The Qadesh Club

by David Lashmar

  Willy waited until the would be gunman was still before a single shot to the head killed him. A satisfied smile creased his ugly face. He still had it!

  The cracked windscreen of the BMW flew out as Morton painfully kicked his way out of the car, the stitches so carefully put in by his doctor friend bursting, He dragged his aching body out and leaned against the bonnet stopping to look up.

  Still alive the trapped man painfully regained consciousness and his training kicked in. Pushing himself upright in a last defiant act before dying pointed his gun at Morton.

  A single shot rang out and slowly the gun fell from the man’s hand before he too fell, almost in slow motion, over the bonnet.

  Willy smiled broadly, “Better than a duck shoot at a funfair,” he drawled in his best imitation southern American accent.

  Chapter 37

  Ernie sat carefully in the hospital bed reassuring the doctor that had removed the bullet that there would be no repercussions for her actions, “After all, my dear, this is not exactly my proudest moment.” he grinned feebly.

  His assurances did nothing to quell the conscious of Dr. Pauline Hopper, though. She knew that her current employers would be asking some awkward questions.

  “You know,” he carried on, “you've really got to learn to drive. You’ve wrecked two cars in a matter of days!” he tried to look thoughtful before continuing, “Perhaps a new job as a stuntman beckons.” Morton grinned from the chair where he sat although he ached all over. “You’re never going to let me forget this, are you?”

  “What forget what a pain in the arse you are, no way!” both men laughed. It was a mixture of relief and joy. “I can be cheeky at the moment,” he laughed again. Kim had not heard him laugh as much before.

  “That’s a cheap shot. A bit low even for you!” they both laughed painfully.

  “God! Boys and their weird sense of humour. I think I preferred it when they weren’t talking,” Francesca, sitting on the side of his bed, was smiling as well.

  “I can’t believe that I got shot in the arse!” he laughed again.

  “Could think of worse places,” Morton grinned.

  “Now! Now! Ladies present,” interrupted Ernie.

  “Where?” they both laughed again as Francesca shot Ernie a wounded look.

  When the laughter subsided Ernie got serious, He looked at Morton, “Geoffrey. May I call you that?”

  “Who?” Morton looked quizzically at him, “No! But you can call me Geoff!”

  “We owe you our lives and for that there is no repayment,” he paused. “You realise that in my present condition I can’t exactly chase you down the road, don`t you? I mean, if I was to make a phone call and you decided that you were leaving there would be absolutely nothing that I could do about it!” Francesca looked proudly at him. He was an honorable man after all. “I need to make a phone call,” his demeanor changed and once again he was Inspector Ernie Davenport of Scotland Yard. “I can’t forget that you saved my life, and Francesca’s,” he added quickly. “In ten minutes I will call the Commissioner directly. I estimate that about five minutes after that this hospital will be crawling with coppers. I don`t expect you to be anywhere near here by then.”

  Morton rose painfully and crossed to the bed. He held out his hand and for the first time the two men looked at each other with mutual respect. “Thank you! I'll try not to be a pain in the arse in future!”

  “Does that mean that I will not be hearing your name on any internal bulletins?” he looked earnestly at Morton who waited before thoughtfully nodding slowly in reply. “And I can expect you to make an honest woman of Kim?” he looked at Kim and watched as a huge smile broke across her bruised face.

  “I’ll look after her.”

  “That's not what I meant,” Ernie pushed. “You two were made for each other. You need someone to look after and she needs someone to look after her!”

  “Never took you for a romantic!” Francesca sounded as surprised as the others.

  “It’s practical. He looks after her and I know that Kim will keep him on the straight and narrow. Well?”

  Morton smiled, “Agreed!” he looked at her beautiful face, which was showing the scars of her battering even more now than before, but she was beaming from ear to ear.

  “But, if I ever hear that you’ve mistreated her I will personally hunt you down!” Ernie grinned. “Get out of here. You’ve got ten minutes!”

  Francesca hugged Morton tightly, “Thank you! For everything. Just look after each other and keep out of trouble.”

  “You too!” replied Morton. He was not one for sentiments but he had a feeling that he was going to miss her.

  Francesca and Kim both had tears rolling down their cheeks as they held each other tightly one more time. “Look after each other!” she said to Kim, “and keep in touch!”

  “Er... not too often, though!” interjected Ernie. Francesca shot him a scornful glance.

  “You keep in touch!” she repeated forcibly.

  “Something tells me that you two will soon be sharing the same postcode!” Morton said.

  He put his arm around Kim and limping painfully led her towards the door and a new life. “What will you do?” asked Francesca quickly.

  He stopped and looked at her, “Travel,” he said simply. “I always wanted to see the world. Venice in particular. I've got the time and money now and there's nothing keeping me here. So…”

  “Watch your back,” warned Ernie.

  “Likewise,” he returned the warning meaningfully, “you know, you’re walking into the lions den, so as to speak!”

  “I'll be in the safest place, trust me. With what I've got I'll probably be the next Commissioner.”

  Morton regarded him carefully, “Watch out! This isn’t over!”