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

someone on a cold wet day, it dulled spirit and moral. Tourist One continued to walk towards the Town Hall Square. Passing through the square, he turned left through the main crossroads stopping at the traffic lights to cross. April was still ahead of him on the other side. Reece and Mary stopped to pretend to do a bit of window shopping and when the lights changed, Tourist One crossed and for a moment, Reece lost sight of him, but April still had him.

‘Tourist One now static, looking around slowly, don’t turn into the street yet, Alpha One, he’s looking for us. I can nip into a shop here and watch him through their window,’ April said.

‘Roger, Alpha Three. We’ll wait for your signal.’

So now he was really at his game, thought Reece, what’s he up to?

‘He’s entered a café halfway down the street,’ said Grey.

‘Roger, Alpha Three, we’ll walk past and meet up with you.’

‘Roger that.’

Reece and Mary walked past the café where they saw Tourist One standing with his back to the door at the counter. Further down the street, they stopped with Grey.

‘He likes his tea and coffee this one,’ said Grey.

‘I’d like to get in there to see if he’s making contact with someone from inside the café, but I’ve been close to him twice already.’

‘I can do it,’ said Grey.

‘No, I want to keep you fresh for the surveillance later.’

‘What if I go in?’ offered Mary.

‘I can’t ask you to do that, it’s too dangerous.’

‘I won’t get too close. I’ll just get a quick coffee; God knows I need one. He’s less likely to know me, and his sort don’t have much respect for women, so already I don’t like him.’

Reece looked into her eyes; every time he’d been with this woman her strength had impressed him even more.

‘OK, but don’t take any risks. Just a coffee, sit down, and observe without being too obvious. If he lingers, don’t hang about. Leave when you’ve finished your drink. If he leaves, wait thirty seconds before you follow. If that happens and we’re gone when you come out, make your way back to the Town Hall and go into the café there where I’ll catch-up with you. We’ll be out here so if you need help scream and we’ll come running.’

Mary smiled the broad smile that always made him feel reassured by her. She kissed him on the cheek and walked away and into the café.

‘You’re going to have to marry that girl,’ said Grey with a grin.

‘You might be right. Let’s split up to each side of the street and take an end each so we have him no matter which way he walks.’

 

 

Chapter Fifty

Broad had told Fraser that for the moment they had some sort of control but later the situation might force their hand and they might need to move.  If they had to move, they could take Tourist One out of the picture alive or dead. His disappearance from the scene would make the rest panic and most likely call off the operation. But, in the end he couldn’t take that chance, these people were fanatics and fanatics are unpredictable.

‘Control, this is Alpha Two, over.’ It was Joe Cousins who was still covering the Irlam address.

‘Come in, Alpha Two.’

‘We have another Asian male leaving the target street on foot. Heading up in our direction.’

Broad took over the mike.

‘Roger, Alpha Two, stay with him.’

‘Roger that. Alpha Four, with him on foot.’

‘Control, this is Alpha Four, target went into the local supermarket, will go in and observe.’

‘Roger that, let’s put him down as Tourist Two,’ said Broad.

Imtaz quickly browsed the shop for what he needed: milk, bread, butter, and a bar of chocolate for himself, he paid at the till and was back outside in just a few minutes.

‘Following after buying a newspaper,’ Harrison said.

‘He bought some bread and butter, no chatter, now heading back the way we came. He’s youngish with a shortcut beard. Wearing dark blue jeans and a padded black ski jacket, no hat. I can’t take a chance following him down Kings Road, returning to the car.’

‘Roger that. Did you get a photo of him?’

‘No, he was too quick, in and out of the shop, he knew what he wanted, and he may have been there before.’

Cousins, still watching from the car, broke into the transmission.

‘I managed to get a few snaps with my mobile and when I zoom in, they aren’t bad, not quite David Bailey standard but will do at a pinch. I got a good shot of him when he was crossing the road and had to look right and left. I’ll text them over now.’

‘Good job, guys. Hold your position but it looks like he’s settling in for the night and he may not be alone.’

The Kings Road and Henley Avenue will be getting a closer inspection tonight, thought Broad. Time to bring the troops back for a briefing.

‘Tango One, can you return to base, over?’

‘Roger, will do,’ Geoff Middleton said.

 

 

Chapter Fifty-one

Mary had entered the café thirty minutes before Tourist One walked out and turned left heading back towards the Town Hall Square. Mary did as she’d been told she finished her coffee then left the café. When she left, there was no sign of anyone, so she took her time walking back towards the Town Hall and phoned Reece.

‘Mary, are you OK?’

‘Yes, no problem. Thought you should know when I went in, he was on the phone. He mentioned something about keys and be there before five thirty.’

‘Interesting…anything more?’

‘Yes, he made two more calls. The first I’m sure he was taking in Arabic, so no help there, I’m afraid, but his last call was in English.