The Trojan Boy (11 page)
Authors: Ken McClure
Tags: #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Thrillers & Suspense, #Medical, #Suspense, #Thrillers
'No, we'll have to blow it.'
I’ll have a look before I go,’ said O'Neill hoping that he
sounded calm for his pulse was racing. This might be his
only chance to get his hands on the envelope.
sounded calm for his pulse was racing. This might be his
only chance to get his hands on the envelope.
Kell fixed him with a smile and eyes that seemed to see
right through him. 'Why not?' he said.
right through him. 'Why not?' he said.
O'Neill felt as if he were standing on broken glass.
O'Neill left the room and paused for a moment in the quiet
of the corridor. He could hear his heart beating. He could
never serve under Kell. The man hated him, not just dis
liked, as he had always known, but hated. He could feel it in
the air whenever he was near him, enveloping him like a malignant vapour.
of the corridor. He could hear his heart beating. He could
never serve under Kell. The man hated him, not just dis
liked, as he had always known, but hated. He could feel it in
the air whenever he was near him, enveloping him like a malignant vapour.
O'Neill walked quickly and quietly along the corridor to the little room that had been O'Donnell's. It was unchanged
because The Bairn could not use it. A brick support pillar
prevented the manoeuvring of his pram through the
doorway. O'Neill was glad. It would not have been right to
have the little psychopath in O'Donnell's room.
because The Bairn could not use it. A brick support pillar
prevented the manoeuvring of his pram through the
doorway. O'Neill was glad. It would not have been right to
have the little psychopath in O'Donnell's room.
He knew exactly where the safe key was because
O'Donnell had told him before he died. He pulled one of the
drawers right out of the desk and turned it around. There,
taped to the back with red masking tape, was a small plastic
card, the electronic key to the safe. He removed it and put
the drawer back on its runners. Now for the safe itself.
O'Donnell had told him before he died. He pulled one of the
drawers right out of the desk and turned it around. There,
taped to the back with red masking tape, was a small plastic
card, the electronic key to the safe. He removed it and put
the drawer back on its runners. Now for the safe itself.
The safe was built into the end wall of a long narrow room known as the Council Room, which served as the
place where sector commanders met to discuss strategy. It
had an oval table and eight chairs in it but very little else.
O'Neill tried the door. It was locked. He drew his lips back
over his teeth in exasperation and released his grip on the
handle slowly so as to avoid noise. What now, damn it? He
would have to find the key.
place where sector commanders met to discuss strategy. It
had an oval table and eight chairs in it but very little else.
O'Neill tried the door. It was locked. He drew his lips back
over his teeth in exasperation and released his grip on the
handle slowly so as to avoid noise. What now, damn it? He
would have to find the key.
As O’Neill considered where it might be, he heard
Nelligan's voice raised in laughter. Nelligan could always be
relied upon to appreciate Kell's humourless wit. Big, dumb,
faithful Nelligan. Kell's friends were his friends; Kell's
enemies were his enemies. The body of an ox and the brain
of a rabbit, and he had no love for O'Neill.
Nelligan's voice raised in laughter. Nelligan could always be
relied upon to appreciate Kell's humourless wit. Big, dumb,
faithful Nelligan. Kell's friends were his friends; Kell's
enemies were his enemies. The body of an ox and the brain
of a rabbit, and he had no love for O'Neill.
As Nelligan's voice grew louder O'Neill realised that Kell's
door was about to be opened and he had no wish to be
discovered lurking near the Council Room. He moved
swiftly away from the door and returned to O'Donnell's
room to wait there with the light off and the door slightly
ajar. He heard the squeak of the pram wheels going in the
other direction and breathed a sigh of relief. In the darkness
he wondered why Kell never had his wheels oiled but, in
his heart, he thought that he already knew the answer. The
Bairn wanted people to know when he was coming, wanted
them to know . . . and be afraid.
door was about to be opened and he had no wish to be
discovered lurking near the Council Room. He moved
swiftly away from the door and returned to O'Donnell's
room to wait there with the light off and the door slightly
ajar. He heard the squeak of the pram wheels going in the
other direction and breathed a sigh of relief. In the darkness
he wondered why Kell never had his wheels oiled but, in
his heart, he thought that he already knew the answer. The
Bairn wanted people to know when he was coming, wanted
them to know . . . and be afraid.
