Jack Higgins - Day of Reckoning

He switched off before Dillon could reply, and Dillon turned to Hannah and Ferguson. 'He's got Blake. He said he's taking him to hell but not back.' He frowned. 'Hellsmouth, his place in Cornwall, it's got to be. Let me use the phone.'

Hannah said, 'Dillon, no, it's a trap. He made it easy for you to guess, and now he'll kill you, too.'

'That may be, Hannah. But I can't leave Blake there alone.'

He dialled the Holland Park safe house and got Helen Black. 'Bad news. The bastards have kidnapped Blake Johnson. Put the Major on.'

Roper said, 'Here I am, Sean. What's the deal?' Dillon told him.

Roper said, 'Give me a couple of minutes at my computer.'

'Good man.'

Roper was back very quickly. 'Yes, besides the Gulfstream, the Solazzo family have a Golden Eagle. You know that plane?'

'I've flown one many times,' Dillon said. 'It's excellent for short runways.'

'Well, that's what they have at the Hellsmouth estate. There's an old RAF feeder station from the Second World War. The nearest decent airfield is RAF, St Just, twenty miles away. It's an air-sea rescue set-up, helicopters, long runway.'

'Thanks, old son.'

'You're going in hard, I take it.'

'You could say that.'

'I wish I could be with you. I'll stay on the computer, in case you need me. Just a minute.' There was a pause, and Roper spoke again. 'The Golden Eagle took off twenty minutes ago. The slot booked says Cornwall, Hellsmouth, six passengers.'

'And one of those is Blake. Thanks, Roper.'

Dillon said, 'Hellsmouth, they've gone down in a Golden Eagle from Bardsey. Six passengers.' He punched another number on the phone.

'Sean, what are you doing?' Hannah said.

'Well, I'm not phoning the Cornish police. They're a fine body of men, but not for a job like this. I'm calling Farley Field.'

'What for?' she demanded.

'Because he's going after them,' Ferguson said. 'I know my Sean.'

'He said to hell but not back,' Dillon said. 'Well, I'll follow him to hell.'

A voice on the receiver said, 'Farley Field.'

'Dillon. Get me Squadron Leader Lacey, if he's there.' 'Actually, I just saw him in the mess. Hang on.' Lacey was there quickly. 'Is that you, Dillon?'

'We're going into action, and I mean now.'

'What's the score?'

'Hellsmouth, near Lizard Point in Cornwall. It's a small airstrip, so I need a parachute landing.'

'I know that area. RAF St Just is not too far away.' 'Exactly, so you drop me, then land at St Just.'

'Jesus, Dillon, you're at it again, saving the world.'

'No, saving Blake Johnson's life. Speak to the quartermaster. Brownings, AK47s, parachutes for two. I'd say six hundred feet.'

'You're mad, Sean, but let me get on with it.'

Dillon put the phone down and Hannah Bernstein said, 'Gear for two parachutists. What the hell are you talking about?'

'Well, not the SAS. There isn't time. I've someone in mind, and I'll go and see him now. If you want to see me again, it will be at Farley Field.'

'You're just going to execute all those people, aren't you, Dillon?' she said angrily.

Dillon turned to Ferguson. 'She's a lovely woman, Brigadier, but I've had it up to here with her morality. I'm more interested in saving a good man's life,' and he turned and walked out.

Hannah turned and said, 'He's mad, sir.'

'No, Superintendent. He's Dillon.'

Harry Salter, Billy, Joe and Sam Hall were in the end booth at the Dark Man enjoying large Scotches when Dillon came in.

'Sean, my old son,' Harry Salter said. 'Did we do it or did we do it?'

'Fox has kidnapped Blake,' Dillon said. 'Flown off to this estate he has in Cornwall with four of his heavies.'

There was silence. Salter said, 'What are you going to do?'

