Authors: Ken McClure
Tags: #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Thrillers & Suspense, #Medical, #Suspense, #Thrillers
The Trojan Boy (23 page)
Arriving as they had on an internal domestic flight they
were through with airport procedure in a matter of
moments and on their way into Kansas City by cab.
were through with airport procedure in a matter of
moments and on their way into Kansas City by cab.
'You folks here for the convention?' asked the driver.
'Yes,’ replied Avedissian, not sure of what he was
agreeing to but feeling that it might be the safest answer.
agreeing to but feeling that it might be the safest answer.
'You both doctors?'
So it was a medical convention, thought Avedissian, how
fortunate.
fortunate.
'Just me,' he replied.
'You guys have cost me a fortune over the years and I've
still got my bad back,' complained the driver over his right shoulder.
still got my bad back,' complained the driver over his right shoulder.
'Backs can be a problem,' agreed Avedissian unhelpfully.
‘
That sign back there said "Missouri",' said Kathleen, changing the subject.
That sign back there said "Missouri",' said Kathleen, changing the subject.
'Yes ma'am, Kansas City is half in Kansas, half in Mis
souri. Your hotel is in Missouri.'
souri. Your hotel is in Missouri.'
The wail of a police car siren proclaimed their arrival in the city. An eruption of concrete into the sky confirmed it.
'Not many people about,' said Kathleen for the streets
were practically deserted.
were practically deserted.
'Not many shops either,’ said Avedissian.
'Folks moved out into the suburbs a long time ago,' said
the driver. The shops went with them. Theatres, movie
houses too. Nobody lives in town any more. Folks drive in the morning and home again in the evening, no call for
them to linger.'
the driver. The shops went with them. Theatres, movie
houses too. Nobody lives in town any more. Folks drive in the morning and home again in the evening, no call for
them to linger.'
Avedissian and Kathleen accepted the explanation in
silence and found something depressing about the place.
Kansas City looked as if some dreadful plague had destroyed
all the inhabitants and left a series of towering concrete
tombstones to their memory.
silence and found something depressing about the place.
Kansas City looked as if some dreadful plague had destroyed
all the inhabitants and left a series of towering concrete
tombstones to their memory.
'Crown Center,' announced the driver, slowing and
turning off the road along a drive lined with the flags of all
nations. They hung limp and lifeless in the still, humid air.
turning off the road along a drive lined with the flags of all
nations. They hung limp and lifeless in the still, humid air.
Four miles to the south, in the Plaza Hotel, Innes and
Roker waited for the kidnappers to contact them. Relations between them had been at a low ebb since the events at the stadium in Chicago. They were still arguing about it.
Roker waited for the kidnappers to contact them. Relations between them had been at a low ebb since the events at the stadium in Chicago. They were still arguing about it.
'We could have had the boy by now if you hadn't been so
damned stupid!' said Innes.
damned stupid!' said Innes.
'We had to try,’ insisted Roker. 'It's our money! Don't
forget it.'
‘
I’m hardly likely to. All you succeeded in doing was to let
them know that we can't be trusted.'
I’m hardly likely to. All you succeeded in doing was to let
them know that we can't be trusted.'
'We don't know for sure that they knew we were going to
try for the boy in the stadium,’ said Roker.
try for the boy in the stadium,’ said Roker.
'Of course they knew!' said Innes. They were watching us all the time. They must have been watching the zone
round the empty seats too. They would have seen Shelby
and these other two clowns as soon as they moved
anywhere near!'
round the empty seats too. They would have seen Shelby
and these other two clowns as soon as they moved
anywhere near!'
'We had to try,’ repeated Roker.
'I just hope you've learned your lesson,’ said Innes. 'Play
it straight from now on or you'll blow the whole deal.’
it straight from now on or you'll blow the whole deal.’
'Don't lecture me, Innes!' said Roker angrily. 'If there's
any more crap out of you I'm going to pull
NORAID
out of
this whole damned thing! I never liked it from the start. In fact, if you ask me, that little bastard Kell is some kind of
nut!'
any more crap out of you I'm going to pull
NORAID
out of
this whole damned thing! I never liked it from the start. In fact, if you ask me, that little bastard Kell is some kind of
nut!'
Innes could see that he might have pushed the American
too far. Whatever his personal feelings of frustration, he had
to recognise that
NORAID
were the source of the money.
