Last Out From Roaring Water Bay (25 page)

“Don’t give me that verbal claptrap! You’re supposed to be clever and you never even asked reception for my room number? Maybe you’re not Raffles, the gentleman thief, but you’ve already proved your skills of passing a security lock whether it’s mechanical or electronic. What were you expecting to find in my room?”

“Your mind’s deranged, Speed. I’ve been down here since I arrived. Ask reception. Ask the barman if you don’t believe me; go on!”

I silenced with uncertainty and instead tried to read his facial expressions to ascertain if he was telling me anywhere near the truth. I suspected Hamer could tell bare faced lies far better than I could. It wouldn’t have taken much for him to have slipped away when the barman was busy. Though Hamer had one saving grace; the perfume I smelled in my room didn’t match the cologne he’d splashed on his face that morning.

“Which fat bee flew up your arse, Speed?”

“I think that’s an inappropriate question since you’re sitting there. Where’s Commander Morgan now?”

“He’s at his London office, fretting. The paranoid sod thinks his office has been bugged because of the stink he’s caused over the missing documentation concerning flight operations during the final years of WW2. He suspects the perpetrators are watching his every movement. You really got him hooked with this Huggermugger operation, and he’s chasing answers and hitting a brick wall.”

“Is his office bugged?”

Hamer shrugged. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised. The rumours are rife that the corridors of Whitehall hide a mass of electronic listening devices and surveillance cameras. Why do you think ministers arrange secret meetings away from Whitehall? Open spaces are much harder to monitor, especially the golf courses. Morgan does the same thing. But at the moment it isn’t just missing documentation that’s worrying him. There are still the two killers on the loose: Love and Hate.”

“You haven’t located them yet?”

“We’re working on it. And when we finally nail the bastards, Morgan will no doubt take all the credit as per usual.”

“You sound as if you’re pissed off with him?”

“Doesn’t everybody with their respective employer? Unlike a freelancer such as you, Speed, I’m suppressed. Morgan, he likes to do things his way and is deaf to other people’s suggestions. He thinks I’m his lap dog; throw a stick and I’ll go and fetch it back.”

“I’ll agree with you on that,” I said.

Hamer frowned, trying to work out if I was ridiculing him. I kept a straight face and said, “So he insisted you come here then to pester me?”

“Your fault entirely, Speed. Remember what was discussed in London about solidarity? Together we battle against the enemy? If we can connect Love and Hate to the killing of your friends we’ll be half way to solving the mystery of the Spitfire wreck.”

“Where do you think Love and Hate have gone?”

“They could be anywhere. And since I can’t force you back to London, I’m here to watch your back.”

“That’s very heroic of you, Inspector, but who’s watching your back?”

“It’s not me they want”

“You’ve had a wasted journey. If I’d have needed a minder, I’d have hired one.”

“I come free of charge, Speed. And I’m here to stay. Commander Morgan insists I remain here. Who am I to argue? My insubordination would only lead to him slapping a P45 in my hand; we’re all vulnerable to the sack.”

“This is harassment and an infringement of my privacy.”

Hamer tossed his head in the air. “Then complain to Morgan, not me. Now apart from practicing being a moaning bastard, what are you doing hiding in these parts?”

“I’m hardly hiding. I’m on holiday, convalescing from the rigours of being abused by thugs and picked on by authoritarians.”

“You’re talking bollocks!”

“No, it does include the thugs?”

“It’s still bollocks!”

“You’re getting tiresome, Hamer.”

“You still won’t accept you need our help, will you Speed?”

“Is it that noticeable?”

Hamer fumed. “You’re an ungrateful sod!”

I shrugged.

Hamer insisted on scolding me more than I was willing to take. “Get yourself killed. See if I care a toss! I’d be happy to slap your dead carcass on Morgan’s office desk and tell him the case is closed.”

“You’re staying then?”

“Damn right I am.”

“Not too close I hope?”

“Close enough, Speed.” This is a splendid hotel.”

“I was under the impression this hotel was fully booked with summer sailors?”

“There’s been a cancellation on the Bridal suite.”

“How appropriate-eh- the last room at the inn.”

