Solus by Bowen Peter;

Author:Bowen, Peter;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2018-07-09T18:26:04+00:00

· Chapter 22 ·

“They got back to Kazakhstan just fine,” said Jack La Salle, “no problems, and Idries took Mukhtar Khan home. I gather Pallas is convinced she belongs there and plans to go as soon as possible.”

“Yah,” said Du Pré, “Idries’s wife and children were killed while ago, they were in a plane went down. He has been a lonely man. Pallas and Idries found each other and made a choice. Madelaine saw it, I didn’t.”

“Well,” said La Salle, “Poe should be able to come home tomorrow. His testimony is over, but a lot of people still want him dead. I think our best bet for keeping him safe is indirection. I plan to get him on a commercial flight from Washington to Spokane. You know the drill, much flap about secrecy, and then send it regular mail.”

“OK,” said Du Pré.

“You pick him up there,” said La Salle.

Du Pré sighed. “OK,” he said, “when?”

La Salle gave him the flight number and arrival time. “It’s hard to tell what to expect,” said La Salle. “Temple Security wants Poe dead, and they’ll do it if they can. Of that I am certain. But I’m also certain they won’t take out a whole planeload of people to do it.”

“OK,” said Du Pré, “but I think Bart’s people do this better than I do.”

“Foote wouldn’t sign off on it,” said La Salle. “All his security people are on other details. He sounded regretful …”

“You are not setting me up,” said Du Pré.

“Du Pré,” said La Salle, “things are so bad all I can say is that I hope not. Believe me, if I knew a better way I’d do it.”

“Ver’ bad,” said Du Pré.

“I love my country,” said La Salle, “but this is very bad.”

Du Pré put the telephone back on the hook. He drove down to the Toussaint Saloon and he parked and went in.

Madelaine was sitting on her stool behind the bar. There were a couple of ranchers there, drinking beers and arguing about horses.

“I got to go to Spokane,” said Du Pré.

“Pick up Poe,” said Madelaine, “they won’t bring him back here?”

Du Pré shook his head.

“La Salle said he would send Poe on a regular plane,” said Du Pré. “He sounded worried, said that was the best he could do.”

“I go too,” said Madelaine. “I call Susan.”

Du Pré went into the kitchen and he made some sandwiches and he put them in a little soft cooler, along with a bottle of pink fizzy wine for Madelaine.

He went out to his old cruiser.

Susan Klein came round the corner of the saloon.

“Du Pré,” she said, “Pallas is really moving to the other side of the earth?”

“Yah,” Du Pré said, slowly shaking his head.

Madelaine came out.

“See you, I guess,” said Susan. “Anyone in there?”

“Bud and Charley,” said Madelaine, “arguing about quarter horses.”

“They’ve been doing that,” said Susan, “since about 1980.”

Du Pré started the cruiser, and he heard a clunk. The engine died.

“Oh, boy,” said Madelaine.

“Shit,” said Du Pré.

“Take my car,” said Madelaine, “go to Bart’s, get one of the Suburbans.

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