The Gruinard Project chapter 42

[khandy]

Some explicit language used.

Chapter 42

Gleneagles hotel 18.00 hrs

Jo’s hands shook as she flicked her lighter at the end of the cigarette in her mouth, taking two or three attempts before she managed to light it. Placing the lighter back in her pocket she dragged deeply, drawing the tobacco deep into her lungs waiting for that pleasant kick she always got from her first taste.

“I thought you were quitting?” Ros spoke from behind her.

“I am, I only have one when I’m stressed.”

“Or upset,” Ros said, remembering how Jo had been when dealing with the aftermath of the attack on her by Boscard.

Jo turned, drawing on the cigarette

“What kind of chat is this going to be Ros?”

“The stop feeling so fucking sorry for yourself chat.”

Jo stepped back as is if she had been slapped.

“Nobody is responsible. So you lost track of a suspect. Big bloody deal. Since when are you so brilliant that you can cover all bases? You were not alone you had a team with you from CO19. It was actually one of them following the suspect not you. Jo we are not infallible. How many times have we lost people we are tailing?” Ros demanded.

“Loads, but not at this cost. Lucas is dying.”

“I am aware of that, but if that is the case then I am as much to blame as you are. I let Sands walk straight past me because I was looking at the uniforms not the faces. You can do one of two things; you can wallow in self pity and recriminations or you can finish the job. Ensure that if Lucas does die that his death is not in vain.”

Jo drew on her cigarette and flicked the ash off the end impatiently.

“I feel like I screwed up.”

“Well as your section head I’m telling you didn’t but you are in danger of screwing up now.”

Jo sighed.

“Ok let me wallow while I finish my ciggie and then I will be back to my ball breaking best.”

“I’ll give you five minutes that’s all. Then meet me at the car.”

Western General Hospital 19.00hrs

It was Harry who came to her. He had pushed past the large crowd of Zimbabwean and British officials, who were gathered in the corridor outside President Mugabe’s room. The Home Secretary had caught his eye and Harry had been about to stop and speak with the minister when he spotted Kate. Small and alone, crouched on the floor, it was as if her legs had refused to support her any more. Icy dread rushed over him, fearing the worst he moved quickly to her side.

It was his shoes she registered first; distinctive all leather brogues polished to a high military shine. She raised her head looking upwards to see if she knew who the shoes belonged to and saw Harry, who reached out his hand to assist her to her feet and then pulled her into his arms, holding her as more hot tears fell.

“Kate, Lucas is he…?” He couldn’t bring himself to ask the question.

She shook her head.

“No, they’re ventilating him. Harry he was so scared. He knew that the chances were he wouldn’t wake again. I tried to reassure him but he was so agitated.” Hot tears trickled down her cheeks. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose him.”

“If that happens, you will hurt, you will grieve and for a while your world will be dark. Then one day when you least expect it the sun will shine again and the pain will ease,” Harry told her. “In the mean time surely the best thing you can do is go back to work and try to find a cure.” He pulled a snow white handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her.

“Very gallant Harry.”

Kate looked at the man who had appeared at Harry’s side, unsure whether she should like this man or not.

“Harry is a gentleman and as such a rarity,” she said.

“Unlike me, is that what you are thinking Ms…?”

Kate waited unsure what name she should give. The man was familiar and he obviously knew Harry but she had learnt enough in the last two weeks to be cautious.

Harry noticing her hesitation smiled, he really would have to offer this young woman a job.

“Kate the man trying to be charming is the Home Secretary, Nicholas Blake. Home Secretary this is Dr Kathryn Masters.”

“Dr Masters.” He held out his hand.

“Kate’s been acting as a specialist consultant for MI5. She’s a close friend of Lucas North.” Harry explained.

“Then you have my sympathy, this must be a difficult time for you and I’m sorry if my flippant remark caused you further distress. How is Mr North?”

Despite the situation and her shredded emotions Kate had to smile.

“Oh I can see how you rose to such a high office Mr Blake. Ever the politician saying the right thing, but your words of sympathy don’t match the questions in your eyes.”

A genuine smile crossed over the politician’s face.

“Ouch, she’s sharp Harry but I should not be surprised really. Where do you find these young women who work for you? If Westminster had a few women more like Dr Masters or Ms Myers I have a feeling the place would be livelier. So in what way are you acting as a consultant Dr Masters?”

Kate looked at Harry before answering. He tilted his head slightly before giving a slight smile and nod.

“I’m a microbiologist Mr Blake, I work for the Health Protection Agency and I am trying to work out how to stop this virus.”

“Ah the virus. Well this is too public a place to discuss what we know about that.” He glanced back towards the crowd around the room at the far end of the corridor. “I can give you both a lift back to Gleneagles we can talk on the way. I will meet you outside in say 15 minutes.” His tone brooked no arguments. “Dr Masters it has been a pleasure meeting you.” He turned and headed back towards Mugabe’s room.

“Charismatic man, not difficult to see how he was elected,” Kate commented.

“Yes but he is a rarity, a politician who is good at his job. I have to speak to Lucas’ family, make them understand why I am dragging you away and I am sure you would like five minutes alone with Lucas.”

The door opened at Harry’s words and Dr Russell came out.

“Hi. You can come back in if you like and I will explain what we are doing.”

