Gareth managed a crooked smile. “You’re going to owe me for years.”
“I’ll stand you a pint at the Feathers when you’re up on your feet.”
“You’ll stand me a pint for the next ten years,” he called out as the doors closed and the ambulance pulled away.
Oliver Leyland’s body stayed in the house, along with the two shooters, one dead, one unconscious and cuffed, while Mike told Penderley and his team what had happened inside, her voice calm, emotionless, but she wanted to yell, I won, I won, I took down both of them.
When there was no more to say, Penderley patted her on the shoulder. “Well done, lass. Damn well done.”
Mike said, “I don’t know how they cut our c
omms. Both Gareth and I tried to call you.”
“We heard a gunshot, that was good enough. We were with you less than three minutes later.”
Mike couldn’t believe it. Only three minutes? No, at least an eon had passed. “Hopefully, Rocky will talk.” And then she had to explain.
Penderley patted her shoulder again, making her smile, then he turned to Nicholas. “Only Leyland was inside? No sign of Adam Pearce?”
“No sign. Can we pull CCTV feed on the street, see who entered Leyland’s house and when?”
“We’re working on it now. Also working on IDs for the two men who tried to kill you and Mike.”
“I’m going to bet you’ll find they’re German nationals. Havelock has a history of sending his own men to do his dirty work, not using local talent.”
“Understood. Also, while you were inside, the call came in from the boys at MoD Saint Athan. That missile did its job thoroughly, only small pieces of the tail of the plane that attacked you were located. It was a Gulfstream, though. A private jet.”
“Ten to one it was Havelock’s. Who else would have tried to stop us coming over?”
Penderley said, “First the chancellor of the Exchequer is killed, and now the head of the Bank of England? FBI planes are being attacked with lasers, there are two Americans on British soil being held against their will, and we haven’t the foggiest idea where to start looking for them. Not to mention the world press has already reported on Alfie Stanford’s death. When they find out about the murder of Oliver Leyland, they’re going to be asking questions. You know they’ll put it together soon enough, then all hell will break loose. This is a disaster.” Penderley looked ready to stick his head in the noose.
“Sir,” Mike said, her hand on his forearm. “Once we have the weapon and Havelock, once we show the world what he is, what he has done, including the murder of these two fine men, the world media will crucify him.”
Penderley gave her an odd look. “Do we tell them we have saved the world from disaster, Agent Caine?”
She grinned. “That will be up to the leaders of our two countries, I would imagine. Let’s go do our jobs now, sir, let’s get this done.”
“Drummond, you agree?”
“Yes, sir, I do.” Nicholas touched his fingers to his neck. The injection site throbbed and pulsed. He wished he could remember exactly what had happened, perhaps it would all come back. Would he be dead if Mike hadn’t gotten there in time? Yes, it would have been all over for him. But he was here and breathing, his brain finally working again. Mike was right, time to get it done. He said, “We know Adam Pearce was in the house at some point since your team found a laptop and gym bag stuffed in the back of a bedroom closet. We also know he was taken. The team’s still up there, with Adam Pearce’s things?”
Penderley nodded.
“Good,” Mike said, “let’s see if there’s anything of use on the computer.”
They were careful not to step in the blood that pooled on the landings. There were crime scene techs everywhere.
He saw Mike didn’t look at the man she’d shot. Her back was ramrod straight, her ponytail was a little off-center, her shirt ripped, but she was excited, he could feel it pouring off her.
“Mike?”
She stopped. “Nicholas? Is something wrong?”
He gave her a long look, shook his head. “Let’s see what’s on Adam Pearce’s computer.”
67
After making certain Adam’s laptop wasn’t bugged or trip-wired or attached to a microscopic explosive, Nicholas powered it up. A few moments later, he began to smile.