Night Over Water - Ken Follett [202]
Diana screamed: “No, no!”
Joe undid her seat belt and grabbed her by the hair. She struggled with him. Mark got to his feet, trying to wipe the blood from his eyes. Eddie grabbed Mark, restraining him. “Don’t get yourself killed!” he said. Lowering his voice, he said: “It’ll be okay, I promise you!” He wanted to tell Mark that the gang’s launch was going to be stopped by a U.S. Navy cutter before they would have time to do anything to Diana, but he was afraid of being overheard by Vincini.
Joe pointed his gun at Mark and said to Diana: “You come with us or your boyfriend gets it right between the eyes.”
Diana became still and started to sob.
Luther said: “I’m coming with you, Vincini. My submarine hasn’t made it.”
“I knew it wouldn’t come,” Vincini said. “They can’t get this close to the U.S.A.”
Vincini did not know anything about submarines. Eddie could guess the real reason why the U-boat had not appeared. The U-boat commander had seen Steve Appleby’s navy cutter patrolling the channel. He was probably now waiting nearby, listening to the cutter’s radio chatter, hoping the boat would go away and patrol some other stretch of water.
Luther’s decision to flee with the gangsters instead of waiting for the submarine raised Eddie’s spirits. The gangsters’ launch was headed for Steve Appleby’s trap, and if Luther and Hartmann were on the launch, Hartmann would be saved. If this whole thing could end with nothing worse than a few stitches in Mark Alder’s face, Eddie would rejoice.
“Let’s go,” Vincini said. “Luther first, then the Kraut, then Kid, then me, then the engineer—I want you close to me until I get off this crate—then Joe with the blonde. Move!”
Mark Alder began to struggle in Eddie’s arms. Vincini said to Ollis Field and the other agent: “You want to hold this guy down, or you want Joe to shoot him?” They grabbed Mark and held him still.
Eddie filed out behind Vincini. Passengers stared wide-eyed at them as they passed through number 3 compartment and into the dining room.
As Vincini entered number 2 compartment, Mr. Membury pulled a gun and said: “Stop!” He aimed directly at Vincini. “Everybody keep still or I shoot your boss!”
Eddie took one step back to get out of the way.
Vincini went white and said: “All right, boys, nobody move.”
The one they called Kid swung round and fired twice.
Membury fell.
Vincini yelled furiously at the boy: “You cocksucker, he might have killed me!”
“Didn’t you hear his voice?” Kid replied. “He’s an Englishman.”
“So fuckin’ what?” Vincini screamed.
“I seen every movie ever made, and nobody ever gets shot by an Englishman.”
Eddie knelt down beside Membury. The bullets had entered his chest. His blood was the same color as his waistcoat. “Who are you?” Eddie said.
“Scotland Yard, Special Branch,” Membury whispered. “Assigned to protect Hartmann.” So the scientist had not been completely unguarded, Eddie thought. “Bloody failure,” Membury said hoarsely. His eyes closed and he stopped breathing.
Eddie cursed. He had vowed to get the gangsters off the plane without anyone being killed, and he had come so close to succeeding! Now this brave policeman was dead. “So unnecessary,” Eddie said aloud.
He heard Vincini say: “How come you’re so sure nobody needs to be a hero?” He looked up. Vincini was staring at him with suspicion and hostility. Jesus Christ, I think he’d like to kill me, Eddie thought. Vincini went on: “Do you know something the rest of us don’t?”
Eddie had no answer; but at that moment the seaman from the launch came rushing down the stairs and into the compartment. “Hey, Vinnie, I just heard from Willard—”
“I told him not to use that radio except for an emergency!”
“This is an emergency—there’s a navy ship going up and down the shore, just like they’re looking for someone.”
Eddie’s heart stopped. He had not thought of this possibility. The gang had a sentry on shore, keeping watch, with a shortwave radio so he could talk to the launch. Now Vincini