Tested by Fire by David Costa (the little red hen read aloud TXT) 📗

this, the personal you. Because, I really do like you, more than like.’

This answer seemed to please her. Her eyes sparkled, and her face broke into a smile. She reached across and took his hand in hers.

‘I look forward to that day, but for now, we have work to do.’

With that, she stood and bending down kissed Reece on the cheek. As she left Reece could see that same slow, purposeful cat-like sway that he’d noticed the first day he’d seen her all those years ago in Newry. He also noticed the other men and women in the restaurant watch her as she left, but he knew none of them would have the feelings he was now feeling in the pit of his stomach.

 

 

Chapter Twelve

Costello was half asleep when he heard a car pull into the drive parking up at the side of the house and the lights switching off. Underneath the chair cushion on his lap, Costello held the Browning. Slipping the safety catch off with his right thumb he pointed the pistol at the living room door. He could hear the footsteps, the key in the front door, the closing the door, and footsteps towards the living room where he sat in quiet darkness, even though it was only five fifteen the light outside had started to disappear. Mohammad entered the room and switched on the light smiling when he saw Costello.

‘Ah, Sean, my friend, why do you sit in the dark?’ He turned to close the blinds. Costello noted that Mohammad had changed little since the last time they’d met in Beirut. Arabic in looks with a small, well-trimmed beard. Costello knew he was about forty now, but he’d retained his boyhood looks and smile. Now he wore the suit of a well-heeled businessman. Costello flicked the catch back on to safe, put the pistol back in his waistband, and stood to give Mohammad a hug.

‘Good to see you too, my friend. How are you?’

‘I’m fine, Sean, just fine, and really glad to see you. You have everything you need?’

‘Yes, everything, thanks. This place is ideal. What’s our plan of action?’

‘Tonight, we rest, my friend. We have a delicious meal, maybe a glass of wine. As far as the wine goes, don’t tell my fellow Muslims. What they don’t know will never hurt them. I am devout but when I’m a soldier not so much. Tomorrow, we go into Manchester for a walkabout, so you get the real lay of the land, so to speak. In the meantime, I have a map of the target area for you to look at after dinner.’

Mohammad went to change out of his work suit into jeans and a roll-neck sweater. Costello thought how the simple change of clothes seemed to change the man himself. He was more relaxed and the conversation turned to everyday life, the weather, sport, women. He cooked a steak dinner and poured the red wine. Costello got the impression Mohammad had been nervous about today but now that day was here, he was unwinding. It was a feeling Costello had experienced many times before. You knew what you were going to do was dangerous, but life is dangerous, better not to think too much about what lay ahead.

Costello spread the map on the table after Mohammed had cleared the dishes.

It was a basic tourist map but just what Costello had asked for, the kind of map that highlights all the main points of interest for tourists. Mohammed sat back at the table, and pointing to the map he said, ‘This is where we need to look at tomorrow.’

‘When does she arrive? When do we meet?’ Costello asked.

‘She’ll arrive at Manchester Airport late this evening and will contact us tomorrow for a meet-up. But tonight, we need to get some sleep; we’ll be busy over the next few days.’

Costello folded the map, topped up his glass.

‘There will be plenty of time to sleep Mohammad. I’ll stay here and go over things a few more times in my head. Like you I want this job to go well and when I pull that trigger, I want to see the surprise in the eyes of his bodyguards and his eyes as they go dark. The scope on the rifle is strong enough to do that.’

‘Inshallah, my friend, but I am tired so I will see you in the morning.’

‘Inshallah, what the fuck is that?’ asked Costello.

‘God willing, my friend, God willing.’

 

 

Chapter Thirteen

‘Control, this is Alpha One. Meeting over, all went well returning to main office, will need to speak to the Chief on return.’

‘Roger, Alpha One.’

Reece was surprised to hear Broad’s voice answer. It was rare for the Chief himself to answer from the operation room.

Reece hailed a taxi and asked to be taken to the business access drop off at London City Airport.

Reece sat in the back, his thoughts on his lunch with Mike. Now he was thinking of her as the agent and not the woman. For now, he was happy that he had all the information he could get out of her, and he’d locked her words in his memory ready for the cross examination he knew was coming.

Still, he remembered the words. He could see her face, her smile, hear her laugh, remember the colour of her hair, her eyes, the shape of her lips and her body as she moved. He made a promise to himself that no matter what happened he would see her again.

On arrival at SG9, Reece was directed by Broad’s secretary to the Ops centre conference briefing room. When he got there, he could see Broad sitting at the large desk used for the spreading of maps and files at the briefings for operations. Sitting beside him was a man Reece only knew from media photographs, Sir Martin