The Rain-Soaked Bride (19 page)

Tae-young nodded. ‘She was part of the waiting staff. She wasn’t in the room at the time, though she often used to wonder what would have happened had she been.’

‘That’s life in this business,’ April admitted. ‘It’s all a matter of luck.’

‘Today has not been lucky. Two of your people are dead.’

‘Yes.’ Tae-young had been informed of Lucy Baxter’s death and any attempt to write it off as an accident had floundered given what had happened to Ranesh.

‘And before them,’ Tae-young continued, ‘three others.’

‘But that can’t stop us.’

‘Why? Because that would mean the assassin had succeeded?’

‘Partly.’

Tae-young nodded. ‘I can understand that. And yet, if we stay, who will be next?’

‘So far there is no indication that the assassin has any interest in attacking your party.’

Tae-young looked angry. ‘I am not only thinking of the lives of my people, I would not be so selfish. My point is that, as long as this conference continues, people’s lives are in jeopardy.’

‘Forgive me, I didn’t mean to suggest you were being selfish. And yes, there is no guarantee that Ranesh will be the last. But these talks must be resolved, and will be one way or another, through us or someone else. They will happen here and now or somewhere else later, where the same risk will apply until we catch whoever is behind this. All we can do is trust in those who are doing their best to keep us alive and hope that they find the killer before they can strike again. That’s their job.’

‘And are they any good at it?’

April struggled to answer that one. ‘Do you believe in the supernatural?’

‘What has that got to do with anything?’

April knew that she wasn’t supposed to explain the work of Section 37 or the reasoning behind their presence here but, to hell with it, the only way she could keep Tae-young onside was to be open with her. ‘You’ll understand when I explain. Do you?’

Tae-young sighed. ‘It’s not only violence my country understands, we have as long a history of myth and legend as you do. I can’t say it’s something I think much about. My grandfather used to claim he could speak to spirits. As a child I found the idea fascinating and terrifying but now … If you are a woman in politics you become …’

‘Single-minded. I know.’

April took a deep breath and then explained the background of the three deaths that had brought both her and her brother to Lufford Hall in the first place. It occurred to her as she was explaining that GCHQ had likely put listening devices in the room and that, even now, her name was being dragged through the dirt.

‘But that’s …’ Tae-young struggled to find the words.

‘Unbelievable, yes. In that, both you and my government superiors agree. Nonetheless, the unbelievable is what my brother deals with every day. Has done so through his entire interminable career. The point is: even Clive King couldn’t dismiss the possibility and that is why August is here. And, in my experience, which is almost as long as his, he will be the only man who can put a stop to this. That opinion certainly isn’t shared by the likes of Mark Rowlands or his team and, rest assured, they are doing their best to address this in a more conventional manner.’ April didn’t believe a word of that but couldn’t see any mileage in badmouthing Rowlands to Tae-young – all that would do was increase her concerns.

‘I don’t know if I can believe it,’ Tae-young admitted.

‘You don’t have to, I suppose,’ said April. ‘All you have to do is know that you are surrounded by people who are working to bring this to an end. That is their business and this, talking, is ours. The sooner we get on and finish the conversation, the sooner we shall all be safe.’

Tae-young nodded. ‘Very well, we shall see this through. As you say, it’s not as if I have much choice anyway. Can you imagine my government’s response were I to order everyone to pull out? I’d be lucky to still have an office by the time I flew back home.’

‘At least I have the advantage on you there,’ April admitted. ‘There’s nothing my people can threaten me with, I’m long retired. If I walked out of here right now there’s not a bloody thing they could do about it.’

‘So why do you stay?’

‘Free meals and central heating. Never underestimate the draw of luxury to an old woman.’

Tae-young laughed and April leaned over and kissed her hand. ‘It’ll be fine,’ she said, ‘probably.’

She got up and left the woman to organise her thoughts.

In the corridor, Clive King was staring up at a particularly bland watercolour hunting scene.

‘Afternoon, darling,’ said April, standing behind him. ‘If you’re looking for tips on how to corner prey, I’m happy to guide you.’

He rolled his eyes. ‘Impossible woman. I can’t believe they let you come. No, actually, I imagine you gave them no choice. I just wish I’d had some warning.’

