Soft Target (26 page)

Moira took Liam's hand and Shepherd took the other.

They all bowed their heads as Katra prayed. When she raised her head she said, 'I hope you all enjoy it.'

They did. Several times during the meal Shepherd caught Moira looking wistfully at Katra. He knew what she was thinking. Katra was physically different from Sue, but her smile and laugh were similar. Liam seemed to have picked up on it, albeit subconsciously. He behaved as if he had known her for years. When the meal was over he helped her clear the table and wash up.

'What do you think, Moira?' asked Shepherd, as they went back through to the sitting room for coffee.

'She'll do, I suppose,' she said grudgingly, but Shepherd knew that Katra had won her over, big-time.

The explosives came into the country with some hand carved furniture that had been ordered by a minor diplomat who was related by marriage to the Saudi royal family. The a 204 consignment carried diplomatic privilege and wasn't even looked at by Customs. It wouldn't have mattered even if they had inspected the container because the explosives were so well hidden they would never have found them. The furniture was taken to the diplomat's five-bedroomed house in Mayfair where the Saudi used an electric saw to reduce a mahogany chest to firewood. In the process he retrieved forty plastic-wrapped packages of Semtex. It had been manufactured by the Czechs and shipped to Libya. A Libyan captain with two expensive mistresses had smuggled twenty kilos of it out of his barracks and sold it to a Palestinian, who paid in brand new hundred-dollar bills and took the explosives overland to Saudi Arabia, hidden in a false compartment in a four-wheel drive.

The Saudi already had the detonators. They had been brought into the country by a pilot with Emirate Airlines,

hidden in a false compartment of his flight case. The pilot was sympathetic to the aims of the Saudi and his compatriots.

He was a Palestinian and two of his teenage cousins had been killed by the Israelis for not stopping quickly enough at a roadblock. The boys were unarmed, just children, and the Israelis hadn't even offered an apology.

The Saudi was able to buy the rest of the equipment he needed in London. Wire, digital alarm clocks, electrical switches, batteries and a soldering iron. The four vests were tight-fitting with ten pockets, each pocket a perfect fit for one of the packages of Semtex. He sewed the vests by hand,

pricking his fingers so often that they were spotted with his blood.

He unwrapped the plastic packages, then used Sellotape to wrap dozens of two-inch nails around each block of explosive and placed them in the pockets. The explosions would be devastating but the shrapnel would do most damage.

He tested the electrical circuits on his dining-table, using 205 flashlight bulbs in place of the detonators. Each vest had three detonators, all connected to one electrical switch.

Pressing the electrical switch connected the detonators to the battery. Three was overkill, the Saudi knew, but the detonators couldn't be tested in advance.

A second circuit ran parallel to the first. It connected the battery to the detonators via a digital alarm clock. Irrespective of whether the electrical switch was activated, the clock would close the second circuit at two minutes past five p.m. The men had been told to trigger their devices at five p.m. If they failed to do so, to the bombs would detonate of their own accord. The men would not be told of the secondary circuit.

It was standard operating procedure, the Saudi knew. Most of the hijackers in the planes that had been flown into New York's World Trade Center had not been told the true nature of their mission. Only the pilots had known. Until the last few seconds the majority of the hijackers had thought that they would be landing at JFK airport and the hostages held until America agreed to al-Qaeda's terms. As far as the Saudi's men in London were concerned, they would be the ones in control.

They would decide if and when to press the switch. But the Saudi knew that the human element was the weak link in any operation. If the men were captured or injured they might not be able to press their switches. If they had a change of heart,

the clock circuit would take over and override the switch mechanism.

It was a necessary subterfuge, the Saudi knew. The operation was more important than the operatives.

Shepherd let Katra drive the CRY back to London. Liam wanted to sit in the front but hadn't argued when Shepherd insisted that he was in the back. He wanted to learn more Slovenian words and Katra taught him a couple of songs.

When they got back to Ealing he was singing on his own and could count up to twenty.

Shepherd had tried calling Miss Malcolm from Hereford to confirm that he wanted to hire Katra but had only reached m the agency's answering-machine. He decided that there wouldn't be a problem and told Katra that she was hired.

Katra had beamed.

Moira hadn't been happy about Shepherd taking Liam to 1 | London. There had been tears in her eyes as she'd said goodbye and as the car drove away she'd collapsed into Tom's arms.

