“But why?” Dillon said.
“Sean, lad, I’m too old. I’d only be a hindrance if the bullets start flying, so you’re on your own now.
Only one thing I can do, which is to offer sound advice. You’ve a gun in your pocket. In a search Barry would find that,easy enough. Then he’d check your back because he knows you favor that position.
He’ll find the other Waither. That should satisfy him, give you a chance of getting away With the ankle gun.” Devlin smiled. “I mean, thisis all supposition.
Maybe Barry won’t have the chance of turning you over, but who knows?”
“God bless you, Liam, you’re the beSt,” Dillon said.
“Give them hell, Sean,” Liam Devlin said. “Now get on with you. I’ll phone Ferguson and bring him up to date.” IT WAS FOUR O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND Hannah Bernstein was sleeping fitfully on the Sofa in the small parlour at the back of the Loyalist. There were security bars on the window and Stringer had loked her in. She came awake to the sound of a z8o
vehicle drawing up in the yard. She sat up and listened to the sound of voices. After a while, the door opened and Stringer led the way in.
They were all there, Ban-y, Sollazo, Mori, and Kathleen, who looked pale and subdued from much weeping.
Stringer took Hannah’s Walther from his pocket and gave it to Barry. “This was in her shoulder bag.”
Ban7 weighed it in his hand, then put it in his pocket. “So, Chief Inspector Hannah Bemstein, and
you work for that old dog Charlie Ferguson?'”
“If you say so.”
“Oh, but I do. Careless of you making a telephone call like that with a nosey one like Kevin in the office to listen in.”
“We all make mistakes?
“You mentioned Devlin and Scan Dillon7 We can expect them nosing around, can weT”
“Look, Mr. Barry, it’s over, can’t you see hat?
American Intelligence is on to Mr. Sollazo he and at a White House level.”
“That’s a lie,” Sol!azo said. “They can’t be.” “They know everything. How do you think Brig, adler Ferguson came into the picture? She shook her head. “There’s no way either the White House or Downing Street will stand by and see that bullion fall into the wrong hands. You see, Mr. Barry, Sollazo is in this for greed, but not you. With those kind of resources, the Provisional IRA could keep going forever if it needed to.”
“Shoot the bitch,” Kathleen Ryan said dully. “I can take care of it,” Mori said.
Barry shook his head. “She could still be useful as some kind of hostage.” He shook his head. “Fancy that old fox Liam Devlin making a fool of me, but why? Why Liam?” “Peace, Mr. Barry, it’s very fashionable these days,” Hannah told him. “And most people want it.” “To hell with polite conversation,” Sollazo said. “What happens now?” “Maybe we should get the hell out of here while we can,” Mod said.
Barry shook his head. “My hunch is that Ferguson sent the Chief Inspector here and Dillon on a fishing expedition with Devlin supplying the local expertise. No Garda, no RUC, not at this stage. All they wanted was to know where the Irish Rose is lying. Once Fer-guson knows that, then it would be a job for a Royal Navy salvage team.” “We’ve had it anyway,” Sollazo said bitterly. “They know where we are.” “Yes, but they still don’t know where the Irish Rose is.
I say we go out at dawn and make the dive anyway. Dammit man, if that gold is reachable we could raise a few bars and be on our way. A mil-lion–two million–for a morning’s work.” And suddenly Sollazo smiled. “What the hell, why not? I’ve been taking chances all my life. Too late m stop now, but what about Dillon and this guy Dev-lin?” “Liam Devlin was the best in the business once,
but he’s eighty-five years of age. Dillon’s the hard
“Not to me he isn’t,” Mori said.
“Well, it would make an interesting encounter, but no need. The Chief Inspector’ makes a very satisfactory hostage if Dillon and Devlin turn up.” He turned to Stringer. “Right, Kevin, an early breakfast and we’ll leave at dawn. You’ll hold the fort here?”