by Andy McNab
‘Que pasa?’
She smiled down at her son from the saddle, talked to him earnestly for a moment, then cajoled him.
Finally Peregrino burst out laughing, then turned and shouted to his companions. ‘Vamos a celebrar!’
I didn’t speak much Spanish, but I knew enough to understand ‘Let’s party!’
Everybody else certainly liked the idea, but Peregrino’s happy face had disappeared by the time he turned back to me. He bent down and stretched out his hand towards me. He squeezed my cheeks like a jolly, drunken uncle at first, then his grip became more pincer-like – and those eyes told me this wasn’t the end of the story, not by a long chalk.
He held on long enough to leave me in no doubt that it was his party, not mine, and by the time he walked back up the cut to his pony, Liseth had gone.
At a nod of his head another player led a pony down to me. He shouted and pointed: he wanted me back in the saddle. It took me two or three attempts to swing myself up – each met with raucous laughter and mocking applause – before he could lead me out of the cut. A barrage of excited chat was fired off in all directions as they steered me back towards the casa.
As we broke out of the scrub, I saw Miguel standing beside the Escalade. As the players stopped and waffled, he grabbed the leash, still hanging down my back, and dragged me out of the saddle. I landed in a heap at his feet.
Peregrino and Liseth watched from the house as he man-handled me into the vehicle. Young Gun held the rear door open as Miguel shoved me in with the dogs. I guess she hadn’t wanted them to go out in that nasty scrubland and end up looking like me.
The back of the Escalade was caged off from the driver’s cab, so no way was I going to get to the two of them as we drove back. I moved towards the nearest side door instead, and after making a meal of checking every inch of my body for injuries, grabbed the handle to swing myself out. It was child-locked. I caught sight of Miguel’s expression in the rear-view. I was starting to understand how Dino felt about other people’s pity.
The dogs made themselves comfortable around me. I didn’t even glance at them; I didn’t want them to think I posed any threat. They might have smelt of summer meadows and looked like Dolly Parton, but German Shepherds are German Shepherds. I’d already seen that it didn’t take much to set them off.
As the SUV rolled round to the front of the house I couldn’t help but admire Liseth – just a bit. Yes, she was totally fucked in the head and might have me killed for not nodding quickly enough every time she said something; and, yes, she was responsible for who knew how many dead bodies lying in streets or hanging from bridges around the country, but a little bit of me thought the same way it did about Sophie: not bad for a street kid.
A street kid who was determined to make a president out of that psycho kid of hers.
21
It had been hours since they’d thrown me back in the cage. My throat was bone dry and I still had grit in my mouth. Hunger grabbed at me in waves, but that was OK – it wasn’t the first time I’d gone for long stretches without food. It was the lack of water that worried me. Getting out of this shit was going to take some serious effort, and I didn’t want to go down with dehydration in the process.
The lights had been kept on, and now and again the dogs gave a fitful whine. My feet throbbed; the mallet blows made every move painful.
At least they’d left me fully dressed, which made the air-con less of a nightmare. I looked around for something I could use as a weapon. My belt was the only thing that came close. I took it off and stuck it down the back of my jeans. The other good news was that the bin-liner had been dumped by the lockers. I could see a Timberland heel poking out of it, but no sign of my iPhone or other gear.
The dogs went mad again. They jumped up and ran to the front of their cages, barking like crazy. Liseth appeared and gently calmed them on her way to the chair, greeting them each by name. She’d changed out of her riding kit into killer evening wear. She was now in a loud red dress that brushed her knees, with a matching silk cardigan and heels. Her hair had been ironed extra straight, and shone in the fluorescent light. In one hand she carried a clutch bag – loud red, of course – and in the other a red hardback book without its dust jacket. A white-gold Cartier Tank gleamed on her wrist.
She’d changed her perfume too. The scent of orange groves wafted towards me as I got up and moved to the door of my cage. I followed the Shepherds’ example and pressed my nose against the mesh. I wanted to get a good look at that watch – and some water down my neck.
