Blood Storm

40

Seated in the passenger seat at the rear of the cab, Tweed was checking maps of the area round where the Parrot lived. He was busily changing several of the positions Newman had suggested for the watchers.

'Told 'im you'd muck about with the sentry posts. Guv,' Harry called back.

'How close are we now?' Tweed called back.

'Five minutes away at the most. Then we're outside the side street where the Parrot 'ibernates. We're in 'Ammersmith already.'

'I want you to cruise round very slowly so I can check up on the team.'

'Parrot's pad is in sight now.'

Tweed peered out. The Parrot's first-floor flat was on the corner of the main street and the side street. It had two windows on the main street side. They were a blaze of lights. He could also for a moment see the windows overlooking the side street. Again the lights behind them were on. The Parrot was at home.

He saw a decrepit-looking individual sweeping the pavement with a broom. The sweeper was tall, was wearing an Australian-style hat with the brim pulled well down. He suddenly realized it was Newman.

Harry crawled so slowly past the end of the side street he was almost stationary. Tweed spotted a down-and-out leaning against a wall opposite the entrance to the Parrot's flat. A beer bottle, held by the neck, was dangling from his left hand.

'That's Pete Nield,' Harry told him.

'And Marler?' Tweed queried.

'Never spot him. Why do you think we call him the Invisible Man?'

'I want to know now where Marler is,' Tweed demanded. 'That is an order, Harry.'

'OK. He's merged in the shadows of the house next door to the entrance to the Parrot's place. No one can enter that building without Marler being within feet of them. So how far do you think an intruder – or a visitor – can get?'

'Thank you, Harry. This means the Parrot's place is sealed off. Which is what I wanted. Now cruise slowly back and forth as though looking for a customer. I'm slumped down out of sight. I'll appear if someone tries to hire you.'

'They won't. I've got the light off, showing I'm busy. I suggest you relax and eat your meal.'

Tweed slowly ate his meal, drank from his water bottle as he kept an eye on the silent streets and thought.

He was going over in detail the reports the team had given him about their interviews. Somewhere there was a clue. No one under pressure of interrogation was able to avoid making a slip at some time.

Then he had an idea. He asked Harry to lend him his mobile, then to turn on the overhead light. From his top pocket Tweed extracted the card General Macomber had tucked into it. He rang the General's phone number. A woman, sounding like a housekeeper, answered quickly. 'General Macomber's residence. Who is this?' 'Tweed of the SIS. I'm sure the General has told you I met him this morning…'

'Yes, sir, he did. I know who you are.'

'Then could I please have a word with the General?'

'I'm afraid not. He left early this afternoon for London. He wasn't able to say when he would be back.'

'Thank you. I may call you tomorrow. Good night.'

Tweed was disturbed. What could the General be doing now, prowling round London? Where? Why? He had dismissed him from his mind after the explosions on Black Island which had destroyed the prisons. Had he misjudged the General?

Benton. He was a strange character. Difficult to understand. Apparently the peacemaker in the Cabal. Apparently? Yet he had revealed an evil temper when ending Nield's interview with him.

Noel. Violent in many ways. The Planner of the whole grim system. Was his mind unbalanced? If so, to what degree?

Nelson. To some extent appeared to have similar views to himself on the present state of Britain. He was controlled and clever. During his recent visit to Park Crescent had he been throwing a smokescreen in Tweed's eyes? To keep him quiet?

The Parrot. Harry was now taking the cab back to the area of her flat. All those lights in her windows began to bother Tweed. Had they been switched on automatically by timers? Was the Parrot actually inside her flat?

At the back of his mind he was being irritated by the playing of a pop song. Louis Armstrong. 'What A Wonderful World.' What a wonderful world…

There flashed back into his restless mind Paula's description of the scene in the room next to the Cabal's HQ. The newspaper folded to the glaring headline on Coral's desk. Her dancing, singing 'What a wonderful world'. The Parrot screaming at her to shut up…

'Harry!' he called out. 'Give me back the mobile.'

He pressed the numbers which would put him through to Monica at Park Crescent.

'Put Paula on the line immediately.'

'She's not here.'

'What?' Tweed went cold.

'Quite a long time ago,' Monica explained, 'she left to join you and the team. But there was something odd about what she did…'

'For Heaven's sake, what was odd?'

'I watched her drive off from the window. I'd expected her to turn left towards Baker Street but instead she turned right to the east. I couldn't understand why she'd-'

'Thank you. I must go now.'

Inside the cab Tweed sat stunned, fearful. But only for a few seconds. From memory he pressed numbers as fast as he could, giving each member of his team the desperately urgent order.

'Emergency! Forget the present assignment. Head as fast as you can, full speed. Emergency! Head for Govern Garden.'