Exocet - Jack Higgins [45]
* * *
As Corwin, Jackson and Tony Villiers went up in the lift to the tenth floor of the apartment block on the Avenue Victor Hugo, Corwin said, 'It's quite a reasonable little service flat. I had to take it for a month though, that was the minimum.'
'I'm sure the Department can stand it,' Villiers said.
'Of course, the reason I took it was because Gabrielle lives just up the road. All very convenient.' His effort at a smile died in the face of Villiers' implacable hostility.
'I know where she lives, or hadn't that occurred to you?'
He was surprised at the extent of his own anger over what was, after all, such a trivial point. He was tired, that was the trouble, far too tired. Also frustrated and occasionally filled with hate when he thought of Charles Ferguson.
The lift stopped, they got out, and Corwin led the way along the corridor, took out a key and opened the door. He passed the key to Villiers.
'All yours.'
He led the way in and Villiers and Jackson followed. The flat was small, neat and functional, more like a good modern hotel room than anything else.
Harry Fox sat by the window reading a newspaper. Villiers stood looking at him. 'Anything interesting?'
'Not really.' Fox put the newspaper down. 'The push from San Carlos is expected at any minute.'
Villiers tossed his bag on to the bed. 'All right, Harry, what's it all about. Last time I saw Ferguson I told him to lay off Gabrielle, so what's his game?'
'You won't like it, Tony.'
Villiers said to Jackson, 'Get us all a drink, Harvey, I think I'm going to need it.' He turned back to Fox. 'Okay, let's have it.'
* * *
At Maison Blanche, the old gypsy, Maurice Gaubert, and his son, Paul, were setting traps for rabbits in the wood above the house when a truck turned into the stable yard below and braked to a halt. As the Gauberts watched, a number of men got out and a couple who had stayed inside started to pass out various items of equipment. Stavrou got out of the driving cab and unlocked the main stable doors.
Paul Gaubert said, 'It's Monsieur Donner's man. The one with the funny name.'
'The only funny thing about him,' his father said. 'Stavrou.' He dropped the traps he was holding and picked up his shot gun. 'We'll go and see what this is all about.'
Stavrou was just coming out of the stables as they approached. He lit a cigarette, leaned against the truck and waited.
'Bonjour, Monsieur,' Maurice Gaubert said. 'Rather more of you this time.'
'That's right.'
'And Monsieur Donner, he comes also?'
'Probably tomorrow.'
Paul Gaubert shifted nervously from one foot to the other under Stavrou's grim stare. His father said, 'Is there anything you wish us to do, Monsieur?'
'Keep an eye out for any strangers.' Stavrou took a couple of thousand franc notes from his wallet and held them up. 'You understand me?'
'Perfectly, Monsieur.' Gaubert took the money. 'Your business is, after all, your own business. If anything unusual occurs, I will let you know.'
Stavrou watched them go, then turned into the stables where his men were sorting the supplies which had been unloaded from the truck.
'All right, line up,' he said. 'At the double.'
They ran to obey his command and a moment later, stood in line, rigidly at attention. He paced up and down, looking them over.
'As far as I'm concerned, you're back in the army now, so the sooner you get used to that idea, the better.'
* * *
Corwin had supplied a Citroen car, and when it pulled up outside Gabrielle's apartment in the Avenue Victor Hugo later that evening, Jackson was at the wheel, Harry Fox and Villiers in the rear.
'So that's it,' Fox said. 'At least you know the score now.'
'So it would seem.'
'One other thing. This Professor Bernard I mentioned. They're still phoning him from Buenos Aires for technical information on various aspects of the Exocets they've got left, which can't be many. Our people in B.A. monitored two calls last night.'
'That's not so good,' Villiers said.
'I know. Brigadier Ferguson feels it can't be allowed to continue. In the circumstances, he'd like you to take care