Bright Angel (19 page)

‘We've only got Radic's word it really is your uncle in charge of that scam ring,' I say, as Gabriel comes back towards me, beaming with one of the full glasses in his hand. ‘Thank you, darling.' I take the glass and drain the water, suddenly realising how thirsty I was. Gabriel beams again and goes back for the second glass. ‘And anyway, even if it's true, Radic has no right to do what he's done. If he has a beef against your uncle, why hasn't he taken it up with him? You and Gabriel – you're soft targets. It's cowardly. He's a lunatic. Violent too. Remember how Pilar was put in a coma? And Mick. I'm sure he's done something to Mick, too–' I explained quickly what had happened that night.

‘Poor Mick,' he says, soberly. ‘I'm sorry about him, too. Poor fellow, he was dragged into something he shouldn't have been.'

I bite my lip. ‘But Radic won't give up, Daniel. I'm sure he won't. You've got to get your uncle to talk to him.'

‘I can't. Not if he intends to kill him.'

‘I'm not sure he does,' I say, hurriedly, mentally crossing my fingers. ‘I think he wants – he wants to confront your uncle with stuff. Make him admit his guilt in Thomas' death. Put it on record.'

Daniel shakes his head. ‘Uncle Ben won't do that. He's much too cunning. He'd never stand and admit it if he knew it was going to be used against him in court.'

An idea jumps into my head. ‘But what if we could get Radic to promise it wouldn't? I think most of all he wants an admission from your uncle.' More mental crossing of fingers. ‘We could work out a place where they could meet – like a safe place where Radic can't touch him – and we could be there as witnesses – and maybe then your uncle could offer compensation or something – maybe – maybe it might work?'

Gabriel comes back with Daniel's glass. Daniel drains it in one gulp. He says, quietly, ‘Sylvie, you're amazing. But do you really – are you sure it would work?'

I shake my head. ‘No. I'm not sure. But it's worth a try. Will you let me put it to Radic?'

He looks at me for a long moment, then he nods, slowly.

He was sitting smoking at the table in the other room, Freddy's laptop open in front of him. He looked up when I nervously came in. ‘So?'

Over his shoulder, I could see he had one of Freddy's files open. A word document. A chapter in her book, probably. I could see the title, in bold:
Betrayal of a king.

He saw the direction of my glance, and smiled. ‘Just passing the time while you sweet-talked him. It's not bad. He's a writer, the owner of this thing?'

‘She,' I said, automatically. ‘My aunt Freddy.'

‘Strange name for a woman,' he observed. I just stared at him. He had a nerve, going on as if we were just having a pleasant chitchat. Poking into Freddy's private files. Turning all our lives upside down for his one-eyed vengeance. I felt a moment of intense, flaming hatred for him.

‘So. Old King Herod was betrayed and exiled to St-Bertrand, eh? Never knew that. Ancient history, though, eh?' he went on. ‘Never much been one for that stuff. Give me the present any day.' He put the computer lid down. ‘So what do you have to tell me?'

I took a deep breath. ‘He's agreed to call his uncle.'

He laughed. ‘Well done, mate! A woman's touch, eh? Should have tried it from the beginning.'

‘There's a condition,' I said, between gritted teeth, trying to stop my fists from clenching.

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Condition? He's in no position to set conditions.'

The fury welled in me like a red wave. I battled to keep control. ‘It's a simple one, Mr Radic. Daniel just asks if you will agree to not using what Mr Udo tells you to bring legal action against him.'

‘I see.'

‘And that you agree to meet his uncle in a safe place – unarmed – with – with us as witnesses–' My courage is rapidly failing me now, under the cool pale glance–' and that if you do this, he will speak to his uncle and–'

‘Not as witnesses,' he said. ‘As living surety against Udo's weaselling out of what I want. Agreed?'

I swallowed. ‘Agreed.'

‘I'll have my own witness with me. Steve.'

‘Then you agree?' I could hardly believe it had been so easy.

He shrugged. ‘Sure.'

‘You won't bring what Udo says to court?'

‘You already know what I think of the justice system,' he said, with a small smile. ‘How should I care if it goes before the courts or not, as long as I get my own justice?'

‘Mr Radic – you won't – you agreed to come unarmed.'

‘Yep. No worries,' he said, lightly. ‘Long as he does, too.'

‘I'll make sure Daniel tells him.'

‘Good girl.'

I felt uneasy. There was something in his tone – a flippancy, a cheerfulness – which felt quite out of place. What was he playing at? I said, ‘You agree to meet him in a safe place?'

