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

you can drop me off at one of the hotels near the airport.’

Fifteen minutes after Lyndsey and Costello had left the Hilton, April Grey had approached the reception desk.

 

 

Chapter Thirty-five

Grey spoke to the receptionist, then to the day manager, and last to the concierge. It always amazed her the reaction of people when she presented her MI5 Identity Card. People seemed to be relaxed and expectant when presented with a Police Identity Card.

Probably because of the glut of police TV programmes, she thought. But when shown a card from the security services, first there was a look of surprise, then a double take to be sure what they were seeing. Then a look of fear. To the everyday citizen this was a whole new world, completely outside their comfort zone, stepping into the unknown, this was serious. This meant they were only too pleased to help. A man fitting the description of the one in the photo she showed them had just booked out. It was the concierge who had been the most observant and gave Grey the information she needed to call Reece.

‘April. What is it?’

‘Can you talk?’

‘Yes, I’m on my own.’

‘I’ve just been speaking to the staff at the Hilton. It looks like our friend was staying here but left in a hurry about twenty minutes ago.’

‘How can they be sure it was him?’

‘I showed them the photo we have, and they weren’t sure, but when I mentioned the baseball cap, they all agreed that the man fitting our guy’s description never seemed to take his off and had just booked out. And here’s the clincher, David, he may have been with a woman also staying here. They had different rooms on different floors, but they met in the Sky Cocktail Bar. It was the woman who booked and paid for both rooms using a credit card in the name of Karen Webb. If it is Costello, and I think it is, he was booked in under the name Paul Jordan? I’ve asked for the CCTV for the last few days. The day manager was a bit reluctant to let us have that but when I explained the arrest powers for terrorism under the Official Secrets Act, he phoned his boss and was more forthcoming.’

‘Did you get any more about them when they left, a taxi, and if it was a taxi did the doorman hear where they were going? A forwarding address maybe?’

Grey laughed. ‘We should be so lucky. The concierge is ex-army and the most observant of them all. He saw the man and woman leave together. Both were picked up by an Asian man in a black BMW which could be private hire as he opened the doors for them and put the bags in the boot before driving off in the direction of the station.’

‘Can you get descriptions of all three, as well as the CCTV?’

‘Sorted, I’ll bring them back to the hanger for our briefing.’

‘Good, call everyone and we can go over it later. I’ll let Lockwood know after our debrief.’

‘David, by the look of things they left in a hurry and not long after you spotted your tail. From what I’ve found out I think they’re aware of you and most likely Mike, so you need to be twice as careful and so should she.’

‘Agreed. I’ll call with her and bring her to the hanger. I’m fucking angry that we were made, angry that he spotted us and angrier that I didn’t spot him earlier, and now we are going to have to keep her much closer to the action. See you back at the hanger.’

 

 

Chapter Thirty-six

‘Hello.’ At last, John Jo Murphy had called back.

‘John Jo, it’s Sean here I need you to do something for me, it’s important.’

‘Ah sure, Sean, no problem seeing it’s yourself. What do you need?’

‘Do you remember Mary McAuley?’

‘The lovely Mary from Newry; the one that was married to Brendan?’

‘Yes, that’s her. Now, she’s moved back to Belfast to be closer to her mother I believe, I think the mother still lives in the Beechmount area off the Falls Road, but she lives somewhere else in the city, I don’t know where. I need you to call with the mother and find out where she is now. Can you do that for me?’

‘Sure, Sean, I’ll try to find out how soon do you need to know?’

‘As soon as you can. Tell the mother you’re an old friend up from Newry for the day and you want to catch-up with her daughter.’

‘Leave it with me and I’ll get back to you when I know anything,’

‘Good man.’

Lyndsey had been listening to Costello’s side of the conversation. Since they’d left the hotel and returned to Irlam, she’d been reassessing the plan. Imtaz and Waheed had taken the train to the city to look around the centre, now they joined her, Costello, and Mohammad around the table. After Costello had finished his call, Mohammad made another technical sweep of the room.

‘Our plans have had to change. We always knew security around the Conference was going to be tight but the fact that we’ve seen some people from Sean’s past seems to indicate they know about the Irish connection to our operation,’ Lyndsey said.

‘I knew we were wrong to trust this infidel,’ said Waheed.

‘You and I are going to have a serious falling out, my friend,’ replied Costello looking Waheed in the eye.

‘That’s enough,’ Lyndsey cut in. ‘Sean is not your enemy, Waheed. He is here, like everyone else, to strike a blow at the real enemy, the real infidel. On Tuesday night we move to the apartment and complete our attack on Wednesday morning. Mohammad, did you manage to get new plates for the van?’

‘Yes, they’re in the boot of my car. I