Free The Lethal Target by Jim Eldridge

‘You only guard your own book. Who’s to say that a book somewhere else, maybe hidden on Barra, or Skye, or anywhere else hasn’t been found in the past. That’s certainly been the case with the books that were hidden from the library of Malichea at Glastonbury.’
    Robbie and Rona fell silent, then Rona admitted awkwardly, ‘I suppose it’s possible.’
    ‘The point is, we’re sure that MI5 already know about what’s going on here. They’ll be desperate to get their hands on the book and get it away from the Russians.’
    ‘So why don’t they just do that?’ asked Robbie. ‘They’ve got the power.’
    ‘International politics,’ explained Lauren. ‘If MI5 snatched the book, it could cause a big political row with the Russians. And right now the country depends on the Russians for gas supplies. The last thing the government wants is the Russians cutting off our gas, or trebling the price we pay for it.’
    ‘But if we take it from the Russians and let them believe that MI5 have got it, you’ll be off the hook,’ said Jake.
    ‘But how do we persuade the Russians that MI5 have got the book?’ asked Rona.
    ‘We get hold of the book and tell MI5 we’ll give it to them if they agree to our demands,’ said Jake. ‘But instead of giving it to them, we make up a fake book. We arrange a high-profile handover, where we make sure the Russians see the book being handed over to MI5. In the meantime, we give you two the real book, and you hide it again. Somewhere here on Mull, where only you two know.
    ‘Once that’s done, the Russians will assume that MI5 have got the book, so it’s not worth looking for it any longer, and they’ll go home.’
    ‘It won’t work,’ said Rona. ‘Even if you get it off the Russians, MI5 will know it’s a fake. They’ll throw you both in jail.’
    ‘Yes, well, that’s the difficult part,’ admitted Jake. ‘That, and getting the real book off the Russians.’
    They fell silent, a heavy gloomy silence. Jake was the first to speak. ‘OK, has anyone got any other ideas?’
    It was Rona who answered him: ‘If we can get the book back, we let MI5 have it. Properly. Not pretending.’
    Robbie stared at her, shocked.
    ‘What?’ he demanded.
    ‘We know it’s true what they say: that MI5 want to keep the books secret as well. Well, this way the book will still be hidden.’
    ‘No!’ burst out Robbie angrily. ‘The books were supposed to stay hidden where no one can touch them. If any government has them, even stashed away somewhere, one day they might decide to use the information in them. That’s why the Watchers were set up. And we are Watchers!’
    ‘The book’s already been found!’ Rona reminded him firmly. ‘We’re watching over nothing! The only question now is who we want it to stay with: the Russians, who killed Uncle Dougie and will use it to make dreadful weapons; or British intelligence, who’ll keep it hidden away.’
    ‘No!’ repeated Robbie furiously. He stood up and glared at them. ‘I won’t listen to any more of this! I’m going to get that book back! I’ll destroy it rather than let anyone get their hands on it!’
    ‘As Rona said, the Russians already have their hands on it,’ said Jake.
    ‘Not for long!’ snapped Robbie. ‘Come on, Rona!’
    Rona shook her head.
    ‘Not just yet,’ she said. ‘I want to talk about this some more.’
    ‘There’s nothing more to say!’ said Robbie angrily. ‘We’re finished! We’re on our own!’
    ‘Not if we want justice for Uncle Dougie,’ said Rona.
    Robbie hesitated, and Jake could tell he was on the point of another angry outburst. But then he checked himself.
    ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘But if you decide to work with them, that’s nothing to do with me.’
    With that, he turned and stormed off.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Rona apologised. ‘Robbie’s really upset by what happened to Uncle Dougie. They were really close. And he takes his responsibility as a Watcher very