The voices faded and O'Neill knew that he would have to
act quickly. The key to the Council Room must be
somewhere in the room that Kell had just left. He glided
silently along the corridor and slipped into it, closing the
door behind him and clicking on the light. He looked
around for inspiration.
act quickly. The key to the Council Room must be
somewhere in the room that Kell had just left. He glided
silently along the corridor and slipped into it, closing the
door behind him and clicking on the light. He looked
around for inspiration.
There, on the wall, was a wooden board with keys
hanging on it. O'Neill gave silent thanks and went over to read the Dymo Tape labels, 'c
room'
said one on the third row. O'Neill removed the key and the door opened behind
him.
hanging on it. O'Neill gave silent thanks and went over to read the Dymo Tape labels, 'c
room'
said one on the third row. O'Neill removed the key and the door opened behind
him.
'Oh . . . excuse me. Oh, it's you, Mr O'Neill. . .'
O'Neill did his best to recover his balance. 'I was looking
for the key to Mr O'Donnell's room,' he lied.
for the key to Mr O'Donnell's room,' he lied.
'It's not locked.'
'In that case . . .' O'Neill smiled and walked towards the
door.
door.
'Where's Mr Kell?' asked the man.
Was that suspicion in his voice? wondered O'Neill or was
it guilt playing tricks on him? 'I don't know,’ he said calmly,
'I was looking for him myself.'
it guilt playing tricks on him? 'I don't know,’ he said calmly,
'I was looking for him myself.'
O'Neill did not know the man but guessed that he must be
one of Kell's protégés. 'I'll come back later,’ he said as he squeezed past him and started walking towards O'Donnell's
room. He felt the man's eyes on his back all the way but
when he turned round there was no one there. It had been
his imagination.
one of Kell's protégés. 'I'll come back later,’ he said as he squeezed past him and started walking towards O'Donnell's
room. He felt the man's eyes on his back all the way but
when he turned round there was no one there. It had been
his imagination.
O'Neill let himself into the Council Room and approached
the safe. He pressed the electronic key into the slot and
heard the mechanism respond. There was a large sum of
money in the main vault, but more important and lying on
its own on the top shelf, as O'Donnell had said, was a sealed
white envelope. O'Neill removed it and put it into his
pocket. He closed the safe door and, as the lock reset itself,
he suddenly became aware of another sound, the single squeak of a pram wheel.
the safe. He pressed the electronic key into the slot and
heard the mechanism respond. There was a large sum of
money in the main vault, but more important and lying on
its own on the top shelf, as O'Donnell had said, was a sealed
white envelope. O'Neill removed it and put it into his
pocket. He closed the safe door and, as the lock reset itself,
he suddenly became aware of another sound, the single squeak of a pram wheel.
Fear threatened to paralyse O'Neill, his throat was so tight
that he could hardly breathe. He knew that Kell was behind
him but the question was, how long had he been there?
There was no alternative, he had to brass it out. He put the
key back in the slot and watched the door swing open again
hoping that Kell would believe that he was just trying out
the key. He gave a grunt of satisfaction and turned round to
feign surprise at the sight of Kell and Nelligan in the
doorway.
that he could hardly breathe. He knew that Kell was behind
him but the question was, how long had he been there?
There was no alternative, he had to brass it out. He put the
key back in the slot and watched the door swing open again
hoping that Kell would believe that he was just trying out
the key. He gave a grunt of satisfaction and turned round to
feign surprise at the sight of Kell and Nelligan in the
doorway.
'I found it,’ said O'Neill, holding up the card.
'So I see,’ said Kell evenly and without smiling. 'Where?'
O'Neill told him the truth.
Kell looked over his shoulder at Nelligan and said, 'I
thought you searched O'Donnell's desk?'
thought you searched O'Donnell's desk?'
'I didn't look there,’ confessed the big man with a
hangdog expression.
hangdog expression.
