Twenty minutes later he emerged from the shower and found her sitting staring at the mirror with a gloomy expression.
‘What’s on your mind?’ he asked.
‘After many years of anticipation I hope you haven’t become disillusioned with me. And I don’t mean by my performance in bed. I’m mad, bad and dangerous to know.’
‘Hey that sounds like Shakespeare.’
‘It’s actually how Lady Caroline Lamb described the poet Lord Byron when they first met; later they had an affair.’
‘Did it end happily?’ he asked.
‘I’m afraid not.’
He walked over and kissed the top of her head. ‘I don’t think you’re a poet, and I’m certain I’m not a lady, so I won’t let that worry me. Come on let’s get dressed, it’s time for breakfast.’
‘We would like to rent, hire or lease a post office box,’ Gerry announced to the clerk.
‘Yes ma’am. Do you know what size you want? They’re between a hundred and ten and six hundred fifty dollars a year depending on size plus fifteen dollars for two keys.’
‘Oh we only need it for a short time,’ said Gerry.
‘Minimum rental time is three months. Say, are you Vanessa Davies?’
Gerry felt a surge of adrenaline. She stepped back from the counter and spun round scanning the other occupants of the office.
‘Only er… ma’am, there was a guy in here earlier named Richard Cornwall who left a parcel for a Vanessa Davies, who er… said he was British, and that you were as well and that you er… could show a passport to pick it up. Ma’am?’
Gerry slowly turned back to face the man. ‘Yes. I’m Vanessa Davies.’ She reached into her rucksack and pulled out the UK passport that Cornwall had given to her and handed it over.
‘Thank you. Just wait here and I’ll fetch it for you’
Gerry stared out into the street. Dan was sitting in the car watching the entrance. She looked up and down but there was nobody who appeared suspicious. Nobody but Cornwall could know where she was, or that she possessed that alias, but how could he have got here so quickly? Had he been following her all this time?’
‘Here it is Miss Davies. You’ll have to sign this receipt.’
Gerry signed and took the large, thick envelope from the curious official. She felt it carefully through the internal bubble wrap. It could easily be passports and a bundle of money. Then she saw the note written on the flap. “Starbucks, Mid Town Plaza. Top of each hour.”
‘Do you have a photocopier I could use?’ She asked.
‘Over there. You need quarters to operate it.’
Gerry placed the envelope on top of the copier and fed in coins. With the lid up she studied it as the bright light made four passes under it.
‘Hey you’re meant to have the lid down!’ another customer suggested.
‘Bugger off!’ she muttered under her breath. She picked up the parcel and opened it. Inside it was a United Kingdom passport with Dan Hall’s image in the name of James Huntley. In another envelope was three thousand pounds sterling and seven thousand US dollars. ‘Thank you Richard,’ she muttered.
‘Could you tell me where Mid Town Plaza is?’ she asked the customer who had been keen to advise her on the use of a photocopier.
She smiled happily as Dan climbed out the car and lifted his eyebrows. ‘Cornwall’s left an envelope for us to pick up. A UK passport for you and enough cash.’
‘He left it there?’ Dan frowned. ‘How did he get it here already?’
‘I don’t know. He wants us to meet him at Starbucks just south of here in Mid Town Plaza which is a shopping mall with underground parking. It’s just coming up to eight o’clock so I guess the place is open and he should be there.’
Dan ordered two double tall lattes while Gerry looked around the coffee shop and then walked back outside and scanned the area. She checked her watch and sat down next to Dan who had chosen a table from where they could watch the entrance.
‘It doesn’t seem like he’s coming,’ Gerry admitted as she drained her coffee ten minutes later.
‘Should we stay around here?’ Dan asked, ‘or go back to the hotel and come back later.’
‘I guess…shit!’
‘Hi Gerry, hi Dan,’ said a young woman who had appeared beside their table. She took off her sunglasses and then her hat from under which long blonde hair tumbled down.
‘Annie Maddon,’ said Gerry, ‘what a pleasant surprise.’ She looked around once again, wondering if a team of agents was surrounding the coffee shop and going through her options: to flee, to fight, to grab Annie as a hostage. Had Cornwall betrayed her? Had Dan?
‘I expect you’re wondering how I got here,’ Annie suggested.
‘I certainly am,’ said Dan.
‘There’s just the two of us: me and Felix Grainger. Felix told me to come in to see you because he said I was less likely to get my head blown off. Richard Cornwall told us where you were and that you needed stuff. We brought it here.’ She smiled. ‘We’re on your side.’
Gerry and Dan exchanged glances: Gerry shrugged. ‘She seems to be on her own. I don’t see how she could be here if she wasn’t telling the truth.’
‘Yeah I can buy that,’ Dan agreed. ‘Where’s Felix?’ he asked.
‘He’s waiting back at your hotel,’ Annie replied. ‘Shall we go and join him?’
Felix Grainger smiled broadly as he shook Dan and Gerry by the hand.
‘It’s good to see you guys again. Richard Cornwall has briefed me. You don’t have much time. Cornwall asked me to ask you where you’re going in case he needs to find you again.’
‘We’re planning to go to Kuwait via Toronto, and then try and get a flight to Baghdad…’Dan began but Gerry grabbed his arm.
‘Wait! You’ll forgive my suspicions, but I’m not prepared to tell you anything more Felix. Maybe I should trust you but I’ve no idea who you might talk to in your office or in mine. We’re going to leave tonight and anyone I find trailing us will be treated as an enemy.’
‘Fair enough.’ Grainger shrugged. ‘Well I guess I’ve done my bit. Annie and I will take off now.’ He reached into a pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. ‘Here’s some contact details. If you get stuck and you feel you can trust me you can give a call.’ Dan took it from him.
‘Ok Felix; thanks.’
‘We’ll see you around, then.’
‘You bet.’
Grainger and Anne Maddon took a taxi back to the airport and settled down in the Starbucks concession to await their flight.
‘I guess it’s no surprise that Tate doesn’t trust anyone after what she’s been through,’ Maddon said.
‘I know, but they’re rather cutting themselves off.’
‘Cornwall didn’t give you any further clue as to their intentions did he?’ she asked.
Grainger shook his head. ‘No. Whether that means he doesn’t know or if it means he’s just not telling, well you’re guess is as good as mine.’
‘Excuse me Felix, I need to go visit the rest room.’
Boarding starts in ten minutes; I’ll see you at the gate.’
‘Ok.’
Maddon picked her handbag and went to the rest room where she pulled out her cell phone. ‘Uh… General Bruckner? Maddon here. They’re ready to leave… No I’m not going to try and trail them. She and Hall were friendly enough but she gave us a warning that anyone she sees following them would be dealt with… What? Of course she’s serious, she’s a goddam psycho. They’re heading for Kuwait. You should have no trouble picking them up in Toronto.’