Sean Black - Lockdown

Carrie called through from the kitchen. ‘There’s someone else here who’s missed you.’

‘You missed me?’ Lock asked, unable to keep the smile from his face.

‘Maybe just a little.’

He stepped through into the kitchen. Angel greeted him at the door, her tail a blur. Lock scratched behind her ear. She thumped one of her back legs against the floor by way of appreciation.

‘What you been feeding her? She’s put on weight,’ he said, stepping back and taking a better look.

Carrie laughed. ‘She’s pregnant.’

Lock studied the dog. ‘Guess you’re not so much of an angel after all.’

‘I spoke to Richard Hulme. Asked him if Josh might want the pick of the litter.’

‘What’d he say?’

‘He said he’d love one. They’re moving out to Washington, and he’s going back to work for the CDC.’

‘It’ll never work. Richard’s got way too developed a sense of morality to work for the government.’

‘I think it’ll be good for him. And Josh. There are too many bad memories in that apartment of theirs.’

‘Some pretty good memories in this one,’ Lock said, looking around.

‘What you thinking about, cowboy?’

‘Ah, nothing, forget it.’

She handed him a steaming mug of coffee.

‘Thanks.’

‘I’ve been doing some thinking too,’ Carrie said.

He could feel his heart jump back into his throat. ‘Oh yeah?’

‘I was thinking that maybe you’d like to stay here for a while. Look after the new arrivals when they get here.’

‘You’re asking me to provide close protection to a bunch of mutts?’

‘So, what do you say?’

Lock wrapped his arms around her waist, and frowned. ‘Guess it might keep me out of trouble.’

My thanks to:

Luigi Bonomi, for leading the kick-ass security advance party at LBA. Luigi is to agenting what Tiger Woods is to golf.

Steely-eyed dealer of death, Selina Walker, and the rest of the counter-attack team at Transworld, for their hard work, passion and commitment.

Rienk Tychon for beating everyone else to the punch, and Holger Kappel for showing such great taste.

Through the entire process, I have been surrounded by a personal escort section worthy of an unpopular head of state. Special thanks must go to Gregg Hurwitz for being such an inspiration, Andy Carmichael for instructing me in the black arts of the grey man, and all our family and friends on both sides of the Atlantic.

During the writing, Diesel headed my canine support unit, ably assisted by Angel (the world’s least appropriately named Labrador), Dfor, Magic and Silver.

Finally, to my two-woman residential security team, Marta and Caitlin. I love you both so much.