by Stuart Woods
“Think of the ramifications of his being caught: they’ll beat everything out of him. If they only have the body, they’ll start to confirm every detail of his identity, and even though he told us he did a masterful job of becoming Harold Pitts, that identity will eventually unravel.”
“You have a point,” Thomas said.
“There’s more of my point: when they find out he isn’t Pitts, they’ll have an unidentifiable corpse on their hands, so they’ll start digging into his island connections, and that means you and me. They’ll think that we hired an assassin.”
“Teddy came to us, remember?”
“That won’t matter. Teddy and his corpse have to disappear completely and forever.”
“What about the boat? It will eventually get to Ft. Lauderdale, and there’ll be someone there to meet it.”
“Your man has a satellite telephone doesn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Then call him and give him new instructions; we need for the authorities to know exactly what happened to the yacht and to Pitts.”
Thomas was still quiet.
“Am I making sense, Thomas?”
“Yes, I’m afraid you are.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to call Teddy and tell him to hide himself while Stone and Holly are looking for him, and that I’ll get him off the island in a few days, when things have cooled off a bit.”
“I hope that works. And if it doesn’t?”
“Then I’ll do what has to be done and take care of the disposal.”
“I’m sorry it’s come to this, Thomas. I know you didn’t expect to have to kill anyone yourself.”
“I’m sorry, too, but don’t worry-I’ll take care of it.”
“All right. I’ll call the others, and we’ll meet here tonight. You bring some food from the inn, and we’ll call it a dinner party, if the police should show up.”
“I’ll be there around seven,” Thomas said.
“Good luck, Thomas, and thank you.”
“Good-bye, Leslie.” Thomas hung up. He went to his safe, opened it and took out the snub-nosed.38 that he had carried as a backup piece when he was a New York City cop. He strapped the holster to his ankle, checked to be sure the gun was loaded, then shoved it into the holster and secured it.
He called Teddy.
“Yes?”
“Stone and Holly are going to be there shortly. It’s important that you secrete yourself while they’re looking for you and, probably, for a few days after that. Do you have food in that bunker of yours, or do you want me to bring you some?”
“I’m quite self-sufficient, Thomas, and don’t worry, they will not find me. I know you’re worried about my being apprehended, but you may put that out of your mind; it won’t happen.”
“I hope not.”
“I know that my capture would endanger your prospects for forming a government, and I will not put you in that position, I promise you.”
“Thank you, Teddy; I’m glad you understand what’s at stake for the future of St. Marks.”
“I do. Give me as much time as you can; I’m nearly ready now.”
“Good-bye, Teddy,” Thomas said, and he meant it. One way or another, this would be their last conversation.
Thomas left his office and went to pick up Stone and Holly.
Stone and Holly were waiting outside their cottage for Thomas to pick them up when her satphone rang again.
“Yes?”
“It’s Lance. Harold Pitts’s house is less than ten miles from the front gate here; I sent two men to look it over, and Pitts answered the door. He returned home last night after six weeks of touring the country in an RV.”
“So our Harold Pitts is Teddy.”
“No doubt about it,” Lance said. “Holly, you’re not going to be able to bring him back with you, and you can’t allow him to be caught.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that if the St. Marks police get their hands on him, they’ll torture him until they know everything; I mean that he’s not going to get onto that airplane with you; he just won’t. He knows exactly what that would mean when he’s back in the States, and he’ll kill you rather than allow that to happen.”
“I’m armed; Dino had brought a weapon with him.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Lance said. “It means that you won’t have to kill him with a knife or your hands.”
“Lance, I’m going to try to take him alive.”
“It can’t be done, Holly. The very best outcome of such an effort would be that he might kill himself, but he very likely would kill you first. He will be armed to the teeth, and he’s not going to have a conversation with you before he starts shooting.”
“We don’t know that.”
“I don’t want to lose you, Holly. Quite apart from my personal loss, the Agency would be left holding a very large bag.”
“That’s not what I’m thinking about,” Holly said.
“It’s what you must think about. You can only prevent a horrible mess for the Agency, and perhaps for the country, by remaining alive, and that means killing Teddy at the first opportunity, do you understand?”
“I suppose so.”
“These are your orders, Holly: Kill him on sight; do not wait for him to threaten you or run. Do you understand?”
Holly heaved a deep sigh. “I understand.”
“I’ll meet you at Manassas airport. Good-bye.” Lance hung up.
Stone was staring at her. “Are you going to do it?”
“Yes,” she said.
57
Lance had hardly hung up the phone when it rang again.
“Yes?”
“It’s Kate Lee, Lance.”
“Good morning, Director.”
“Lance, the president wants to announce his candidacy for reelection, probably in the next day or two; he’s meeting with his campaign people now. Where are we on the St. Marks operation?”
“I anticipate a resolution within hours,” Lance said.
“Can you promise me that?”
“No, Director, because I’m not on St. Marks, doing it myself. But I believe that before the day is out, I can give you a conclusive answer.”
“All right. I’ll expect to hear from you later in the day.”
