by Nick Elliott
I needed a drink. ‘I’ll be in the bar if you want to join me for a nightcap,’ I told her as we checked in.
‘I’ll be down,’ she said and went up to her room to change.
I ordered a large Scotch and slumped into a leather armchair in a corner of the dimly lit bar. I was beginning to relax.
Claire appeared when I was well into my second drink.
‘Wow! That’s quite an outfit.’
‘Spare me the sarcasm. It’s all I could get in the hotel shop here. The one I was wearing was ruined.’
She’d put on a silky black cocktail dress. She looked wonderful.
‘I meant it.’
She smiled as if she knew I didn’t. I’d never understand women’s take on fashion. I guess the dress was out of style or something, but it still looked great on her. Anything would.
The waiter was hovering over us before she even sat down. She ordered a Scotch, downed half of it as soon as it arrived and asked him for another.
I decided to get to the point. ‘We can do this now or tomorrow but I need to ask you what in the name of God you thought you were doing back there, following those heavies. You could have got yourself killed and that’s not the kind of risk we’re expected to take. Didn’t they tell you the limits of the investigation when they briefed you back in Leith?’
‘I might have got a bit carried away,’ she said without conceding that she’d screwed up. ‘I thought if I could find the chief guy I could at least interview him. And that would strengthen our own defence when it came to negotiating a settlement with cargo underwriters.’
‘That’s true. But how about the legitimate consignee in Georgia? Did you talk to him?’
‘I tried to find him through Gia, the agent, but his office said he was travelling.’
‘My guess is he was mixed up in the whole scam,’ I said. ‘Think about it. It would be a win–win for him. He’d benefit from the black market sale of the cacha and recover the value of the ethyl alcohol from his cargo insurers too.’
She looked at me. ‘You think I’m a fool don’t you.’
‘Not at all. A little naïve perhaps.’ I was finding it difficult to maintain my frustration with her.
‘It was foolish. But I knew I could talk my way out of it once Boris the boss man arrived. You saw at the airport. He didn’t want any more trouble. He just wanted us off his back.’
She paused. ‘Anyway, it’s such an adrenaline rush.’ She was high-spirited all right.
I sighed. ‘Okay, I know what you mean. I get carried away myself sometimes, but learn from this. I mean it.’
‘I will, honestly,’ she said contritely. I wasn’t convinced.
‘How did you get into this game yourself then, Angus?’ she asked.
‘By accident.’
‘What, you fell over a claim you mean?’ She had a smile that was both mocking and inviting.
‘Very funny,’ I said and ordered more drinks.
‘I was working on a Greek ship. I wanted to come ashore. The owner offered me work in his claims department.’
‘Working on a Greek ship?’
‘I was an able seaman, then bosun.’
‘I thought those jobs went to Filipinos.’
‘Often they do. But this owner liked to mix his crews and in my case I was looking for some travel and a bit of adventure, not a career.’
‘So we’re not unalike, you and me: looking for something different to do with our lives.’
‘I guess so. It was a while back.’
She sat up and pushed her glass away. ‘Fancy a quick spin in the nightclub downstairs?’ She saw me hesitate. I’d drunk three whiskies and they weren’t British measures.
‘Come on!’ she insisted.
‘I’m not a Whirling Dervish you know. I can’t spin. I can’t even dance.’
She giggled. We went down anyway.
When I woke next morning sunlight was seeping through a gap between the curtains. I looked down at her asleep beside me. After a while she opened her eyes.
‘Good morning,’ she murmured, reaching her arms up and pulling me towards her.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nick Elliott began his career as a boarding agent attending ships in Edinburgh’s port of Leith. He moved to Hong Kong in the seventies and lived throughout the Far East for twenty years before relocating to Greece and eventually back to the UK.
Married with two daughters, he divides his time between Scotland and Greece.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My thanks to my ever-tolerant and diligent editor, Helen Bleck; to old friend from Hong Kong days and my enthusiastic beta reader, Andrew Watson; and to my wife Liz for her occasional but always well-judged suggestions. With their patient and good-natured encouragement they have helped immensely in ensuring The Code completed its journey.
Thanks also to Doctor Jane Stanford, Rear Admiral (ret’d) Roger Lockwood, Steve Cameron and Jeremy Waller for their expert input throughout the series. Also to author friends, Craig Russell and Peter A. Flannery for their ongoing advice and support.
And I am indebted to Ben Macintyre for his superb account of Kim Philby’s defection in A Spy among Friends which helped to set me on course.
