Casanova (12 page)

I’d heard Charlotte mention Chaos Theory too, several times. I was going to have to find out what it was.

‘Why am I paying you ten million pounds? Meriwether asked. Xing held his gaze.

‘You know why,’ she said. ‘With me it can be done, without me it is impossible.’

She was right of course and we both knew it.

Meriwether nodded and sipped his wine. ‘I’ll ask Hoagy to research Missouri for us,’ he said. ‘I’m sure we can discover what we need to know.’

Meriwether took something from his jacket pocket. He put it on the table in front of Xing. ‘This is a K106,’ he said. ‘It’s a satellite phone. It’s for you.’

Xing picked it up. ‘Do you have one?’ she asked me. I nodded.

‘I’ll call Hoagy now and ask him to make the arrangements,’ Meriwether said.

‘...arrangements?’ I asked.

‘Yes,’ said Meriwether, ‘I want you both on a plane to Hong Kong tomorrow.’

We left Meriwether at his club and rode a black cab back to Pimlico. At that time on Christmas Eve, the steward at the club had to arrange it. The rain had stopped but the roads glistened wet in the streetlight. The cab driver had put tinsel around the glass partition.

I gave Xing a quick lesson on her K106. She hardly needed it; her intuitive mind got it immediately.

Back inside my apartment, Xing stared at the view across the river. ‘Soon, you’ll be able to see the view I have,’ she said. ‘Have you ever been to Hong Kong?’

Inside my bedroom, I called Charlotte on my phone.

‘I’ve just got off the phone with Bazzer,’ she said. ‘When are you leaving?’

‘Tomorrow I think; Hoagy’s arranging it. I haven’t heard from him yet.’

‘Bazzer told me the plan,’ she said.

‘What plan,’ I said. ‘We’re making it up as we go along. Did you know it was so much money?’

‘No, I guessed it was a lot, but nothing like that. What if Xing just disappears?’

‘That’s why Bazzer has offered her such a big reward, I think. He really wants her to do it, he wants that money back,’ I said.

‘Yes, he does. I’m going to speak to Casanova tomorrow about the bank account. I’ll call and let you know how it goes.’

‘Be careful with Casanova,’ I said.

‘What does that mean?’ she said.

‘He’s frightened, probably unstable, he won’t be thinking straight; just be careful how you play it.’

Charlotte’s voice lifted. ‘You’re worried about me. I’ll be careful, I promise,’ she said.

‘And don’t ski too fast, either,’ I said.

‘Don’t worry I won’t. I don’t want another spanking.’

‘You haven’t had a first one yet.’

‘Oh, no, that’s right I haven’t. Was that going to be part of my Christmas present?’

‘We may have to wait and celebrate Christmas when I get back,’ I said.

‘Yes, or when I come out to join you in Hong Kong. I’m not sure I want you alone with Xing longer than is necessary.’

I laughed dutifully and then we finished the call.

I opened the package from Bradshaw. Its contents took me by surprise. It contained a bomb. There was plastic explosive, PE4 or Demex, I think, and a detonator that someone had yet to attach. Wrapped separately was the small device for sending the signal to explode the bomb. It was smaller than a key fob with a button and a red light. I put it down on the bed carefully and called Bradshaw.

‘I was expecting to hear from you sooner than this,’ Bradshaw said. ‘Have you opened it?’

‘Yes, I have,’ I said.

‘Do you know how to use it?’ he asked. Before I could answer he said, ‘I’ll send the assembly and operating instructions to your K106. It’s perfectly safe until you put it together. Primed, isn’t that the word they use?’

‘Why does it have to be a bomb?’ I said.

‘That doesn’t concern you,’ Bradshaw said. ‘It has an adhesive side; peel and stick. Attach it under his car on the driver’s side. Then just watch and wait. You can choose when and where. Just ensure he’s alone and somewhere quiet. His place in Berkshire would be ideal.’

‘I can’t do it for a few days, I’m going to be away on another job,’ I said.

‘It’ll keep for a few days. Anyway, it seems he’s disappeared. He’s not been at work or at home, although his wife and kids are skiing in Switzerland so he may be there. They don’t get back for a few days. I’ll keep in touch.’

I didn’t like this development. The ST of Casanova had taken on a political element. A car bomb was very emotive. It had the potential for spin. Terrorism was the one that came easily to mind.

Just then, my phone rang. It was Hoagy.

‘You’re booked on the BA flight leaving tomorrow morning. I’ve put you both in first class; it’s a long flight and it is Christmas Day after all.’

