Dead Men Don't Bite (Jake Dillon Adventure Thriller Series) (36 page)

Chapman came across the bay in his inflatable,
beached it on the sand, and came up the steps and in
through the double doors quickly. On seeing the three of
them across the busy room, he acknowledged them with a
slight nod. As he passed the bar he ordered a cold beer from
the Portuguese bartender, and a moment later was sitting
opposite Dillon.
“LJ, what the hell’s happened to you?” Chapman
asked, and took a gulp of cold beer.
“The big German and one of his sidekicks, old son.
Dillon was in the shower, Vince was over at your place,
and I’d fallen asleep on the sofa. God knows how they got
in, because all of the doors were locked. But they did, and
were about to make off with the chest, when I woke up, and
caught them red-handed. Didn’t do me much good, though.
Had a go at him, but the big bastard clouted me across
the side of the face with the butt of a Magnum. Bloody
great thing it was too.” LJ winced as he lightly touched the
swollen cheek with the tips of his fingers.
“Which direction were they heading?”
“I stood and watched their inflatable head off around
the headland just past your place towards the south.” Dillon
said, his voice sounded weary.
“Okay, now let me see. Who could tell us where it
was heading?” Chapman flipped open his mobile phone,
and dialled a number. “Jamie, it’s Rob Chapman. Yeah,
I’m fine thanks. Look, I need some information on the
whereabouts of a luxury power cruiser named the Solitaire.
Yeah that’s the one, owned by Hugo Malakoff.” Chapman
waited a minute or so, said thank you, and then hung up.
“Malakoff has been spotted about half a mile off of
St. Ouen’s bay, that’s on the south side of the island. My
friend Jamie works at the coastguard station at Corbiere
point. The Captain on board the Solitaire has already
contacted the marina at St. Helier, to inform them that
they’re on their way.”
Dillon’s expression changed from one of gloom
to that of someone who had just been told he’s won the
lottery. “Excellent, now then you bastard, you’re going to
get what’s coming to you.”
“What have you got in mind, Jake?” LJ demanded.
“The Solitaire will be at her pontoon mooring on the
seaward side of the marina tonight, and if you remember,
the head waiter at the Pomme D’Or, told us that Malakoff
nearly always remains on board when he’s there. So it’s very
simple. We’ll wait for it to get dark, and then go aboard.
I reckon that Malakoff will keep the chest close by him,
so it’ll make locating it that much easier, but far more
dangerous to retrieve.”
“But surely, he’ll have guards posted along the
pontoon and on deck.” LJ said.
“That’s where Rob comes in.” Dillon looked over
the table at the archaeologist, and added, “That’s if you
want to be involved of course.”
“Just you try and stop me.” Chapman replied.
“Good, I thought you might say that. Rob and I will
take the power cruiser down to St. Helier. The boat’s hire
company has a mooring on the other side of the marina. So
we’ll take it straight there, and then make our way to the
Solitaire in the dinghy. Getting on board from the water,
will give us a better chance of taking them by surprise.”
“You don’t like losing, do you Jake?” Chapman said.
“No, I don’t.” Dillon said matter of factly.
“What about Vince and I, Jake?” LJ cut in.
“Vince, I want you to use whatever it takes, to knock
out the power to the Solitaire, and make sure that their
surveillance and security systems are disabled, or at the very
least interrupted long enough for us to get in.”
“Think of it as already done. The main power is
easy, marinas have power cuts all the time. But, a boat of
that size will almost certainly have a back-up generator on
board, which will cut in within seconds, mate. And, it will
also make the security system a lot harder to crack.” Vince
said, and scratched an imaginary itch on his chin.
“Why’s that?” Dillon demanded.
“Well, the problem is actually getting access into
their on-board computer. If I’m really lucky, then I’ll be able
to hack into it within minutes, and then tweak around with
it a little without them noticing that anything’s happening.
But, the real problem is that I have to break in, at exactly
the same time as the main power source is cut. Otherwise,
their screens will light up like a bloody Christmas tree.”
“Well I have every faith in your ability, and the fact
that you have the full assistance of the boss here.” Dillon
smiled.
“And, as you’ll both be positioned in the Range
Rover. Please stay alert. After we’ve stirred up the hornet’s
nest a little, we’re going to need a quick get away. Oh, and
LJ, you’d better put Phil Allerton on standby.”
“I’ll make the call on the drive down to St. Helier.”
