Day of Reckoning

At the Horse Guards, Harold sat reading the file, then passed it to Tony. 'It's not only good, it's bloody good.' At that moment, Fox, Falcone and Russo came in. Harold got up. 'Good to see you. We're just finishing things.' They sat, but Falcone and Russo as usual stood at the wall.

'So, where are we?' Fox demanded.

'Hey, your file was sweetness and light,' Harold said, 'but Charlie here has put in some extras that will truly delight you.'

'Tell me.'

Afterwards, Fox nodded. 'Excellent. There's only one change. I've just had more recent information that the take will be more like twelve million than ten. More for everyone, Jago. So keep our eye on the ball, people.'

'We sure will, Jack,' Harold said.

Fox got up. 'I'm in your hands. You're the experts, we'll keep out of it. Stay in touch.'

He went out, followed by Falcone and Russo. Tony Jago said, 'So we do all the fucking work.'

'Never mind,' Harold told him. 'For a payday like that, I'm glad to do the work.'

Ferguson went into the Dark Man with Dillon and Blake. Salter and Billy were in the end booth and Dora was giving them shepherd's pie.

'Smells good,' Ferguson said. 'Takes me back to Eton. We'll have the same. Blake needs building up.'

'Blake looks bloody awful,' Salter observed.

'Have you seen Sky Television, Billy?' Dillon asked. 'A terrible business in Ireland. An underground bunker blown up, bodies drifting in on the beach, one of them a hard man named Brendan Murphy. Everyone believes the Provos in Dublin were behind it. He wouldn't do as he was told.'

'Yes, I did see that,' Billy said. 'Terrible what goes on over there.'

Dora brought their food, and Dillon laughed. 'He did well, your boy, Harry. Saved my life by killing one bastard in the bunker and saved all of us, killing another on the boat.'

Salter was shocked. He turned to Billy. 'You never told me.'

'Yeah, well, you never believe anything I say.'

'My God, you are a chip off the old block, after all.'

'I'd say he's a chip off his own block,' Ferguson said and started to eat. 'Roper definitely thinks tomorrow. The big consignment arrives at the White Diamond Company from South Africa. And I'm told the stakes are higher. Twelve Million, not ten.'

'Really?' Salter said. 'Then I'm sorry for them.' 'Why?'

'It's too big, Brigadier. I'm not an educated man, I go by experience, and nobody knows more about the London underworld and thieving than I do. What screwed up the Great Train Robbery was the size. Biggest criminal haul ever. There was no way society and the law could tolerate that, so they turned on the big guns.'

'That makes considerable sense,' Ferguson agreed.

Blake said, 'Yes, but Jack Fox is desperate. He has to be. He needs a big one.'

'Oh, sure, and Manchester Charlie Ford and his team are greedy and stupid and will all be back on landing D at Wandsworth before they know it,' Salter said.

Dillon finished his food and accepted the glass of bar champagne that Dora put at his elbow. 'Let's go over this again, Harry. They've got Manchester Charlie Ford, one of the best lock and safe men in the business; Amber Frazer, a heavy; and Connie Briggs, a hotshot on security and electronics.'

Salter told him, 'Did you know he went to London University? From a well-known family of villains. His mother was real proud, him doing that. Got this degree. What they call first-class honours.'

'My, that is good,' Ferguson said.

'They threw a big party. I was there. He gets a research job for British Telecom, but it's not worth enough money, so what does he do? Starts putting himself about.'

Billy said, 'He really is a genius where the electronics caper is concerned, Dillon.'

'I'm beginning to believe you. And Val French?'

'Well, he's a top man with a thermal lance, cutting, all that. I'd say he'd have sorted out the gate and organized smashing through the tunnel wall into the basement.'

They'd all finished their food and Dora cleared the table. Blake was sweating, his forehead damp; he didn't look good.

Salter said, 'Bring him a brandy, Dora. You don't look well, my old son.'

'I've been worse,' Blake said. 'But thanks anyway.' He hesitated. 'I suppose someone should bring this up, for form's sake, and it might as well be me. Shouldn't someone be notifying the White Diamond Company that they might be in trouble, Brigadier?'

'I take your point, Blake. But we're not into ethics here.' 'We're into finishing off Jack Fox.' Dillon's voice was hard. 'As long as we ruin things for him, that's okay.'

'All right, all right,' Blake said. 'Just thought I'd ask. And while we're at it, how do we think they're going to get into that vault?'

'Well, it isn't the thermal lance man,' Dillon said. 'He'd be there all night trying to get into the kind of strong room they'll have in here. I'd say it's the electronics whiz kid.'

'I agree,' Harry said. 'But that doesn't get us any further.'

There was a pause, and it was Billy who said, 'What we need is more information, and the only way to get that is to pick up one of the team and squeeze him dry.'

Harry laughed out loud. 'My God, you really are learning. Who would you suggest? The one who's least important, the one whose absence wouldn't be a burden.'

'The heavy, Amber Frazer,' Dillon said.

'I'd say so.'

'Brilliant.' Harry Salter turned to Ferguson. 'We lift this guy tonight. Leave it to us. We'll deliver him to your safe house at Holland Park, then we'll review the situation.'

'This is illegal, of course,' Ferguson said. 'He hasn't done anything.'

'Not yet,' Dillon said. 'But I'm sure you could think of something. After all, isn't this why we didn't bring the Superintendent?'

'You're right, of course. It's in your hands, Harry. I may call you Harry?'

'You can call me any bleeding thing you like.'

'Excellent, then if your Dora can come up with an indifferent glass of red wine, I'll drink your health and leave you to it,' Ferguson told him.

It was ten o'clock that night when Amber Frazer and Manchester Charlie Ford emerged from a small Italian restaurant in Notting Hill. Harry and Billy had been waiting for some time, sitting in their car. Ford hailed a cab, patted Amber's face, and got in.

'Brilliant,' Billy said as Amber turned and walked away.

They trailed him and Billy pulled in at the pavement a little further along. Harry Salter got out. Amber, my old son, I thought it was you.'

'My God, Harry, what are you doing here?'

'Looking for you, so get in the car.'

Amber, alarmed, tried to turn away, and Salter pushed the muzzle of a gun he was carrying in his right-hand pocket against Amber's back.

'Is that a gun, Harry?'

'Well, it's not my finger. Yes, it's a gun, and it's silenced, so I could blow away your spine, leave you on the pavement and drive away and no one would hear a thing. Get in the car.'

Amber did as he was told and Harry got in behind him and took out the gun. 'Listen, Amber, I know you like to think you're some kind of Mike Tyson, and you've got big muscles, but not with a bullet in your stomach. So do as you're told.'

Billy said, 'Evening, Amber,' and drove away.

At the safe house, Amber sat wondering what the hell was going on, Miller at the door. After a while, it opened, and Dillon and Helen Black came in, followed by Harry Salter.

'Look, what's this about?' Amber stood up.

Dillon kicked him very hard in the right ankle. 'Sit down.'

Helen Black said, 'Is this the man, Mr Salter?' 'Definitely. He's involved with a gang of known criminals: Charles Ford, Val French, Connie Briggs. I understand their intention is to rob the White Diamond Company tomorrow night of a very large consignment from South Africa. I also understand there's a Mafia connection, a man named Jack Fox.'

Amber panicked. 'Here, what is this? I don't know what you're talking about.'