Take Two

CHAPTER 56

Richards took both glasses into the galley and washed them clean. The drug he’d used would keep her out for six or seven hours. He poured the rest of the wine into the sink and put the bottle in the trash. There was a storage area in the stern and inside was a black metal trunk, about five feet by three feet by two feet. He carried it through into the main cabin. Carolyn was snoring softly. He picked her up and placed her in the trunk, put her bag by her feet and then closed the lid. He looked around the room and spotted her coat. He picked it up and opened the trunk again. He stood looking down at her. She looked so peaceful, like a small child. Her hair had fallen across her face and it moved each time she exhaled. ‘I’m sorry, honey,’ he said, ‘but this has to be done. I wish there was some other way.’ He draped her coat over and closed the lid. He took a deep breath. There was a part of him that wanted to take her out of the trunk and pretend she’d never been drugged, take her to a restaurant and enjoy her company and then, eventually, take her to bed. But she had seen him kill Nicholas Cohen, he was sure of that. He’d seen the look in her eyes when she’d spotted the crystal dolphin. She’d disguised her reaction quickly, she was one hell of an actress, but there was no doubt she’d recognised it. And that meant he could never relax so long as she was alive. He took another deep breath and headed for the stern.

He waited until he was back at the car before phoning Halpin. ‘It’s all in hand,’ he said. ‘Where are you?’

‘About half an hour away,’ said Halpin.

‘Okay, I’m going to head to the club. I’ll be there all night. You take the boat out, dump her when it’s dark.’

‘Consider it done,’ said Halpin.

Richards ended the call, climbed into his Porsche and drove to central London.