“Well, I’ll say this for you, Jake. You’re not a quitter,
are you?” Chapman said.
“To be honest, I’ve never seen any point to it.” Dillon
said amiably. Drank down the last of his mineral water, and
raised his glass to the others.

By nine o’clock in the evening, the sun was well
down. To the west the skyline was an intense candy mixture
of mauve and pink, and the sun hitting the upper decks of
the Solitaire, made the white painted vessel as dramatic as
the sky itself.

The last rays of the sun did a spray job on the side
of LJ’s angular face, as he leaned against the Range Rover
smoking a cigar. Vince had parked the luxury 4x4 behind
a long boat shed on the far side of the marina, out of sight
of the Solitaire, but deliberately close to the main electricity
junction box, that supplied all of the moorings. After five
minutes of waiting, LJ walked across to the dockside, and
stood staring out across the harbour.

“I think that’s them now,” he said, pointing at the
sleek outline of the power cruiser coming in the harbour.
Rob Chapman was at the helm, Dillon standing
on the stern deck. They crept slowly up through the main
channel, and then veered off to the right into the marina.
Once inside, they headed straight towards the boat hire
company’s private berth. Chapman cut the power, and
Dillon immediately secured the forward and aft lines, and
then unloaded his holdalls onto the pontoon. There were
still a few people about, some coming or going to their
boats, others dining on board, the sound of their laughter
drifted across the marina on the still evening air.
Dillon opened up the tailgate of the Range Rover,
and put the holdall containing his clothing into the boot.
The other holdall with the weapons in, he kept close by.
“Any encounters on the way down?” LJ asked.
“No, nothing at all.” It was Chapman who answered.
“Malakoff’s most likely still gloating over his spoils,
to bother sending out a welcoming committee.” Dillon said
bluntly.
LJ puffed on his cigar, “Well, from what I’ve learnt
so far about Malakoff. I’d say that he’s going to be on high
alert tonight, and ready to repel all boarders, old son. And
with that in mind, do you really think that this maverick
plan of yours will work?”
“I’ve no idea. But one thing’s for certain.”
“What’s that, old son?”
“Success is a science: if you have the conditions,
you get the result.” Dillon said, raising an eyebrow. “But
if you’re in any doubt about it, you can always go to the
aero club and wait for us there, I’m sure that Rob and Vince
would understand.”
“I’ll overlook that last comment, just the once old
son. At a time like this, it becomes more than a moral duty
to speak one’s mind. It becomes imperative, especially as
one only dies once, and it’s for a very long time!” LJ said
dryly.
Dillon laughed. “Cheer up, LJ. I’ve no intention
of dying here, it’s far too safe. And anyway, I’ve got a
very important dinner date with Tatiana to look forward
to when we return to London.” He got up, and with the
heavy holdall in his hand, walked across the tarmac to the
power cruiser, jumped on board, and immediately went to
the stern winch and lowered the inflatable dinghy into the
water. After securing the line to the rail, he went inside,
reappearing a moment later with a glass of Champagne in
his hand. “Right then, we’re all set and ready to go. We’ll
wait here for a few more hours, and then when it’s nice and
quiet, we’ll let the party commence. Anyone else for a glass
of bubbly?”
They were all sitting in the main day cabin, talking
over Dillon’s plan, when his mobile phone started to ring. It
was Annabelle Cunningham; Dillon answered the call using
the phone’s hands free speaker. “Annabelle, it’s Jake. Are
you alright?”
LJ, Chapman and Vince all turned their heads
towards Dillon as Annabelle spoke.
“I’m fine thanks, Jake. But, you sound as if you’re at
the bottom of a well.”
“We’re on hands free, so that the others can hear
you.” LJ, Vince and Chapman all said hello in unison.
“It’s great to hear you all. Look, I’m sorry to have
left in such a hurry this morning, my little run in with
Malakoff’s two thugs did shake me up a bit, I must admit.
But, I think I got the better of them.” Annabelle laughed.
“Anyway, enough of that, how are things going
down there? Did you get to the submarine? And did you
find the spear?”
“Well, we found both with relative ease, but had
problems when we returned to Bonne Nuit.”
“And?”
“To cut a long story short. Malakoff now has the
chest containing the spear, and everything else that was
inside it, I’m afraid.”
“Oh no, that’s just terrible.” Annabelle paused, and
then said, “Well, I’m sure he won’t have it for much longer.