‘Old ghosts chill so deeply, don’t they, sweetie? If it’s any consolation, I’ve convinced Miss Son to continue with the talks.’

‘I had no doubt you would.’ He smiled and nodded towards the door. ‘I heard you were in there and thought it best to leave you to it. There’s not a man or woman born more capable of persuading someone to do something than you.’

‘Why, Clive! I do believe that was a compliment. Or a justification for our brief dalliance in years gone by.’

He shook his head. ‘I needed no justification for that. You were impossible to resist then and impossible now.’

‘Oh my Lord! Are you flirting?’

He smiled. ‘Not really. I’m happily married, a grandfather three times over, my enthusiasm for naughty liaisons in stately homes has long since waned. I was just saying I have no regrets.’

‘Nor should you,’ she said, taking his arm, ‘there are many who would have killed to have spent the night with me.’

He wisely decided not to reply to that, changing the subject onto safer ground. ‘Has your brother made any headway?’

April shook her head. ‘I don’t think so. It’s all such a mess. Don’t worry, though, he’s as shockingly resourceful as me. If anyone can get us out of this place alive, it’s August.’

He nodded. ‘I’m afraid Rowlands is a little put out that I allowed Section 37 to come.’

‘Tough, a bit of healthy competition never hurt anyone. If Mr Rowlands is so convinced he can keep us safe, let him prove as much. Did he get anywhere with his examination of the car?’

‘He doesn’t really have the expertise. He’s convinced that the explosive must have been attached before you came here. But I think that’s purely because he doesn’t want to admit that someone could have breached his security and planted it.’

‘I suppose it’s possible,’ April admitted. ‘It’s the work of moments to attach a magnetic charge on the underside of a car. Someone might have thought we made a useful little Trojan Horse, an easy way of sneaking a bomb into the grounds.’

‘He has an explosives man on his way who may be able to tell us more. If nothing else, it is at least a physical threat. One we can understand.’

‘None of that silly hocus pocus!’

‘Exactly. By which I mean no insult to your brother. But I am always going to feel more comfortable if I think we’re facing something that is within the realm of my understanding. Bastards throwing bombs at us, that I can deal with. This stuff about curses …’

‘He’s talked to you, then?’

‘We had a brief chat earlier. I left feeling I had just talked to someone very knowledgeable, even if none of that knowledge had rubbed off.’

‘That’s August. Leave him to do his thing, it’s not for you to worry about. At least not right now.’ Her brother’s advice occurred to her. ‘The important thing to remember is very simple: accept nothing from anyone. If August is right, the curse has to be passed physically to you. If you never take anything from anyone then you should be safe.’

King shook his head. ‘It’s all beyond me, but yes, he told me much the same thing.’ He smiled. ‘Which will make passing the port a nightmare at dinner.’

b) Lufford Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire

Toby found Shining in his room on the basement level. He was muttering under his breath and placing a stubby candle on his bedside table. Toby assumed this was the conclusion of their stroll around the gardens earlier. He stayed in the doorway for a moment, not wanting to interrupt. Then, when it appeared that Shining had finished, he stepped inside.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘I believe we’ve both had annoying afternoons.’

Shining looked up at him and the momentary look of pleasure he saw in the old man’s eyes meant the world to him.

‘Thought you were going to have to be the only one who remembered to buy milk for the office again, did you?’ Toby asked.

‘Yes,’ Shining admitted. ‘But at least I would, once again, have had sole control of the radio.’

‘It was a close-run thing,’ Toby told him, ‘though not for the reasons you thought.’ He explained what had happened to him and Fratfield on their way back to the Hall.

‘Fascinating,’ said Shining.

‘Again with the enthusiasm,’ Toby replied. ‘One day, you’ll have the decency not to view my brushes with hell as something to relish.’

‘As we’ve already established,’ said Shining with a smile, ‘you’re still alive so I can enthuse guilt-free. It sounds like some form of reflection spell.’

‘Just what I thought.’ Toby rolled his eyes.

‘Whoever we’re dealing with here clearly has a great deal of skill in sorcery,’ said Shining.

‘And still that sentence makes me feel like I’m chewing tinfoil.’

‘Shush, don’t make me give you the whole “magic is science” talk again.’

