Private London (Private 4)

I was vaguely aware of uniformed men running past me, weapons raised. United States Air Force by the looks of them. They were shouting but I couldn’t hear them. I was in a bubble.

I was remembering the unblemished beauty of Mary Angela Al-Massri’s face. Her wide, brown, mesmerising eyes. I remembered the sound that the pistol made, and I remembered the beauty of that face I’d wrecked. The life behind it snuffed out in an instant.

And then I leaned against a tree in the garden and threw up.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I dragged my hand across my lips and looked up. It was Del Rio.

‘You okay?’

‘I will be.’

He nodded, working his jaw.

‘Something I need to take care of first,’ I said. ‘Close this case.’

He nodded again. ‘You need some backup?’

I shook my head. ‘Things are going to get complicated here. I need to make a move.’

Del Rio shook his head. ‘It’s all taken care of. We can sort out the details later.’

‘How so?’

‘Jack Morgan has reach.’

I nodded gratefully. It was true.

‘So. Like I said, you need some backup?’

I shook my head again. ‘I’ll be good.’

Del Rio slapped me on the shoulder. ‘You got some, anyway. And your man who don’t handle guns wouldn’t be much use in this, I’m guessing.’

I nodded gratefully. He was guessing right.

Chapter 106

BRENDAN ‘SNAKE’ FERRES lived in the downstairs maisonette of a converted Victorian town house in Lady Margaret Road on the border of Kentish Town and Tufnell Park.

Del Rio and I had parked the car further down the street and we approached on foot. The curtains were drawn at the front of the house but there was some light spilling from a small gap between them. A television was playing loudly.

I gestured to Del Rio and we made our way around the side of the maisonette into the back garden. The bottom half belonged to the flat above Ferres: it was neat, well ordered. The top part belonged to Ferres and was the opposite. I stepped over an upturned milk crate in the long grass of what should have been his lawn and walked up to the side door that led into his kitchen.

I had the enforcer gripped in both hands. Del Rio positioned himself to the right-hand side of the door and took his weapon from his holster, holding it two-handed.

The door looked flimsy enough to be simply kicked in but I wasn’t taking any chances. I swung the heavy metal ram against the lock.

I stepped back as Del Rio rushed into the house, sweeping his gun from side to side in front of him. I followed behind as he ran forward through the short hallway towards the lounge. I stayed back, dropping the enforcer and taking out the gun I had got from Gary Webster.

A scream rang out from the other room.

Chapter 107

HOLDING THE GUN, I kicked the first door open.

Behind it was an empty bedroom. I waited a moment or two and then did the same with the second door. Another bedroom. No one in it. I let out a sigh of relief, realising I had been holding my breath, and walked into the lounge.

Del Rio was leaning against the wall, working his jaw muscles and pointing his weapon at Laura Skelton who was cowering against the corner of the sofa, her eyes wide with terror.