She settled into the chair and rested the book on her lap.
Maybe gratitude would press the right buttons. ‘Thank you for saving my life out there.’
Her only reaction was a faint smile.
Maybe flattery would work. ‘I always knew you were a woman of vision …’
Her left eyebrow seemed to rise fractionally, but I might have imagined it.
‘What’s the book?’ The cardigan probably meant she was expecting to be there for a while, so I guessed I’d find out sooner or later.
‘I think you will find it interesting. Our friends in China said you are British?’
I nodded, trying not to think about the mess they’d made of Sophie and Bruce.
‘It’s about Elizabeth Tudor. Have you seen the film?’
‘I don’t get to the pictures much.’
‘Sadly, neither do I. But I was fortunate enough to see this one. It tells the story of how her lover, Lord Dudley, plotted against her. But instead of having him executed with the rest of the conspirators, she kept him at court – to remind her how close she was to danger.’
She looked over and smiled at the dogs. ‘It’s not true, of course. But the lesson remains. We must keep our enemies close.’
The dogs whined their approval.
‘There were many plots to kill your queen – yet in the end her enemies knelt to her will. She became the most feared monarch in Europe. She has much to teach us, even today.’
She held up the book and, more importantly, the face of the watch. It was nearly half past seven.
‘Lessons not only in leadership, but also in life …’
She replaced it in her lap and brought the dogs back into the conversation.
‘But, first, we must discuss tomorrow’s party. Nick will have something special to wear.’
Her knowing smile was met with an approving bark or two, and I suddenly realized what this morning’s pictures were all about. Their secure network must have been buzzing with excitement as the invitations went out: there was a new gimp in town, and – better still – he was a white boy.
‘Now …’ the dogs and I were all ears ‘… we have a number of important guests coming to the house, so we need to decide how they will help Peregrino. I am already concerned about Cesar Ramos. He is too ambitious. We cannot trust him. Peregrino knows this. He will do what he has to do with him.’
She finally turned to me, her eyes no longer reflecting the light. ‘Just as he will with the man who killed his father.’
Her tone had the dogs up on tiptoe. It was clearly the reaction she was looking for. None of them seemed to notice that the doors that led into the kitchen area were moving, ever so slightly.
I kept my head low so she couldn’t follow my gaze, but then the dogs went ballistic.
For a split second Katya seemed surprised to find she had company, but she recovered just as fast.
‘Madre!’
‘Katya, my dear, how wonderful of you to join us.’
All smiles, Katya kissed Liseth on both cheeks. ‘I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Madre. I need your advice …’
Liseth’s attention was drawn to a stain on Katya’s blouse.
Katya nodded sadly. ‘Jesús has been showing me the ponies. He thinks one of them burst a vessel during the match. Or after it …’ She gave me a significant look. ‘But they’re lovely creatures, aren’t they? So strong – so like your son.’ She beamed at he
r mother-in-law-to-be. ‘I always say to him, “If you were a pony, my darling, you would be a grey – a noble and dignified leader. Me, I’m a dark horse …”’
She seemed careful to avoid my eye now. I did my best to keep my expression neutral, but hung on her every word.
‘So, Madre, may I ask you something? When Jesús makes his entrance tomorrow night, I will be at his side. But this creature …’ her eyes flicked momentarily in my direction ‘… how can we be sure that this creature will know his place?’
Liseth smiled indulgently. ‘I think he knows already, my dear. He learned a very important lesson this afternoon.’
‘I have a gift for Jesús, Madre. I’d like to present it to him when he announces our marriage. May I show it to you?’
Liseth looked pleased but bemused. ‘What is the gift, my dear?’
‘Oh, Madre – that is a surprise. Shut your eyes for a moment, and open them when I tell you …’
Liseth sat stock still, and joined in the game.
Katya leaned into the cupboard and took down one of the heavy ceramic water bowls. Then she tiptoed behind Liseth’s chair and raised it high above her head.
