Remote Control (20 page)
Authors: Andy McNab
‘Yeah. He still in?’
‘Yes. I’ve been in contact with him. I’ve even said that, if the Firm doesn’t help me, I’ll open up my security blanket.’
Pat’s eyes widened. ‘Wow, that’s big boys’ stuff! You really are in the shit. What did Simmonds have to say to that?’ His shoulders went into a slow roll as he laughed through a mouthful.
I carried on for another quarter of an hour. At the end of it Pat said, ‘Do you think that PIRA might have dropped Kev?’ He was now picking at my sub. He made it clear he wanted a few bites. I pushed it over.
‘Fuck knows. I can’t see it myself. Can you make any sense of it?’
‘The buzz around DC was that there was some American involvement in Gibraltar in ’88.’ He was picking the gherkins and tomatoes out of my baguette.
‘What sort of involvement?’
‘I don’t know. It’s something to do with the Irish-American vote, all that sort of shit. And PIRA gearing up funds from Noraid by getting into the drugs market.’
I wondered how Pat knew. Maybe that was where he got his supply. The thought made me sad.
My mind ticked over a bit more. Pat just kept on attacking my sub. ‘Maybe that’s where the connection with Kev comes in,’ I said. ‘DEA, drugs, what do you think?’
‘Maybe. The Brits have been giving the Americans a hard time for years over Noraid giving money to PIRA, but the Yanks can’t fuck about with all those millions of Irish-American votes.’
I sat back and studied his face. ‘Can I ask how you know all this?’
‘I don’t. All I’ve heard is that PIRA buys cocaine and gears it up once they get it out of the US. It’s been doing the rounds for donkey’s years; there’s nothing new in that. But maybe it’s a starting point for you. I mean, fucking hell, you’re the brainy one, not me.’
It made sense; if you’ve got some money and you’re a terrorist organization, of course you’re going to buy drugs, flog them and make a profit. And there was no way the American government was going to attack Noraid, it would be political suicide. But if Noraid could be shown to be linked with drug trafficking, that was something else. Maybe Kev was working against PIRA and got killed by them.
I said, ‘Do you reckon Kev might have come across some shit? Or maybe he was even part of it and got fucked over?’
‘I haven’t got a clue, mate. Stuff like that gives me a headache.’ He paused. ‘So tell me, what do you need?’
I shrugged. ‘Cash.’
He stopped eating my sub and got out his wallet. He handed me an ATM card. ‘There’s about three thousand dollars in there,’ he said. ‘It’s a savings account, so you can draw out as much as you need. What about the girl? What’s the score?’
‘She’s all right, mate. I’ve got her.’
If Pat was stitching me up, at least I was sending a message that I was aware of that possibility and taking precautions.
I said, ‘Thanks very much for this, mate – for the card, and just for being here.’ I’d known that he would help me out, but I didn’t want him to think I was taking him for granted.
I said, ‘Look, I’m not going to get you in the shit. I won’t compromise you, but there is something else I need. Is there any chance of you phoning me some time tonight? I need to sit down and think about what I’ve got to do.’
‘About nine-thirty?’
I smiled. Then all of a sudden I had my second brainwave of the day. ‘You don’t know any Sinn Féin or PIRA locations in Washington?’
‘No, but I can find out. What are you thinking?’
‘I need to find out if there’s a connection between PIRA and the people who are trying to zap me – and who maybe dropped Kev. If I can check who comes in and out of a location, well, it’s a start. If it came to anything, maybe I’d go in and have a look around.’
Pat demolished the last of my sub. ‘Be careful, mate, don’t get fucked over.’
‘I won’t. Right, I’ll stay here – I’ll give you ten minutes and then I’ll leave. The mobile will be switched on from nine twenty-five.’
‘No drama, we’ll talk. Be lucky.’
He got up, picking at the fragments of cheese and meat at the bottom of the basket.
‘Sherry, huh?’ he said. ‘How’s she looking? She missing me?’ Then he walked away, shoulders rolling as he laughed.
15
I went back into the mall via Sears, found an ATM machine and drew out $300.
It was dark outside, but the shopping mall was packed. There was still a possibility that I had surveillance on, waiting for me to RV with Kelly, so I stood off and waited before picking her up. Nothing looked unusual; the only thing I had to be aware of was the security cameras. The quicker I got in and out, the better.
I watched the area for 10 minutes, then moved in closer. Opposite the play centre was a sports shop; I went in and became an instant basketball fan, studying all the shirts that were part of the display near the window. Kids Have Fun was crammed with kids, but I couldn’t see her.
I mooched around the shop a bit, went back to the rack, had another look and caught sight of her. She was sitting on the floor watching a home-cinema-type TV. She was there with about a dozen other kids, each with a small carton of juice. It dawned on me that the girl did nothing but eat, drink and watch TV. It was a wonder she didn’t look more like Slack Pat.
I went in, presented my identification card and asked for my daughter. They went through their process of verification and, a few minutes later, Kelly appeared with an escort.
I started to put her shoes on. ‘Hi, Josie, how’s it going?’
She sat there sulking that I’d arrived halfway through a film. I took that as a good sign; it showed there was a slight trace of normality coming back. It had been a relief not having her with me for a short while, but at the same time it felt good to have her back. I didn’t know quite what to make of that.
We got a taxi, but dropped off about four blocks short of the hotel and walked in. It was our only secure area.
I opened the door. The TV was still on, telling us how great Nissan cars were. I flicked the light switch, told Kelly to stay where she was and looked inside.
The beds weren’t made and the curtains were closed, so it looked as if the maid had obeyed the sign on the door. She wouldn’t have given a damn; it was less for her to clean and she still got the same money.
