ll come back and get you.”

“There’s no gun to my head,” he said. “And I don’t need you to come back. Will you just listen? The immediate danger’s averted, thanks to me. You don’t need to go to the club after all.”

“Fothergill, I don’t like riddles. Tell me why, or I’m going anyway.”

“David, you’re impossible. OK. Here it is. I’ve found the rest of the gas.”

“You’re serious?”

“I am. Which means those guys don’t have it. There’s no need to ambush them.”

“Where was it?”

“In the office.”

“Where? I moved the Kalashnikovs. There was nothing else left.”

“There was. Two things. Right under our noses.”

“The packing cases.”

“Correct.”

“Amazing. I thought they were makeshift seats.”

“Me, too. At first.”

“So what made you look inside them?”

“I have my moments. I’ve played this game a pretty long time, you know. You don’t stay at the front of the pack as long as I’ve done without a damn good sixth sense. That’s why I didn’t want to leave when you did. I could feel something was about to break.”

“What was it?”

“The garbage bags. Under the table. Remember them? Two were empty. I suddenly thought, why? Where were the peanuts?”

“Nice.”

“I figured two bags, two boxes . . .”

“Bingo.”

“Exactly. But I didn’t think I’d hit the jackpot, right away. The first box was full of comms kit. Boring stuff. The canisters were in the second one. I pulled off the lid, and there they were. Thank you very much. Richard, you’re a genius.”

I didn’t reply.

“Getting them in the car wasn’t easy, I can tell you,” he said. “Should have asked you to come back, really, but I didn’t fancy hanging around the place.”

I was still thinking.

“David?” he said. “You still there?”

“I am,” I said. “But wait. Back up. Canisters? There was more than one?”

“What do you mean?”

“Go back to London’s message. They said McIntyre’s canister was half of the stolen consignment. Just now, when you got back from chasing him. Am I right?”

“Yes. So?”

“That means there should have been one more to find. A canister. Not two canisters.”

“Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. I guess you’re right. London must have been sketchy about the consignment size. You know what they’re like. The numbers thing hadn’t struck me. I was just thinking about avoiding the ambush.”

“That would be nice. But I can’t avoid it.”

“Of course you can. They don’t have any gas left. I’ve got it here, in my car.”

“We can’t be sure about that. The intel about the consignment size is clearly unreliable. There could be more.”

“I doubt it.”

“Can you rule it out?”

“No. But I think it does downgrade the threat. And remember, didn’t Young tell us these guys wanted the gas to use back home? You mentioned that just now. That’s what reminded me.”

“That was his theory, yes.”

“And I’m thinking that makes a lot more sense than them using it in some sort of random civilian attack on U.S. soil. What good would that do them? Maybe we’ve been too quick off the mark on this one, David. A little carried away. Time for a reality check, maybe?”

I didn’t reply.

“We need to refocus,” he said. “Stopping the supply of more gas has to be the priority now. That means finding McIntyre. He’ll be the first person they turn to. I know I told you to forget about him, but as of this minute he’s back on top of the heap. And after all, there is a certain piece of paper from London with his name on it that we still have to deal with. What do you think?”

“I’m thinking, the ambush goes ahead,” I said.

“No. There’s no need. We’ve both seen those other guys. We can circulate their descriptions. There’s plenty of time to pick them up
later. Other people can do it, even. Finding McIntyre’s what counts, now.”

“Agreed. But the thing is, the ambush is key to both. It’s a two-for-one deal. Buy one, get one free week.”

“How so?”

“Where is McIntyre?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have any new leads come in?”

“No.”

“So, who might know? Who knew how to contact him before?”

Fothergill was silent.

“The guys on their way to the bar,” I said. “They’re the only ones. Otherwise we’ll just be driving around central America looking for a naked guy with a gag in his mouth.”

“I’ll speak to London,” Fothergill said. “Get him on the watch lists at airports and border controls. Stop him leaving the country.”

“That won’t help.”