He laughed. ‘Sure. Where do you suggest?'

I stared at him. ‘Me?'

‘Why not? You're the one with the bright ideas, aren't you?'

I felt more and more uneasy. ‘I – I don't know. I can't–' And then, into my mind came a sudden picture. I don't know how to explain it, but it felt like it came to me from somewhere outside myself – and yet inside, too, in a flash of light. I said, ‘The cathedral. In St-Bertrand.'

He was silent for an instant. Then in a changed tone, he said, ‘You're a girl of surprises, aren't you? So. The cathedral. A sacred place. A refuge and a haven from earthly justice. Where blood must not be spilt, eh?'

I nodded. He searched my face. What he found seemed to satisfy him, for he shrugged and said, ‘Very well. The cathedral it will be. But I will choose the time.' He smiled. ‘You have a sense of drama, Sylvie Mandon, and so I will gratify it. Tell your boyfriend he's to tell Udo to meet me at midnight tomorrow night in the cathedral, under the stuffed crocodile on the wall. Kind of neat, don't you think – a live African predator under the eyes of a dead one?'

I stared at him, the unease roaring into full-blown fear at the predatory glitter in his eyes. I faltered, ‘Please, Mr Radic, you promised.'

‘That I'd meet Benedict Udo, unarmed, at midnight tomorrow night in the cathedral of St-Bertrand. That I would ask him to explain himself, to admit his guilt in Tom's death.'

‘Daniel said he might make reparations,' I stammered.

Something flickered in his eyes. ‘We'll see. What else? Oh yes. That I promise not to bring legal action against him.'

‘And that you'll release Daniel and Gabriel without harm,' I said, nervously aware there was something very odd about the way he was acting, but unable to get my head around it in these circumstances.

‘That too. But you've forgotten about yourself, mate. Do you want to stay with me, then?'

I looked at him with horror. He laughed. ‘Don't worry. I have no intention of keeping you, though I suppose Steve might think differently. He has an eye for a pretty girl.' He ignored my recoil and went on. ‘Now we're agreed, I think there's no time to waste.' He took a mobile from his pocket. ‘The boy can call him right away. I'll put it on speaker-phone. Then I'll hear everything Udo says and there can be no tricks.' I made as if to follow him, but he stopped me. ‘No. You can stay here. I don't want any tricks from you either.'

‘But I won't–'

‘You'll do as you're told. I'll send the child in to you. Best if the boy doesn't have any distractions of any kind.' He went out to the other room. An instant later Gabriel came in, looking frightened. I sat on the bed with him and put my arm around him. He hid his head in my shoulder. Radic closed the door behind him and locked it.

‘What's the man going to do to Daniel, Sylvie?' Gabriel whispered, his voice trembling.

‘Nothing, Gabriel. He won't hurt him. It's all right. Daniel just has to make a phone call.'

‘To Uncle Ben?'

I nodded.

‘Is he going to hurt Uncle Ben?'

‘No, no, of course not,' I said, with false cheerfulness. ‘He just wants to speak to him.'

‘I don't like that man,' said Gabriel.

‘No,' I said. ‘I don't either.'

‘I tried to see his angel, but I couldn't,' said Gabriel. ‘I do not think she is there. There is no light around him.'

‘Really?' I said, disconcerted and unsure what else to say.

He nodded, seriously, and surprised me yet again. ‘I don't like him but it must be sad for him to be alone like that, always. I think it would be terrible, don't you?'

I hugged him, tight. ‘Yes. You're right.'

‘He is like Uncle Ben,' he said softly. ‘Uncle Ben has chased his angel away, I think. Or maybe she is hiding and he doesn't know where.'

‘Maybe,' I said, gently. We all have our ways of coping with stuff, I thought. Who's to say Gabriel's way wasn't right?

Suddenly, I heard a sound from next door. An unfamiliar, very deep, even rumbling voice. Udo's on the speaker-phone, I thought. Daniel must have got through to him. I said, ‘Gabriel, I just want to go and listen at the door – do you want to come with me?'

He shook his head, silently.

‘You don't mind if I do, though?'

‘No,' he said, very quietly. He looked very small and vulnerable, sitting there by himself, and I felt my heart turn over. He was such a brave little kid, I thought. So brave.

