“So what do we do now7” Bell demanded. “This blows everything.” “No, I don’t agree,” Keogh said. “He wants to see the affair go through because he wants the rest of his money.” “That makes sense.” Ryan nodded.
“I’d say he was simply sniffing around to find ou more.” “Which means he’s a shifty swine,” Kathleen put in.
“Who knows more than he did if he overheard our discussion.” Kgh pulled on his reefer coat.
“Where are you going?” Ryan demande;’ “Back to the Irish Rose.” Keogh tooi- out his Walther and checked it. “I’m going to do some sniffing around myself.” I’ll come with you,” Ryan told him.
“No need, I can handle it.” Keogh smiled. “After all, that’s what you’re paying me for.” As he turned for the door, Kathleen Ryan sa, id, “Take care, Martin.” “Ah, but I always do, girl dear.” He smiled and went out; there was the sound of the yard gate opening and closing, and he was gone. · IT WAS RAINING AGAIN AS KEOGH PAID OFF THE taxi and turned along Cable Wharfe. It was a place of shadows, a touch of fog in the air. He kept to those shadows by the old disused warehouses and paused when he was close to the gangway. There was no sign of life. He thought about it for a While, then decided to take a chance and darted across to the stern of the ferry which at that point was lower than the wharf.
He dropped down to the deck, paused for a moment, then moved through the darkness to where the central section and the wheelhouse reared into the night. There was a light up there. Keogh went up an iron ladder to the lauding below the wheelhouse, then approached, crouching. He could hear voices, smell cigarette smoke. They were all in there, Tully and his crew. Keogh stood, protected by a life raft, and listened.
— He heard the man Dolan say, “Gold? Are you kidding us, Frank?”.
“No. I’m bloody not. The truck that we pick up at Marsh End will be loaded with the stuff. They’re going to knock it off on its way to the smelters in Bar-row-inFurness.” “But who are they?” Dolan demanded.
“Well, they’re Irish, that’s for certain. I’d have said IRA, but I don’t think so.” “Why not?” “Two things. Our destination, Kilalla. That’s Ulster, not the Republic. Another thing. The William and Mary in Kilbum. That’s a Prod pub, not Catholic.
I think they’re probably the other side.” “Loyalists?” Dolan asked.
“Same difference as far as I’m concerned,” Tully told him. “I couldn’t care less which side they’re on.
All I’m interested in is that gold.”
There was a stirring amongst the crew. Dolan said, “You mean we’re going to knock it off?.”
“Who knows?” Tully laughed. “After all, lads, anything can happen at sea, but let’s get moving. Prepare to cast off. We’ve only got two days to get up there.”
Keogh crouched behind the life raft as the crew emerged and descended io the deck. He stayed there thinking about it, then stood up and moved to the wheelhouse door. TULLY, LEANING OVER THE TABLE, WAS AWARE of a small wind that lifted the chart for the Cumbrian coast a little. He looked up and found Keogh ‘laning against the door lighting a cigarette.
“As they used to say in those old Agatha Christie plays, all is revealed. I was outside, old son, and I heard your little speech to that motley crew of yours.” Tully tried to open a door and Keogh’s hand came out of his pocket holding the Walther. “Don’t be stupid.”
Tully glowered at him. “What do you want?”
“Well, I know you were at the William and Mary.
By rights I should put a bullet between your eyes, but I’ll settle for the fifty thousand pounds Ryan gave you earlier.” “You can go to hell.” Keogh raised the Walther and fired. There was the usual dull cough and the lobe of Tully’s right ear disintegrated. He cried out sharply and clutched at the ear, blood spurting.
“That was for starters,” Keogh said. “Come on, the envelope.” Tully got the drawer open with his free hand, took out the envelope, and tossed it over. Keogh put it in his pocket. Tully took a handkerchief from his pocket and held it to his ear.