Dillon was tired, increasingly irritable and frustrated. He needed the warmth and softness of Issy’s naked body next to him now, and then wondered for how long she would stay away from her office without him giving her a very good reason why she shouldn’t. She wasn’t stupid, far from it, and would insist on details. Unfortunately, he was fast running out of reasons. He lay on the double bed looking up at the ceiling and could hear the swishing of traffic outside like a lullaby against the quiet of the room’s interior. He was pondering his next move, but within minutes the need for sleep had taken over.
When Jasper Lockhart refused to meet him in any enclosed or quiet place, Dillon realised there was something wrong. In fact, it took every bit of his persuasive powers for Lockhart to agree to a meeting at all. They met mid-morning on the embankment near the London Eye and Jasper even refused to acknowledge Dillon with a handshake, just in case he was seen as knowing him.
“Nothing personal,” said Lockhart.
He was wearing a dark blue suit, jacket collar turned up to partially ward off a crisp cutting wind coming across the Thames, a light blue silk shirt and a deep red silk tie with a perfect Windsor knot. They remained at least five feet apart, leaning on the parapet and facing the river so that anyone passing by couldn’t see their faces. Even then, it was obvious to Dillon that Lockhart wasn’t comfortable with the situation.
“What’s the problem, Jasper? You’re as twitchy as a cat on a hot tin roof,” Dillon said tersely. “I only want to ask a small favour for which I’m happy to pay your outrageously high fees.”
“The answer is no, Jake.” Jasper kept his gaze on the grey tumultuous water. “Just by coming down here is nothing short of bloody dangerous. But I felt you deserved an explanation, if for no other reason than for old time’s sake.”
“Look, all I want is the names of two reliable watchers. It’ll only be for a couple of days and I thought you might be able to help. It’s nothing dodgy and with no risk.”
“I’m afraid that just talking to you is a risk.” Lockhart’s gaze remained transfixed on the river, as if hypnotised by it. He turned to face Dillon, and stated, “There’s an open contract out on you.”
Dillon looked deep into Lockhart’s eyes.
“A contract? Have you been smoking dope again or is it something more hallucinogenic these days? What are you saying, Jasper?”
Dillon continued to fix his gaze on Lockhart. The other man turned as if to walk away, but stopped himself. He leant back against the parapet and said, “What else should I call it? A contract is a contract. A hundred thousand sterling. The word on the street is that there’s already a number of pros out there looking for you.”
“A hundred grand? The tight bastard. Who’s put it out?”
Lockhart didn’t answer the question, instead sidestepped it like a professional boxer.
“It’s no joking matter, Jake. The word has been put out that anyone helping you will be put on the same contract for the same money.I can do without that sort of shit. As one of your oldest mates I thought it best you should hear it from me personally — you know I don’t trust the phones in this city.”
Dillon looked out across the heaving water of the river for a while. He was disturbed but not only for himself.
“I never thought I’d see you like this, Jasper. You’re not the man I’ve known for over twenty years. What the hell happened to you?”
The eyes were sad and reflective. “I can handle most things, you know that, Jake. And, like you, I’ve been around the block a few times. But this is different; the people involved expect to pay out. If I were you I’d leave this rotten country and get as far away as I could.”
“The thing is, Jasper, I’m not you and I don’t run away from this sort of shit. Is it Tommy Trevelyan?” Dillon tried to penetrate beyond the sea-blue eyes.
“I inherited a vast sum of money and got married.”
“Really?” For a moment, Dillon found this more surprising than the threat against him.
“Anyway, I’m sorry to hear that,” he said sarcastically, and then added quickly, “Sorry, Jasper. I didn’t mean that. What I should have said is that I can understand why you’re being cautious. But you still haven’t answered my original question. Is it Tommy Trevelyan who’s put out the contract?”
“He’s the most likely candidate,” Lockhart said. “But that’s one name I really don’t like mentioning. I don’t know how, but he found out about my little reciprocal arrangement with certain Government departments. He let me know that he knew, because at the time he was having a few planning problems with a commercial office block he was building. When I told him to piss off, he sent two of his bloody heavies round to persuade me. I ended up in hospital for four weeks. Thank God for private health cover.”
“That’s the past, Jasper. Move on and put it down to experience. Look, all I need is someone reliable to give me a hand for a couple of days.”
At last Lockhart turned. Talking had steadied his nerves a little, but he was still a very worried man.
“Jake, I don’t think you’re taking this seriously. The word is out and Trevelyan not only controls ‘the word’, but also a very large chunk of this city. So I don’t need to tell you what that means.”
“Oh, I am taking it seriously, Jasper. But, there’s always a ‘but’, and you’re forgetting one thing: he’s nothing more than an aged hoodlum in a very competitive and ruthless world. He may have put out a contract on me, but he’s got to find me first. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say. So thanks mate.”
“But he’s put the finger on you, Jake, which means that every trigger-happy thug in London will be looking for you, and most likely will have a picture of you, so they can be sure they hit the right bloke. Look, I’ve always liked you, and I know there are many others who feel the same way, but that has to be weighed up against how much they fear Trevelyan and his merry band of misfits.”
Dillon thought of Max Quinn and Tony ‘Cracker’ De-Luca, both of whom had only recently helped him.
“When did you hear of this?”
“Say three hours ago. Before you phoned, anyway. Look, Jake, it’s only just hit the streets. If you’re quick you’ll have enough time to get out of London and disappear for a while; somewhere exotic, where they won’t find you.” Lockhart’s wane smile said it all.
“Thank God you’re a wealthy man, Jasper. Because in a perverse way it’s somehow reassuring. You and me go back a long way and I need to know who I can trust with my life.”
“You know I couldn’t do that to you, Jake.” Lockhart looked embarrassed, stared down at an imaginary something on the ground and then added, “You can trust me, you know?”
“Thanks, Jasper. I do know.”
Dillon knew he meant it, and that he’d taken a huge risk meeting in such a public place. His mind was already racing ahead, thinking that Trevelyan might have made a tactical error in issuing an open contract. That even the police could hear of it. Still, it wouldn’t help Dillon if someone completed the contract.
“I’d better start looking over my shoulder then.”
“Might be wise, given the circumstances. Sorry, Jake. I didn’t mean… Look, have you left any instructions?”