Stephen Leather: Tango One

"It's you, scumbag!" roared Jordan, pointing the gun down at Bunny's surprised face.

Robbie walked out of the spare bedroom, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Tina was lying on the sofa, wrapped up in a bathrobe.

"Why aren't you in bed?" he asked.

"I was waiting for your dad," she said, sitting up and running a hand through her hair.

"He always stays out late," said Robbie, sitting on the sofa next to her.

"Sometimes all night. It used to drive Mum crazy."

"What about you? Didn't you worry?"

Robbie shrugged.

"He always comes back eventually. I guess."

"Suppose he didn't?" said Tina.

"Suppose one day he didn't come back? What would you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know. Suppose he went out and didn't come back? Stayed away for a long time?"

"You mean if he died?"

Tina pushed him and he pretended to fall off the sofa.

"No, I didn't mean if he died. Just if he couldn't come back. What would you do?"

Robbie sat up and leaned back against the sofa.

"Could I stay with you?"

"Maybe," said Tina quietly.

"Would you like that?"

"I don't want to go back to her. My mum. Not after what she did. I suppose I could stay with Aunty Laura and Uncle Mark, but I'd rather stay with you." He looked up at her.

"Is something wrong?"

Tina shook her head.

"No, everything's fine." She picked up her mobile and called Donovan's number again. It just rang out. No answer. No message service. She had no way of knowing if the phone was even working, or if he'd received the text message she'd sent.

"He always has it switched off," said Robbie.

"Don't worry."

They both heard the knock at the door and jumped. Robbie stood up and ran over to the door.

"Robbie, check first," shouted Tina.

"And use the chain."

There was the sound of a key being inserted in the lock and Tina opened her mouth to scream, but then Donovan opened the door.

"Den! It's you!" said Tina.

Donovan grinned and closed the door. He picked up Robbie and swung him around.

"How many keys have you given out, then?"

"But you knocked."

"I didn't want to walk in on anything, now did I?" said Donovan. He put Robbie down and pushed him towards the spare room.

"Get ready for school."

"What?"

"You heard. School."

"But you said ' "I've changed my mind," interrupted Donovan.

"Get ready." He grinned at Tina.

"Get your glad rags on, kid, let's go out and celebrate."

"Celebrate?"

"We did it, Louise. Wasn't as smooth as I'd hoped, but we did it." He took her in his arms and hugged her.

"Go on, get ready. We'll drop Robbie off at school and then there's some people I want you to meet."

"Den…"

Donovan put a finger against her lips.

"Later," he said.

"We can talk later."

He pushed her towards the bedroom. She wrapped the robe around herself and closed the door then leaned against it, her heart pounding. He knew. She was sure that he knew. Something had gone wrong, something had gone very wrong, and now he was going to make her pay.

Her mobile phone was on its charger on the dressing table and she fumbled for it. With trembling fingers she tapped out the number that Gregg Hathaway had given her three years earlier. Her lifeline.

She pressed the phone to her ear and listened as it rang out. It rang.

And rang. No one answered it. No answering service kicked in. It just rang. Tina took the phone away from her ear and stared at it in disbelief. How could that be? Hathaway had assured her that the phone would be manned seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Something must have gone wrong, but what? She called up directory enquiries and in a whispered voice asked for the main switchboard for the Metropolitan Police.

The number was answered by a brisk female voice.

"I want to speak to Assistant Commissioner Peter Latham," Tina said, cupping her hand over her mouth so that her voice wouldn't carry.

"I'm sorry, could you speak up, please," said the woman.

Tina went into her bathroom and turned on the cold tap.

"Assistant Commissioner Peter Latham, please," said Tina.

"He's no longer with the Metropolitan Police," said the woman.

"Can anyone else help?"

Tina felt suddenly dizzy and she held on to the sink for support.

"No, it has to be him," she said.

"How can I get hold of him?"

"Assistant Commissioner Latham retired two years ago on grounds of ill-health," said the woman.

"Pvight, but where he is now? This is very urgent. Life and death."

"I'm afraid he passed away six months after he retired," said the woman.

"Can I put you through to his successor's office?"

There was a knock at the bedroom door. Three quick taps.

"Louise?" asked Donovan.

"You okay in there?"

Tina switched off the phone.

"Yes, just going into the shower," she said, trying desperately to stop her voice from shaking.

She showered and dried herself, then tried Hathaway's number again.

There was still no answer.

She threw on a dress, put on lipstick and mascara, then gave her hair a quick brush. She stared at her reflection. She looked as guilty as hell. She tried to smile, but it was the smile of a terrified dog.

"It's okay," she whispered to herself.

"It's going to be okay." She took a deep breath.

"It's okay," she said more confidently.

"You can deal with this." Another deep breath, then she nodded to herself.

"I've been through worse than this and I've coped."

"Are you okay?" Donovan shouted again.

"I'll huff and I'll puff and blow the door down."

"All right, big bad wolf," replied Tina brightly.

"Here I come, ready or not."

She opened the bedroom door. Donovan nodded appreciatively.

"Looking good," he said.

"Why thank you, kind sir."

Robbie was putting his books into his backpack. He'd changed into his school uniform.

"I don't see why I have to go to school," he moaned.

"To get an education," said Donovan, ruffling his hair.

Robbie shook him away.

"First I'm not to go, then you say I'm to go, then you pull me out, now you tell me I've got to go back. That's hardly consistent."

"It's an inconsistent world," said Donovan.

"Isn't it, Louise?"

Tina nodded.

They drove to Robbie's school in the Audi roadster, Tina at the wheel and Robbie in the back. Several of Robbie's friends saw him getting out of the car, and that seemed to cheer him up. Donovan figured that there was probably more kudos arriving in a sports car than a Range Rover.

"I'll pick you up tonight," said Donovan.

"Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it," said Robbie ruefully, but he returned Donovan's wave before heading into school.

"Now what?" asked Tina.

"Now we go celebrate," said Donovan. He looked at his watch.

"Party time."

"It's half past eight in the morning."

"Now don't be a party-pooper, Louise," said Donovan.

"It's not every day I fly eight thousand kilos of gear around the world."

He gave Tina directions and settled back in his seat. She drove across London to St. John's Wood. Donovan told her where to park and climbed out of the car.

Tina locked the Audi, looking around.

"Here?" she said.

"Nah, here's where we lose our tail," said Donovan.

"I didn't see anyone following us," said Tina.

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't, not if they were any good," said Donovan.

"Come on. Home stretch."

"Tango One is out of the vehicle," said the detective into his handset.

"On foot. Repeat on foot."

"Go after him, Alpha Seven," crackled the speaker.

"Softly, softly, yeah?"

The detective nodded at the driver.

"Let's go."

The two plainclothes policemen got out of the saloon and walked quickly in the direction they'd seen Donovan and the girl heading.