Revenger

53

They sat in near-silence on the way back in the cab, with just a few fitful bursts of meaningless conversation. When they got to their room Alix rounded on Carver and said, ‘What haven’t you been telling me?’

He put a finger to his lips and made a silent, ‘Shh…’ Then he turned on the TV, switched to a music channel, and turned it up loud. Finally he stood close to Alix and, with the absolute minimum volume required to make himself heard to her said, ‘Can’t be too careful.’

‘So…?’ she asked.

Carver grimaced. On the ride from the restaurant he’d been thinking about two things in particular: how to tell Alix, and what to do next. He’d made a lot more progress on the second than the first. But now that it couldn’t be avoided he gave it to her straight. ‘I was at the riot. Snoopy was tied up in it somehow — not sure exactly how. But I think he was there as some kind of spotter for whoever organized the whole thing.’

‘What do you mean? It was a riot. How do you organize that?’

‘Very carefully, professionally, with cut-outs at every level. The question is: who’s behind it? And there’s one obvious candidate… literally.’

It took a second for the penny to drop. ‘You mean Adams?’ Alix said.

‘Well, who else stands to gain more from a lawless, violent society? He needs that so he can be the strong man who comes in and cleans it all up… which is pretty easy to do if you created it in the first place.’

‘I can see that… But he was surprised and shocked when you told him about it. I don’t think he was faking. I don’t think he had any idea.’

‘I know. I got that feeling too. But what if it wasn’t him doing the planning? What if it’s that shaven-headed guy, Robbie, doing all the dirty work, so that his master keeps his hands clean?’

‘Robbie Bell? That makes sense, I suppose. He didn’t look happy when you started talking about the riot…’ She paused, associating ideas, realizing she’d been ignoring the obvious issue. ‘The riot… what happened?’ She saw something in his face, and there was real worry in her voice as she said, ‘Sam… please… tell me… what happened?’

‘It got out of control. We were in the pub, and I think that was meant to be off-limits. When the rioters piled into the place, Schultz couldn’t believe it. He’d obviously been told he’d be safe there. He wouldn’t have asked me along if he’d thought it would turn nasty. I honestly think he was expecting to have a couple of pints, watch some yobs kicking off, and then go home. Anyway…’ He shook his head and sighed. ‘Then it all went crazy. We ended up under siege in this supermarket place. There was an army of them out in the street and they attacked… and…’

Carver was having a hard time keeping it together.

Alix squeezed his arm and tilted her head so that she was looking directly up into his eyes. ‘It’s all right,’ she murmured. ‘I’m here and I love you.’

He managed a sad smile and then said, ‘Schultz got killed, took a knife to the guts, and I… well… It was the only choice, the only way I could save us all…’

‘What was?’

‘The explosion… I set off the explosion that killed all those people. The whole supermarket was full of them, and…’ Suddenly the girl was back in his head. He could hear her crying, ‘Ricky-y-y-y-y!’

‘They all died,’ he said. ‘Men, women… kids, too… But I swear to God, there wasn’t anything else I could have done.’

She took him in her arms and held him, stroking his back to calm him. She didn’t say, ‘It’s all right,’ because it so obviously wasn’t. But she knew the way Carver’s mind worked, so after a while she asked him, ‘What are you going to do about it?’

‘The only thing I can: find out who did this and deal with it—’

‘For God’s sake, Sam, not more killing… not now.’

‘No, not now… I can’t do that. I’m done with killing. But I can get to the truth, and then… then the police, or the politicians, or whoever’s supposed to be in charge… they can decide what to do.’

‘Then what about us? The police must know Schultz wasn’t alone. They’ll be looking for another man, and it won’t take long to discover that it was you.’

‘I don’t need long. I just need enough time to work this out, and then I’m gone.’

‘Gone? What do you mean?’

‘I mean I’m leaving… and I’m going to make it look like I’m gone for good. I’ve arranged enough accidents for other people. Time I did one for myself…’

‘I’m sorry, I don’t understand.’

‘You said it yourself: the police are going to come after me, and they’re not going to stop; not with the number of people that died tonight. So the further away from me you are, the safer you’ll be. First thing in the morning, you’re getting out of here. Check the news. If it doesn’t look like they know who I am, then get on the first plane back to the States. If they’ve got my face, or my name, then find somewhere you can lie low — an old friend, the US Embassy, anything. You can prove that you had nothing to do with the riot, so the only reason anyone will want you is to get to me. Just stay hidden until that’s not an issue. And it won’t be long: twenty-four hours at the absolute outside, probably a lot less.’

‘So what are you going to do?’

‘It’s best that you don’t know. That way you can’t tell anyone. But don’t be alarmed if you hear that I’m dead, all right? I have to make it look like I’m gone for good, no threat to anyone, no need for the cops to keep looking for me. But you have to believe that I’ll come back… I promise you, it may take a while, months probably… but I will come back to you.’

Alix was about to say something, but she stopped herself.

‘What is it?’ Carver asked.

‘Nothing… it’s not important.’

He knew she was lying. There was something on her mind. But if she didn’t want to tell him there had to be a reason for it, and he trusted her judgement enough not to force the issue. ‘OK… well, I’d better be going. There’s a lead I need to follow up. One of the rioters was wounded, and if he made it then he’ll be in a hospital bed. Tommy’s, most likely. So that’s where I’m going.’

She nodded silently and let go of him. Carver had his iPad in the small canvas bag he’d used as carry-on baggage. He picked it up and they stood there for a moment, several feet apart, feeling awkward, until he broke the silence and the distance between them. Now it was Carver who took Alix in his arms and held her tight to him as he lowered his mouth to hers. They kissed with a fierce intensity, consuming one another, feeding themselves with the sensations that would have to sustain them when they were apart. Finally she pulled away from him, the two of them both breathing heavily, and said, ‘Must you go now? Can’t you stay with me… just for a little while?’

Carver told himself that he was being rational. He’d blown a hole in Curtis’s shoulder. If Curtis had got to hospital at all he’d need an immediate operation, then the recovery time. He wouldn’t even be awake yet. If Carver arrived at the hospital too soon and had to hang around there he was liable to get noticed. People would ask questions. It was a stupid risk.

That was what he told himself. The truth, though, wasn’t rational at all. He wanted one last time with Alix. He needed very badly to feel her skin against his, to be kissing, licking, stroking and fucking until they melted so deep into one another that he could no longer tell where he ended and she began.

And so he said, ‘Yes, just for a little while, I can stay…’