Constantine Legacy (Jake Dillon Adventure Series) by Andrew Towning Page A

been contacted by former
general Franco Santori. He’s now the elected spokesman
for our group of Italians. Apparently they’ve sacked the
two negotiators whom you met with at Ahmed’s house in
Cairo.”
“They’re saying that the agreement made in Cairo
was not legal and that they want the firm to cough up a
lump sum of Euros. If you recall the timing of this initial
sum of funding was a sticking point in your negotiations.
And I’m afraid that you’re going to have to go back to
Egypt sooner rather that later, old son, and sort this one
out.” LJ’s mobile rang; excusing himself, he went outside
into the corridor.
While he was out of the room Tats informed me
from across the table.
“The Partners won’t hand over the cash you know.
Not unless they have the counterfeit Euros that Flackyard
has promised them. Do you remember that time Flackyard
came to see the Partners? Well he tried to wheedle his
way into the action, of course he had no idea that his
fake Euros were going to be used to fund another of the
firm’s client ventures. All the same he’s not stupid and
somehow, God knows how, he’s got wind of something
big going down. The outcome as you can imagine is that
the Partners told him in their best Eton drawl, to basically
crawl back under his stone and to stay there.”
LJ came back into the room, looking less flustered
and more composed.
“Do you really think that Flackyard or Caplin was
involved in the bombing?” he asked.
“Yes I do,” I said. “Caplin I’m not too sure about,
but Flackyard - he definitely has a motive. That is to say,
although he is extremely wealthy, he is also extremely
greedy too. A man like that is always looking for the next
fix to increase his fortune. My personal view is that when
the Partners sent him scampering back to Bournemouth
full of rejection and anger, he realised that blackmailing the
powers upstairs wouldn’t work, so he sent a professional
to bomb your car. Why, because he is as evil as any one
human being can be and because you are an easy target,
unlike the Partners who are watched all the time. That
explosion was a carefully planned venture have no doubt
about that.”
“Um, well, you’d better be right about this because
I’m going to have to pull in a lot of favours. Tell me what
you found out about him when you went to his home.”
“Well, he obviously speaks perfect English – syntax
and inflection is faultless. He dresses conservatively,
always a black suit, tailored, not off the peg. I have sat
opposite him at the dining table, I can tell you the caviar
and Champagne are genuine.”
“He was an only child; his mother was a Moscow
society prostitute, and his father a wealthy Russian
aristocrat who defected and came to England when
Flackyard was ten. Public school educated at, Bryanston
in Dorset, after which he went on to Oxford to gain an
honours degree in law. That’s about all I got out of him.
His small talk is virtually non-existent.”
We were all quiet for a moment, then Tats said
softly, “I’d like to blow out the brains of whoever
murdered Charlie.”
“I’ll forget that you spoke.” LJ looked at her with
eyes like steel for a moment, then said, “If you want to
continue working down here you’ll never even think
a thing like that, let alone say it. There is no room for
heroics, vendettas or associated melodrama in my very
efficient department. You make your commitment,
take the rough with the smooth and quietly do your
job. Suppose, Jake had been full of macho heroism and
gone running back to Charlie yesterday. He would have
attracted undue attention from any number of reporters
that inevitably hang around there. As well as having to
answer a barrage of questions from some very inquisitive
policemen. Act grown-up Tatiana or I’ll have you frog
marched out of here immediately.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Apology accepted, but don’t ever hanker after