Antagonising them was going to be counter-productive. In
fact, if he personally wrecked Kell's plan by pushing Roker
past the limit it was going to get him less than nowhere; it was going to get him dead.
too far. Whatever his personal feelings of frustration, he had
to recognise that
NORAID
were the source of the money.
Antagonising them was going to be counter-productive. In
fact, if he personally wrecked Kell's plan by pushing Roker
past the limit it was going to get him less than nowhere; it was going to get him dead.
The thought of Kell's wrath introduced an immediate
note of conciliation to Innes's voice. 'I apologise,’ he said
quietly. 'We are all a bit edgy over this thing; it's so important to all of us. After all these years we're standing on
the very verge of success and a free Ireland.’
note of conciliation to Innes's voice. 'I apologise,’ he said
quietly. 'We are all a bit edgy over this thing; it's so important to all of us. After all these years we're standing on
the very verge of success and a free Ireland.’
Roker appeared to calm down too and they sat in silence
for a moment before the telephone rang. It was the
kidnappers.
for a moment before the telephone rang. It was the
kidnappers.
'Do you have the first password?'
'One moment.' Innes turned to Roker and said, They
want the password.'
want the password.'
Roker took the phone and said, 'We didn't get a good look
at the boy.'
at the boy.'
Innes bit his tongue. Roker was still playing the fool.
'You saw the child at the stadium,’ said the voice calmly.
'He was too far away,' said Roker.
'You might have got a closer look if you hadn't planned to
double-cross us.'
double-cross us.'
Innes shot Roker a look that said, 'I told you so'.
'We'd still like to see him close up,' continued Roker.
'That will not be possible.'
'Supposing we refuse to pay?'
‘
Then we will sell the child back to the British. Make up
your mind. You've got ten seconds.'
Then we will sell the child back to the British. Make up
your mind. You've got ten seconds.'
Roker bit his lip and Innes held his breath. 'All right,’ he
said. 'It's Account Number 4494552 in the bank you
specified. The inspection password is
Parthenon.'
said. 'It's Account Number 4494552 in the bank you
specified. The inspection password is
Parthenon.'
Thank you. We'll be in touch.'
The phone went dead and Innes breathed a sigh of relief.
'You really push your luck don't you,’ he said to Roker.
'You really push your luck don't you,’ he said to Roker.
'It was worth a try,’ said Roker.
Ten minutes later the phone rang again and the same
voice as before said, 'Your deposit has been verified. We will
hand over the child to you this evening in exchange for the
second password.'
voice as before said, 'Your deposit has been verified. We will
hand over the child to you this evening in exchange for the
second password.'
'What are the arrangements?'
'We will bring the child to you at the hotel at eleven
o'clock. Any attempt to double-cross us this time will result
in disaster.'
o'clock. Any attempt to double-cross us this time will result
in disaster.'
'How many people are permitted?'
'As many as you like,’ said the voice. The boy will be
carrying an explosive device, not large, just enough to blow his head off. When we have completed the transfer you will
be told how to disarm it.'
carrying an explosive device, not large, just enough to blow his head off. When we have completed the transfer you will
be told how to disarm it.'
'What's to stop you transferring the money and killing the
boy anyway?' asked Roker.
boy anyway?' asked Roker.
'A dead child is of no use to either of us,’ said the voice.
'Very well, we agree.’
'Until tonight then.’
Once more Innes let out the breath that he had been
holding and said, 'You heard what he said about ex
plosives? For God's sake don't try anything.'
holding and said, 'You heard what he said about ex
plosives? For God's sake don't try anything.'
'I won't,’ replied Roker with bad grace.
Jarvis arrived at the Crown Center Hotel at five-thirty and
found Avedissian and Kathleen drinking coffee in their
room.
found Avedissian and Kathleen drinking coffee in their
room.
'It's all set,’ he said. The child is to be handed over
tonight in the Plaza Hotel at eleven o'clock.’
tonight in the Plaza Hotel at eleven o'clock.’
Then the team managed to bug Innes's room in time?'
said Avedissian.
said Avedissian.
'It was perfect. Innes and a man called Roker, who seems
to be handling
NORAID's
end of things, were contacted by
the kidnappers this afternoon.’
to be handling
NORAID's
end of things, were contacted by
the kidnappers this afternoon.’
Avedissian felt his stomach go light with excitement. 'So
the team is all ready?' he asked.
the team is all ready?' he asked.
'I don't know,’ replied Jarvis looking worried.
'What do you mean?' asked Avedissian.
'I haven't been able to contact them.’
