As THEY WALKED BACK ALONG THE JETTY, KEOGH said, “Reid can’t touch you on-ce you’re back home with that transporter. All right, maybe your Army Council don’t like people going their own way and acting without orders, but you’ll be a bloody hero to them. They’ll welcome you with open arms when they hear about the bullion.” “Let’s hope so. It’s Reid I’m concerned about. Unless I miss my guess, he’d like to have it all for him-selL” “Well;fuck him,” Kathleen said angrily.
“You mind your tongue, girl,” Ryan told her.
“But if he doesn’t know about Kilalla, he isn’t a threat,” Keogh said.
“Not when we land, but later.” Ryan shrugged.
“Who knows7 Anyway, ‘let’s go back to the farm.
I’ve got the Land Rover at th cottage.”
MARY POWER PROVIDED A SIMPLE MEAL AT ONE o’clock, vegetable soup, a cheese salad, and the inevitable tea. Afterwards, as she cleared the table, she said to Benny, “Mind your chores now. The sheep in the north meadow need seeing to.” He nodded eagerly, got his cap, and went out. A moment later Keogh, standing at the window, saw him cross the yard, a sack across his shoulders against the rain, the dog at his heels. “He’s a worker, that lad, I’ll say that for him.”
“And in the mind still a child,” she said. “He has to be told everything.”
Ryan finished his tea and stood up. “I want to look at the ambush site again. We’ll go in the Ford van, me and Kathleen. You follow on the Montesa. I’ll give you one of the radios. When we get there, you carry on up the road a mile or two, then contact me.
Use the call sign Eagle One, like I said. I’ll be Eagle Two.”
“Fine by me,” Keogh told him. As THE FORD TURNED INTO THE TRACK TOWARD the road leading down Eskdale, the girl was at the wheel. She glanced at her uncle.
“You know I’n not even licensed’to do this. I’m under age.’ ‘
“And you handling a wheel to the manner born since you were fourteen. I mind that :night when I took a bullet and crashed my car ne.aKilkelly.”
“And you phoned me from a roadside phone box and told me to get the boys to come and get you.”
“And came yourself, you little devil, and in a stolen car.”
“Well, who showed me how to hot-wire a stolen Carg., ,
“I know, and to my shame.” He laughed. “The state I was in when you got there. Soaked to the skin in a stinking ditch, a bullet in the shoulder, and then you crashed through that RUC roadblock.”
“Great days, Uncle Michael.” “Were they?” He lit a cigarette and opened the window. “Sometimes I’m not so certain anymore. I must be getting old.” lie smiled suddenly. “One thing I am sure of. You’re a remarkable girl, Kathleen, and you deserve better. Dammit, you could be an early entrant for the University.” “Oh, hold your tongue,” she toldhim. “I’ve more important things to do with my life.” He sat there thinking about it, and a moment later ‘they reached the junction and pulled in.
K.OC, H rOL/OWED TWO HUND,ED YARDS hind. lie was wearing the biker’s black leatber jacket and the helmet. In spite of the rain, he was enjoying himself, and fle Montesa responded well.
The Ford van turned into a lay-by a few yards from the junction. Keogh raised a clenched fist in greeting and carried on.
RYAN SAT IN THE VAN, THE TWO-WAY RADIO IN his hand, opened the door, and looked out at the lay-by.
“This will do fine. After all, we don’t want to block the road so effectively and this thing burning so that I can’t get by in the transporter.” At that moment Keogh’s voice crackled over the radio, “Eagle Two, this is Eagle One. Are you receiving me?” “Loud and clear,” Ryan said. “Anything to report?” “Nothing but birds, the sea, and this bloody rain.
Can I go now?”
I’ll see you back at the farm. Over and out.” Ryan switched off the radio and smiled at Kathleen.
“I’ve seen enough, girl, so back to Folly’s End it is.”