Colin Forbes - Cell

'Bob,' Tweed played with his pen, 'I suggest you look for anything that strikes you as odd.'

'Which means you've found something and you need me as a back-up check.'

'Something like that.'

He looked across at Buchanan, who was obviously waiting for a chance to speak after his long phone-call.

'Tweed, they have found two of those white vans. Dumped into the river. A fisherman saw vague figures shoving in one van. It was dark, so he huddled down the bank until the men had gone. Probably saved his life. Then, further upriver, he heard a second one being shoved in. When it was quiet he went to the first one. The rear was still protruding from the water, so he took the number plate. I've sent Warden with teams equipped with lifting equipment to haul them out. We should have news soon.'

'Another piece of luck. Now I'm holding nothing back. My next call is to Hereford, the SAS base. I want them alerted.'

Half an hour later Newman reported to Tweed after Buchanan had left for the Yard. Tweed could tell from his expression that he had been struck by something.

'What's the verdict, Bob?'

'The oddest thing is Eva Brand appears to have flown to Cairo, on to Tel Aviv, and back again with Drew Franklin. I don't get that.'

As he spoke Marler walked in, stared at both of them.

'What's up? I can tell something is.'

'I know you've just come in,' Tweed told him, 'but now I have another job for you. I want you to trace the present whereabouts of Eva Brand, then follow her.'

'She could be either at the Ministry in Whitehall or at the Minister's penthouse in Belgravia,' Newman objected.

'So,' Marler told him, 'I phone both places, ask for her and don't say who is calling. Then I'll track her. If I think it's a good idea can I take her out to dinner at the Ivy?'

'Typical,' Newman said sarcastically. 'Probably she won't like you.'

'I'll make her like me, Uncle.' Marler quipped, patting Newman's shoulder.

He then skipped quickly out of the door as Newman, furious, got up to hit him. Newman was only five years older than Marler but if the latter wanted to rattle Newman he called him 'Uncle'.

The door reopened and Buchanan appeared again. He remained standing as he spoke to Tweed.

'I've changed my mind about going back to the Yard. I think we should drive down to the river, take a look at those two white vans dumped into the Thames…'

He stopped speaking as the door opened again, admitting both Paula and Beaurain.

'I'm glad you're here,' Paula said to Buchanan. 'We have data you ought to see…'

Beaurain pulled out the notepad with the diagrams he had drawn in Mrs Wharton's house. He placed them on Tweed's desk while Buchanan and Newman joined them. In as few words as possible he explained the drawings. When he had finished Tweed looked at Buchanan.

'What do you think of this?'

'Don't like it one little bit. Still think we should all go down to the river, check those vans. Is the location easy to find? It was tricky before.'

'No,' said Beaurain, 'so I'll drive us down there.'

'Lord, it's a heavy mist,' Paula exclaimed.

With Beaurain behind the wheel, they were driving down the bumpy track after turning off the main road. Paula sat beside the Belgian while Buchanan and Tweed occupied the rear seats. The Superintendent was peering out of the window.

'Worse than mist,' he commented. 'It's fog.'

During their drive there Tweed had produced his map of the district. He pointed out how close the power station was to St Jude's Hospital. Buchanan's mouth compressed. He shook his head.

'If al-Qa'eda are inside that power station we can't launch an attack to check out the place. They'll have a ton of high explosives. If they set them off that hospital – and all of its patients – would end up obliterated. Beaurain, can I suggest you dim your fog-lights? In case they have someone watching on this side of the river.'

'Yes, I can. Then I won't see where we're going…'

'Hold it,' Buchanan went on. 'Turn over the ground to your right. I've just seen a figure waving a torch. Could be Warden.'

Earlier, while in the car, he had used his mobile to contact Warden. He had warned him they would be coming. Beaurain had manoeuvred the car off the track on to the sterile ground to their right. At Buchanan's request he stopped.

Paula was on edge about the situation. The fog was like a dense murky blanket. She could just make out the torch being waved. Buchanan spoke as he opened the door on his side.

'Wait here. I'll check. Don't follow me if you hear shots fired,' he warned, a Walther in his hand as he left the car.

'Take care,' Paula called out.

'My motto…'

The torch was still shining but had stopped waving as Buchanan stealthily approached the vague silhouette. He crouched low.

'Who is it?' a familiar voice called out.

'Me, Warden,' Buchanan replied as he recognized the voice. As he came close to Warden he saw he was now holding the small torch in his mouth. This had enabled him to use both hands to grip the sub-machine gun aimed at Buchanan. 'And I appreciate it if you'd lower that weapon.'

'Sorry, sir. You always say it's better to be safe than sorry.'

'How far away is the first van you've hauled out?'

'A few hundred yards. The winch boys have really worked. The second van has also been hauled up on to the bank. Further on.'

'We want to see both. Come back with me to the car and guide the driver to the first vehicle…'

With Warden ahead of him, showing the way with his torch pointed at the ground, Beaurain drove slowly forward. The ground was even rougher. Paula thought it was her idea of a nightmare. Drifts of fog, like ghostly hands, swirled over the windscreen. She felt better when Warden held up a hand, illuminated it with his torch. Beaurain stopped, switched off the dimmed headlights and the engine. They all got out, following Warden in a crocodile.

Policemen with automatic weapons stood near the van. There were also two frogmen, still in their kit. Through their goggles they stared at Paula. They hadn't expected a woman. She gave them a cheery wave and walked with Tweed to the rear of the van. Both rear doors were open.

She put on latex gloves and leapt up inside the van. Tweed hauled himself after her, his hands also protected with latex gloves. Warden followed, switched on his powerful torch.

'Douse that!' Buchanan snapped. 'It could be seen across the river.'

Paula switched on her smaller torch. She was slowly checking the floor of the van, which seemed strangely clean. Then she stopped, aiming her torch.

'Look at this.'

She was kneeling, with Tweed crouched beside her. In the light from her torch they could make out four screw-holes, well apart from each other. She hauled out from her satchel the fold-up ruler, measured the distance between the screw-holes.

'Just under two feet from one hole to the next one.' She looked up at Beaurain, who had joined them with Buchanan behind him. 'Jules, at Mrs Wharton's we decided the base plate was about two feet wide.'

'So,' Beaurain replied, 'while the van was transporting the devilish device here it was held firm, kept still by the base plate held firmly to the floor.'

One of the frogmen had arrived. He had taken off his helmet, exposing red hair plastered to his skull where water had dripped off the helmet when he removed it. He addressed his remark to Paula.

'Only one of those in this job. Two of them in the other van we hauled out upriver.'

'Like to look at that one in a minute,' suggested Beaurain.

'I know they used four vans,' Tweed said, standing up. 'Tell you how I found that out later.'

'Four vans,' Beaurain repeated. 'That suggests to me about six devices brought down here.'