‘What about the others?’ Bond asked.
‘Everything’s tidied up. No mess. No questions. Chernov was flown to London this afternoon. You’ve been out for the best part of a day, incidentally.’
‘Open him up.’ Bond’s mouth turned down, betraying that rare, innate cruel streak.
‘We’re denying all knowledge at the moment. Our people will put him through the mill before we go public – if we ever do. Ms Dietrich, young Baisley and Maxim have gone as well. Smolin’s no use in the field any more, but they’ll find plenty for him to do on the Eastern Bloc desk at Headquarters. You just rest now, James. You’ve wrapped up the last crumbs of Cream Cake and you’ve no more to worry about.’
‘Where’s Ebbie?’
‘I have a surprise for you.’
The Resident winked and left the room. A minute later Ebbie Heritage came in. She stood looking at him, then approached the bed.
‘I put my feet down,’ she said, her face breaking into a smile. ‘I put my feet down and said I would take care of you. My surprise was great. They told me yes, okay. We are very grand, James. We even have bodyguards until you’re well enough to travel.’
‘I guess I might need one.’ He smiled and she laid the palm of her hand on his brow.
‘That feels very nice,’ said Bond. His arm might be damaged, but he knew other parts of his body were in working order. ‘Your hand’s so cool.’
‘There is old Chinese saying,’ she said, looking at him sweetly. ‘Woman with cool palm has fire under skirt.’
‘Never heard that.’ Bond’s eyes twinkled.
‘Really?’
‘Never.’
‘It’s a true saying. I know, because an elderly Japanese gentleman once told me.’
They stayed at the Mandarin, and in spite of the plaster cast enjoyed two very active weeks together.
Eventually they left by Cathay Pacific. As the carpet of lights that was Hong Kong disappeared from sight, the jolly female purser came over to introduce herself.
‘Mr Bond? Ms Heritage? Welcome aboard.’ She had a broad grin and infectious laugh. ‘You had a good time in Hong Kong?’
‘Wonderful,’ said Ebbie.
‘Full of surprises,’ Bond added.
‘Were you on holiday?’ the purser asked.
‘A sort of working holiday.’
‘So now you return to London.’ The purser gave what was almost a guffaw of laughter. ‘This route has a special name in Cathay Pacific, you know.’
‘Really?’ said Ebbie, sipping her champagne.
‘Yes. We call this route from Hong Kong, Chinese Takeaway, ha!’
Ebbie giggled, and Bond gave a wry smile.
‘No doubt we’ll be back,’ he said. ‘One day we’ll be back.’
By John Gardner
Licence Renewed
For Special Services
Icebreaker
Role of Honour
Nobody Lives For Ever
No Deals, Mr Bond
Scorpius
Win, Lose or Die
Licence to Kill
Brokenclaw
The Man from Barbarossa
Death is Forever
Never Send Flowers
SeaFire
GoldenEye
COLD
John Gardner served with the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Marines before embarking on a long career as a thriller writer, including international bestsellers The Nostradamus Traitor, The Garden of Weapons, Confessor and Maestro. In 1981 he was invited by Glidrose Publications Ltd – now known as Ian Fleming Publications – to revive James Bond in a brand new series of novels. To find out more visit John Gardner’s website at www.john-gardner.com or the Ian Fleming website at www.ianfleming.com
An Orion ebook
First published in Great Britain in 1987 by Jonathan Cape
This ebook first published in 2012 by Orion Books
© Glidrose Publications Ltd 1987
The right of John Gardner to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor to be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
James Bond and 007 are registered trademarks of Danjaq, LLC, used under licence by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-1-4091-2722-2
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