“Something else, Director: Hugh English’s secretary told me yesterday that an item had appeared on the Drudge Report website saying that Hugh had resigned because he has Alzheimer’s disease.”
“I’ve heard about it, and I’m shocked.”
Lance thought he detected an ironic overtone to that statement. “I’ve told Carolyn that she can give a quote to Drudge, attributed to an inside source, but not named, that the information is false.”
“Good. If I’m asked about it, I’ll issue a strong denial.”
“Thank you, Director. I’ll call you later today.”
“I’ll sit by the phone, Lance. Good-bye.” She hung up.
Lance leaned back in his chair and began doing deep breathing exercises to calm himself.
Stone and Holly got into Thomas’s car.
“Thomas,” Stone said, “can you drive us straight to the airport when we’re done with this errand? I’ve told Dino to take the rental car and our luggage.”
“Of course,” Thomas said. “Please tell me what you hope to accomplish by this trip up Black Mountain.”
“That remains to be seen,” Holly said.
“I think it’s time the two of you and I had a frank discussion,” Thomas said.
“Go ahead,” Stone said.
“Of course, I’ll deny that this conversation ever took place, and I expect you will, too.”
“All right.”
“I’ve known for some time that Harold Pitts is Teddy Fay.”
Stone’s mouth fell open. “Why on earth didn’t you tell us?”
“Because Teddy had work to do, work that I and some others on the island thought necessary to preserve this little countr
y as something other than the dictatorship of Winston Sutherland.”
“You mean you had Teddy kill Sir Winston?”
“No; he did that entirely on his own hook. Let me explain.”
“Please do.”
“Teddy came here first as Pemberton, an Englishman, some months ago. He and I met in the restaurant, and we talked a lot. Gradually, as I got to know him better, the talk turned to local politics. I told him that the island was being strangled by corruption at the top, that Winston was squeezing practically every business on the island for money, using Croft and duBois for muscle, then shipping it into an offshore account. Pemberton, as I knew him, was intensely interested in this. He intimated that he was motivated, and had the skills, to remove Croft and duBois from the picture. The words were never spoken directly; these were highly nuanced conversations.”
“So you hired Teddy to kill Croft and duBois?”
“Certainly not; didn’t you hear what I just said? He volunteered, and I did not discourage him. Then Pemberton abruptly disappeared and Harold Pitts arrived.”
“Who is in this with you?”
“There is a group of us on the island, mostly members of Parliament, as I am, who thought that with Croft and duBois out of the way, we could go to Winston and bully him into backing off. After all, he had already accumulated enough to keep him in luxury for the rest of his life.”
“From what I know of Sutherland,” Stone said, “I don’t think he could have been bullied.”
“Neither do I, and I was prepared to go further if he resisted us. Then, early this morning, Teddy killed duBois, and I believe that he suddenly found himself with an opportunity to kill Winston, and he did that, too. I don’t think it was planned.”
“How long have you known that Pemberton/Pitts was Teddy?”
“I suspected it from what I had read in the international press about Teddy, but I didn’t press him on it, until you arrived and told me what you were doing. Immediately after that, after he had taken on the Harold identity, I asked him, straight out, if he was Teddy Fay, and he admitted it. Irene has always known, of course.”
“Of course.”
“Holly,” Thomas said, “you’re very quiet back there.”
“I’m just taking all this in, Thomas, and I’m wondering what your next move is.”
“Let me ask you a question: do you believe that you and Stone can take Teddy alive, get him past the police and transport him back to the United States in your airplane this morning?”
Holly took a deep breath. “After reflection, no.”
“Then you’re going to Black Mountain to kill him.”
“I’m not,” Stone said.
“I am,” Holly said. “And so are you, aren’t you, Thomas? You and your people can’t risk having Teddy taken by the police, just as my people can’t.”
“I’m afraid you’re right,” Thomas said.
“Are you in touch with Teddy?” she asked.
“He has a cell phone.”
“Call him and tell him that I want to talk to him, just talk. Tell him I have an offer from the director that he should consider.”
“Do you have an offer from the director?” Stone asked.
“No.”
Thomas pulled the car to the side of the road, took out his cell phone and pressed a button.
“Yes?” Teddy said.
“It’s Thomas. I’m in the car with the woman you know as Ginny Heller; her real name is Holly Barker, and she’s with the Agency.”
“I’ve known that for several days,” Teddy said. “It took some time for me to place the face, because she looks different from the last time I saw her, but I finally remembered.”
“Holly has an offer from the director to present to you,” Thomas said.
“Do you really believe that?” Teddy asked.
“Yes, I do, and I think you should hear her out. This could be the best possible solution.”
“Does it involve going back to the States and being tried?”
“I don’t know; you’ll have to ask her that.”
“Where are you, Thomas?”
“We’ll be at Irene’s in ten minutes.”
“All right, I’ll hear her out, but I’m not making any promises.” He hung up.
“He says he’ll hear your offer, Holly.”
“All right.”