More tellingly, the small pleat was still in the blanket. If I’d seen from the doorway that it had been disturbed, I’d have needed to make a very quick decision on whether or not just to walk away.
We went inside. Using the TV for support, I leaned to the rear of the drawer cabinet, looking into the gap between it and the wall. The match was still in place, covering the pinhead-sized pen mark. Even if they’d noticed that they’d dislodged it when checking under the cabinet, it was very unlikely that they’d have put it back in exactly the same position. Looking good so far.
‘What are you doing, Nick?’
‘I’m just checking to see if the plug is in properly. It looked like it was going to fall out.’
She didn’t say anything, just stared at me as if I had a stupidity leak. Still not looking at her, I got on my knees ready to look at the drawer.
‘Can I help you, Nick?’
‘I’d like to hear what’s on the TV.’
She sat down on the bed and started to tuck into a packet of Oreos. This kid was really eating healthily.
There were three drawers in the low chest and I’d slipped the paper clip in the front left-hand side of the middle one. I got the table lamp and shone it up and down, trying to catch the reflection of the paper clip. I did; the drawer hadn’t been opened.
I got Kelly sorted out – took her coat off, put her shoes in the pockets and hung it by the door. I cleaned her bed up a bit, gathering up the food wrappers and brushing away the crumbs.
‘Are you hungry?’ I said.
She looked at the half-empty packet of Oreos. ‘I’m not sure. Do you think I am?’
‘Without a doubt. I’ll go and get some food. You can stay here and I’ll let you stay up late. But don’t tell anybody; it’s our little secret!’
She laughed. ‘I won’t!’
I realized that I was hungry too. Pat hadn’t left me much at SubZone.
‘You know the score, don’t you?’ I went through it all over again. ‘I’ll put up the Do Not Disturb sign, and you don’t open the door for anyone. Do you understand?’
‘Without a doubt.’
I did a double take. ‘You taking the micky?’
‘Without a doubt.’
It wasn’t that busy on the street and the rain had eased. I got a job lot of clothes for us both – jackets and coats, jeans and shirts – enough to see us through the next two appearance-changes at least.
Once done, I walked over to the burger bar. As I stood in the queue I thought how weird this all was. One minute I’m at Vauxhall being briefed for a job, the next I’m trying to remember what flavour milk shake to buy for a child. I wondered if she’d approve of the shirts I’d got her.
On the way back I checked my watch. It was nine twenty; I’d been longer than I’d expected. Time to turn on the phone. I waited in a shop doorway out of the drizzle.
Dead on 9.30, it rang. I was excited, but at the same time nervous. It might be for Kev. I hit the receive button. ‘Hello?’
‘Hi. It’s me. I’ve got something for you.’
‘Great. Wait . . .’ I put my finger in my other ear. I didn’t want to mishear this. ‘Go ahead.’
‘It’s 126 Ball Street. It’s in the old part of Crystal City by the river – between the Pentagon and Washington National. Got that?’
‘Yeah.’ I let it sink into my head. I’d been to the Pentagon before, and had used the domestic airport a couple of times. I had a rough memory of the area. ‘Are you going to phone me tomorrow?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Same time?’
‘Same time. Stay lucky, mate.’
‘Cheers.’
And that was it. I turned off the power and repeated the address to myself to keep it in my head. I wasn’t going to write it down. If I got lifted, I needed to be sterile.
On the way back to the hotel I was feeling quite upbeat. Up until now I’d been in the wilderness. I didn’t exactly know what I was going to do with this new information, but it was a start. I felt more in the driving seat.
We ate and I watched some telly with her, but she seemed more interested in talking.
‘Do you watch television at home, Nick?’
‘Some.’
‘What’s your favourite programme?’
‘I don’t know. The news, I suppose. We have different programmes from you. What’s your favourite?’
‘
Clueless
.’
Clueless
.’
‘What’s that? A detective?’
‘Loser, moron, double moron! It’s about a girl.’ She did a very good impression of a Valley girl.
‘What does she do?’
‘She goes shopping.’
By 10.45 she’d fallen asleep. I got out the city guide I’d forgotten to give back at the Latham hotel and looked for Ball Street.
I followed the river south until I saw Washington National airport. The target was between that and the Pentagon, on the west bank. I had a little laugh to myself. If it was a PIRA location, they had a lot of bollocks; they probably drank at the same bars as the boys from the National Security Council.
There was not a lot I could do at the moment. Kelly was lying on her back imitating a starfish. I covered her with the eiderdown, moved all the shit off the other bed and got my head down. A saying from my infantry days, a lifetime ago, roared in my ears: ‘Whenever there is a lull in battle, sleep. You never know when you are going to get another chance.’ At last I was doing as I’d been told.
When I woke up it seemed like the same cartoon was running. I must have left the TV on all night. I was gagging for a brew.
I got up, wet my hair, made myself look semi-presentable and looked out of the window. The rain had got a bit more intense. I went downstairs and collected enough food and drink for three people – which was just as well, seeing the amount that Kelly ate.
‘Wakey wakey!’ I said.
Kelly still wanted to be marine life, but she woke up, yawning, stretching, then curling up into a ball. I went into the bathroom and started to run a bath.
She appeared in the doorway with a towel. She was starting to catch on.
While she was splashing around I sat on the bed flicking through the news channels. There was nothing about us. There had been so many other murders in the homicide capital of the USA that we were old hat.
She came out, got dressed and combed her hair, all without a single reminder from me. I opened an eat-from-the-pack carton of cereal for her and poured in some milk, then headed for the shower.
When I reappeared, all clean and presentable, I said, ‘We’ve got to move from here today.’
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