Not if I know you, Jake Dillon.”
“Thank you for your vote of confidence, Annabelle.”
Dillon looked directly at his boss, as he spoke. “I’ll get the
chest and its contents back, have no doubt about that. And
when Nathan is conscious again, I hope to be standing next
to his bed with it in my hand,” Dillon said confidently.
“Oh, you’ve not heard the news yet, have you?
There’s been some pretty major developments with Pops.
And, that’s the main reason why I went rushing back to
London. You see, he’s regained consciousness, and the best
bit is, that they reckon he’ll be up and about in a day or
two.”
“Annabelle, that’s the finest news we’ve had all day.
Give Nathan all our very best.”
“Thanks, Jake. I will. And I’m sure that he’d say the
same to you all down there. Look, I’ve got to go now. But,
you’re sure that everything will be alright?”
“Annabelle, there’s only one thing not right down
here, and that’s Malakoff. Suffice to say, that he’s going to
get what’s coming to him, along with his hired help.”
Annabelle said goodbye, and then hung up.
“Well, that’s absolutely superb news.” LJ said,
sipping his Champagne.
“About Nathan, yes it is. But had it not been for
Asquith, and that bastard Malakoff, Nathan wouldn’t have
been lying comatose in a hospital bed for the last two weeks.
I’d say that they’ve both got a lot to answer for.”
Chapman said, “Jake, what concerns me most about
this plan of yours, is how you think we’re going to get
close enough to the Solitaire to board her. I reckon there’s a
pretty good chance that we’ll be spotted, even in the dark,
and using the inflatable.”
“I’d agree.” Dillon said amiably. “And, that’s why
I’m going to approach the Solitaire, underwater. As for you,
Rob. Well, this isn’t your fight, and I don’t want you getting
yourself into a situation which might just get you dead. If
you understand my meaning?”
“I understand. But it makes no difference, Jake.
Nathan’s my friend, and I’m going with you, whether you
like it or not. And, as for getting into a situation, well you
don’t have to worry about me. I’m more than capable of
looking after myself.”
“Um, I’m sure you are. But, could you kill a man,
who is so close that you can hear his heart beating? Could
you, really, do it if your own life depended on it?” Dillon’s
tone was icy cold, and deadly serious.
“Murder, Jake? You’re asking me whether I could
kill someone in cold blood, if my life depended on it. My
answer is simply, I don’t know. But what I do know, is that
I can hold my own in any fight.”
“Okay, but you listen up, and listen well. From the
second I go over the rail of the Solitaire. I’ll kill anyone
who tries to get in my way.” Dillon paused briefly. “And, I
never hesitate; I shoot first, and ask questions afterwards.
It’s what I do, and I do it well, with a cold heart and a clear
conscience. That’s how I’ve survived all these years.”
There was silence inside the cabin. Vince looked at
LJ, who looked at Chapman, who nodded. “He’s absolutely
right. Scum like Malakoff and his men only know one way.
And, you have to fight fire with fire. So if I might suggest,
this is the way that I reckon it should go; I’ll take you as
far as I can in the inflatable, and then you cover the rest of
the way underwater.” Dillon tried to speak, but Chapman
waved him down. “This is not open to discussion, Jake. I’ll
row out into the marina and head straight for the Solitaire,
and hopefully they’ll spot me. Or I should say, they’ll see an
old drunk in his dinghy, going round and round in circles.
While they’re occupied with me, you should have enough
time to get on board unnoticed.”
“Okay, that sounds like a good idea.”
“But, I’ll drop the act and come running the minute
you need me.”
Vince opened up one of his aluminium cases, and
pulled out four tiny objects.
“We’re going to need these, by the sound of it.” He
said handing them around to everyone.
“What is it?” LJ said, rolling it around with his
forefinger and thumb.
“Do you want the full technical description, boss, or
an abbreviated version?”
“Make it the quick version.”
“Well, in its simplest form. It’s a digital communication
device. Completely waterproof to one hundred feet, with a
range of up to two miles radius of my laptop computer.
Simply pop it into your ear, and talk, the rest of us will be
able hear simultaneously.”
“What a marvellous little gizmo.” LJ commented,
and put the tiny device into his right ear. The others all did
the same, and after a minute or two, Vince had synchronised
them all with his computer. Adjusting the levels of sound in
each one. This done, they were then ready to talk to, and
hear each other through the tiny devices.
