“It’s kosher enough for me to promise to blow your fucking head off if you try anything on the trip
to Kilalla. Do you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Good, we’ll be off now and you be ready to leave at the approRriate time.”
He went down the ladder followed by Keogh and then crossed to the rail and dropped down to the jetty.
“What do you think?” Keogh asked.
‘”Oh, they’ll try to cut our throats halfway across.” “And doesn’t that bother you.’
“Why should it? That’s why I have you along, Keogh.” DOLAN SAID, “WHO WAS THAT BLOODY GREAT ape, King Kong?”
“I don’t know,” Tully replied and lnassaged his neck. “I thought I was on the way out.”
“So what happens now?” Fox demanded.
“We wait. We do as we’re told. Just remember one thing. When we put to sea, King Kong won’t be along for the ride. The boot will be on the other foot then.”
JUST BEFORE THREE, KEOGH STOOD BESIDE THE Montesa in the barn and pulled on the biker’s leather jacket. He lifted the dark cord slacks he was wearing above the fight ankle and strapped the Walther into place. He slipped the silenced version into the back of his waistband under the jacket and was ready to go.
Kathleen was wearing a denim jacket and jeans and she carried the Colt.25 in an inside pocket. Ryan inspected the inside of the weaponry case, then snapped it shut and ‘ut it in the back of the Ford.
He turned to them, embracing Mary Power, then took Benny’s hand. “We’re going now, Benny, you understand?” Benny nodded eagerly. “Yes,’Uncle Michael.” “You do as Aunty]lary tells you.” “Yes, Uncle Michael.” “You’re a good lad.” Michael Ryan turned to Kathleen and Keogh. “Time to go then, the moment of truth.”
AND IT WAS JUST LIKE THE TEST RUNS, KEOGH toldhimself, trailing the Ford on the Montesa and the damn rain. Didn’t it ever stop up here? The Ford pulled into the lay-by, he swerved to one side and halted. Ryan was round the back of the Ford, the door wide and opening the big case. He took out one of the AK assault rifles, stock folded, came across, un-
zipped Keogh’s leather jacket, and shoved it inside.
“On your way, boy.” Keogh gunned the engine, reaching eighty in fifteen seconds, arriving at the junction in three minutes.
He pulled in and waited.
WHEN THE GREEN AND WHITE TRANSPORTER with Shelby Meat Importers on the side drove by so exactly the same as the replica, it had a dreamlike quality to it as if it was not really happening, and he hurriedly switched on his radio.
“Eagle One to Eagle Two. Target on course.” There was a pause and then a crackle. “Eagle Two ‘ message received. Come home.” Keogh put the radio away, gunned his engine, and went after the track fast. For a few seconds he trailed it, then pulled out to overtake, one arm raised in salutation, went round a bend ahead, and disappeared.
“Crazy bastard,” the transporter driver said to the two security guards sitting in the catin behind him.
They wore blue serge suits, for uniforms would have given the game away, but each man carried a Browning in a shoulder holster.
“Probably kill himself one of these days,” one of them said. “Guys like that usually do.” “Well, that’s his business,” his friend told him, “so let’s have a cup of coffee.” He opened a Thermos and somewhere up ahead there was the muffled sound of an explosion and smoke lifted into the air.
“Jesus, what’s that?” the driver demanded and they went round the corner leading to the junction. KEOGH SWERVED INTO AN OPEN FIELD GATE, GOT Off the motorcycle, and pushed it up on its stand. The suitcase containing the weaponry was on the ground by the wall and he saw Kathleen at the side of the road smearing the false blood on her face as Ryan ran to the back of the Ford. A noment later there was a muffled explosion and flames flickered around the vehicle. A larger explosion followed as he ran, and black smoke lifted into the sky.