‘Thanks,’ I said, ‘that’s probably the only present I’ll get.’

‘You’re welcome.’

We made the final arrangements and ended the call. Hoagy was going to drive us to the airport. He was a dedicated young man.

My bedroom door opened and Xing walked in. She was wearing knickers and a vest. ‘Do we leave tomorrow?’

I told her the arrangements.

‘First class,’ she said, ‘I like working for the British already.’ She came and sat on the bed next to me. ‘What’s this?’ she said.

‘It’s a bomb,’ I said.

‘Who are you going to blow up?’

I ignored her question and said, ‘We should sleep now.’

‘Happy Christmas Eve,’ she said and then stood up to leave. At the door, she stopped. ‘Be careful with that bomb. Don’t blow yourself up.’

11

TUESDAY, 06:50—08:20

It was Christmas Day morning. I opened the bedroom curtains. Outside, it was still dark. As far as I could see, Santa hadn’t visited during the night.

In the kitchen, I made a pot of tea and hot buttered toast with honey. I carried it through to Xing. She was still asleep. I put the tray on the bed and sat down. She came awake and stretched like a cat. I switched on the bedside lamp. It left half her face in shadow. She looked at me but didn’t speak. I passed her a mug of tea and a triangle of toast.

‘Mmm honey,’ she said and took a bite. She leaned out of bed and found something in her bag. It was a small box, gift wrapped with a red bow. She handed it to me. ‘Happy Christmas,’ she said.

‘I didn’t think you celebrated Christmas,’ I said.

‘My father was English and my mother was Chinese, which means I get the best of both worlds, Christmas and the Chinese New Year.’

I pulled the bow undone, removed the wrapping paper and opened the box. It was a watch.

‘I bought it at Geneva airport. Do you like it?’

It had a plain, numbered dial with a simple leather strap. It was just like my old army watch; the one Charlotte didn’t think was good enough.

‘Yes, I like it,’ I said. I put it on.

‘It suits you,’ she said. ‘It’s just right for a soldier.’

I stared at her. ‘Thanks,’ I said.

‘It doesn’t matter that you haven’t got a present for me,’ she said. ‘You didn’t kill me in Switzerland, that’s present enough.’

‘I’m not sure I would have killed you,’ I said, ‘even if you hadn’t given me a reason not to.’

‘I know,’ she said, ‘but I think, in the end, you would have. So it counts.’ She sipped her tea.

‘We should get our things together,’ I said. I tapped my new watch. ‘Hoagy won’t be late and we mustn’t miss that flight.’

I was right; Hoagy arrived in his big luxury saloon exactly on time. If he minded that it was Christmas Day morning then he didn’t show it. Xing gave him a present. It was a scarf.

‘I bought a few other things at Geneva airport, just in case,’ she said to me while Hoagy was loading the bags. I was beginning to realise just how intelligent and resourceful Xing was. I already knew about her professional expertise. Hoagy seemed a little embarrassed but he wrapped the scarf around his neck and smiled.

Just like last time, he drove with great care. The interior was fragrant like a bed of roses. The traffic was light. Hoagy dropped us off outside the airport terminal. We both thanked him. He made a joke about keeping in touch.

We waited in the BA lounge. The other first class passengers sipped complimentary champagne. Xing drank an orange juice and I had a Coke.

‘I noticed you didn’t drink alcohol last night either,’ she said.

‘Neither did you,’ I said.

The uniformed female steward informed us we could now board our flight.

The pilot taxied to the runway. The plane bounced with excitement. Xing was about to switch off her K106.

‘We keep them on,’ I said.

The BA jetliner lifted high as if it were an albatross except it was four jet engines producing the energy and not a thermal sea current. We climbed over London and banked east.

I had reservations, of course. I was on my way to a country and a culture I didn’t know, with a cold-blooded professional killer sitting beside me. How far could I trust my new partner? She wanted the ten million pounds I knew that. It was incentive enough. Nevertheless, how much loyalty did that buy me? If I was going to stay alive, I needed to learn and learn fast.

‘Tell me about the triad society,’ I said.

‘It’s just like any other,’ she said. ‘It has a hierarchy and there are rules. The aim is to make money. The gang maintains authority through strict discipline. Success guarantees respect, failure can result in death.’

‘So, it’s just like a normal business then,’ I said.

‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘Once we decide what to take from Missouri it becomes a job. We plan and execute just like your army operations. You won’t need to do anything you can’t already do.’

