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

can do any damage. You know the mannerisms that make him who he is. He can change how he looks but he can’t change who he is. He can’t change his height, how he walks, what he sounds like, how he speaks, his voice, his accent. It’s going to be dangerous, Mary, especially if we get close enough to confirm who he is, but I’ll be with you every step of the way. Are you OK with that?’

‘If he sees me first, I’m dead, at the very best I’m blown.’

‘That’s worst-case scenario but I intend to get to him first. A dead Costello doesn’t talk. But I need your help. I need you with me on this.’

‘It’s nice to be needed.’

There was that wicked smile again but this time there was moisture in her eyes.

He reached over the table taking her hands in his as much to reassure her as to feel the warmth of her skin, to be close to her. She squeezed lightly back.

‘OK, I’ll do it but only for you, Joseph.’

It was his turn to smile.

‘I’ll walk you back. You get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll pick you up in the morning.’

‘What, no night-cap?’

‘Well, maybe just the one, I’m driving.’

When he left her at the hotel, he hugged her, holding her closer and for longer than normal. She responded by pulling her arms around his shoulders. It was then he knew he couldn’t wait or hold back any longer. When his lips met hers, he could feel a surge of electricity flowing between them both. When they separated both were breathing heavily.

‘I’m sorry, that wasn’t very professional of me, but I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time.’

‘Don’t be sorry, Joseph, I’ve wanted you to kiss me, to hold me. What do we do now?’

His professional head kicked in, overruling his heart once more.

‘I promised you when this was over, I wanted to see more of you. I want that more than ever, but for now, I need to keep my head for the job in hand. Can you understand, can you wait?’

‘I don’t have much of a choice. I’ll wait, but not forever. See you tomorrow then,’ she said as the lift doors closed and took her to her room.

Not for the first time did he admire the strength in this woman. When she’d gone, he realised he was still breathing heavily, his pulse racing.

I’ll see you tomorrow and for longer to come, he thought.

Reece liked driving through cities at night. Less traffic, more time to think. Peoples’ laughter as they moved between the restaurants, pubs, clubs, theatres, and parties. A city at night has a breathing, living sound all of its own.

His thoughts were still of Mary, her face, her brown eyes, and dark hair, her smile. His thoughts were interrupted by the in-car phone system.

‘Hello?’

‘Hello, David, can you talk?’ It was Jim Broad.

‘Yes, I’m using the hands-free. Just dropped Mike off. I’m on my own.’

‘We have some news which might be helpful. The ports’ people have been checking back over their CCTV and records as we requested, and they may have something. A couple of days ago a small white van with one male on-board landed at Holyhead port from Dublin. The van went through without a close stop check but a few things have been highlighted. The registration shows it came from Crossmaglen, but a quick check with the local police shows the real van originally came from a farm belonging to a recently dead farmer. There’re some grainy images of the driver. The height and build fit Costello’s description but the driver’s wearing a baseball cap, so we can’t be sure. The interesting bit is that CCTV was able to follow the van’s movements from Wales through to the M56 then the M6 and then leaving the motorway at Warrington.’

‘That is interesting. If he was heading straight to Manchester, he would have stayed on the fifty-six.’

‘I’ve sent you the CCTV and informed the police to be on the lookout for the van. It might just be the break we’re looking for. Anything new from Mike?’

‘No, but I’m going to keep her here. She knows Costello better than any of us and that might just give us the last piece of information we need to complete the jigsaw of what’s happening.’

‘OK, if I get anything more, I’ll be in touch, you do likewise.’

‘Will do.’

This was going to be another long night looking at CCTV recordings before getting to bed. Reece knew all the activity of the day would make it difficult for his brain to switch off and for the sleep to come.

 

 

Chapter Twenty-nine

Mohammad had wasted no time; he’d carried out more research into the apartment block and noticed on the Right Move website that there were two for sale and a few for rent. Apartment C13-1 and apartment C6-3 both in the region of £300,000 or £1,000 per month for the rental properties. The history of sales in the building showed that they had two or three coming up for sale on a yearly basis, so this was a lucky break. He spent more time digging further and identified two of the rental apartments, fully furnished for immediate occupancy. He phoned Lyndsey and arranged for her and Costello to meet with him at the apartments later that morning. Then he phoned the agent for the properties and arranged viewings for eleven at the two for sale and two of the rentals which seemed to fit Costello’s requirements.

Costello was in the lounge drinking his coffee when Lyndsey sat down beside him.

She told him about her call with Mohammad.

‘We can go together as the Webbs and you can have a good look around and see what you think.’

‘Sounds like a plan.’

‘We’ll have