Skinner's festival

81

'Andy, son, they'll kill her, whatever. You know that. This Mr Black won't leave her alive to identify him. He'll realise that if he does, it'll be too easy for me to find him. And when I do find him, I'll find his paymaster – his bloody client. Oh, believe me, Andy, I'll find him anyway, but unless we do it by tomorrow night, we'll be too late to help Alex.'

Sarah had joined them in Skinner's office. She sat beside Bob.on one of the low, cushioned seats, shocked and red-eyed, sipping! coffee.

Martin looked back at Skinner. He had no answer, for he knew the inescapable truth of what Skinner had said.

Bob pushed himself up from the seat, pounding fist into palm in a gesture of pure frustration. 'We don't know where she is, boys, and we haven't a clue how to find her. Oh, my lass. My poor, poor lass. Where in God's name are you?' As he cried out, he linked his fingers together, and covered his eyes with his hands, Martin and Arrow gazed, helpless and silent, at his back androunded shoulders. But Sarah rose quietly from her chair and crossed to him, taking him in her arms, cradling his bowed headagainst hers. They stood like that for a time, motionless. Then, slowly, steadily, Skinner's shoulders straightened, and his hands left his face. He now stood erect again, and it was almost as if Martin and Arrow were looking at a stranger. The man they saw – Skinner but not Skinner – touched them both, tough as they were, with sudden alarm. Distress and despair had been put aside and replaced by hope, the light of which gleamed cold and savage in his eyes.

'There's someone who does know, boys, or who'd better know.

And he's lying in the Simpson!' The voice was little more than a whisper.

He eased himself out of Sarah's arms and started for the door, but Adam Arrow stopped him, and, using all his strength, heldhim back.

'Bob. Bob. Listen to me. Bob.'

Skinner looked down at him, still with that awful cold look. •Man,' said Arrow quietly, making an effort at a reassuring smile, 'if you went near that man just now, the first time he said "No''' to you, you'd rip 'is fookin' head off and piss down his fookin' neck. He's got to be handled gentle if he's to tell us anything that'U help Alex. So you stay here with Sarah. Leave him to me I'll talk to him, reasonable like. You know what I mean. If he does know anything, I'll get it out of him better than you could.'

His smile would have calmed the wildest beast – which, for a moment, Skinner had seemed to be.