The Trip: The gripping new British thriller by Nathan McRae

Author:Nathan McRae [McRae, Nathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

***

Exeter College, founded in the 14th Century and situated on Turl Street close to the Radcliffe Camera, was both prestigious and easy to miss. The door into the porter’s lodge was tall, imposing and made of dark wood, but such was the nature of central Oxford that every other door also seemed to look like this, and the colleges and university buildings all flowed into each other. But Will knew from the map on his phone that it was Exeter College, and right now they could not get anywhere near it.

About twenty metres away, where Turl Street intersected with Ship Street, barriers had been put up. Will and Laura had joined the small crowd behind them, standing 3 or 4 deep. It was hardly an overwhelming turnout, and the 2 police officers manning the barriers looked thoroughly bored. One person next to Will held a placard protesting about spending cuts to the health service.

Along Ship Street Will could see the cause of the barricades, although he’d already suspected. The Prime Minister, Alasdair Waife, was walking down the quiet road, accompanied by some of his advisors and what looked like some of the university’s academics. He was talking animatedly to an older woman on his left.

As they approached the small crowd on the street corner Waife broke off his conversation and walked towards them, holding out his hand. The person with the placard started shouting, but Waife ignored him and, smiling, worked along the line, shaking hands. Either side of him two men Will assumed were close protection officers were keeping a close watch on the people behind the barrier. One of them, a tall, black man with an earpiece visible, locked eyes with Will. Will broke off the stare; he found the man’s coldness and seriousness unnerving. And then Waife was holding out his hand to him and Laura.

Will took it. He was, after all, a Politics teacher, and he had voted for Waife. He saw him as an honourable gentleman, trying to lead in an almost impossible situation. This wasn’t why they were in Oxford or why they were standing outside Exeter College, but Will knew he would never again get the chance to shake the hand of the Prime Minister.

Waife’s handshake was firm. He smiled at Will.

“Good to see you. Alasdair Waife, so good to see you.”

Laura smiled back at him in a bemused way as he shook her hand.

Soon Waife had finished working along the line and was walking towards Exeter College, to be met by the Rector of the College at the gate.

“That was unexpected.”

“Definitely,” said Laura. “But what chance do we now have of getting into Exeter?”

The police were pulling the barriers to one side and allowing people to walk down the street once more. But when they got to the College gate they found the way barred by more police officers. Peering through into the green of the Quad they could see two other officers stood next to the grass, both heavily armed, assault rifles at the ready.

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