‘I never pray for revenge, I pray for God’s judgement. But he does act if anyone steps in the way of his prophets’ missions.’

‘Yeah, whatever,’ North said with a dismissive wave of his hand. ‘Well, I just done God’s work. Didn’t I?’

There was another long pause. They watched Florence fix a drink for a suited man at the other end of the bar.

North leant close to Haut’s face again and added, ‘And you know what, Your Grace? I feel very, very good about what ’appened. Does that make me a devilish bastard too?’

‘Revenge doesn’t have to be bitter or, indeed, a sin.’

‘I knew two of da blighters that got it. Could not have happened to a more worvy couple. One of them once worked for me. Standover stuff.’ North downed the last of the liqueur coffee and called for another. ‘As for ex-commander Black, well ’e was given the most graphic warning of his illustrious life. ’e knows exactly what will ’appen to ’im if ’e ever repeats his kidnap exercise or somefink like it, at least in dealing wiv my mates. If he was stewpid enough to interfere again, he’d be another kind of OBE.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Obliterated By Ernie.’

55 A WIN FOR BLEULANCE

55

A WIN FOR BLEULANCE

‘They’re still trying to get to me by targeting my close friends,’ Haut told Cavalier over the phone. ‘Our SAS mate Ken Pringle is dead.’

Cavalier was stunned.

‘How?’

‘No one knows. His son found him in bed. He hadn’t been well, but no one thought he was near death. There’d been a raid of some sort the night before. His van had been broken into. All the weapons—the Uzi and the Glocks—had been taken from inside the panels.’

‘What did the police say?’

‘They searched his home when his son alerted them.’

‘Is it possible he died of natural causes?’

‘I doubt it. My downloads say he was murdered.’

‘The rifle and Uzi won’t have our prints on them. Nor will the Glocks.’ Cavalier thought for a moment. ‘What will happen to Ken’s property? His vacant allotment where our three friends reside?’

‘Don’t worry, he was building a house. The cement has already been laid.’ Haut paused and added, ‘It’s Bleulance, moving on my friends, again.’

‘You can’t be sure about that, Al.’

‘Yes, I can.’

‘How’s Natalia?’ Cavalier asked, deflecting the conversation.

‘Not good. I think she may go back to Russia. She’s still in Paris. Her mother is looking after her.’

‘No fault of yours, Al, but it is tough on her.’

‘I’ve already prayed into it.’

Cavalier knew this to mean that Haut was asking God to judge the actions of those who had transgressed against him.

‘Any response?’

‘It has been dealt with.’

‘Let me guess what you have told Natalia,’ Cavalier said. ‘The relationship will remain as it is.’