“Wait. There’s something else. In the comms gear I found. A laptop and two hard drives. The guys at the consulate can rebuild them. They’re wizards at that kind of thing. They can decipher anything that was encoded. Restore anything that was deleted. Find anything that was hidden. We’re bound to get something on him that way. I’ll call ahead. Let them know to clear their desks.”

“How long will that take?”

“I don’t know. Not too long, I hope. And I could use the time to get back on London’s case. Try and find a chink in their armor.”

“It’s worth a try, I guess. But it’s a long shot. So here’s what’s going to happen. We’ll back all three horses. You take IT and London. See what you can finesse out of them. Me—I’ll stick with brute force and ignorance.”

The Chrysler I was driving had been in the vicinity of the machine shop for over sixteen hours, which gave me a problem. I couldn’t risk leaving it anywhere near the Commissariat. The chances of it being recognized were too high. Instead I found a garage underneath a department store on the Magnificent Mile, parked where the car couldn’t be seen from the entrance or the elevators, and went outside to look for a cab. I had the driver drop me two blocks from the club and I walked the rest of the way, circling the area carefully and keeping a sharp eye out for the Cadillac. There was no sign of it, so when I reached the corner of State and Rush I didn’t waste any more time. I headed straight for the group of doormen at the entrance. I recognized them from my last visit. I don’t know if they remembered me, though. None of the three would make eye contact as I approached, leaving me free to descend the stairs unmolested.

There wasn’t a single customer in the bar, but that wasn’t necessarily unusual for two thirty in the afternoon. The barman was leaning against the same spot on the wall, looking no more energetic than last time. The same DJ was crammed into her booth. But at least the music had progressed. She was up to the nineties, now. Although I wasn’t convinced that was a good thing.

I moved over to the bar, and before I could order anything the guy brought me a Peroni and a grubby-looking glass.

“Thanks,” I said.

“On the house,” he said. “By way of an apology. For the misunderstanding, when I saw you in here before.”

“Even better. But if you really want to make amends, answer me one question. Is there anyone else here?”

He didn’t answer for a moment.

“I don’t see anyone,” he said, at last. “Do you?”

“You know, I still have the same phone,” I said. “And I’ve been too busy to send that picture. So far. But that could change.”

“There’s no need for that. You should go ahead and delete it.
Because what I’m saying is, there’s no one else in here. No one in the bar. And not in the men’s room.”

“That’s a much better answer. Thanks.”

“For what? I didn’t tell you anything.”

“Of course you didn’t. And to make sure you don’t tell me anything else, perhaps you should get back to work, now. You don’t want to be seen talking to me. I can’t stay and chat, anyway. It’s time I had a word with someone about the music.”

The DJ was so absorbed with her iPod she didn’t notice me until I was standing right in front of her booth.

“Oh,” she said. “Hello. Sorry. Didn’t see you. Got a request?”

“I do,” I said. “But not the kind you’re probably used to. I have a problem. It’s my daughter. I’m trying to find her. She’s missing, and usually turns up in a bar somewhere, drunk out of her mind. Have you seen her?”

“Here?”

“Yes. One of the doormen thought he’d seen her come in. She’s nineteen, but looks a couple of years older. Five feet eight. Skinny. Blond. Blue jeans, white baby-doll top, black biker jacket. Tall black boots. Ring any bells?”

“No. Sorry.”

“Could she be in the bathroom, maybe? She often hides out in one, when she gets a real load on.”

“I don’t know. I guess, maybe.”

“OK, so here’s the thing. I’m really worried about her, but I don’t want to go charging into the women’s room. There could be someone else in there. That would just be too weird. I’d probably get arrested or something. So I was wondering, is there any way you could go in and take a look for me? Tell me if any of the stalls are occupied?”

“I don’t know. It’s a little strange. And I’m supposed to be working.”

“Please. I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate. You’re the only woman here. There’s no one else I can turn to.”

“I’m just not sure . . .”

“Please. And don’t worry about the work. There must be loads of music on that ’Pod. It’s not going to need changing if you just step out of the booth for a couple of minutes.”