22
Liseth was quick.
Her eyes snapped open and her street girl’s hands whipped into the air, grabbing Katya’s wrists as they fell, using her attacker’s own momentum to swing her down and sideways. Katya cannoned into my cage and the bowl crashed to the floor and shattered.
Liseth sprang to her feet and swung a huge roundhouse punch into Katya’s face. I thought she was going to follow up with another, but she skipped back out of range.
Katya’s back moulded itself against the steel mesh. I moved my head as close as I could to hers.
Liseth confronted her. She wasn’t flapping: her voice was in control. ‘You stupid, stupid bitch …’
Then she looked more closely at the stain on Katya’s blouse. Her face clouded. ‘Where is my son?’
Katya said nothing, stayed where she was.
Liseth repeated her question. Her tone was suddenly harsh, almost mechanical. ‘Where – is – Peregrino?’
Katya still didn’t answer.
Liseth had had enough. She headed back to the chair and reached for her clutch bag.
I made the most of her distraction, and muttered in Katya’s ear, ‘Get her against the mesh.’
She didn’t react. I banged the cage door then prodded her head through the wire with my fingers.
‘Katya, move!’
At last she came to her senses and stumbled to her feet. She lunged forward with a shriek so loud it echoed off the walls.
Before she’d even reached Liseth I’d slid my belt out from the back of my jeans and wrapped the buckle end around my right hand.
Katya didn’t know what the fuck she was doing. But the street kid did. She took a stride forward and head-butted her, a cool, calm, collected attack.
I slammed my hand against the door frame. ‘Katya! Get her over here! Get her to me!’
She was reeling, but finally understood what she had to do. She ran clumsily at Liseth again, threw her arms round the older woman’s waist in a crude rugby tackle.
Liseth’s fists pounded into Katya’s kidneys.
‘Keep her going, get her to me! Katya, keep going!’
The dogs were beside themselves, foaming at the mouth.
Liseth had the skill and the instincts of the ghetto, but Katya had height and strength. She kept pushing and managed to slam Liseth’s back against the front of my cage.
‘Keep her there. Push! Push!’
I rammed my fingers as far as I could through the mesh and grabbed as much as I could of her shiny black hair and twisted it around my hand.
Liseth lashed out again at Katya, realized her head was trapped, that her only way out of this was to pull so hard she ripped off her scalp, and began to shout for Miguel. But the sound was as constricted as she was. The mesh rattled as her arms and legs flailed, but Katya’s weight kept her pinned.
She tried to jerk her head left and right, but only succeeded in exposing her throat.
I fed the end of the belt through the mesh; Katya looped it around Liseth’s neck and back towards me. I scrabbled for it with my left hand while somehow still managing to hang onto the fistful of hair with my right. Sweat now streaked Liseth’s cheeks and my fingers slid across her skin.
She understood exactly what was happening. Her head jerked again and again to try to get out of reach. I gripped the leather tongue and worked it further into my hand. The moment I could close around it properly I yanked it back through the mesh. Now, finally, I had maximum pressure across her throat. Liseth thrashed about like she was plugged into the mains. I leaned back and pulled even harder.
The dogs were in a frenzy, yelping and hurling themselves against their cages.
Katya stepped away. A second or two later there was a dull thud and blood spattered across my face. Liseth’s head lolled to one side as Katya prepared to hammer it again with a big lump of heavy bowl.
I yelled at her. ‘No! Stop! Don’t do it!’
Too late: the bowl crushed the side of Liseth’s skull and blood sprayed across the wall.
If the belt hadn’t killed her, she was definitely dead now.
I loosened my grip and the body slumped to the floor. But Katya kept right on going. Twice more the bowl smashed down.
‘Stop, for fuck’s sake! The blood! Stop!’
At last, Katya was still.
She stood over Liseth’s body, surveying the damage at our feet, and allowed the bowl to slip from her hands. Her yellow blouse was soaked with sweat. The intricate lacework of her bra imprinted itself on the silk as she took short, juddering breaths. Fuck knew what she was going to do next; I needed her to keep switched on.
