A Devil Is Waiting - Jack Higgins [39]
“And what then?” Jemal asked.
“Cross from Parliament to Northend Street, where a Mr. Aziz will be waiting in a white Ford van. You will change in the back of the van while he drives you back here, then we’ll leave at once for the jet. Naturally, I’ll be taking you to Pakistan with me.”
There was a heavy silence as they glanced at each other, Asan with rather more enthusiasm than Jemal. Her eyes were shining as she said to Ali Selim, “It is an honor to do this, Uncle.”
“You make me proud, child.” He nodded to Jemal. “I’d appreciate a word with my niece alone.”
“Of course, master,” Jemal told him, got up with some reluctance, and went out.
Ali Selim took a small pillbox from a drawer, got up, came round the desk, and placed a hand on her head. “Bless you, my child. Your parents would have been so proud. If anything untoward happens, if you were to fall into the hands of our enemies, I fear what they might do. These evil ones use torture of the worst kind.”
She looked up in adoration. “Nothing could ever make me speak, Uncle.”
“I’m sure you would do your best, but I’d hate to think of you suffering.” He slipped the small pillbox into her hand. “The capsule in there will take you to eternity in an instant, where you will wait for me until my time comes. Hold it in your mouth until all is lost and then bite on it.”
She took the box without hesitation. “You are so good to me.”
“This is our secret, of course—Jemal would not understand. You, child, have become a woman, and he is still a boy.” He patted her on the head. “Go to him now.”
Jemal was waiting in the hall anxiously and took her hand. “What did he say to you?”
“My uncle only wished to hear that I was strong enough for this, and I was able to assure him I am. We are privileged to be tasked with such a thing, Jemal, so let us be as one.”
He nodded, still a touch reluctant. “If that is how you see it, so be it.”
“It is, loved one.” She took his hand. “Now we are no longer two, but one, and it is a time for acting, not talking,” and she led him toward the kitchen.
At Holland Park, when Roper returned, he found Sara watching the news. “Anything of interest?”
“Still no sign of Selim.”
“And how have you been getting on with the Talbot saga?”
“It’s an incredible story. I can see where Jack Kelly would give you a problem. The peace process totally wiped the slate clean for men like him.” She shook her head. “And now he’s at it again. Do you think Jean Talbot knows?”
“The received wisdom would be that she doesn’t, but I was never totally certain about her.”
“So what can you do about Kelly?”
“The IRA threat at the moment is from a ragbag army composed of various factions,” Roper said. “Kelly, with all those years in the Provisional IRA under his belt, has a membership in the Army Council and is a force to be reckoned with, but coming to grips legally with men like him is very difficult. After all, some of them are serving in Parliament at Stormont.”
“So how do you keep an eye on him?”
“I allow my computer to do that. Apparently, he flew in on a private Talbot plane yesterday. If he turns up at Jean Talbot’s house, we’ll know.”
“How?”
“We have an asset in the area. Talbot goes for a run in Hyde Park most mornings, and often has dinner with Owen Rashid of Rashid Oil. Good-looking chap, unmarried, younger than her. Welsh mother, Bedu father. Lives in Park Lane.”
“You mean she’s under surveillance?” She frowned. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Her son was a traitor to the Crown, and she is chairman of one of the biggest arms groups in the world. It’s the name of the game.