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS BOOK
If you enjoyed reading The Code I would be very grateful if you would leave a short review, or failing that a rating, on Amazon. Good reviews and ratings help other readers find and enjoy a book.
And if you would like to receive my newsletter, please go to my website: https://www.nickelliott.org or get in touch direct by email at [email protected]
Nick Elliott
SEA OF GOLD, DARK OCEAN AND BLACK REEF
Buy Sea of Gold here: http://amzn.to/1jkQUYT
What readers have said about Sea of Gold
“Nick Elliott ticks all the boxes in this fast-paced yarn, with a keen eye for descriptive detail and solidly drawn characters. The first-person narrative, complete with ironic internal asides, is the perfect vehicle for a thoughtful and witty style that draws us swiftly into the shoes of its protagonist, a credible and consistent character.”
***
“A unique twist on the spy detective thriller featuring impeccably researched action that is set in a host of well invoked locations. I look forward with intrigue to Angus McKinnon’s further adventures.”
***
“This is a first rate, well-constructed first novel which benefits from the author’s learned insight into the maritime business world and his familiarity with interesting parts of the world. In addition he introduces us to some interesting characters who fortunately survive the tricky circumstances in which they find themselves and who we look forward to meeting again in the sequel(s). I predict a successful future for Nick Elliott who will I feel sure continue to set his stories in fascinating parts of the world. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.”
***
“In the tradition of Eric Ambler, this is a well written crime novel. What starts out as a case of insurance fraud turns into a battle of international intrigue.”
***
“A fascinating and very well-written story in a world I knew nothing about, commercial shipping. If you are a mystery fan, enjoy reading about international intrigue, appreciate well-developed complex characters and are curious about or fascinated by the high seas, this is for you. A powerful first book.”
Buy Dark Ocean here: http://amzn.to/2vIPRyJ
What readers have said about Dark Ocean
“This really is an expertly researched, very well-written and fast-paced international thriller. The protagonist, Angus McKinnon, is a character with real dimension and credibility, which is something often lacking in this kind of fiction. You believe in him, and you believe in the streets, alleys and seaways he travels: every location is atmospherically and authentically created as your drawn deeper and deeper into a dark world where nothing is what is seems. Superb book.”
***
“Felt like I was back in the O
rient when I was reading this book. I could easily visualize every aspect of the author's descriptions of people and places. So many plot twists. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.”
***
“Dark Ocean hit landmarks with which I am familiar (Kowloon and Hong Kong), and I loved all the interesting tidbits of shipping detail, description of ports, and customs of the locals, including the exchange of commerce with Japan. This book grabs your attention immediately then quickly widens to that of international intrigue that includes the collusion of a major cabal in what might be a hostile takeover--a far-reaching takeover. The threatening organization is deeply rooted and far ranging and has Angus flying to retrieve information from sources he thought well buried in his past--only to have to retrieve, relive, and sort. But as with any good thriller, a piece of the puzzle only leads to hints of acquiring the next piece.
***
“The book is a well-plotted, multi-layered suspense with slightly rogue alpha male management style being ever more deeply entangled in MI6 as they coordinate between agencies. There is so much (fictional?) information here reading as gospel that it becomes scary.”
***
“Nick Elliott has done it again. Following Sea of Gold he has come up with an equally gripping, intelligent and well-paced thriller in Dark Ocean. Set in the shipping industry which he knows intimately and in countries which he knows like a native and in which you can feel the pulse of the street life, the plot leads you on in an unputdownable way. Once started you have to read on to the end. The characters, especially the female ones, are excellently crafted and true to life. Who knew that shipping could be so interesting?”
Buy Black Reef here: https://amzn.to/2zVBo4e
What readers have said about Black Reef
“I have now completed the Angus McKinnon trilogy and they get better and better. Like the previous two, Black Reef covers a tremendously wide geographical canvas written with Nick Elliott's intimate knowledge of those parts of the world together with the people who live there. So the book is fascinating on that count alone; add the breadth of the story, the excitement and suspense at almost every page and the quality of the writing and you have an action thriller amongst the very best. This book stands alone from the previous two, but if you haven't read them yet - do!”
***
“Nick Elliott does it again, his work just gets better and better. If you have read Nick's first two books this is a must read. If you haven't read the others then you have three must read books to enjoy. Can't wait for the next one.”
***
“I really enjoyed meeting Angus again and being drawn into this third thrilling case. What a great trilogy. I particularly enjoy the depth of knowledge Nick Elliott shows when it comes to the different locations Angus finds himself in, as well as the fascinating mysteries of the shipping world. What great reads!”
Or buy the trilogy box set here: https://amzn.to/2Ov8WhE
