The Deadly Game(41)

Jake stared at her, stunned, then back at the phone in his hand.

‘And you didn’t think to tell me this before I bought this phone?’ he said, angry.

‘We didn’t think of it before,’ defended Jez.

‘You didn’t think of it at all,’ pointed out Ronnie. ‘If I hadn’t said anythin’, you’d be bein’ grabbed by those men.’

Yes, that was a good point, thought Jake. And he should have thought of it. He slipped the phone into his pocket.

‘Maybe you could call Michelle for me?’ he asked hopefully.

‘And have them chasin’ me once they got my number?’ demanded Jez indignantly. He shook his head. ‘No way!’

Jake was frustrated. He’d been depending on talking to Michelle, and then getting the book to her. But there was still another way. He pulled out Michelle’s business card. Yes, there were her email addresses: one at the magazine, one at home.

‘Where’s the nearest cybercafé?’ he asked.



Fifteen minutes later, Jake was sitting at a computer sending Michelle a message.

I need to see you urgently, he typed. Can’t phone. I’ll explain when we meet. When, and where?

As he clicked ‘send’ he prayed that she would be at a computer somewhere, either at home or at her office, and would get his message, and respond quickly.

Jake then sent a message to Lauren: Sorry I’ve been out of touch. Can’t get to my flat at the moment, and can’t phone. I’ll explain later. But there’s good news. Something has come up.

He wondered if he was being too cryptic, and if Lauren would realise that ‘something has come up’ meant a book had been dug up. The problem was, if his message was too obvious, Gareth’s spooks would spot it. But then, Gareth knew he had the book already.

He felt a surge of relief as the inbox displayed a reply from Michelle: 12 noon. The office.

When he came out of the cybercafé, Jez and Ronnie were waiting for him, looking at him enquiringly.

‘I got a meet set up with this reporter,’ he told them. ‘This’ll soon be over.’

‘You want us to come with you?’ asked Jez. ‘Watch your back?’

Jake shook his head.

‘No,’ he assured them. ‘I should be OK now.’

‘These people still after you,’ Jez pointed out.

‘I know,’ said Jake, ‘but I’ve got to do this on my own. You’ve done more than enough for me already,’ he added gratefully.

He held out his hand and shook theirs.

‘When this is all over I’ll come and see you,’ he said. ‘I owe you big time.’



At twelve, Jake was in the reception foyer of Qo magazine in Villiers Street, anxiously scanning the crowd of workers as they left the building heading for the various sandwich bars and cafés for lunch. Finally, to his relief, he saw Michelle.

She came towards him, a look of annoyance on her face.

‘Where have you been?’ she demanded. ‘I’ve been leaving messages for you on your voicemail!’

‘It’s a long story,’ said Jake. ‘And right now, it’s not safe for me out in the open.’

‘Yes, Robert told me about Andy,’ said Michelle. She frowned. ‘And where’s Robert? When I couldn’t get hold of you I tried him, but he’s not answering either.’

‘He was attacked,’ said Jake. ‘He’s in a coma. He’s got a fractured skull. And now they’re looking for me.’

Michelle looked at him, horrified.

‘Attacked?’ she echoed.

‘Like I said, it’s a long story,’ Jake told her. ‘Is there anywhere here we can talk in private?’

Michelle thought it over, then said, ‘The researcher’s office should be free at the moment. We’ll try there.’

They were in luck, the small glass-walled office was free.

‘Right,’ said Michelle when they had sat down. ‘Let’s hear it.’

As briefly as he could, Jake told her what had happened: the attack on him by Andy at the truck stop; his escape; getting to his flat to find Andy watching it; going to Robert’s house at Baron’s Court and finding Robert badly beaten and unconscious; the phone calls from Gareth and Alex Munro; and being chased by, he assumed, Gareth’s MI5 spooks; and getting rid of his phone and now hiding out.

Michelle heard him out, then said, ‘We need to get the book out there into the public domain. That’s the only way to stop this.’

Jake nodded. ‘I agree,’ he said.

‘Good. Let me have the book and I’ll get it opened in a lab, just like you said. Full hazard conditions, loads of photos, the lot.’ She looked at her watch. ‘I’ve got a lab all set up to do the tests. They’re just over the river at Waterloo.’