Thomas put the car in gear, began humming, then softly sang the words…‘Gonna cut him, if he stands still, and shoot him, if he runs.’”
“What?” Holly asked.
“Just an old song,” Thomas said. “An old blues.”
58
Teddy left his workshop and walked up the hill to Irene’s house. She was in the kitchen making a salad.
“I’m done here,” he said.
“I figured you would be, after I saw the TV this morning,” she replied. She wiped her hands on her apron. “Why didn’t you tell me what you were doing, Teddy?”
“Surely you knew something was up, especially after I sent the yacht north.”
“Knowing that something was up is not the same as knowing that you were going to take out three government officials, including the prime minister.”
“Life is going to be better for you here with those three gone,” Teddy said. “Their replacements are going to be of a different order.”
She put her arms around his neck. “When will I see you again?”
“Until a few minutes ago I thought I could get myself to Lauderdale, sell the yacht and come back as Harold Pitts. That’s not possible now.”
“Why not? The identity is still good, isn’t it?”
“There are some people on the way here now, and I expect they want to kill me.”
“Who?”
“Thomas, Stone Barrington and the Ginny girl, whose real name is Holly Barker.”
“I know that name; she works for Lance!”
“I know.”
“How are you going to get out? You’ll meet them going down the road.”
“I’ve made some preparations.”
They both heard the crunch of gravel from the driveway, and car doors slammed.
“Shit!” Teddy said. “You’re going to have to stall them for me; give me as much time as you can.” He kissed her and ran out the back door as the doorbell rang. As he ran, he looked up at the overcast, which was nearly down to rooftop level at Irene’s house. This was going to be tougher than he had thought. He headed down the hill at breakneck speed.
Irene Foster opened the door, wearing an apron. “Well hello, all of you, what a nice surprise! I was just making a crab salad; can you stay for lunch?”
“I’m afraid not, Irene,” Thomas said, stepping into the house. “Where’s Harold?”
“He’s just getting out of the shower. Why don’t you all have a seat; he’ll be out as soon as he’s dressed.” She showed them all into the living room, but nobody sat down.
“We really need to see him right now, Irene,” Holly said.
“Goodness, what’s the rush? Can I get anybody some iced tea?”
From outside somewhere came a loud buzzing noise.
“What’s that?” Stone asked.
“Chain saw,” Irene replied smoothly. “They’re clearing out some trees in the ravine below the old guest house.”
“There aren’t any trees in that ravine, and that’s not a chain saw,” Holly said, and she started running.
59
Teddy sat in the front seat of the two-seater ultralight aircraft, his case strapped into the rear seat. A map image appeared on the Garmin portable GPS he had fixed to the frame ahead of him. He tapped in the identifier for Nevis airport and pressed the “Direct To” button. A line appeared on the map; all he had to do was to follow that. He pushed the throttle forward for takeoff, and the engine died. He hadn’t had time to warm it up properly.
“Shit!” he practically screamed. He pulled the choke out halfway and pressed the starter button, hoping to God he wasn’t flooding it.
The engine began turning over again, but more weakly than the first time; the battery was a small one.
“Teddy!” he heard Thomas yell from up the hill somewhere. “Teddy!”
The engine caught and roared to life. Teddy pushed the throttle slowly forward, letting the rpms build, trying not to let it die again. Finally, it was wide open. Teddy took the knife from his belt and turned to cut the light rope that was all that was holding the little aircraft back.
Holly rounded the corner of the old guesthouse ahead of Thomas and Stone, clawing at the pistol stuck in the belt of her jeans. “Teddy!” she yelled. “It’s Holly Barker! Don’t do anything stupid!” She came to a sliding halt and fell on her ass. Teddy Fay was sitting in what looked like a large bird, made of aluminum and cloth, and he was reaching behind him with a knife. The noise from the propeller was deafening. Holly got to one knee and aimed carefully at Teddy’s upper body. “Don’t do it, Teddy!” she yelled and began squeezing the trigger.
Teddy cut whatever was holding the little airplane back, and, finally freed of its tether, it shot down the hill, as Holly fired, missing him.
Teddy concentrated on keeping the ultralight airplane in the concrete spillway, which was all the runway he had. The little craft gained speed, and as the end of the spillway rushed at him, he pulled back slightly on the stick, clearing the rough ground, but still headed downhill, picking up airspeed. He heard another gunshot, this one a little different-sounding. Two of them were shooting at him. It was now or never.
Teddy pulled firmly back on the stick, and the ultralight started to climb toward the thick clouds above him.
Holly braced herself against the corner of the house and sighted carefully. This time he was hers. She squeezed off the round, then, suddenly, the ultralight disappeared.
Teddy felt a blow on his right calf as the ultralight entered the clouds, but he couldn’t let that distract him. He was going to have his hands full, keeping the wings level with no visual references. All he had was a compass, mounted at eye level, and it was moving, signaling a turn to the south. He corrected gently to his right, and the wind through the rigging began to sing louder. He was in a descent, and he yanked back on the stick.