'No matter,’ said Kell quietly. The main thing is we have
it.' He held out his hand and O'Neill walked over to drop the
card into it. 'Anything interesting in there?' Kell asked,
fixing O'Neill with a stare.
it.' He held out his hand and O'Neill walked over to drop the
card into it. 'Anything interesting in there?' Kell asked,
fixing O'Neill with a stare.
'I didn't really have time to look. Would you like me to
look now?' asked O'Neill with a casualness that was a long
way from being genuine. As Kell searched his face he felt
the blood pound painfully in the stump of his arm.
look now?' asked O'Neill with a casualness that was a long
way from being genuine. As Kell searched his face he felt
the blood pound painfully in the stump of his arm.
'Later will do,’ said Kell. 'We have things to talk about.'
Kell looked up at Nelligan and said, 'Leave us.'
Kell looked up at Nelligan and said, 'Leave us.'
Nelligan parked Kell's pram at the head of the oval table
and left the room. O'Neill sat down at the other end and
faced Kell.
and left the room. O'Neill sat down at the other end and
faced Kell.
‘
The McGlynns have asked for a meeting,’ said Kell.
The McGlynns have asked for a meeting,’ said Kell.
O'Neill felt his stomach turn over. The McGlynn brothers,
Dominic and Sean, were leaders of the Irish National
Liberation Army in Belfast, a sect that had pursued its own
war against the British after falling out with the
IRA
some
years before, but their success in attracting the most violent
of extremists to their banner had been offset to a great
extent by constant internal feuding and disputation over
leadership. In more recent times the McGlynns, through
psychopathic ruthlessness, had established themselves at the head of what O'Donnell had constantly referred to as
'that festering sore'. In many ways the McGlynns and Kell
were alike but the brothers lacked Kell's brains and political
intuition.
Dominic and Sean, were leaders of the Irish National
Liberation Army in Belfast, a sect that had pursued its own
war against the British after falling out with the
IRA
some
years before, but their success in attracting the most violent
of extremists to their banner had been offset to a great
extent by constant internal feuding and disputation over
leadership. In more recent times the McGlynns, through
psychopathic ruthlessness, had established themselves at the head of what O'Donnell had constantly referred to as
'that festering sore'. In many ways the McGlynns and Kell
were alike but the brothers lacked Kell's brains and political
intuition.
'Have they now?' said O'Neill softly.
‘
They want an alliance,’ said Kell.
They want an alliance,’ said Kell.
O'Neill rubbed his hand against his forehead but said
nothing while he considered the thought of Kell and the
McGlynn brothers running the organisation.
nothing while he considered the thought of Kell and the
McGlynn brothers running the organisation.
'What do you think?' asked Kell.
‘
The same as O'Donnell always thought,’ replied O'Neill.
'If we ever joined with that lot we'd end up losing the
sympathy of our own. They are a liability.’
The same as O'Donnell always thought,’ replied O'Neill.
'If we ever joined with that lot we'd end up losing the
sympathy of our own. They are a liability.’
‘
True,’ murmured Kell. 'Still it's always nice to know
what everybody's thinking, eh, Martin? No harm in
listening to what they have to say.'
True,’ murmured Kell. 'Still it's always nice to know
what everybody's thinking, eh, Martin? No harm in
listening to what they have to say.'
O'Neill looked at the smile on Kell's face and thought of a
spider reasoning with a fly. 'When?' he asked.
spider reasoning with a fly. 'When?' he asked.
‘
Thursday. I'll send a car for you.'
Thursday. I'll send a car for you.'
O'Neill found Liam Drummond and said that he was
ready to return to Cladeen.
ready to return to Cladeen.
As they left Belfast O'Neill sensed that Drummond was
itching to say something but was not sure what O'Neill's reaction might be. Eventually he said, 'I told you, didn't I?'
itching to say something but was not sure what O'Neill's reaction might be. Eventually he said, 'I told you, didn't I?'
'Yes, you told me,’ agreed O'Neill.
'You can't run the organisation on fear,’ said Drummond.
O'Neill silently declined the invitation to agree.
'I said . . .’
'I heard you.'
'Are you feeling all right, Mr O'Neill?' asked Drummond
with a sidelong glance.
with a sidelong glance.
