Devlin picked up the case, put it on the table and opened it. He pushed the clothes out of the way, ran a ringer round the bottom and pulled out the lining revealing the money he had carried in there. He took out a bundle of white five-pound notes and laid them on the table. ‘A thousand pounds, Michael.’
Ryan ran his fingers through his hair. ‘My God, Liam, what can I say?’
The girl put plates of egg and bacon in front of each of them. ‘You should be ashamed to take a penny piece after the stories you’ve told me about Mr Devlin. You should be happy to do it for nothing.’
‘Oh, what it is to be young.’ Devlin put an arm about her waist. ‘If only life were like that, but hang on to your dreams, girl.’ He turned to Ryan. ‘Well Michael?’
‘Christ, Liam, you only live once, but to show I’m a weak man, I’ll take the thousand quid!’
‘First things first. Do you happen to have a gun about the place?’
‘A Luger pistol from before the war under the floorboards in my bedroom. Must have been there five years and the ammunition to go with it.’
‘I’ll check it over. Is it convenient for me to stay here? It won’t be for long.’
‘Fine. We’ve plenty of room.’
‘Transport. I saw your black cab outside. Is that it?’
‘No, I have a Ford van in the shed. I only use it now and then. It’s the petrol situation, you see.’
That’s fine. I’ll use your phone now if I may.’
‘Help yourself.’
Devlin closed the door and stood alone at the telephone. He rang directory enquiries and asked for the telephone number for Shaw Place. There was a delay of two or three minutes only and then the girl gave him the number and he wrote it down. He sat on a chair beside the phone, thinking about it for a while, then picked it up, dialled the operator and gave her the number.
After a while the phone was picked up at the other end and a woman’s voice said, ‘Charbury three-one-four.’
‘Would Sir Maxwell Shaw be at home?’
‘No, he isn’t. Who is this?’
Devlin decided to take a chance. Remembering from the file that she had reverted to using her maiden name years ago, he said, ‘Would that be Miss Lavinia Shaw?’
‘Yes it is. Who are you?’
Devlin said, ‘Does the Falcon still wait? It is now time to strike.’
The effect was immediate and dramatic. ‘Oh, my God!’ Lavinia Shaw said and then there was silence.
Devlin waited for a moment, then said, ‘Are you there, Miss Shaw?’
‘Yes, I’m here.’
‘I must see you and your brother as soon as possible. It’s urgent.’
She said, ‘My brother’s in London. He had to see his solicitor. He’s staying at the Army and Navy Club. He told me he’d have lunch there and catch the train back this afternoon.’
‘Excellent. Get in touch with him and tell him to expect me. Let’s say two o’clock. Conlon – Major Harry Conlon.’
There was a pause. She said, ‘Is it coming?’
‘Is what coming, Miss Shaw?’
‘You know _ the invasion.’
He stifled a strong desire to laugh. ‘We’ll speak again I’m sure after I’ve seen your brother.’
He went back to the kitchen where Ryan still sat at the table. The girl, washing dishes at the sink, said, ‘Is everything all right?’
‘Fine,’ he said. ‘Every journey needs a first step.’ He picked up his case. ‘If you could show me my room. I need to change.’
She took him upstairs, led him into a back bedroom overlooking the river. Devlin unpacked his case, laid the uniform out on the bed. The Smith & Wesson he slipped under the mattress with the webbing belt and holster together with an ankle holster in leather which he also took from the case. He found the bathroom at the end of the corridor, had a quick shave and brushed his hair, then returned to the bedroom and changed.
He went downstairs fifteen minutes later resplendent in his uniform. ‘Jesus, Liam, I never thought I’d see the day,’ Ryan said.