Dark Justice Part 24

"Just shut up," he said, "and let's get to that d.a.m.ned airport," and he put his foot down.

On the pavement, Hannah Bernstein was trying to haul herself up, clutching at the railings as Dillon got to her. "You're all right, just hold on to me." But there was blood coming down her face, and he was afraid.

She spoke, but as from a distance. "It was As.h.i.+mov, Sean, and the woman."

"I know, look, just do as I say." He eased her around to the pa.s.senger seat, got behind the wheel, took out his mobile and phoned Roper and explained what had happened as he started the car. "Phone Rosedene. Tell them I'm on my way and we're going to need Bellamy."

"Leave it to me."

Dillon drove away, Hannah leaning back, moaning. Strange, he didn't feel some hot burning rage. If anything, he was cold and conscious of only one thing: As.h.i.+mov was responsible for this.

LONDON IRELAND.

14.

At Rosedene, Dillon paced nervously up and down in reception, smoking cigarette after cigarette. Rabbi Julian Bernstein sat by the window.

"Sean, sit down. It isn't helping and it isn't good for you."

"If anything goes wrong with her" - Dillon had that Devil's face on him - "I swear I'll..."

"You'll do nothing. We wait, we see. 'Vengeance is mine' achieves nothing."

"What do I do, turn the other cheek? Well, I'm feeling very Old Testament right now."

His mobile sounded. It was Roper. "How is she?"

"I'm waiting to hear. What have you got?"

"I've tracked down another Belov plane which lifted off half an hour ago from Archbury. As.h.i.+mov and Novikova are aboard."

"Dammit," Dillon told him. "That really rubs it in. That she's gone with him, I mean."

"There's something else you won't like. The Opel car. It's a Russian Emba.s.sy vehicle logged out to a Novikova."

"Well, there you are," Dillon said. "Make my day. What's the intended destination of the plane?"

"Ballykelly. Belov International's got a big development there, which includes an airstrip. Belov dropped in yesterday, which means he's already at Drumore Castle."

"Surprise, surprise," Dillon said.

"Safely in the Republic of Ireland, where they can't be touched."

"Not if I can help it."

"Well, you'll have to hurry, Sean. Air Traffic Control in Dublin reports a slot booked out at ten o'clock tomorrow morning for Belov's Falcon to Moscow."

At that moment, the door opened and Ferguson came in, supported by Miller and Dalton. His face was gray, eyes sunken. They helped him to a chair.

He looked at Dalton. "Be a good chap. Find us some whiskey. They'll have some in the back for medicinal purposes."

Dalton went away, and Dillon said, "You look terrible."

"Yes, well, being shot does have that effect. But never mind me. How is the Superintendent?"

"Bellamy's with her now. They did a scan."

Ferguson turned to Rabbi Bernstein. "This life of Hannah's, Rabbi, you must hate it, all of it."

The old man smiled gently. "It's the life she chose, General. It's what she wanted. And you do look awful. My son is at a medical conference in Paris, but I've phoned him and he's coming back at once. No," he said, as Ferguson started to protest, "I insist. He'd never forgive himself otherwise. And I wouldn't forgive myself, either."

At Doone, the Navajo had landed. Smith taxied up to the hangar and switched off. He got the Airstair door open and Kelly and Tod followed him out. Kelly clapped him on the shoulder.

"You did a good job, I'm proud of you. Tod will take care of you."

"I don't want anything. Just leave me alone. Never again." Smith closed the Airstair door.

Kelly said, "You never say that to me. I call, you jump."

"Go on, then, put a bullet in my head now." Smith shook his head. "As far as I'm concerned, the IRA can go to h.e.l.l. You're stuck in the past anyway."

Kelly grabbed at him, but Tod pulled him back. "Just let it go. We'll go down to the Royal George and have a drink with the boys."

At Ballykelly as the Falcon touched down, it was quiet in the cabin. As.h.i.+mov had drunk steadily, and barely exchanged a word with Greta. They rolled to a halt. Kelso switched off and Brown left the c.o.c.kpit and opened the door. As they stepped down, a Land Rover approached. "Well, here we go," As.h.i.+mov said. "To an uncertain future." He hesitated. "You're with me in this, Greta?"

"Of course I am," and yet, in her heart, she didn't know what that meant.

"Then let's get on with it. Beard the ogre in his den."

They went down the steps, and to As.h.i.+mov's astonishment, Josef Belov got out from behind the wheel of the Land Rover.

"So there you are. I've been waiting."

Professor Henry Bellamy came in, stripping off his gloves, and paused in front of Ferguson.

"For G.o.d's sake, Charles, at your age you can't afford this kind of thing."