'An hour ago I blew a twenty-year-old's brains out.’
'But that little bastard betrayed you and . . .’
'Shut up.’
As the miles passed O'Neill began to regret having
snapped at Drummond. The man was one of the best; he
had been with the organisation for as long as anyone could
remember. By way of making amends he said, 'You've
heard that the McGlynns want to talk?'
snapped at Drummond. The man was one of the best; he
had been with the organisation for as long as anyone could
remember. By way of making amends he said, 'You've
heard that the McGlynns want to talk?'
Drummond's reaction told O'Neill that he had been for
given. The driver threw back his head and snorted. 'These
cretins! They've forgotten that Kell has a long memory.’
given. The driver threw back his head and snorted. 'These
cretins! They've forgotten that Kell has a long memory.’
'What do you mean?' asked O'Neill.
'The bomb,’ said Drummond.
'What bomb?' asked O'Neill.
‘
The one that took Kell's legs off. It was made by the McGlynns' father, Seamus. Everybody thought that it was
just one of those things, but not The Bairn. He was con
vinced that McGlynn had mis-set the fuse deliberately. He never said so publicly at the time, but privately he swore to
get even one day and when The Bairn makes that kind of
promise . . .’
The one that took Kell's legs off. It was made by the McGlynns' father, Seamus. Everybody thought that it was
just one of those things, but not The Bairn. He was con
vinced that McGlynn had mis-set the fuse deliberately. He never said so publicly at the time, but privately he swore to
get even one day and when The Bairn makes that kind of
promise . . .’
'What did McGlynn have against Kell?'
'You know how it is when you're young. McGlynn was a hero until Kell came along and started upstaging him all the
time. You could put it down to simple jealousy.’
time. You could put it down to simple jealousy.’
That's useful to know,’ said O'Neill. He was delighted to have found that there was some obstacle to the frightening prospect of Kell forming an alliance with the McGlynns.
‘
Is Kell going to speak to them?'
Is Kell going to speak to them?'
'On Thursday,’ replied O'Neill.
Drummond smiled wryly and said, 'If I were a
McGlynn
...
I'd take a long spoon.’
McGlynn
...
I'd take a long spoon.’
Kathleen knew that something was troubling O'Neill but
did not ask what. He would tell her in his own time as he
always had done in the past, she decided, and got on with
washing up their dinner things. Despite being several years
younger than her brother she had acted as mother to the
O'Neill family since the age of fifteen when Mrs O'Neill had
died. Apart from Martin, there had been two other
children, Maureen and Claire, both younger than herself
and both of whom had now married and gone to live
abroad, one to Canada and the other to Australia.
did not ask what. He would tell her in his own time as he
always had done in the past, she decided, and got on with
washing up their dinner things. Despite being several years
younger than her brother she had acted as mother to the
O'Neill family since the age of fifteen when Mrs O'Neill had
died. Apart from Martin, there had been two other
children, Maureen and Claire, both younger than herself
and both of whom had now married and gone to live
abroad, one to Canada and the other to Australia.
The family had been steeped in nationalism for as long as
any of them could remember and their father, although
more active with a bottle than with anything else during his
own lifetime, had never let them forget the exploits of their
grandfather who had fought in the Easter Rising of 1916
and had been executed by the British in the aftermath.
any of them could remember and their father, although
more active with a bottle than with anything else during his
own lifetime, had never let them forget the exploits of their
grandfather who had fought in the Easter Rising of 1916
and had been executed by the British in the aftermath.
Despite the considerable demands put on her by domestic
chores and responsibilities Kathleen had not only coped but
had achieved academic success too. Three years after her
brother had taken his degree she herself had graduated
from the same university with a degree in modern
languages and, while her brother's political beliefs had
become for him the most important thing in life, she had become a teacher and now taught French and German in a
Catholic High School.
chores and responsibilities Kathleen had not only coped but
had achieved academic success too. Three years after her
brother had taken his degree she herself had graduated
from the same university with a degree in modern
languages and, while her brother's political beliefs had
become for him the most important thing in life, she had become a teacher and now taught French and German in a
Catholic High School.
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