Dillon, opened up his holdall and took out two
Heckler and Koch MP5 machine guns, both with thirty
round clips attached. He passed one to Vince, and the other
to LJ, “Insurance.”
“Well, let’s hope we don’t need it, old son.” LJ placed
the weapon on the seat next to him.
Dillon took the Glock out of its holster, thoroughly
checked it, attached the silencer he’d had specially made,
and put it into a watertight dive bag. Then he unzipped
an inner pocket of the holdall and pulled out two circular
limpet mines complete with remote detonators attached.
“By the looks of it, you’re about to start World War
Three. Is all of that really necessary, old son?” LJ said,
pointing to the dive bag.
“Yes.” Dillon said bluntly.
For the next few hours Dillon lay dozing on one of
the beds. Chapman and LJ stayed in the main saloon of the
power cruiser, drinking coffee and discussing Chapman’s
work at the St. Lawrence site of the underground war
tunnels. While Vince kept himself busy with his computer
equipment at the dining table. It was two thirty the following
morning. Dillon was sitting next to Vince, concentrating on
the images that kept constantly changing on the computer
screen in front of them.
“Bloody hell, Vince. I don’t know how you sleep at
night?”
“Sleeping, like eating, my dear Jake. I find very
simple. However, hacking into the harbour master’s main
computer system is quite a different matter. Especially, as it
controls the CCTV system for the entire dock area. Ah, there
we go, we’re in. Thank heavens for wireless broadband.”
Vince said smugly.
“Umm, I’m sure you’re right. Can you control the
cameras from here?”
“Of course, I can override any of the original
commands. But first, I’ll freeze the images that they’re
currently viewing on their screens. That way, they won’t
know we’re messing around inside the system.”
“Good, well in that case. Let’s take a closer look at
the Solitaire, and see if Monsieur Malakoff is still up and
about.”
Vince typed in the command, and almost immediately
the Solitaire appeared. Using the mouse, he panned the
camera around and then zoomed in, the next moment the
luxury craft filled the screen with amazing clarity.
“By the look of all those lights, I’d say that he’s still
up and about, and most definitely not taking any chances,
is he?” Vince said soberly.
“Oh, Malakoff likes taking risks, Vince. Just by
staying here in Jersey tonight, proves that. No, the lights
are on, because he knows for sure that I’ll try and recover
the spear head and everything else that’s inside the chest.”
Dillon said matter of factly, adding, “But, what he won’t be
expecting is the power to be cut on that pontoon.”
“Think of it as done. But, don’t forget what I said
earlier. That boat, will most definitely have a backup
generator on board. And, I’d give you no more than sixty
seconds before it cuts in.”
“Well, I’d better make sure that I’m damn quick
getting up the anchor line then, hadn’t I?” Dillon said over
his shoulder, as he turned, and left Vince to his gadgets.
He went and got into his wetsuit and, after
checking that everything was working correctly, he placed
his buoyancy jacket and air tanks into the inflatable. He
gathered up his fins and mask, together with the dive bag
and stepped out onto the rear dive platform. A moment
later, Rob Chapman came out and stood beside him.
“Time to go, Rob.” Dillon casually glanced at the
omega watch strapped to his wrist. Then looked with
amazement, at what clothing Chapman was now wearing.
“Good God, I thought you were a tramp.”
“More importantly. Would you recognise me in the
dark, from say fifty feet away?”
“Honestly. No, if you walked past me in broad
daylight, I wouldn’t know that it was you.”
“Well, that’s that taken care of then!”
Dillon unzipped the holdall, reached in and took out
another MP5 and half a dozen extra clips and handed them
to Chapman. He then pulled out a two green egg shaped
objects, and stuffed them into the coat pocket of the old
dishevelled man standing in front of him.
“What are those for?”
“Stun Grenades, standard SAS issue. Very simple
to use, just pull the pin and throw it over arm, like this.”
Dillon demonstrated the throw. “Make sure you’re close
when you throw one, and don’t forget to look away. These
babies will immobilize anyone in close proximity to them
for about three to five seconds. Got all that?”
Chapman nodded, and the two men then got into
the inflatable, Dillon untied the bow line and pushed off
from the side of the power cruiser. Chapman took the two
wooden oars from the bottom of the boat and fitted them
into the rowlocks. He was a skilled rower and, even though
he was wearing a cumbersome thick sweater and heavy
overcoat, in no time he was moving them silently out across
the marina towards the main harbour.