‘Heaven forbid.’

‘I’ve never heard of anyone pulling off a reflection spell, it’s just one of those things you read about in dusty old books. A way of turning the very worst a person holds inside, all their fears and insecurities, back against them.’

‘Been there,’ Toby admitted, ‘and done that.’

‘Lucky for you. Someone who didn’t have such a firm grip on their own psychology would no doubt have found it much harder to break free.’

‘Fratfield was certainly struggling,’ Toby said. ‘If I hadn’t pulled him out of there, he would have been as dead as the diplomat in our car.’

‘Yes, poor Ranesh.’ August sighed. ‘I hadn’t even met him. Whoever’s behind this certainly isn’t playing the long game.’

‘April told me she was going to try and convince the Koreans to stay.’

‘I’m sure she’ll manage. She’s good at that sort of thing. Besides, this would hardly be the first conference besieged by assassination attempts.’

‘Surely it would make sense to pack up and move somewhere else, though?’

‘Maybe it’ll come to that,’ Shining conceded. ‘Though for now Rowlands is insisting that the bomb must have been brought in by us.’

‘How’s he come to that conclusion?’

‘By a bloody-minded refusal to imagine someone broke in here and planted it. He thinks it was put on the car by someone who knew we were coming.’

‘A short list.’

‘Indeed, not even Rowlands knew until we were virtually on the doorstep.’

This made Toby think about the fingerprint. He told Shining what he had discovered.

‘As you say,’ Shining agreed, ‘it’s more than likely that he tried the light switch when they were giving the room a once-over. Probably covering the original print, the useful print, when he did so.’

‘I don’t imagine there’s much point in asking. He’s bound to say yes, even if – and, oh, how I would love this to be the case – he is the man we’re after.’

‘Yes.’ Shining sat down on his bed. ‘It’s something we have to bear in mind, certainly. There’s nothing to say that the assassin isn’t one of us. In fact it would make a lot of sense.’

‘No problem getting past security.’

‘But how to know for sure?’ Shining looked at the candle he had placed by his bed. ‘I suppose this might help. If it’s triggered then we know we’ve been breached. If it isn’t …’

‘Then we know they’re already here,’ said Toby. ‘But that doesn’t mean it’s Rowlands. It’s not just the attendees we have to deal with. There’s a catering staff, the security people on the perimeter. There must be, what, thirty-odd people to sift through?’

‘Thirty-eight. It would be more but they’ve excluded the ground staff from work for the duration of the conference. They’re all security checked. But not by us. Let me have a think …’ Shining turned on the bed and lay down, his eyes closed.

After a moment, Toby wondered if he’d fallen asleep. ‘Is this the sort of think that makes you snore?’ he asked.

‘Go away, cheeky staff,’ said Shining. ‘Get some rest, and a shower. I’ll see you at dinner.’

c) Lufford Hall, Alcester, Warwickshire

After a late session within the conference room, dinner was served at eight, by which time all of those gathered beneath the ancient roof of Lufford Hall were more than ready for it. Lemuel Spang in particular was vocal about his hunger while people gathered for drinks in the lounge. He mentioned it frequently while grazing on the platter of petits fours that had been provided by the staff.

‘I dislike that man quite intensely,’ Tae-young confessed to April.

They had both changed into evening dress. Tae-young’s gown was the very epitome of modern class. April had had to spend half an hour brushing plaster dust from hers having last worn it during a Libyan attack on a US embassy back in the 1980s. She was sure nobody would notice the slight tear on the hem from where she had been forced to escape through rubble.

Spang was talking at Man-dae, the young Korean looking desperately around the room, either for someone else to talk to or a blunt object to beat the banker with.

‘Should we rescue him, do you think?’ April suggested.

‘Too risky,’ Tae-young replied. ‘We might get drawn in. He’ll make a break for it when we move through to the dining room.’

Rowlands was stood on his own in the far corner, staring intently at a glass of wine and pretending he didn’t mind the fact that nobody wanted to talk to him. His men were absent, working their way in circuits around the grounds, teamed up with the private security staff.

The other two Koreans, Chun-hee and Jae-sung were together, though the latter seemed more interested in the rear of one of the serving staff, April noticed.