'Haven't been able to contact them?' repeated Kathleen
in astonishment.
in astonishment.
'I don't understand it either. The phone number I've been
using has gone dead.’
using has gone dead.’
'But everything depends on this,’ insisted Avedissian. 'If
the team aren't on the spot the
IRA
will get the boy!'
the team aren't on the spot the
IRA
will get the boy!'
'You don't have to tell me that,’ said Jarvis quietly and
Avedissian backed off.
Avedissian backed off.
'Don't you have some other number? The London
number? Can't you contact Bryant and tell him something's
gone wrong?' he asked.
number? Can't you contact Bryant and tell him something's
gone wrong?' he asked.
'I've tried. All the lines are dead.'
The team were supposed to supply me with an
emergency medical kit,' said Avedissian.
emergency medical kit,' said Avedissian.
'We can only hope that you won't need it.'
There was absolute silence in the room for a few
moments.
moments.
Avedissian looked at Jarvis and said quietly, 'You're the
expert. What do you think has happened?'
expert. What do you think has happened?'
Jarvis shook his head and said, 'Something major must
have gone wrong, they must have had to change all the
numbers. There's no other explanation.'
have gone wrong, they must have had to change all the
numbers. There's no other explanation.'
'Where does that leave us?' asked Kathleen.
'On our own,' said Jarvis. He looked at his watch and
shrugged. 'Seven hours to go and we're on our own.'
shrugged. 'Seven hours to go and we're on our own.'
'What can we do?' asked Kathleen.
'We can try to get the boy back on our own,' said Jarvis.
Avedissian and Kathleen exchanged glances.
Avedissian and Kathleen exchanged glances.
'Do you think that's really possible?' asked Avedissian.
'Let's count our blessings, shall we?' said Jarvis adopting a positive air. 'Innes's room is bugged and his phone is tapped. The receiver equipment is in my room at the Plaza and both systems are linked to a cassette recorder via a voice actuator.'
'A what?'
'A voice actuator. It just means that the recorder switches
off again after thirty seconds of silence.'
off again after thirty seconds of silence.'
'So you're not missing anything by being here?' said
Avedissian.
Avedissian.
'Precisely. If there are any more messages from the
kidnappers or changes of plan they will be recorded for us,
so our intelligence is good. It has been all along.'
kidnappers or changes of plan they will be recorded for us,
so our intelligence is good. It has been all along.'
‘
So what do you want us to do?'
So what do you want us to do?'
I suggest we all go back to the room at the Plaza and
wait for the exchange; We will hear everything that goes
on in Innes's room so if we see an opportunity to rescue
the boy after the exchange we can act on it. If not then
we might be able to gather some information about what
the
IRA
intend to do with the boy in the immediate
future. It might be useful when we re-establish contact
with Bryant.'
wait for the exchange; We will hear everything that goes
on in Innes's room so if we see an opportunity to rescue
the boy after the exchange we can act on it. If not then
we might be able to gather some information about what
the
IRA
intend to do with the boy in the immediate
future. It might be useful when we re-establish contact
with Bryant.'
'Supposing we do see an opportunity to rescue the boy
and we do it successfully. What then? How do we get
away?' asked Avedissian.
and we do it successfully. What then? How do we get
away?' asked Avedissian.
'We are not completely without help in that direction,’
replied Jarvis. 'Before I lost contact with the team I was
told that two cars would be made available to us to get
the boy away. I was just to call a local number and say
where and when I wanted them.'
replied Jarvis. 'Before I lost contact with the team I was
told that two cars would be made available to us to get
the boy away. I was just to call a local number and say
where and when I wanted them.'
'And have you?'
'I've asked for one to be in the car park at the Plaza
Hotel and the other to be left in the car park of the
Rainbow Inn up on Rainbow Boulevard.'
Hotel and the other to be left in the car park of the
Rainbow Inn up on Rainbow Boulevard.'
'Why?'
'Just in case something stops us getting to the one in
the Plaza. We shouldn't have all our eggs in one basket.’
the Plaza. We shouldn't have all our eggs in one basket.’
'What's special about the Rainbow Inn?' asked
Kathleen.
Kathleen.
'It's next to the Medical Center, in case we have to go
there in a real emergency.'
there in a real emergency.'
'You seem to think of everything,’ said Avedissian.
'I had some prompting,’ said Jarvis. He told them about
the explosive device that the child would be carrying.
the explosive device that the child would be carrying.
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