I put my ear to the door. I couldn't hear every word, but some. I heard Udo say, ‘Thank God, we've been so worried–' and then an indistinguishable murmur from Daniel, and a roar from Udo that anyone could have heard clearly, ‘What the hell!' Then a long, fast murmur from Daniel, which I strained to listen to but could only catch a few words –
St-Bertrand – guarantee safety – please, Uncle.
Then a rumble from Udo, much softer this time, so I couldn't catch what he said. But his tone was different – hard, with a hint of menace – and I trembled, thinking of the dreadful position Daniel was in. If Udo was really a secret lord of crime hiding under a mask of respectability – then he hadn't reached that status without foxy cunning – and violence. He'd operate by different rules from those in the daylight world. But Radic did too. He had risked big, and it wasn't just to talk to Udo face to face, I knew that for sure. He didn't need what people called ‘closure'. He didn't want reparations or even justice. He wanted revenge. And that could only be the betrayal and destruction of the underworld king.

Radic came back into the room, the mobile in his hand. His face was alight. I faltered, ‘Did you – did Mr Udo agree to–.'

‘Of course he did. It's all on.' He looked at me. ‘Thanks to you.'

I swallowed. Looking at the nasty glitter in his eyes, the broad, unpleasant smile on his face, I felt like I'd been made his accomplice. It wasn't a nice feeling. ‘Mr Radic, I'd like to speak to Daniel–' I croaked.

‘Sure. In you go. And because you're such a good girl,' he went on, with an ugly twinkle, ‘I'm going to let you three stay together while I get Steve. I'm going to have to lock you in of course – but I'll leave you some food and water. You'll have a real cosy time.' He saw my glance at the mobile and read the sudden hope that had risen in me. ‘Don't think they'll track my position with this.' His eyes on me, he prised open the phone and took out the SIM card. ‘They won't have had time while your friend was on the line and I'm getting rid of the card down the bottom of the river. And don't worry, I've got others. Steve's a bit of a whiz with that sort of thing.' He laughed. ‘Everything's falling into place. Good, eh?'

I said nothing. Taking Gabriel's hand, I went past Radic and into the room where Daniel sat on the bed, staring into space. Behind us, Radic closed and locked the door. An instant later, I heard the outer door slam and the rattle of the key in that lock too. We were well and truly shut in.

‘Oh God,' said Daniel, very low, as we came in, ‘I feel so bad.'

‘I know,' I said, sitting on the bed beside him, while Gabriel clambered onto his lap and threw his arms around his neck. ‘You're not bad, Danny,' the little boy said, seriously. ‘You're never bad.'

Over his head, Daniel threw me a wry glance. ‘I wish that was true, Gabriel.'

‘I want to go home, Danny. I'm so tired,' said the little boy, closing his eyes.

‘I know,' said Daniel, holding him tight. ‘I know, Gabriel. I wish I could take you home right now.'

‘It's good Sylvie's here with us,' said Gabriel, drowsily. ‘Isn't it, Danny?'

‘Yes,' said Daniel, very gently, turning his head to look at me. Our eyes met, and my insides suddenly felt warm and liquid and sweet. I said, hoarsely, leaning up against Daniel and stroking Gabriel's arm, ‘I'm really glad to be with you too. I'm so glad, even here.'

His eyes still on me, Daniel whispered, ‘You go to sleep now, Gabriel, and when you wake up, we'll start on our way home, okay?'

‘Okay,' said the child sleepily, and in a very short while, his breathing got longer, more regular. Soon, he was asleep.

Gently, without waking him, Daniel put him down on the opposite bed, and put a blanket over him. He said, ‘Poor Gabriel, he's usually such a good sleeper but he's hardly slept at all tonight, or the night before, when he was alone–' He made a harsh gesture. ‘I can hardly bear to think of what it was like for him – snatched violently away – frightened and alone.' His dark gaze hardened. ‘When I think about what he's been through–'

‘Yes,' I said, putting an arm around him. ‘I know.'

He clenched his fists. ‘How could people do that to a child? How could they? What has he done?'

‘Nothing,' I said quietly. ‘People like that, they don't care. They only think of themselves. Of their feelings. Everyone else is like, like something in a computer game that you have to destroy or get around.' I took a deep breath. ‘We can't let them get away with it, Daniel. We can't wait till the rendezvous, cos God knows if he's really going to let us go. We've got to get out of here.'

Daniel looked quickly at me. ‘But it's impossible, Sylvie. I had a good look around when he first brought me here. We're locked in. The window's barred. The walls are thick. There are no trapdoors. Nothing.'

‘What about the bathroom?'

