‘It won’t last.’ Rocco knew that these things were never permanent. Sooner or later, another clan would emerge, better prepared, talking tougher, acting more ruthlessly, prepared to do whatever it took to gain control.
‘I know. As soon as the others find where they dropped their couilles, it’ll all go to shit. It’ll be open warfare. We don’t need this.’
Santer was right. Gang conflict was a recipe for disaster. It tied up police time, kept the hospitals busy patching up the victims caught in the crossfire, and usually ushered in a load of new faces which had to be studied and identified.
‘Anyway, that’s not why I’m calling,’ Santer continued. ‘Caspar stayed with it long enough to say that Farek’s got your name and is tying you in with his missing wife. Is that true?’
‘Yes. She came looking for help.’
‘Jesus, you really pick your battles, don’t you? Where is she right now?’
‘Here with me.’
‘Then you’d better get moving. Caspar only got away because they all went off in a rush and left him tied up. He says if you catch up with Youcef, give him a kick or two; it was Youcef who did the number on his ribs and it’s a cert that he also killed Caspar’s informant, Saoula. We had a neighbour identify the body a few hours ago. There was a nice clear imprint on one cheek from a signet ring. Find it on Youcef’s hand and he’ll be for the chop.’
‘OK. I’ll look out for him.’
‘Look out for all of them. Samir Farek’s coming after you and he’s making it really personal.’
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
The canal heading west from Poissons was sluggish and still, the polar opposite of an ideal escape route. It was as if the morning chill had sapped all its energy and turned it to the consistency of treacle. Likewise, the trees overhanging the water were white and sparkling with ice in the weak morning sunlight, waiting for the day’s promise of warmth to get them moving again.
Rocco watched as an ancient barge with a wooden aft cabin chugged away from the bank, its chimney streaming with dark smoke from the wood stove inside. The noise of the engine sounded too loud in the thin air, echoing off the trees as if shouting for attention, and he wondered if this wasn’t the craziest notion.
He caught a brief glimpse of Nicole in the rear doorway, her face pale as she stared back at him. She, too, had been dubious of the wisdom of this plan, echoing his own doubts about running away slowly.
‘Wouldn’t it be best to drive as fast as possible — by car?’ she had asked, staring at the barge as it wallowed by the bank. Claude had led them down through the village, cutting through the houses along a series of footpaths and hedgerows which only the residents were familiar with. Eventually, they had arrived at the prearranged meeting point to find a cheerfully grinning Jean-Michel waiting for them. He was in his late sixties and thin as a stick, wrapped in a heavy jumper and puffing on a black pipe, a man at peace with the world.
‘You’ll be fine,’ said Claude. ‘Jean-Mi knows what he’s doing. He’ll keep you safe as long as you do what he says.’
Jean-Michel, a former policeman, a friend of Claude’s and part-time bargee, had arrived within an hour of being summoned, eager to get out on the water and join in the piece of subterfuge put together by Claude and Rocco.
Having decided against heading out of Poissons by road, Claude had come up with the one way of moving Nicole and Massi without being seen: the canal. The irony — that this was the same method used by Nicole to arrive here — was not lost on anyone.
‘It’ll be slow but safe,’ Claude assured Rocco. ‘And Jean-Mi owns a shotgun. He was a champion shot when he was in the service, too; he won’t let anyone get close.’
Jean-Michel had promised to stay with his passengers for as long as was needed. If forced to move, he would simply head out on the canal, looking for the numerous cut-offs he knew of in which to lay up until the danger was gone.
Rocco hadn’t liked the idea of them being out of touch for long periods, but with firm promises of regular contact through Claude, he had finally relented. As a way of keeping track without using locations, he had suggested using the various lock numbers as pointers.
Claude had agreed. ‘Good idea. I know the numbers and can get to them quickly if I have to.’
Now, heading back to the house with Claude leading the way, Rocco saw the sense in the plan. He had impressed on Claude the dangers for everyone of keeping Nicole and her son in Poissons, and the need to get them out of the village while he kept a step ahead of Farek. Once he left the house, and Farek’s men realised it was empty, they would leave the area and carry their search elsewhere.
He and Claude arrived at the edge of the field behind Mme Denis’s house and hunkered down, watching for signs of movement. Everything seemed normal but Claude was shaking his head, visibly unsettled. It turned out to be for the same reasons Rocco had noted earlier.
‘No bird noises,’ he whispered. ‘The orchards and hedges are usually full of them, taking the last of the fruit before winter. Something’s disturbed them.’
They gave it another ten minutes, then Claude beckoned Rocco to follow him, moving carefully along the hedge until they arrived at the orchard. From here, the house would be between them and the thicket where Mme Denis had spotted the watcher, and if they were careful, they could get inside without being seen. As they got ready to move through the fence into Rocco’s garden, Claude froze, holding out a warning hand.
Rocco stopped, peering past the other man’s shoulder, and felt his gut lurch.
Mme Denis was lying on the ground by his front door.
She was still bundled in her heavy coat but looked frail, a stick figure without the vitality she always displayed. Nearby was an upturned wooden garden trug, the contents spread across the gravel.
Rocco swore silently. She’d been bringing him vegetables from her underground store. Probably trying to show that everything was ordinary, that life went on, acting out a friendly visit to put off whoever was watching the house.
Now she had paid dearly for her courage.
‘I can’t wait here,’ he said, drawing his gun. ‘She could be badly hurt.’
Claude nodded and drew his own automatic. ‘I’m with you. What do you want to do?’
‘I’ll go get her, you watch my back. If anyone shows up who shouldn’t, shoot them. Ready?’
‘Of course.’
Rocco stood up and checked the ground ahead. Once through the fence, he’d be moving through long grass and over uneven ground. But he couldn’t afford to waste time. If Mme Denis was hurt, lying on the ground in this cold would soon finish her off. He had to get her inside in the warmth.
He took off, jinking between the worst of the grassy clumps and avoiding the treacherous hollows, one eye on the house. If anyone stepped out right now, he was going to shoot first and worry about who it was later. A friend wouldn’t have left the old woman lying out front.
He reached the prone figure of his neighbour without getting shot and hunkered down beside her, relying on Claude to cover him. He bent and touched her face.
She was warm and breathing.
He motioned for Claude to come in and cover him, and scooped up the old lady in his arms and walked towards the house, gun pointing at the door. It wouldn’t be an ideal shooting position, but better than being unprepared.
Claude arrived on the run, breathing heavily, and kicked at the door, flinging it back with a bang. He charged inside, spinning to check the room, then beckoned Rocco in after him.
Rocco didn’t stop, but took Mme Denis through to his bedroom where Nicole had slept and placed her gently on the bed.