'I can't leave it, they might chop him. I'm flying down in an hour from Farley Field. I'll drop over the estate by parachute. Try and catch them with their pants down. It's got to be a drop, the landing field there is too short for a Gulfstream. The nearest RAF base is twenty miles away.'

Billy said, 'Fox and four makes five, Dillon, and you're going in alone?'

'No, Billy, I'm going in with you.'

'You must be bleeding mad,' Harry Salter said.

Dillon ignored him. 'Billy, you've heard of Arnhem in the Second World War, all those paratroopers going in? There was one major, an army surgeon, who'd never done a jump in his life, but they needed a doctor. He survived just fine and so will you. Billy, trust me. You jump out, pull the cord at six hundred feet, you hit the ground in twenty-five seconds, and that's all there is to it.'

Salter said, 'You're crazy.'

But Billy was smiling all over his face. 'I've said it before, Dillon, you're just like me. You don't give a stuff. Just show me the way.'

'Well, if he goes, I'm bleeding going,' Salter said. 'Even if I'm only on the sidelines.'

'Right,' Dillon said. 'Then let's do it.'

HELLSMOUTH

When Dillon, Harry Salter and Billy arrived at Farley Field, Lacey and Parry were waiting.

'Let's go into the operations room and make sure I've got it right,' Lacey said.

The quartermaster stood ready with Dillon's Brownings, two AK47sparachutes and jumpsuits ready.

Dillon said, 'Have a word with Mr Salter, Sergeant Major, it's his first jump.'

'Is that so, Mr Dillon?' the Sergeant Major replied, face impassive. 'Then a word might be indicated.'

'Just show me,' Billy told him.

Dillon went to the chart table and started to check it out with Lacey and Parry. 'It's not as bad as it could be,' Lacey said.

'There's almost a half moon. One pass is all I'd recommend. There's no time for more, then we'll rush to St Just.' 'Sounds good to me.'

'The other chap,' Lacey said. 'He knows what he's doing?' Absolutely!

Ferguson and Hannah Bernstein came in. When the Brigadier saw the Salters, he was astonished. 'For God's sake, what is this? You said two parachutists, and he isn't a parachutist.'

'Well, I am now,' Billy said. 'I think I've got the hang of it, Dillon. I pull this ring and that's it. The guns are pretty obvious. I managed Kilbeg, I can manage this.'

'This is madness,' Hannah Bernstein said.

'No, it's trying to save Blake Johnson's life,' Dillon said. 'I'm ready when you are, Brigadier, unless you have other ideas.'

'No,' Ferguson said. 'It makes the usual wild sense where you are concerned, so let's get on with it.'

'Harry's coming along for the ride,' Dillon said. 'I suggest you lot board, and Billy and I will change and follow.' As you wish.'

Ten minutes later, Dillon and Billy, in jumpsuits, flak jackets, parachutes, shoulder holsters, AKs suspended across the chest, went up the steps and took their seats. Parry dosed the door.

Salter said, 'Christ, Billy, you look like you're in a Vietnam war movie or something. What are you playing at’

Billy actually smiled. 'I'm playing at being me, Harry, and it feels great.'

Blake sat down again on the stone seat in the tunnel, waist deep in water, hugging himself and trying to keep warm. Would Dillon come? Fox seemed to expect it, dangling him as bait. It was an impossible situation, but then, Dillon had always been master of the impossible. Somewhere high above, through the thick walls of the old house, he seemed to hear a noise, far off, something like an aircraft engine, but he couldn't be sure. The rat appeared and circled, swimming.

'I told you,' he said. 'Behave yourself.'

The noise of the aircraft faded quickly. Falcone said, 'What was that?'

'It could be normal air traffic at the RAF place at St Just,' Fox said. 'And then again, it could be Dillon. We'd better get ready.'

He was standing by the fire in the great hall with Falcone and Russo. 'Get me a brandy first.'

Russo went to the sideboard, filled a glass and brought it back. Rossi and Cameci came in, holding Uzis.