Red Notice

55

‘How much time before they take action?’ Sambor asked. Laszlo had followed him down the aisle.

‘Maybe an hour, once the radio is working. When we kill another of these sheep, they will have no choice but to send in our friends.’

‘You never give me enough time…’

‘There is not enough time in this life for you, little brother, whatever the task. You would spend all day deciding what to have for breakfast if I let you.’

Sambor laughed. ‘And why not? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.’

Laszlo sniffed the air again and directed a ferocious glare towards the two children huddled together in the corner of the carriage. They watched him with terrified eyes.

‘What’s the matter with you, brother? Are you going soft on me? Those brats still smell worse than a Georgian.’ Laszlo addressed the nearest cluster of passengers. ‘I want someone to clean them up and find them fresh clothes.’

Nobody moved.

‘Who knows where they were sitting? Where their luggage is?’

Still nothing.

‘I’ll make this easier for you,’ Laszlo growled. ‘If there are no volunteers, the kids will be killed and thrown off the train.’

He looked slowly around the carriage. Their eyes were cast down, but he saw fear etched on every face. His lip curled with disdain.

‘It is as I thought. The lives of these children are in your hands, but you do nothing. If you survive, I hope you will remember this moment of shame. You people disgust me.’

Tom had tracked the progress of the two men from the safety of the shadows.

Shielded momentarily from Laszlo and his huge sidekick by a bulkhead, he stepped forward into the light from the window closest to Delphine.

Attuned now to his presence, she caught sight of him almost immediately out of the corner of her eye, and turned her head slowly towards him.

Tom gestured at her, but she had no idea what he meant.

‘I’ll do it.’ Delphine stood and raised her hand. ‘I have some clothes that I think might fit them.’

Laszlo turned on his heel. ‘Clothes? Where are these clothes?’

‘They’re in a shopping bag in Coach Eight.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘So tell me, why are you so eager to volunteer?’

‘Because they’re only children. Because they’ve just lost their mother, they’re very frightened, and I don’t want any harm to come to them.’

‘And are you a mother?’ Laszlo’s expression was still sceptical.

Delphine felt her mouth go dry. She shook her head.

Laszlo continued the interrogation as Sambor grabbed her arm. ‘Then why do you travel with children’s clothes?’

‘Because I am—’ She corrected herself. ‘Because I was going to Paris to see my sister. They are gifts for my niece and nephew.’

He continued to study her face. A vein began to throb in her temple.

He took an agonizingly long time to reply. ‘Very well, then. You have more courage than the rest of these cattle.’ He gestured at the people around her.

Sambor’s hand tightened on her elbow as he pushed her towards one of the armed guards stationed at the end of the carriage. ‘Go with her.’ His breath smelt of overcooked cabbage. ‘And don’t let her out of your sight.’

As she passed the next window, Delphine risked another glance outside, but Tom had already disappeared back into the darkness.