I yelled above the din of the dogs and banged my fists against the wire. ‘Liseth’s bag! Check the bag!’
My words finally seemed to register. She turned, almost like an automaton.
‘Open the bag … That’s good … The key …’ I rattled the cage door. ‘See if she’s got a key.’
Drained, she bent down and did as I said. The key appeared, as if by magic. Her hand was shaking so badly I wondered whether she’d be able to introduce it to the lock.
23
‘Take your time … Turn it … No hurry … It’s all good …’
I was talking bollocks, obviously, but I needed to soothe her; there was a wild look in her eyes, and I was still on the wrong side of the wire.
I heard the tumblers rotate in the lock and pushed open the gate. I had to push hard to shift Liseth’s corpse. Eyes on the door, I slid out of the cage and threaded my belt back through my jeans.
Katya stood trembling in front of me. I couldn’t blame her. She’d have seen a few dead bodies in her line of work, but none that she’d just battered to a pulp.
I put a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. ‘You kill him?’
‘I … I’m not sure … I played along, Nick … but I couldn’t take it any more … He …’
I gripped both of her shoulders, keeping eye-to-eye, wanting to make sure she knew what she now had to do.
‘Later. We have to hide the body. And we’ve got to get rid of that blood if we’re going to get out of here, OK? The cleaning stuff is just around that corner, the other side of the wall.’
I hoped that anyone looking for Liseth would think she’d taken me off on one of her mad dog walkies or something – anything, really, apart from being the victim of a blood-stained drama in front of an empty cage. I needed to buy some time, buy some doubt – and buy it as quickly as possible. This wasn’t over yet.
I emptied everything out of the bin-liner. It was all there except the phone, which was probably hanging out of the back of a pair of Mexican jeans by now. I shoved my stuff back in my pockets and pulled on my Timberlands.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the cabinet and got as much of it down my shirt as my throat. I retriev
ed Liseth’s cell from her clutch bag. It was on, coded up, ready to go. I wasn’t surprised. What kind of lunatic was going to risk nicking this fucker?
Katya reappeared with a bucket, mop and dog towels and set to, swabbing up the mess. I tugged the empty bin-liner over what was left of Liseth’s head and tied it under her chin.
Once I’d made sure that she wasn’t going to leave a nice red trail between there and the tunnel, I pushed in my earphones and called Dino on Liseth’s tab.
‘Where the fuck have you been, man?’
‘I’ve got Katya.’
‘Those fucking dogs, man, shut them the fuck up! She OK?’
‘A bit fucked up, but she’s breathing.’
She’d finished putting the bits of water bowl and blood-soaked towels into a laundry bag and headed around the corner to replace the mop and cleaning shit.
I put the cell in my shirt pocket and grabbed Liseth’s limp wrists, ready to drag her on her arse. I left the key in the lock and started pulling as Katya reappeared and picked up the bag.
I gave her a smile of encouragement. ‘Good thinking. We’ll take that with us. Bring her handbag too. And as many water bottles as you can carry.’
She did what she needed to and followed. One of Liseth’s shoes fell off, so she picked it up, then went ahead to push open the door into stainless-steel heaven.
‘Dino, stay with me. We’re going into the tunnel. We’ll talk then. If there’s no signal, I’ll come back to you when I’m out.’
We made it through the party kitchen and under the archway to the tunnel entrance. Liseth’s arms hit the floor as I tapped the keypad. The door whined open. I pulled Katya into the darkness, then bent down and pulled Liseth in too. Her other shoe slipped off and Katya whisked it across the threshold as the door clicked shut.
She threw the shoes ahead of us and they echoed on the steel walkway. I heard her struggle to regain some sort of normal breathing pattern. I pulled the cell out of my pocket to give us some light.
‘Dino – you got me?’
‘Fucking A. They both dead?’
‘Liseth is for sure. Not sure about Peregrino.’