The flight attendant interrupted us. She offered us a drink. We ordered water and coffee. Xing was self-assured. She exuded confidence and poise. The affect I found hard to ignore. I considered the capriciousness of my new job under the control of Meriwether. How enemies could so easily become allies, and where the ends clearly justified the means.

‘Won’t it be difficult,’ I said, ‘for you to stay in Hong Kong once you’ve gone up against this triad leader?’

‘The world’s a big place,’ she said, ‘and with ten million pounds I could go anywhere. Perhaps I’ll move to London and work exclusively for British secret intelligence. Anyway, maybe, we can do it without anyone finding out it was me.’

I received a message on my K106. It was from Charlotte wishing me a happy Christmas. I replied and told her we were in the air.

A second message arrived. This time it was from Meriwether. He didn’t mention Christmas. Instead, he informed me of his communication with the
HK office.
He advised that research into Missouri was underway. He would be in touch again soon.

I showed Xing the message from Meriwether. After reading it she asked, ‘how big is the HK office?’

I didn’t know. I hoped it was very big.

We watched a film. It helped pass the time. We ate lunch. We were restless.

‘Can you speak Cantonese?’ she asked.

‘No,’ I said.

‘What about Portuguese?’

I didn’t answer.

‘English is spoken in Hong Kong,’ she said, ‘but in Macau they speak Portuguese.’

‘Do you speak Portuguese?’ I said.

‘I speak Cantonese,’ she said, ‘but I speak Portuguese as well, many of my early jobs were in Macau. I know the place really well. It’s crowded all the time with locals and tourists, and it has two island parts connected by bridges. The main bit is where the city is. You should study the geography of both Macau and Hong Kong, it will help you.’

Xing was right. If the mission was to be a success, I needed to focus. I should use the flight time to work. I studied detailed maps of both HK and Macau. The K106 had satellite internet link-up. I researched triad societies and I found newspaper articles containing references to Missouri’s recent promotion and the organisation he now controlled. It was interesting stuff. His triad society was one of the smallest but it was big in gambling and prostitution.

While I worked, Xing slept. We were travelling east, flying fast across the spinning globe, chasing the sunset. There was a brief scarlet horizon and then darkness. It came unexpectedly. Xing stirred. She sipped her water.

‘How are you with jetlag?’ she asked. ‘HK is eight hours ahead of London time.’

‘When did you fly in?’ I asked.

‘Two days before yesterday,’ she said, ‘when the target location was confirmed. I’m still on HK time. When we arrive I’ll adjust sooner than you.’

‘I’ll be all right,’ I said. ‘I’m used to irregular sleep patterns.’

‘When did you leave the army?’ she asked.

‘A week before Tenerife,’ I said. She didn’t seem surprised. I wondered what intelligence, if any, she had managed to get on me. She certainly would have tried.

‘You should have killed me in Tenerife,’ she said. ‘When you found me in the police car, you should have done it then.’

‘I told you, I don’t want to talk about Tenerife.’

The stewardess offered us refreshments. I wondered if she thought we were a couple. It was just as well she didn’t know what we really were.

Xing asked, ‘did you know Charlotte when you were still a soldier?’

‘No, I only met her the day before I flew to Tenerife,’ I said.

‘She’s a senior intelligence officer, isn’t she?’

‘I’m still not sure what she is,’ I said.

‘She doesn’t care for you, you are just her
delight
. There will have been others, just like you, before. They are probably dead now.’

I didn’t know what to say. The stewardess brought our drinks. I drank some water. It was ice cold.

My K106 indicated I had received a message. It was from Charlotte.

Casanova already has the bank account details. He got them from Ulrich when he was attempting to fill the hole. I’ve sent them to Bazzer.

This meant that she had spoken to Casanova. It seemed to be okay. There was one thing, though, that puzzled me. Why was Casanova still alive? The girl in Soho was dead. Ulrich was dead. So why wasn’t Casanova dead?

Xing tapped her K106.

‘How good are the trackers in these phones?’

‘Good enough,’ I said.

‘So we’ll always know where each other is.’

‘Do you have someone in Hong Kong, a boyfriend?’ I asked.

‘There was someone,’ she said. ‘He was a Red Pole, a number Four Hundred and Twenty-six. He was the enforcer of my triad society. He taught me many things. He tried to love me but I wouldn’t let him. He’s dead now.’

‘How did he die?’

‘I killed him,’ she said.