business or maybe I’ll start minding yours.’
Victor stared back. ‘You say that like it actually means something.’
‘Better for you if you don’t find out what that something means.’
‘I can’t wait to find out.’
Dietrich smiled at that and inched away from the countertop. There were two metres between them. His back straightened and his fingers curled towards his palms. He was strong. He was dangerous. But he couldn’t hide what he was about to do if his life depended on it.
Which it did.
But Leeson saw what was coming and held out a hand. ‘Let’s leave this posturing right there, shall we? You are both valuable men to me in different areas. Whoever harms the other will lose that value. Do I make myself clear?’
Dietrich’s eyes were locked with Victor’s. Neither answered.
‘Well?’ Leeson asked. ‘Do I need to start looking for replacement personnel who will actually do as I ask?’
‘No,’ Victor said, because he knew Dietrich would rather fight to the death right there than answer first.
Dietrich smirked at him – satisfied at this perceived victory – and shook his head at Leeson.
‘Very good,’ Leeson said. ‘When you two are no longer in my employment you can settle your differences in whatever manner you see fit. For all I care you can beat one another until what remains is not enough to fill a bucket. But for now, you behave yourselves. If you cannot be respectful, be silent. And Mr Dietrich…’
‘Yeah?’
‘I don’t ever want to hear you speak to Francesca like that again. Apologise, immediately. And need I remind you of the potential consequences of such discourtesy?’
Dietrich stared for a moment until he did understand, then nodded. He looked at Francesca and said, ‘Sorry.’
‘Accepted.’
Coughlin, who had been silent since their return, asked, ‘How exposed are we?’
‘Minimally,’ Victor answered when Leeson didn’t right away. ‘The crew were competent enough not to have any ID on them or other identifiable evidence, so they are unlikely to have left an obvious trail elsewhere. The restaurant has Leeson’s name.’ He looked at Leeson. ‘But I assume that’s not a problem. The parking garage had CCTV, obviously, and the recordings will match witness descriptions from the restaurant, but there won’t be recordings of our faces.’
‘And how can you be so sure of that?’
‘Because I’m good at what I do.’
‘Then let’s hope you’re right, because you’ve left a trail of destruction through a city all of thirty miles from this position.’
‘Way to go, putting us all at risk,’ Dietrich added.
‘It’s not a problem,’ Victor said.
‘That remains to be seen,’ Coughlin said.
‘It’s not a problem,’ Leeson repeated after a moment’s thought. ‘We’re still good here,’ he said after another pause, and Victor wondered what conclusions he’d come to and why the involvement of the two of them in a firefight in the middle of Rome didn’t compromise whatever it was they were here for.
FORTY-ONE
Later, Victor found Leeson outside the farmhouse, sipping wine while he looked at the night sky. There were no clouds, and bright stars littered the blackness of the eternity above. Victor looked too. Stars and constellations had fascinated him as a young boy. He looked at them on clear nights with a telescope he’d built out of materials raided from junk yards and landfills, making up his own names for them because he didn’t know the correct ones. He wondered briefly what had become of the telescope.
‘My saviour,’ Leeson said as he turned to face Victor. The younger man was a little drunk, but only a little. ‘I’m sure you don’t mind that I put a slight spin on the facts earlier. Thank you for not challenging those – how shall we put it? – inaccuracies.’
‘Thank me by telling me what we’re doing here. Specifically, what I’m doing here. I’ve waited long enough.’
‘You have my gratitude for saving my life. But that changes nothing regarding the nature of our relationship. I am your employer, and you are my employee. What happened earlier tonight affects neither. You will be told your role and what is expected of you when it is necessary, and only then.’
‘What you and I consider necessary are likely two very different things.’
‘I’m fully aware of that but I have every faith in your suitability. I would not have hired you otherwise. And you have nothing to fear regarding the time frame. There will be more than enough time to prepare.’
‘Again, our definitions of what constitutes enough won’t necessarily sync. I told you in Budapest that I won’t go into a situation without the