Dalton held out a file. "Captain Wilson sent this, sir."

"Never mind me," Ferguson said. "What about Hannah?"

"She has a broken collarbone and right arm, and a depressed fracture of the skull." He turned to Bernstein. "I'm sorry, Rabbi, but I'm transferring her to the neurological unit at the Cromwell. I've called in George Dawson, he's the best in the business."

"How bad is it?" Bernstein asked. "What are her chances?"

"Oh, excellent. Dawson is world-cla.s.s. But I should point out one thing."

"And what's that?"

Bellamy glanced at Ferguson. "The other year when that Party of G.o.d hit man tried to kill her, she suffered damage to the stomach, a bullet to the left lung and a chipped spine. It was a miracle she survived."

"Thanks to a great surgeon," Dillon said.

"Which means nothing, Sean. She'll survive this, too, don't worry, but her future will be more problematic. This may well be the end of her career."

"But it means everything to her," Dillon said.

"I know. Maybe she could have a desk job. I don't know - but there are limits to the endurance of the human body."

"Of course, "Bernstein said.

"An ambulance is picking her up at any moment, which will take her to Dawson at the Cromwell. You, of course, may go with her, Rabbi."

"Thank you."

Bellamy opened Wilson's file, had a quick look and shook his head. "Straight in, Charles, this is far worse than I'd expected." He turned to Dalton and Miller. "Take him through."

They got Ferguson up between them. He glanced at Dillon. "Don't do anything stupid, Sean."

"Now, would I do anything like that?" Yet the eyes burned in his face and there was that look of the Devil about him again.

Ferguson said, "You're going to go after him."

"You can depend on it."

"And nothing I say to dissuade you would work?"

"Not this time."

Ferguson said, "Then all our departmental resources are available to you. Just be careful, Sean." He smiled wearily, and Dalton and Miller took him out between them, Bellamy following.

The Rabbi said, "I've seen that look on your face before. Maybe she wouldn't want it."

"As.h.i.+mov did it deliberately. I witnessed it myself. He pays in full."

"G.o.d help you, Sean."

An ambulance driver looked in. "Rabbi Bernstein?"

"That's me." The old man glanced at Dillon, sighed and went out.

It was quiet in reception, and Dillon took a deep breath and lit a cigarette, then he phoned Roper.

"How is she?"

Dillon explained and added, "Ferguson's in a poor way himself. Bellamy's just taken him into the operating room. Before that, though, the old boy gave me the use of all our departmental resources."

"Does this mean what I think it does?"

"Absolutely. Will you stay on the line, make sure there aren't any changes in departure plans at Ballykelly?"

"Sean, you're crazy. You'll never get away with it. It's as if you've got a death wish."

"I'll ring Lacey and arrange a drop. The beach at Drumore will do nicely, but you check the weather and confirm it with him. Speak to the Quartermaster for me and arrange some weaponry."

"I'll get on it. But you can't do this on your own, not even the great Sean Dillon."

"Oh, I won't." Dillon went out, got in the Mini and phoned Farley Field. "It's Dillon. I need Squadron Leader Lacey."

He droned on through traffic one-handed and Lacey came on. "Sean?"

"Nothing has ever been more important, so don't argue. Ferguson's been shot, he's in a hospital operating room at the moment, and he's charged me with full authority. I'll be with you in perhaps an hour. You're going to fly in over Drumore in County Louth and do a beach drop."

"I'm not sure about the weather, Sean."

"We've done it before in worse. This one is important. We take it right to the edge."

"As you say, Sean."

He switched off, and Dillon carried on. One more place to call.

When he entered the Dark Man, Harry Salter, Billy, Joe Baxter and Sam Hall were in the end booth having a drink, except for Billy and his usual orange juice.

Harry said, "So here you are. You're hardly keeping us up-to-date."

"Just shut up and listen," Dillon said.

When he was finished, Harry said, "These Russians, what b.a.s.t.a.r.ds."

"Never mind that," Billy interrupted. "What's the real word on Hannah?"

"Bellamy says he's sure she'll make it, but she'll never be the same again."

"And Ferguson?" Harry demanded.

"I told you. He took a slug from an AK. He won't die from it, but at his age..." Dillon shrugged.

"And Selim out of it." Billy shook his head. "That's a waste. He could have said a lot."

"He came round in the end. Coughed up plenty."

There was a silence. Harry turned to Dora. "A little Bushmills, here, love. I think we're going to need it." He turned back to Dillon. "So Belov's at this Drumore Place, and As.h.i.+mov and the girl have joined them, plus the two IRA gangsters?"