‘That’s true. Perhaps you should organise a private investigation to uncover the clear cabal against Conquer.’

*

Two days later Haut was surprised to have the American head of Pinkerton in Australia, Michael Atheron, fly from Sydney to meet him at his Hobart home. Atheron, about forty, was a lean and fit man. He wore a smart three-piece suit. He was nervous as he played with black, square-rimmed glasses while delivering Haut some disconcerting news. Atheron refused an offer of tea or coffee. He was on a mission that he did not fancy. Nor did he wish to stay long in Haut’s presence.

‘We’ve done a lot of homework over your case,’ he said in a smooth Bostonian accent and with a sympathetic smile. He then delivered the bad news: ‘I’m afraid we can’t work with you anymore. The risk is too high.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Our contacts believe you are in serious danger of an assassination attempt.’

‘How do you assess that?’ Haut asked, shaken and taken aback at this stark categorisation.

‘Mr Haut, we are the biggest protection agency in the world. We guard two hundred thousand clients. We have our sources in intelligence, industry, the underworld. We do our research. You have upset some big players, some very big in your industry. They have infinite resources to commission what they want. We can’t cover that.’

‘So you’re telling me, as big as you are, you can’t protect me?’

‘That’s correct. Conquer has a history—’

‘Of murder?’

‘I would prefer to say in achieving what they wish.’

‘If it’s a matter of money …’

‘No,’ Atheron said with a mirthless smile. ‘They are just too big to take on, for us, anyway, while you live in Australia.’ He paused and added, ‘We have learnt that there is a thirty million dollar contract out on you. We have been told that the participants have been paid in advance.’

‘Why in advance?’

‘It’s harder to trace when a deal is done before a hit.’

Haut remained calm but the information was frightening. He thought of Cavalier. He needed more information from him.

‘Do you have any idea of who these sweet visitors might be?’

‘All we know is that they are coming from outside of Australia.’

‘Any idea how many? Thirty million sounds like enough for a small army!’

‘Our sources say there is a capo who will organise it. There will be three or four people sent.’

Haut took a deep breath and digested the shock.

‘You don’t know when they’ll come?’

‘Mr Haut—’

‘Call me Al.’

‘Sir, I’ve flown here to warn you. This could happen any time from now.’

‘So that’s it?’

‘All I can say is, if you come to the US we can look after you again.’

PART FOUR STRIKE THREE

PART FOUR

STRIKE THREE

32 PASSPORTS TO SHOWDOWN

32

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