LATER, IN THE dimly lit barn, Keogh and Ryan laid out the weaponry from Ryan’s big case. There were the two AK assault rifles, spare clips, the stun and smoke grenades, and the Semtex with its timing pencils. There was even a spare Walther in a leather ankle holster.
Keogh checked it out. “Where did that come from?”
“Oh, I thought it might come in useful. I always liked the idea of an ace in the hole,” Ryan said.
Keogh examined each AK separately, running his hands over the various parts expertly. He loaded one and passed it to Ryan. “That latest silencer they have is pretty damn good. Try it.”
He took a wooden plank to the other end of the barn, propped it against the bales of hay, and came back. Kathleen and Benny stood watching.
Ryan raised the AK and fired three single shots. There was the familiar crack the weapon always made in the silenced mode and three bullet holes appeared in the plank.
Keogh loaded the second AK and passed it across. “And that one.”
Ryan pressed the trigger again and achieved the same result. He lowered the weapon and placed it on the trestle table. “That’s all right, then.”
Kathleen came forward holding the Colt.25 automatic. “Now me.”
Keogh said, “It’s all yours.”
She raised the Colt in both hands, took careful aim, and fired, kicking up straw to one side of the plank.
“Try again,” Ryan told her.
The anger showed on her face, but she took aim again and achieved the same result.
She was furious now and Keogh said, “Look, most people can’t hit a barn door with a handgun, so don’t take it to heart. Come with me.” He stopped six or seven feet away from the plank. “I wouldn’t try it from any further away than this if I were you. Just point and shoot.”
She tried again, clipping the plank with one shot, but her second was on target. “Much better,” Keogh said. “But holding the barrel against the target and pulling the trigger gets an even better result.”
He turned and walked back and Ryan was laughing. Even Benny was smiling and she was annoyed. “Well, what about you, small man? Lots of advice for others, but little on display from yourself.”
Keogh turned, face calm, and it was as if she was only noticing for the first time how cold his eyes were. His hand went under his jacket at the rear, the Walther swung up, he fired six times, double-tapping splinters flew from the plank and it toppled over.
Benny had his hands over his ears in spite of the silencer and Kathleen’s look of astonishment was something to see. Keogh didn’t say a word, simply ejected the clip and refilled it.
It was Ryan who put it into words. “Here endeth the lesson. Now let’s turn in. It’s going to be a hell of a day tomorrow.”
ABOUT FOUR MILES south of Marsh End and some five miles off the coast, the Irish Rose was on course, rolling heavily in a troubled sea, winds four to five. In the wheelhouse, the German, Muller, was at the wheel. Tully sat at the chart table, a cardboard box in front of him, and the crew crowded round.
“Seven or eight handguns in there so take your pick. I want every man armed.”
Dolan took a Smith amp; Wesson.38. “This will do me fine.”
The others helped themselves. Jock Grant, the engineer, said, “What’s our estimated time of arrival?”
“About eleven o’clock in the morning, but I can’t be sure. I mean, I don’t know this Marsh End place, so navigating could be awkward and we need to go in on the tide.”
“So what happens?” Dolan asked.
“I don’t know is the answer. When Bell first spoke to me he said we’d to be ready to leave late afternoon. He said the tide would be turning then and the timing was essential. We’ll go in and wait. I mean, Ryan’s bound to turn up to finalize things.”
“But he’s bound to expect trouble after what happened,” Dolan persisted.
“Look, he doesn’t have any choice. Once he has that truck, he’s got to get it away. I’ll tell him it was all a mistake, that I didn’t mean any harm, that I was just making sure everything was on the level, that’s all. What happens when we get to sea is another matter.”
Dolan said, “But that little Keogh bastard is red hot. I mean, look what he did to your ear.”
“I’m not forgetting, but just remember, there’s five of us and only Ryan and Keogh and the girl, and she’s the key. If we can get our hands on her, Ryan will cave in soon enough. We’ll have to make it up as we go along. We won’t hit the Irish coast till dawn. I’ll think of something, but to start with, everybody behaves.”
“I don’t know.” Bert Fox sounded dubious. “It could get nasty.”
Tully exploded in anger. “The biggest payday ever. Are you in or out? Make your minds up.”
It was Dolan who spoke for all of them. “We’re with you, Mr. Tully, no question. Isn’t that right, lads?”
There was a chorus of approval and Tully said, “Get back to work.”
They all went, leaving Muller at the wheel. Tully went out on the bridge and stood there staring into the darkness. He touched his bandaged ear, which still hurt like hell, and it was Keogh he was thinking of and what he’d do to the little bastard when the time came.
FIVE
THE FOLLOWING MORNING when Keogh rose at seven, the weather seemed to have deteriorated. There was heavy mist now over the marsh, and when he opened the front door, the rain was relentless.
He made a cup of tea and shaved at the kitchen sink. There was a small portable radio on the windowsill. He switched it on and managed to find the early morning BBC news broadcast. He continued to shave and was wiping his face clean when the weather forecast came on and he listened intently. For the Irish Sea it was winds three to four with some sea fog and rain squalls.
Which could have been worse. He finished his tea and started to dress when there was the sound of a vehicle outside. He pulled on his boots and went to the window and saw Kathleen getting out of the Ford.
Keogh took his reefer down from a peg and opened the door. “Another dirty old morning,” he said cheerfully.
“We thought you’d like a proper breakfast. I’ve come to fetch you.”
“Now isn’t that the kind thought?” He got into the passenger seat. “First we’ll take a run to the end of the jetty. I’d like to see how things are.”
“Fine by me.”
She drove along the broad track and moved on to the jetty stopping just before the end. Keogh got out and went and peered over and she joined him.
“Only a few feet of water down there at the moment,” he said. “The tide must be way out.”
“And that’s bad?”
“They wouldn’t get in. Still, it’s supposed to start turning around about ten-thirty.” He looked out to sea. “Pity about this damn mist. Irish Rose could be hove-to out there, but we can’t see.” He smiled suddenly and squeezed her shoulder. “Never mind, it’s going to be fine. I have a good feeling about it. Now let’s get that breakfast.”
AND THE IRISH ROSE, Muller at the wheel, was indeed hove-to about a mile out. Tully stood on the bridge with Dolan peering into the mist.
“God damn this weather,” Dolan said. “Can’t see a thing.” He turned to Tully. “Is it off?”
“Is it, hell,” Tully said. “If there’s one thing I do well it’s navigate, you know that. No, we wait for the turn of the tide and go in.” He turned fiercely. “Nothing stops me getting my hands on that truck. Nothing,” and he went into the wheelhouse.
IT WAS ABOUT half past ten and Keogh and Ryan were in the barn carefully checking the weapons again. Keogh picked up the Walther in the ankle holster.
“Can I take this? I’ve always liked an ace in the hole myself.”
“Be my guest.”
“I’ll put it on just before we leave,” and he put it in the pocket of his reefer.