Shepherd told himself that his son belonged with him, and Liam was thrilled to be going back to London, especially I when he realised that Katra would be taking care of him.

They drove via Battersea, where Katra picked up her suitcase and said goodbye to her friends.

Shepherd let them into the house and switched off the burglar alarm as Liam rushed upstairs with Katra to show her his room. He went into the kitchen. There was a photograph of Sue and Liam on the refrigerator door, held in place by a magnet in the shape of an apple. It had been taken at Hallowe'en the previous year. Liam had been invited to a schoolfriend's fancy dress party and Sue had made him a pirate's outfit. Shepherd had been away on an assignment in Bristol and the job had kept him away overnight so Liam I had insisted that he and his mother take a photograph. It ¦ was the best photograph he'd ever seen of his wife and child:

Sue's arm was around Liam's shoulders and they were both grinning from ear to ear.

He heard Liam and Katra laughing upstairs and suddenly felt guilty. He kissed the first and second fingers of his right hand and pressed them to his wife's face. 'I'll always love you, Sue,' he said softly. 'She's just here to keep us together as a family.'

A wave of sadness rushed over him. He was never going to see her again. The photographs and memories were all he 1 had now.

'Dad!'

Shepherd jumped.

'Dad, come here!'

Liam was standing at the top of the stairs, one hand on the banister, the other pressed against the wall, swinging his legs backwards and forwards.

'I've told you not to do that,' said Shepherd. 'It's dangerous.'

Liam stopped. 'Where's Katra sleeping?'

'The spare room.'

'Can't she sleep with me?'

'It's not a sleepover party, Katra's here to work,' said Shepherd. 'Anyway, boys and girls don't share rooms.'

'You and Mum did,' said Liam.

'Well, if you and Katra ever get married, you can share,'

laughed Shepherd, 'but until then she has the spare room.'

Katra came up behind Liam and stroked his hair. Liam giggled. 'Will you marry me, Katra?'

'Of course. When you are old enough.'

Shepherd went up the stairs and opened the door to the spare room. 'Have a look, Katra, see what you think.'

There was a double bed and a built-in wardrobe with mirrored sliding doors and a small teak dressing-table. 'It's lovely,' said Katra. 'Perfect.'

'You'll have to share the bathroom with Liam, I'm afraid.'

'That's fine,' she said. 'In Portoroz we had one bathroom for the seven of us.'

'Seven?' said Liam.

'My father and me and five brothers.'

'What about your mother?'

'Katra's mum died when she was young,' said Shepherd.

He patted Liam's shoulder. 'That's something you've got in common.'

'Was it an accident?' Liam asked Katra.

'She was sick.'

'I'm sorry,' said Liam. He slipped his hand into hers and squeezed it.

'It was a long time ago,' she said.

'It's not fair, is it, when things like that happen?'

She looked down at him and nodded. 'No, it's not fair.'

'I'll keep the bathroom tidy,' he said.

'Thank you.'

'It'll be a first,' said Shepherd.

'Dad!'

Shepherd went back outside to fetch Katra's suitcase and his overnight bag, then took them upstairs. Katra was sitting on her bed. 'This is so nice,' she said. 'Thank you.' She pointed at the two black plastic bags at the foot of the bed. 'What are they?' she asked.

'My wife's . . .' began Shepherd, but Sue wasn't his wife,

not any more. How was he supposed to refer to her now?

'They're Sue's clothes,' he said finally. 'I wasn't sure what to do with them. I'll find somewhere else for them.' He picked them up, one in each hand, and took them down to the garage.

He put them under the tool bench, then showed Katra the freezer, which was packed with ready meals. 'You eat these?'

she said, picking up one of the ice-encrusted boxes.

'Only if I can't get a takeaway,' he said.

'Takeaway?'

'You know. Chinese or Indian food. You buy it and take it away.'

'I will go shopping tomorrow for real food. And you have herbs in your garden?'

'Are weeds herbs?'

She either didn't understand the joke, or ignored it. 'I will need garlic, parsley, marjoram, tarragon and horseradish,' she said.

'I guess the supermarket will have them,' he said. 'We can go tomorrow. We'll drop Liam off at the school, then we'll 209 shop and then I've got to go to work. I start at two and my shift finishes at ten so I'll be back at eleven.'

