Contents ( 84)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- Acknowledgements
‘Lucky,’ Michael replied. His accent was almost indiscernible through his low, scratchy voice. ‘I should have died.’
‘Should have nothing,’ Duffy replied. ‘You’re here and that’s all that matters.’
‘You know what happened?’ Michael asked.
‘I know what Bruce told me,’ Duffy replied, indicating towards Bull as he spoke. ‘And the rest of the story tells itself, doesn’t it? The station cameras show a guy pushing his way after you, to the end of the platform, then climbing down after you.’
‘It was him. The Secret Service agent from the court yesterday.’
‘Hang on,’ Sarah interrupted, confused. ‘You were attacked by someone from the Secret Service? The US Secret Service?’
‘Yes,’ Michael said. He turned to look at Bull. ‘It was definitely him.’
‘I don’t doubt you,’ Bull said. ‘Not that anyone’s gonna be able to prove it.’
‘What?’ Michael replied. ‘Why not?’
‘The man on the tracks couldn’t be identified,’ Bull confirmed. ‘No ID, no identifying marks or tattoos, no fingerprints on record, no dental records known. All of which makes sense if what you’ve just said is right. If he’s a spook, we’ll never pin him down.’
‘And this is all because of the Mansour case?’ Sarah asked, hardly able to believe what she was hearing.
‘Undoubtedly,’ Duffy replied.
‘Then . . . then what the hell happens next?’
‘You’re all getting protection,’ Bull replied. ‘It’s already arranged. There’ll be an officer on the door to this room for the duration of Michael’s stay. In the meantime, I’m putting you into protective custody, Miss Truman. To be joined by Michael when he’s released from the hospital.’
‘Protection? From the Secret Service? You’re not serious?’
‘I’m afraid so,’ Bull replied. ‘It’s the only way we can guarantee your safety.’
‘But . . . but for how long?’
‘No way of knowing. Until this all settles, certainly.’
‘But that . . . that could be months. Years.’
‘I doubt that,’ Bull replied. ‘But honestly, it will take as long as it takes.’
Sarah shook her head, feeling slightly dazed as she looked from face to face. Finally, her eyes settled on Michael.
‘I can’t believe this is happening again,’ she said.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Michael replied. ‘I was . . . look . . . the last thing I wanted to do was put you in danger.’
‘This isn’t your fault, Michael. You couldn’t have known when you took the case.’ She glanced towards Duffy. ‘Neither of you could have known.’
‘But still. I can’t keep doing this to you. Police protection. For Christ’s sake, Sarah. Who else has to do that twice in a year?’
Sarah took a deep breath. This was not an ideal situation. But it was what it was. They would get through it. Just like they’d got through everything else.
‘Listen to me, Michael Devlin,’ she started. ‘I thought maybe I’d lost you today. I haven’t and that’s all that matters, really. And if keeping you means I have to do this again? Then I have to do this again. Because I’m not losing you, Michael. And I’m not losing our family.’