Hard Targets: A Doc Palfrey Omnibus by Richard Creasey

Author:Richard Creasey [Creasey, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Endeavour Press Ltd.
Published: 2013-11-13T05:00:00+00:00

*

Benadir left Cartwright in the interview room with Belle Crane and went up in the elevator. She got off on the second floor of Digby Mews and strode along a carpeted corridor to join Doc in his mother’s office. Marion Palfrey had been preparing for her COBRA meeting at Downing Street. COBRA was an emergency council convened to discuss urgent situations which crossed interdepartmental boundaries within government. Its name was an acronym for Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, where the meetings were held.

Marion had attended many times and always made a point of preparing meticulously, but she showed no sign of irritation at Doc’s interruption. “I heard what that girl’s brother said to you.” She glanced at Benadir. “Were you listening as well?” Benadir nodded.

“So what do we do?” said Doc.

“We can’t just cave in to their threat,” said Benadir.

“I agree,” said Doc. “But we can’t just ignore it, either.”

“I dismiss all this ESP nonsense out of hand,” said Marion Palfrey. “But they could have planted some kind of incendiary device in the park. In fact, on reflection, that’s the only way that any of these fires could have been started.”

“So we’re taking this seriously,” said Benadir.

Marion sighed and said, “If a fire does start in the area then I’m afraid we will have to let the girl go. Have we got someone watching the park?”

“Hayes was in the vicinity,” said Doc. “He has eyes on the place now.”

“How long until their deadline?”

Doc checked his watch.

It was the longest five minutes that any of them had ever experienced. They had Alan Hayes on the speaker phone, providing a running commentary. This consisted of him saying, “Nothing.” And then, “Nothing yet.” And then, “Still nothing, I’m afraid.”

Doc checked his watch. “Thirty seconds past deadline.” He relaxed his shoulders and only then realised that he’d been holding them tight. He took a deep breath and looked at his watch again. “Forty seconds.”

“Still nothing,” said the disembodied voice of Hayes.

“Fifty seconds,” said Doc. He looked at Benadir and his mother. They had both visibly relaxed. Doc was beginning to feel a little ridiculous at ever having taken the threat seriously. He casually glanced at his watch. “They’re over a minute late.”

Marion Palfrey began to shuffle papers on her desk. “Well, I can’t waste any more time here. I have to be getting to -”

“Wait,” said Hayes’ voice. “Something’s happening.”

“What is it?” said Benadir urgently.

“A flash in the sky. A red flash.”

Doc’s stomach began to tighten.

“Jesus Christ,” said Hayes.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.