Todd, Charles - Ian Rutledge 24 - A Game of Fear by Todd Charles

Author:Todd, Charles [Todd, Charles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780062905598
Google: 3HR0zgEACAAJ
Amazon: B0953M4P19
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: 2022-02-15T06:00:00+00:00

11

It was just dawn when Rutledge walked out of the Abbey and went around to his motorcar. Even the gulls were quiet at this hour, and he had the roads to himself, except for the van delivering milk. There was a petrol station just opening as he passed, and he made the necessary stop.

He had to push the motorcar hard to reach Dover before the ferry was scheduled to leave. What’s more, the crossing at Gravesend was delayed, putting him on an even tighter schedule.

And it was imperative to have the time to find a telephone.

He was successful in that at least, and put through a call to Haldane.

The man answered almost at once.

“Rutledge. Are you in Dover?”

“I am. Why should I take the ferry to France?”

“You rather owe me, I think. There’s a small matter to attend to there.”

“I’m in the middle of an inquiry—”

“Nevertheless, you will be on that ferry. It’s important to both of us.”

“Where am I going? And why?”

“Did you read the map?”

“Yes. Somewhere close by the Ypres road, apparently.”

“Exactly. A motorcar will be waiting for you in Calais. You can’t miss it. The port master will know. Drive to the village circled on the map, and don’t use your name or title. Find the house of one Michel Vermuelen.”

“Who is Vermuelen?”

“You’ll see soon enough. Don’t miss the ferry.”

And the receiver was put up, the connection broken.

Rutledge debated whether or not to go to France. For one thing, it brought back too many memories, grief that hadn’t healed. For another he was not a man who liked being used.

He’d always suspected that one day, Haldane would call in his debt.

He left the motorcar in the ferry office compound, told the Customs Officers why it was there—official business, even though he had no idea what that business was. He had no jurisdiction in France. Besides, it would require a great deal of bureaucratic formalities to arrange for him to do more than travel there as a private citizen.

Rutledge was the last passenger to come aboard the ferry. He’d made certain of that, still uneasy. And as the ferry pulled out into the road and started the crossing, he felt a stronger surge of uneasiness about what he might be leaving behind in Essex.

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