Death in High Places - By Jo Bannister Page 0,11
was living out of a haversack. Even if there hadn’t been, it would have been offensive for a man who lived the way this one did to look down his nose at someone who didn’t. “I never went in for investments. I didn’t trust the bastards in charge.”
McKendrick laughed again, but he didn’t argue the point. He looked at the clock on the dashboard. “Almost seven. Beth’ll be up by now. Or if she isn’t, she will be in a minute.” He blew the horn as the drive curved along the front of the house.
“Is Beth your wife?”
“My daughter.”
After the car came to a halt Horn stayed where he was, slumped in the leather embrace of the passenger seat. When McKendrick got out, he made no move to follow. “You shouldn’t have brought me to your home. To your family’s home.”
The older man made a dismissive gesture, half irritable shrug, half impatient shake of the head. “I told you, you’re safe here.”
Horn’s patience snapped. He owed this man a lot, but there’s more than one way to repay a debt. One is to be meek and agreeable and do what you’re told. Another is to do what’s right. “And I told you,” he shouted, “I’m not safe anywhere. And you’re not safe while I’m here. Neither’s your daughter. Maybe you’ve some kind of a death wish, maybe you’re entitled to gamble with your own life, but you’re not entitled to gamble with someone else’s. Your own daughter’s, for God’s sake!
“Mr. McKendrick, I’m grateful for what you did. But I don’t want your death on my conscience, and I sure as hell don’t want your daughter’s!” Finally Horn got out of the car, hauled his bags off the backseat. He looked around. All he could see were fields. “Tell me where we are and I’ll make my own way from here.”
As McKendrick watched him over the top of the car, an odd combination of expressions flickered across his face. Surprise and annoyance, because he wasn’t used to being contradicted. In spite of that, a reluctant respect because of course it would have been easier for Horn to accept his reassurances and stay. Something like grim amusement, as if they were playing a game of which only one of them knew the rules. And perhaps just a little human sympathy, because whatever else his visitor was, he was scared and hurt, and lonely, and a long way from anything or anyone he dared think of as home.
McKendrick’s tone softened. “Let me show you something.” He had a second fob on his key ring, beside the one that locked his car. He pointed it at the front of the castle and thumbed the button. Immediately a metallic sound, quiet and purposeful, surrounded the house, and Horn was astonished to see steel shutters fall behind the windows. All the windows on the ground, first, and second floors. Within about ten seconds the little castle was locked down.
“I do take my security seriously,” McKendrick said. “If I’d thought for one moment that helping you would compromise my daughter’s safety, I’d have turned my back on you and walked away without a second glance. Do you believe me?”
Horn did. But he was no closer to understanding. “Then why—?”
He was interrupted by a furious shout from a window immediately above the lockdown. “What the hell’s going on? Mack, is that you?”
Immediately McKendrick raised his voice in contrite reply. “Sorry, Beth, I didn’t mean to scare you. Just testing. We’re coming in now.” He thumbed the fob again, and the steel shutters rolled quietly back into their casements. He led the way up the stone steps to the heavy oak front door. After a moment’s hesitation Horn followed.
But as McKendrick reached for it, the door flew open and a young woman stood barring it with her body and her fury. Her eyes blazed. She was barefoot on the stone flags, and her long chestnut hair and the dressing gown she’d pulled loosely over her pajamas were tossing in the dawn wind. She looked like a recruiting poster for the Home Guard.
“What the holy hell are you playing at?” she yelled, beside herself with anger, oblivious of the stranger hovering warily in the background. “It’s seven o’clock in the morning! I’m here on my own. What am I supposed to think when the house goes to DEFCON Three?” Finally she noticed they had company. It did nothing for her temper, or her voice, which soared like an eagle. “And