Revenge (David Shelley #1) - James Patterson Page 0,74

bit of that old buzz back at the same time.

Opposite, the four of them began to walk forward. Behind them, the two front doors of the Cherokee opened again and a couple more guys made their presence known, standing close by the vehicle, ready if needed.

Jesus, how many guys have they brought? Shelley was relying on Dmitry’s integrity, telling himself that it didn’t matter who was along for the ride because what they didn’t have was the money, and they wouldn’t get that until Susie was in the Mini and they were home and dry.

Just a few yards apart now, and the Dmitry quartet drew to a halt. Nighttime mist, lit by the headlights of the Cherokee, swirled around their feet. He could see their features now: Dmitry, relaxed and cool, Sergei and Karen unreadable, Susie proud but unable to completely hide her fear.

“Susie, are you all right?” he asked her.

She looked at him, staring hard at him, and he thought she was trying to tell him something, trying to warn him of something, maybe. But what?

Dmitry said something in Russian to Sergei, who nodded in response, before Dmitry took a few more steps forward.

And then, behaving as though he had just caught sight of Shelley across a crowded pub, his face split into a broad grin. “Captain Shelley,” he exclaimed, spreading his hands. For a crazy second Shelley thought they were going to embrace but instead Dmitry continued, “I am very reassured by the sight of the phone you have in your hand, Captain. Less reassured, I must say, by the bulge at your waistband.”

Shelley tipped his head behind and then at the Cherokee beyond. “By the looks of things you’ve brought an entire army.”

“I had to,” said Dmitry, as though such things were not beyond dispute. “I had to make sure that we had the place to ourselves.” He gestured at the burned-out buildings to Shelley’s left. Through their blackened skeletal ruins Shelley could see the silvery gleam of the river, and beyond that a distant mosaic of lights from blocks of luxury flats on the far bank. In those flats people lay in bed or sat watching TV. Or perhaps they sat by their windows, enjoying their moderately expensive view of the Thames, oblivious to what was taking place on the other side of the water.

“Can’t tell a lie, Dmitry, it doesn’t half make me nervous seeing all these guns,” said Shelley.

Dmitry pulled a mock-doubtful face. “Oh, I doubt that very much. You are Captain Shelley of the SAS. A few guns shouldn’t worry you.”

“Tell you what, then,” said Shelley, “how about you holster those sidearms, just as a show of good faith?”

“Sounds fair,” said Dmitry, pushing his Makarov into the front of his jeans. He tilted his head backward and Sergei did the same. Karen, however, did not. Her black-gloved hands remained crossed, the gun held in front of her.

“Your wife doesn’t seem to want to cooperate,” said Shelley, speaking to Dmitry but directing himself to Karen.

“Awright, hero?” she said. “You know who I am, then?”

“I know exactly who you are,” said Shelley.

“Good. That’s nice of you to remember,” she said. She moved her right arm away from her body so that Shelley could see for himself that it had never fully healed.

“You had to learn to shoot with your left,” he said, saw the look of fury that passed across her face and immediately regretted his words, knowing that to antagonize her was a bad move.

Meanwhile, Dmitry was looking from one to the other, Shelley to Karen and back again, like a man who had just made a delightful discovery, and who knows? Maybe he had. “You know each other, it seems,” he said. Shelley caught the glint of a gold tooth.

“Yeah, you could say that,” replied Shelley.

“We had a bit of business years back, love,” said Karen without taking her eye off Shelley.

“Oh,” said Dmitry, rearing back. “You weren’t . . . you know . . . were you?”

She gave a dry laugh. “Not likely. It was all business.”

“Unfinished business, I think, by the looks of things,” roared Dmitry, enjoying his own joke. “Don’t you think, Sergei?”

“Yes, boss,” said Sergei.

“Well, I shall look forward to hearing all about this business later, Karen. Now, Captain, shall we begin with the part where you show me the color of Mr. Drake’s money.”

“First Susie comes by my side,” said Shelley.

“Suit yourself. Mrs. Drake? Please do as our friend asks.”

Susie shook herself free of Sergei’s restraining arm then stepped forward without a backward glance. Gratefully she