They headed back to the kitchen. 'What time does Liam go to bed?'

Shepherd shrugged. 'So long as he's up for school, I leave it to him. What do you think? Ten?'

'Nine might be better.'

'Nine it is,' said Shepherd.

Back in the kitchen she opened the fridge and checked the sell-by date on a box of eggs. Then she opened a carton of milk and sniffed it. 'I can make omelette tonight,' she said.

'With chips.'

'Great,' said Shepherd.

He switched on the kettle and reached for two coffee mugs, but Katra beat him to it. 'You relax,' she said. 'I will make coffee.'

Shepherd moved out of her way. 'That grace you said at dinner yesterday, what was it?'

Katra turned pink. 'Ah,' she said. 'I was hoping you wouldn't ask.' She busied herself spooning instant coffee into the mugs.

'What's wrong?' asked Shepherd.

'Actually, my family isn't religious,' she said. 'My mother was, but after she died my father refused to set foot inside a church and threw out my mother's Bible and crucifix.'

'What about the grace?'

'I thought Mrs Wintour might like a prayer, so I said a poem.'

'A poem?'

'Well, it was a traditional Slovenian song.'

'What does it mean?'

'You really want to know?'

Shepherd was enjoying her embarrassment. 'Oh, yes,' he said. 'I think it's important that I know.'

Katra looked as if she was in pain. 'Well, it's about a young man who is planning to visit his three girlfriends. The first is a waitress and she will give him something to drink. The second girl is a cook and she will give him something to eat.

And the third . . .'

'Yes?' said Shepherd, encouragingly.

'The third is the one he really loves and she will take him to her room.'

Shepherd bit his lower lip to stop himself laughing. 'Her room?'

Katra looked even more uncomfortable. 'You know,' she said. 'She loved him, so . . .' She shrugged.

'And you pretended to be saying grace?'

'You're not angry, are you? I am so sorry. I just wanted to please her.'

'No, Katra, I'm not angry.' He couldn't contain himself 1 any longer and burst out laughing.

Liam came in from the sitting room. 'What's wrong?' he asked.

Shepherd grinned at Katra. 'Nothing,' he said. 'Everything's fine.'

One of the mobiles in his jacket pocket rang. He was carrying three and he fished them out. It was Hargrove, and he went through to the sitting room to take the call. The superintendent wanted to know if he'd spoken to Angie . Kerr.

'I've tried every hour but her phone's off. I don't want to leave a message.'

'What do you think?'

'I don't know. If she's had a change of heart she'd have got back to me. It could be as simple as a lost phone.'

Til check to see if she's reported it,' said Hargrove. Til put a tail on her as well. But if all else fails you'll just have to go up and front her.'

'I'm starting with SO 19 tomorrow,' said Shepherd. 'Two until ten, it won't give me much time.'

'You could get your mates to helicopter you.'

Shepherd grinned. 'You heard about that.'

'I wish I had SAS resources,' said Hargrove. 'Worst possible scenario, you could call in sick and drive up. We've got to nail her, and soon.'

'Let me know about the phone,' said Shepherd.

'You got the Stuart Marsden legend?'

'Sure. It's fine.'

'And everything went okay at Hereford?'

'I'm up to speed. I don't expect any problems.'

'I meant with your boy. Is he okay?'

'Yeah, he's fine. He's back here now.' Liam came running into the sitting room. 'Can I play football in the garden with Katra?' he asked.

Shepherd waved him away. 'I've got some father stuff to do,' he said to Hargrove.

'Enjoy it while you can.' Hargrove laughed. 'Teenagers are a whole different ball-game.'

Shepherd cut the connection and went back to the kitchen.

Katra and Liam were running around the garden, chasing a football. Liam was whooping and waving his arms. Shepherd hadn't seen him so happy for a long time. It was good to have a woman back in the house, even if she was an employee.

Shepherd woke up with a start. He looked at the bedside table and cursed. He hadn't set the alarm. He grabbed a dressing-gown and rushed down the hallway to Liam's bedroom. He wasn't there. Shepherd hurried downstairs. His son was sitting at the kitchen table, washed, dressed in his school uniform and demolishing a plate of scrambled eggs and cheese on toast. His favourite. Katra was pouring coffee.