“I’ve no complaints.”

“It’s a big room that’s made for sharing,” I said smartly. “I don’t want you knocking on my door when you get scared in the middle of the night.”

“How would you feel if I camped right outside your door instead?”

“It would be like a cold draft up the crack of my arse,” I said, and rose to my feet. “No doubt you’ll be dining here this evening?”

“You’ll not get a free meal out of me twice.”

I smiled and walked off. Over my shoulder, I said, “You want to bet, Hamer!”

Through a reflection of glass I caught Hamer flashing me a two fingered gesture behind my back. I thought about returning to shove his two offensive digits up his fat nose. Instead I focused on Love and Hate, as I made my way to my room. Their disappearance rather put a different complexion on proceedings. I wondered where and what the two vultures were doing right now. I imagined them staking out my home. Even worse I imagined my place burnt to the ground with them thinking I might be hiding inside.

If Hamer was right about the two goons and their determination to hunt me down relentlessly, then I guessed they still wanted the reel of film I’d taken from the wreck. I stopped off and used the hotel payphone, a security precaution against an illegal line tap on my mobile. Hamer had certainly managed to make me feel uneasy with his brag about of being able to track people down by their personal equipment. I rang Judy, my daily housekeeper, to check if everything was all right back in London and how Winston was treating her. She told me everything was fine and Winston was such an adorable dog that she wanted to keep him forever. I said we’d talk about that when I got back.

I left the phone booth and enquired at reception if Hamer had asked for my room number at any time. He had, but as far as they were aware, after Hamer had been shown to his room by the bellboy, he’d returned immediately down to the lounge to wait for me.

I checked my room again when I got back. It hadn’t been breached a second time because the small piece of paper I’d wedged between the lower door hinge and door jamb was still in place and immediately fell to the floor when I went inside; pathetically simple but effective. I locked the door behind me, something I don’t usually have concerns over when occupying the room at the time, but I thought it was a wise decision considering. Without thinking about it I’d become jittery and I’m usually never that.

I had a shower, shaved, put on a bathrobe and crashed out onto the bed, closing my aching eyes. Eventually I expelled the thoughts that were criss-crossing through my mind and I drifted into a world of ambivalence and absolution. I slept for twenty minutes and when I awakened I was refreshed and I dressed for dinner.

*

Hamer was already sat at a table in the hotel restaurant. He was staring thoughtfully through the window and seemed absorbed with the view across the bay. I startled him as I approached. I rather enjoyed his reaction considering he was supposed to be a tough guy.

He looked up at me in disbelief, his eyes glued to the tuxedo I was wearing. I didn’t think I was overdressed for the occasion. The hotel management most definitely didn’t think I was overdressed, appreciating my effort to impress, as it would enhance the reputation of the hotel. The ladies were impressed too because I was getting the right stares of approval. Hamer wasn’t impressed. He didn’t appreciate my effort at all and he didn’t mix his words either.

“You overgrown snob!” he commented rudely.

“You don’t appreciate quality,” I told him.

“This isn’t the Caribbean, Speed.”

“It’s closer to the Caribbean than London will ever be,” I pointed out.

“Sit down Speed, before your swelled ego knocks you down.”

I sat down opposite him.

He gave me a low whistle. “I guess grave robbing is a profitable business.”

I attracted the attention of a waitress to take our orders. I chose a meal of seafood, washed down with a splendid bottle of Muscatel, followed by coffee and Cognac. Hamer selected a more hearty meat dinner and had the appetite to match, as he scoffed his food down in a mannerism that had all the grace of a divulging barbarian.

We spoke very little while we ate, Hamer the instigator of the main conversation, in between stuffing his face. I wasn’t even listening to him gabbing on, not that he noticed. I was thinking deeply. Trying to piece together what information I had gathered so far. When in deep thought my eyes have a habit of wandering and I found myself staring across the room at a table occupied by three couples. I could overhear the men at that table bragging over the size of their yachts while two of the women sat with them pretended to be interested. I caught the third woman at the table eyeing me up before she shyly turned away disinterestedly.

Hamer belched loudly followed by his out of date comment ‘compliments to the chef’.

