He turned over the phone, concealing the digital clock, and stared out the window. To help pass the time, he made small talk with the woman, who looked far too much like his mother for Gabriel’s comfort, and with the boy, who was not much older than Dani had been on the night of his death in Vienna. And all the while he kept his eyes fastened on the road. And on the morning traffic streaming out of the Oberland. And, finally, on the silver Mercedes GL450 sport-utility vehicle now turning into the parking lot. It was driven by a man wearing a dark blue ski jacket emblazoned with the insignia of Zentrum Security. Two figures, a man and a woman, sat in back. They, too, wore Zentrum jackets. The man’s eyes were concealed by large sunglasses. Gabriel turned over his phone and looked at the time. One hour exactly. There were certain advantages to doing business with the Swiss.

He bade the woman and child a pleasant morning and stepped outside into the sunlight. The Mercedes sport-utility had come to a stop. A striking woman and a lanky man with blond hair were in the process of climbing out. It was the woman who first noticed Gabriel. But in a stroke of professionalism belying her inexperience, she did not call out to him or even acknowledge his presence. Instead, she simply took her companion gently by the arm and led him over to the Audi. Gabriel had the engine running by the time they arrived. A moment later, they were heading down the Vallée des Ormonts, Zoe at Gabriel’s side, Mikhail stretched out in the backseat.

“Lift your glasses,” said Gabriel.

Mikhail complied.

“Who did that to you?”

“I never caught their names.” Mikhail lowered the glasses and propped his head against the window. “Did you beat him, Gabriel? Did you beat Martin?”

“No, Mikhail. You and Zoe beat him. You beat him badly.”

“How much of his computer did I get?”

“We own him, Mikhail. He’s ours.”

“Where to now?”

“Out of Switzerland.”

“I’m in no condition to fly.”

“So we’ll drive instead.”

“No more airplanes, Gabriel?”

“No, Mikhail. Not for a while.”

PART FIVE: RECOVERY

PART FIVE

RECOVERY

CHAPTER 77

77

NEW SCOTLAND YARD, LONDON