The Deadly Game(49)

‘He said . . .’ he began.

‘I heard,’ said Benjy. He held the door open. ‘You better come in.’

He let Jake in, and pointed to the kitchen.

‘Make yourself at home,’ he said. ‘Only, you eat anything, put some money in the jar by the fridge. OK?’

‘OK. Thanks.’

But Benjy had already gone into his room, and shut the door.



Jez arrived half an hour later. He took a look at Jake’s bruised face and let out a low whistle.

‘Someone messed you up,’ he observed.

‘Yep,’ said Jake. ‘They were going to kill me, but luckily I got away.’

Jez studied Jake, and Jake knew he was weighing up whether to ask him for details.

Instead, Jez said, ‘I told you you should’ve had back-up.’

‘You were right,’ admitted Jake.

‘So now, what’s happening?’

‘I need to pick up the book and get it to a lab so it can be tested,’ said Jake. ‘The book’s in the Left Luggage office at Euston Station. The problem is, everyone who’s after it seems to know what I’m about to do next.’

‘If it’s MI5 and them, they’ll be using them CCTV cameras they got,’ said Jez. ‘They’re all over every main station.’

Jake reflected that Jez was right.

‘In which case they’ll know I was at Euston, and maybe picked up that I left the book there in a rucksack.’

‘And you’re thinking they might have someone waiting there for you,’ said Jez.

‘Yes. My guess is it won’t be a big stake-out, just one or two people at most, watching out for me; but when they see me, they’ll give a call.’

Jez remained thoughtful.

‘Where you got to get this book to?’

‘A timber yard off Holloway Road,’ said Jake.

‘A timber yard?’ echoed Jez in surprise.

‘That’s where I’ m meeting the person who’s going to take it to the lab.’

Jez was silent for a bit longer, then finally he nodded.

‘OK,’ he said. ‘Here’s what you do. Do you know the Ibis Hotel beside Euston?’

‘No,’ said Jake, ‘but I can find it.’

‘On the corner of Drummond Street and Cardington Street. Right opposite the western side entrance to Euston. You can’t miss it. Go in there and wait in the reception area. There’s tables and chairs and stuff, so you’ll be OK. You’ll just be someone waiting.’

‘And then what?’ asked Jake.

Jez thought it over.

‘Give me two hours,’ he said. ‘Then things will happen.’

‘What things?’ asked Jake.

Jez smiled.

‘That depends what I can fix up in the next two hours,’ he said.





Chapter 28




Jake sat in the reception area of the Ibis Hotel, his eyes fixed on the glass double doors of the entrance. He’d been sitting here for half an hour, and so far there had been no sign of anyone he recognised from the flat. No Jez, no Benjy, no Ronnie, no one. Luckily, the reception area was full of other people waiting, most sitting with a tea or a coffee, or a newspaper, and all scanning every new face that appeared in case it was the person they were waiting for. Jake knew the bruises on his face made him conspicuous, but he hoped they’d help to make sure that people gave him a wide berth. No one wanted to get too close to someone whose face was marked by cuts and bruises. Luckily, he’d been able to damp his clothes down using the basins in the hotel toilet and get some of the stains off them.

He wondered what Jez was planning. Jake was sure that Euston would be watched, people waiting there for Jake to appear and collect the rucksack from the Left Luggage office. The big question was: by who? Gareth’s MI5 spooks? Pierce Randall’s people? Or the ones who’d sent those two thugs to find him and torture him, the ones who’d attacked Robert and left him near to death? Jake shuddered.

Suddenly he sat up, alert. The small figure of Ronnie had just walked into the entrance.

Jake stood up as she approached.

‘OK,’ she said. ‘We’re go.’ And she held out something to Jake. At first he couldn’t work out what it was, then he realised it was a crash helmet.

‘What’s this for?’ he asked.

‘In case you need it,’ she said. ‘The way people keep bashing you up, you need some protection.’

Jake shook his head.

‘I’m not wearing this,’ he said. ‘I’ll look ridiculous!’

‘Take it,’ she ordered, her voice taking no refusal.

‘No,’ said Jake. ‘I’m not putting that on. I’d feel like a dork.’

Ronnie hissed at him: ‘Listen. Jez says you gotta take it. And I ain’t walkin’ around any more holdin’ it! I felt stupid enough walkin’ around bringin’ it here!’ She thrust it at him. ‘You don’t wanna wear it, fine. But you carry it! And don’t lose it. It cost money.’