“Enjoyable was it, Inspector?”

Hamer raised a hand as if he was stopping the local traffic. “Let’s cut the formalities crap. While I’m here, (he belched again loudly much to the annoyance of other diners), call me Dan; much more friendly. Do you prefer me to call you Shackleton?”

“You can call me anything you want Dan, apart from Shackleton or Shacks. Those names I reserve for my friends.”

Hamer could tell by my expression that I wasn’t joking. He burst into a tantrum which attracted more attention than he would have probably wanted.

“You’re such an awkward bastard, Speed!”

“We understand each other then?” I said placidly, which angered him even more.

“That you’re a slapped arse because I’m babysitting you? Yes I fully understand.”

“How close do you intend to stick to me, Danny boy?”

He groaned disapprovingly at being called
Danny
. “As close as I fucking can.”

“I’m that important?”

“You’re the only target that’s ever survived Love and Hate. You’ve seriously dented their reputations as professional killers. They’ll want to make amends for the mess they left behind. A witness is too dangerous to them; witnesses can testify. They’ll want to rectify the problem fairly quickly I should imagine. They’ll want to slash your throat, Speed!”

“Is that all? I’m really disappointed with their style.”

“Listen for once. Why don’t you return to London? We can set you up in a safe house; provide you with around the clock protection.”

“I’m not playing the bait. Beside they won’t know I’m here in Ireland.”

“I found you easy enough.”

“Frigging hell, you want them to find me anyway so what’s the difference if I’m here or in London?”

“Here’s more difficult to protect you; too many open spaces to cover; a sniper could take you out at two hundred yards.”

“A sniper could take me out anywhere; not unless you have me enclosed in an armoured vehicle, preferably with a large calibre machine gun mounted on the front, and then there shouldn’t be any frigging problem at all.”

“There’s no need for such waggishness, Speed.”

“I take it you’re armed?” I assumed he was. A small calibre weapon could easily be concealed on a person quite comfortably.

He disappointed me with a shake of his head.

“You’ve no armoury at all?”

“Sorry, Speed. I’m just your bodyguard. You’ll have to trust my abilities in unarmed combat.”

“Oh I see, you’re going to deflect the bullets with your hands?”

“No. I’ll use you as a shield. Does that scare you?”

“I’m shaking in my boots. Yet there’s one problem you need to consider before you get too over confident in your assumption that I’m controllable and safe in your competent hands.”

“What’s that, Speed?”

“I’ve no intentions of going under a protection scheme until I’ve completed my business here in Ireland. So I suggest you don’t fall under my feet. By all means, hover like a fly looking for a bad smell, but don’t keep pushing me into complying with pitiful requests. I’m not pliable and I can’t be moved in different directions.”

I expected another backlash from Hamer, but to my surprise he shrugged in defeat. I think he was feeling tired and probably three parts pissed too.

“Have it your own way. Your arrogance blinds common sense. Why should I care? You’re just an arrogant meddler, with an attitude problem, and layered with dishonesty.”

“Dishonesty,” I said in disbelief. “Show me an establishment of authority that doesn’t deal in dishonesty and I’ll show my arse in Burton’s shop window all day with my cheeks squashed against the glass plate for all the pedestrians to see.”

“There you are, exactly what I’m getting at, attitude problem.”

“No, Hamer. It’s the attitude of a person who’s had enough of snub-nosed pin-striped bureaucrats throwing their weight around in my affairs.”

It was the frown Hamer expressed that made me realize that together we’d no chance of creating a workable team. There can’t be two team leaders within one group. Yet despite my reluctance to have him under my feet and his blatant openness that he was playing with my life, I still thought he could be useful to me.

“Look! I’m here to offer my protection. I intend to carry out my duty.”

“That’s very chivalrous of you, Hamer. Since you’re going to be attached to me, you’ll no doubt enjoy the pleasure of a cruise around the bay on my expense account?”

“You’re going to waste a day cruising?”

“There’ll be deep sea fishing, sight-seeing and scuba diving. Do you scuba-dive?”

“You’re damned serious about this being a holiday?”

“What else? If I’m going to die I might as well enjoy myself in the meantime”