“Harry can you get his family? I will come in Dr Russell but it is Lucas’ family you need to explain things to. I doubt you will be able to tell me anything I don’t already know.”

“I will meet you outside Kate,” Harry said as he walked away.

Kate pushed open the door and walked to Lucas’ bedside. Taking his hand in hers she stroked his long elegant fingers.

“I’m leaving now as you know I must but I swear to you that I will do everything I can to find a cure Lucas. I’m not giving up on us. So don’t you give up on us. Fight Lucas.”

“Can he hear you Kate?”

She turned at Philip North’s words.

“Yes he can, hearing is the first of the senses we develop and it is normally the last we lose. Has Harry explained why I must leave for a while?”

“Yes he has. I feel so hopeless Kate. Tell me what I can do.”

“Be here for him and pray. Lucas really never lost his faith in those eight years he was imprisoned I doubt he has lost it now. Pray for us both Philip.”

She turned and with a nod towards the doctor she did the hardest thing she had ever done. She walked away from Lucas.

Perth Police Station. 20.00hrs

“You need to stop the silent treatment you are giving me. I need your name to start with because you are certainly no paramedic. The way I see it you are in deep shit. If you are not worried you should be. Sands is dead. Your two colleagues here, are in custody, as are the two who kidnapped Ruth Evershed. That means you are the number one man.” Jo leant forward her hands on the table

“Well as you said I’m in the shit so I won’t make it worse by talking.”

“You think staying silent will protect you?” Jo laughed. “You’re the head man now. The Zimbabwean army, they want somebody to blame. As we speak they are submitting a request to have you extradited to Harare. Do you even think you’d have a trial? If you are outside of my protection you are a dead man walking.”

“The British government will not extradite me?”

“You want to bet? In any case they’re not the only one of your worries. We know that Sands wasn’t the Kingpin and he doesn’t like loose ends does he? Hence the hit on Lucas North. Do you think he will let you live?”

“You know nothing about the Kingpin.”

“Don’t we?” Jo’s tone held just a trace of possible knowledge.

“No you don’t. Nobody did but Sands.”

“He is probably going bonkers now as we have just shut down Welchem.” Jo looked at the surprise on his face. “Yes we know about Welchem, Ross and Henry James. The net is closing in on him. Help us close it quicker and we may cut you a deal.”

“Even if I knew who he was, which I don’t, you couldn’t guarantee my safety so why should I talk?” The man leant back as he spoke.

“Do you remember me telling you that you should be worried? Well my friends and I are the people you should be most worried about. One of our colleagues went down in this attack. You work for MI6, do you really think that we are going to just let that go.” She moved her face closer. “I may not be able to guarantee your safety from Mugabe’s thugs or the main man but I guarantee that if you don’t co operate with us, that when we have finished with you they won’t even find your body.”

She walked to the door

“You have five minutes to think about it.”

The Bremner Arms Leeds 22.00hrs.

The pub was busy; it always was on a Wednesday with people coming in to take part in the midweek quiz. The landlord did a good job as quiz master and the cash prize of fifty quid was not to be sneezed at. He always threw in a good spread of food afterwards as well so nobody had hurried home.

Mike Williams reflected that he didn’t have much to go home for. He had heard about the lab being closed down on local radio and like others had headed down only to be told to go home. Most of the pub’s customers were watching the ten o’clock news wondering if the lab’s closure would get a mention.

He was only half listening to the reporter on the television, which is how he picked up on the conversation going on to his right.

“Is right they shut it down. Is like Nazi camp. Poles persecuted like in war.”

“Oh you are not still on about it being like a death camp are you?”

“Is like camp, they have gas.”

“Rubbish mate this England.”

“I have friends, they know people who die up there. Who disappear.”

“They just went back home didn’t they?”

“That’s what they tell us well I don’t believe it. Anyway one didn’t go home is still here.”

Mike paused drink halfway to his lips. Would that DCI Wellings want to know about this? It all sounded a bit stupid but the inspector had said any thing.


Communication Centre Gleneagles. 22.30hrs

Harry snapped the news off and turned to face the Home Secretary.

“The press gave you a hard time Nicholas but you did well to avoid mentioning it was a virus.”

“Yeah well if Lucas North hadn’t shot two men we could have passed it off as food poisoning as it is we are having to say that it was an assassination attempt that was foiled.”

“Yeah well I don’t imagine it will be long before something is leaked to the press about what we are dealing with. Malcolm is scanning all channels so that we know of any leaks at the same time as the press.”

“I have arranged for Kate to speak to somebody from the FSB, our Russian friends know a lot about anthrax.”

Kate glanced up from the computer, it was as if she had fallen into a parallel universe. Her talking to the FSB.

“Are you saying Russia is behind this Harry?”

“No I’m saying that they have used anthrax in the past, they may have a vaccine we don’t know about.”

“Harry,” Malcolm called his boss over.

“What is it Malcolm?”

“Mike Williams, the young guard who followed Kate is trying to get hold of Pete Wellings says he has some information about Welchem.”

“Malcolm get hold of Ros I want her in Leeds as soon as possible. Kate you go with her and pray it is something that can help us.”

[HellsBells]

The team really need a break in this case. Are the FSB really going to help, I hope so. You have to save Lucas!
Lovely scene with Harry being a real gentleman offering Kate a handkerchief.