‘It's tiny. There's a fan set into a ventilation space but it's far too small even for Gabriel to squeeze through.'

‘Maybe we could try to pick the lock.'

‘What with, for God's sake?'

‘I don't know–' I jumped up and looked around the room, thinking of all the stuff I'd read about and seen on shows when people escaped from situations like this. Think like Houdini. What might he have done? How would he have got out of this tight spot? But there was nothing I could see, at least nothing obvious to my non-Houdini eyes. No handy files. No knives. No coathangers. Not even a paperclip or a hairpin. I went into the bathroom, which was just as Daniel said, tiny. A loo, with a narrow shower next to it. A towel. Loo paper. Nothing sharp or long or metal. And the space where the fan was, just as he said, far too small for anyone, even someone as small as Gabriel, to get through – that is if first you managed to pull the fan out.

I went back out. I said, ‘I can't see anything obvious. But we need to think a bit more about how we can get out of here. We've got a chance, while Radic has gone to meet that Steve guy.'

‘Yes, but we don't know how long he'll be gone. We don't know where Steve is. He could be nearby, on this property, even.'

‘I don't think so,' I said slowly. ‘Radic talked about going to get him – and leaving us some food and water. That means he's going to be away a while. He also said he was chucking his SIM card into the river.' I broke off. ‘Hey, Daniel, is there a river near St-Bertrand?'

‘Yes. The Garonne,' said Daniel. ‘It's about two kilometres from the town.'

‘Well, at least we might have an idea now roughly where we are. Somewhere not all that far from the river.'

‘It's a big long river,' said Daniel, sighing. ‘This could be anywhere on it, hundreds of kilometres from St-Bertrand. That is, if it's even the Garonne he was talking about.'

‘True,' I said, feeling a bit dashed.

‘I tried to work out where I was too when I woke up in here,' said Daniel. ‘I had a look through the window but it didn't tell me much, only that we're in the country.'

‘Yes,' I said, sadly. ‘I saw that too. I did see a bit of the layout down here when he was bringing me along to you – I reckon we're under a big sort of place, there's like this warren of rooms – I was in a cellar before, it was full of wine, but I didn't see any stairs or anything. It's like we're in this underground bunker, like something out of a war movie.'

‘Maybe we are,' he said, his eyes suddenly lighting up. ‘Maybe it was once used as a safe house or hiding place or something. In the Second World War, Resistance fighters who were fighting the Germans sometimes had refuges like this – castles, too, in the old days – they had escape routes, underground safe houses – cellars and dungeons.'

‘It could be under a castle,' I said. ‘It looks big enough. The passage just went on and on.' I was thinking hard, reviewing in my head everything I'd seen. ‘This room, we know, opens on to the room beyond, which opens on to the passageway. But I wonder what the bathroom backs on to? Another room, do you think? Anyway, I suppose it doesn't really matter, we'd need to be able to get into it and like you said, the fan-space is too small. We could stand on the loo, pull the fan out anyway and see if we could make the space bigger, maybe.'

Daniel gave a sharp exclamation. ‘My God! I didn't think of that!'

‘Think of what?' But he had already got up and rushed over to the bathroom. I followed him, puzzled. He was standing staring at the loo. ‘It's not that good an idea,' I said, ‘I don't think it's worthwhile–'

‘The toilet cistern,' he said, pointing. There was a strange, breathless tone to his voice. ‘The bit with the water supply in it. Look at the wall just behind it. Not where the rest of the loo is, but just above, where the cistern is.'

I looked, and didn't understand. ‘I don't get it.'

‘The cistern's been fitted to a plaster wall,' said Daniel, excitedly. ‘Don't you see? Before, I had only thought about how to get outside – and how impossible that was. But if this bathroom backs onto another room or even the passageway, we might possibly be able to get out that way. And plaster's much easier to get through than stone.'

At that moment, we heard the room door rattling.

‘Quick,' said Daniel, ‘back in, shut the door. Here, get in my arms.'

An instant later, the door opened and Radic came in. We sprang apart, as if he'd surprised us kissing. He grinned. ‘Well, pardon me for interrupting,' he said, putting a bulging plastic bag on the table. ‘Just bringing your supplies. Enjoy.' He looked across at Gabriel, peacefully asleep. ‘Hey, the kid's got the right idea. Makes the time pass quicker. But I'm sure you two lovebirds have got an even better idea, eh?'

We made no response, and didn't look at him. He didn't seem to care. Laughing, he went out again, shutting and locking the door behind him.