Andy Mcdermott - Temple of the Gods

‘Because it still does not establish any motive for Kit to do what Eddie accused him of,’ the French officer replied.

‘But you know he was doing something . He lied about his reason for meeting Stikes.’

‘That is not proof of wrongdoing. If we had any evidence of that, it would help Eddie’s case, perhaps even clear him outright, but we have found nothing. All we know is that he and Kit were fighting, and that Kit found a gun and was apparently about to use it when he was killed. You say Eddie was acting in self-defence, but Kit may have gone for the gun for the same reason. Your husband has, ah… a reputation for violence, after all.’

‘So what would count as proof?’

‘Something that links Kit to illegal activities. Falsifying evidence, accepting bribes, passing classified information to outside parties, abuse of power…’ Beauchamp sighed. ‘But we have found none of these. There is nothing to suggest that Kit was anything except an exemplary police officer who was dedicated to the pursuit of order.’

‘So even though you’ve got new evidence, it doesn’t help Eddie at all?’

‘It would help his case if he turned himself in. But does it clear his name? No, I’m afraid not.’

‘Well, that’s great,’ said Nina, struggling to contain her angry disappointment. ‘Thanks anyway, Renée.’ She put down the phone with more force than she intended.

‘That didn’t sound like it went well,’ said Eddie.

‘It did not.’

‘Bollocks. I really thought it’d be enough.’

‘So did I. Oh, God.’ She slumped back in her chair, looking out of her study window at the mid-morning Manhattan street scene outside. They had left Lola’s and returned to their apartment after midnight, Nina surreptitiously letting Eddie in through a fire exit to avoid the attention of the doorman. ‘I don’t know what else we can do.’

‘There isn’t anything else we can do. But there’s something I can do.’

‘Which is what?’

‘Leave.’ He walked out.

Nina jumped up and followed him into the lounge. ‘What? Wait a minute, what do you mean “leave”?’

‘You know, go out through the front door and don’t come back.’

‘Why?’ she cried.

‘Same reason I didn’t call you while I was on the run. For Christ’s sake, Nina, I’m wanted by bloody Interpol for murder! If I’d talked to you on the phone that would have been bad enough, but if I’m found here, that makes you an accessory for harbouring a fugitive, or whatever it’s called.’ He started for the bedroom to collect his belongings.

‘So what are you going to do?’ she demanded, moving to block him. ‘Just run off around the world again and try not to get arrested? Or killed?’

‘I have to.’

‘No! No, you don’t! We found Kit’s gun on the recording, we can work out his code as well. Beauchamp said if we found evidence that proved Kit was doing something illegal, it’d clear your name. All we need is time.’

‘The longer I hang around here, the more chance of us both getting caught. And I’m not going to let you get dragged into this. Come on, let me past.’ He tried to move round her.

‘It’s a bit late for that, Eddie. Someone blew the top off a skyscraper trying to kill me, remember? And if you leave, then what? You want them to come after me again?’

That stopped him in his tracks. ‘Of course I bloody don’t!’

‘It’s what’ll happen. For God’s sake, I would probably have died in Tokyo if you hadn’t been there — never mind what happened at JFK! And from what Dalton told you, Glas won’t give up. I need you, Eddie.’

‘You could hire a bodyguard. I’ve still got Charlie’s number; he’s got a couple of guys I’d trust to keep you safe.’

‘I don’t mean I need you as a bodyguard.’ She stepped closer, looking into his eyes. ‘I need you as a husband . You know: best friend, soulmate… lover?’ She held his hands. ‘I want you back, Eddie. I want my husband back. Not on the run in God knows what part of the world.’

‘Christ, believe me, that’s what I want more than anything!’ Eddie replied desperately. ‘But I don’t have any choice. I’ve got to go. Otherwise—’

He broke off at the sound of someone knocking at the door. Nina jumped. ‘Shit!’ she whispered. ‘What if it’s the cops?’

‘They’d be knocking with a battering ram.’ He moved her aside. ‘Get rid of them. I’ll hide in the bedroom.’

‘Don’t you dare pack your things,’ Nina warned as she went to the door, waiting for Eddie to get out of sight before looking through the peephole.

It wasn’t the police. But she was still startled by who she saw.

The visitor was Larry Chase.

‘It’s your dad!’ she hissed to Eddie.

He poked his head round the doorframe. ‘What the fuck’s he doing here?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Then get rid of him!’

Eddie retreated, leaving the bedroom door fractionally open so he could listen as Nina let the unexpected visitor in. ‘Larry, hi. This is, uh, kind of a surprise.’ He was alone. ‘Where’s Julie?’

‘Shopping,’ Larry replied. ‘She’s on a pilgrimage to Bloomingdale’s, so I thought I’d leave her to it.’

‘When are you flying back to England?’

‘Tonight. Not trying to get rid of me, are you?’

‘It’s kind of an awkward time.’

‘That’s okay, this won’t take long.’ He looked around the apartment. ‘Nice place you’ve got. Very tasteful.’ He spotted one of Eddie’s possessions on a shelf, a pottery cigar-box holder in the shape of a smiling Fidel Castro. ‘Well, mostly.’

‘So what can I do for you, Larry?’ Nina asked, moving round the room so that by facing her, Larry would have his back to the bedroom door.

‘I wanted to fix things up between us. When we had dinner, it didn’t end well. Which made it two out of two, and I’d like dinner number three to at least reach the dessert course without any fireworks!’ He laughed a little, but stopped when he saw Nina’s stony expression. ‘That’s assuming that you’re willing for there to be a dinner number three, of course.’

‘It’s not something I’d given a great deal of thought, to be honest. Look, Larry, this really isn’t a good time—’

‘Please, it’ll just take a minute!’ He was silent for a moment, composing himself. ‘I wanted to apologise. For what happened in South America. I’ve been thinking about what you told me, and… you were right. I shouldn’t have talked to Stikes.’

‘No,’ said Nina coldly. ‘You shouldn’t.’

‘But I didn’t know, I didn’t know !’ Larry protested, hands spread wide. ‘Yes, Callas and de Quesada weren’t the kind of clients I’d actively seek out, but I didn’t know what they were planning. When Edward turned up in Bogotá afterwards and started threatening to tie me in with their attempted coup, I… well, I admit it, I panicked. I needed reassurances that I wasn’t going to end up embroiled in the whole mess — and Stikes was the only person who could provide them, since de Quesada and Callas were both dead.’

‘And because you called him—’

‘I know,’ he interrupted. ‘And I’m sorry, I really, really am sorry about it, and I know that if I hadn’t spoken to Stikes none of it would have happened. If I’d known, if there had been any possible way I could have known, I wouldn’t have done it.’

‘That doesn’t change what happened, though,’ said Eddie, stepping out of the bedroom behind him.

Larry whirled, face a mixture of shock, relief — and nervousness. ‘Edward? Oh my God! You’re all right!’