“A pity that they drop the bloody thing though as often as not” said Colin.
Erebus managed a thin smile.
“Off you go then Phoenix; good hunting next week. At our group meeting this morning we had a chat about you by the way; after you’ve completed the job we think you deserve a holiday. It will give you time to recharge your batteries. So far we have kept you here at Larcombe as opposed to sending you out into the field, as we have with Brad for example; you have probably guessed why.”
“I hadn’t really thought it all through sir; no doubt it was for my own good,”
“Firstly, having ‘head hunted’ you, we needed to assess whether we had made a good choice. Secondly, we wanted to provide you with a safe haven where your real identity could not be discovered. Finally, if we had made an error of judgement, then it was easier to rectify if you were on our doorstep.”
“The pet cemetery again!” said Colin.
“That won’t be necessary old chap; you have proved beyond doubt to be the useful acquisition that I convinced Athena and the others you would be.”
“Will I return to Larcombe after my short vacation?” asked Colin.
“I’m duty bound to ask Athena for her opinion Phoenix; with her up in London until this evening we couldn’t make a firm decision.”
“I understand. If that’s all for tonight sir, I think I’ll turn in.”
“Good night Phoenix. Sweet dreams!”
Colin walked back to his quarters, wondering where he might go for a few days after he’d been up to Bonny Scotland. He’d avoid Aberdeen definitely and the other cities that Maiden’s Hair had visited on their tour. There was no point in risking anyone recognising his alter ego Owen Collins the roadie. Surely there was somewhere he could go that had live music, a bar and a comfortable bed? He decided he would have a search on his laptop as soon as he got in and make some plans.
It was late and the stable block was quiet when he slipped into his room.
“I thought you were never coming back” whispered Athena sleepily.
Colin was startled but recovered his composure and turned on his bedside light.
“Erebus called me urgently. I’m sorry I missed our swim.”
Athena pulled back the sheet that covered her. She was wearing her costume.
“I didn’t want to swim alone; when you didn’t arrive I came here to see where you were. I saw the note from Erebus and I was tired; I stretched out on your bed, rested my eyes for a second and then before I knew it, there you were.”
“Here I am” Colin said “was there something in particular you wanted?
Athena was so close her perfume invaded his nostrils; he felt his body respond immediately. All her previous indifference and frostiness was gone. She rose up onto her knees and rested her hands on his shoulders.
“I don’t want to be alone tonight” she said “with my mother facing that operation first thing tomorrow. Would you just hold me Phoenix? Please?
Colin’s erection did the sensible thing and retired for the night.
“Of course Athena” Colin replied.
He lay down beside her and she soon dropped off to sleep with her head on his chest and his arms around her. As he lay there, listening to her steady relaxed breathing, he thought what a funny old world it was. Colin Bailey, the stone cold killer had been transformed into the perfect gentleman by a goddess. Well, at least for one night!
CHAPTER 22
Colin had felt Athena stir and move gently away from him; it was dark and she was obviously leaving the stable block before anyone discovered she had spent the night there, however innocent it may have been. Before she left she had kissed him softly on his forehead.
It was time to get up and head for the shower; a cold one today, he thought despite the chill of the late October morning. His next port of call was the swimming pool and while he was ploughing his way up and down his lane, Rusty appeared for his daily workout. Rusty called out to him.
“Good night last night Phoenix?”
Colin ignored him at first but Rusty wouldn’t let it go.
“A cosy drive back with her ladyship eh; did you come straight back or did you take the pretty route?”
Colin realised Rusty was on about earlier last evening; he was unaware of his overnight guest, thank goodness!
“We came straight home. I got a summons and a mild bollocking from Erebus about you know what; then I had an early night. Athena was on about going for a swim as I recall. How did our visitors spend the night?”
“Uncomfortably” said Rusty “it ain’t the Hilton they’re running at the bottom of the ice house and they would have had an early call this morning. They’re being invited to give a little speech for the next few hours; the sooner they co-operate the longer it will be before they join that Zunairah character. She‘s got a nice spot under the shade of a beech tree as I understand it. A crew took her down at half past seven.”
Colin could still remember the look on Zunairah’s face as he had pressed the gun against her head. There was no fear of death in those eyes, just hatred. He wondered briefly whether he should be regretting having pulled the trigger, knowing what he knew now; that she couldn’t have exploded any of the bombs with the phone she had selected, but he cast the thought aside. She had made her choice to die yesterday and he wasn’t going to risk her taking anyone else with her if he could help it. He resumed his swim content that he had done the right thing.
“Fancy a brekkie later, mate?” called Rusty as he caught him up in the next lane.
“Sounds like a plan” called Colin as he sprinted away from his colleague.
The morning passed uneventfully after that. Colin and Rusty had a full English and several rounds of toast, washed down with mugs of coffee. The items Colin needed for the trip to Scotland on Sunday arrived at his quarters as promised. In addition, there was even a reassuringly well stuffed envelope which had ‘Holiday Money’ scribbled on the outside that was hand delivered by one of the stewards from the main building in the early afternoon. Colin felt a bit like a kept man; he wished he could get his own finances sorted out but he had to face facts, it would be some time before he was declared ‘legally’ dead.
Colin spent the afternoon preparing for his next mission; going over his plan for Donald MacDonald for the umpteenth time. He wandered down to the canteen for a light meal in the early evening; he wasn’t overly hungry and he planned to start working out where to spend his time off as soon as he got back. When he had eaten and was leaving the canteen he saw Athena making her way across the lawns towards him.
There was an awkward moment when they stopped and started talking at the same time.
“Sorry” said Colin “you first. Tell me about your Mum, how is she?”
Athena brushed his cheek with the tips of her fingers briefly.
“Daddy says the operation went fine; she’s attached to various tubes, drips and drains at present, which make things look far worse than they probably are. She’s still drowsy and in some discomfort this evening but they’ll have her out of bed and sat in a chair tomorrow. Daddy says she should be home in a week and then its three months allowing the body to heal.”
“Will he be on his own with her during that time or will Erebus let you have some leave to help out?”
“Daddy is arranging for a nurse to live in, certainly for the first couple of months; he can’t sit around the house for too long, he’d go nuts! I’ll ask Erebus for the occasional weekend off, but with the scale of operations we are dealing with at Olympus globally at present, I can’t be spared too often.