Free The Wolf at the Door by Jack Higgins Page A

he hung up.
    “You could say that.” He told her about the intruder at Belsize Park. “So this guy Cochran got away but lost his wallet, and they found another copy of that prayer card. We might as well call in at Holland Park instead of going straight to the house. They’ll be finalizing the Gulfstream’s departure from Farley this evening, and then there’s Sean. God knows what he’s getting up to in Kilburn, but, knowing him, it’s bound to be interesting.” He leaned over and said to Fox, “Change of plan, Arthur, as you’ve just heard.”
    “As you say, Major.”
    “Poor Svetlana,” Monica said. “That beautiful house and all those lovely antiques and paintings. It’s going to break her heart.”
    “I appreciate that, but it’s not going to be forever, and she’s got Katya to support her. And they’ll be safe, that’s the important thing. Whoever we’re up against, they’re pretty nasty.”
    “And Alexander?”
    “Maybe in America he can get back to writing. Another War and Peace perhaps?”
    “Which he’s perfectly capable of producing,” she said primly, and the Mercedes, approaching the Holland Park safe house, pulled up at the security gates and waited for them to open.

    They found Roper in the computer room and Ferguson on his phone. He waved to them, then walked out, still talking.
    Roper said, “He’s been on and off the phone all afternoon. Half a dozen times with Clancy, but everything is set now. We pick them up at Belsize Park at seven. It’ll take forty minutes to get to Farley Field, and they’re all off by eight.”
    “Where are they heading?” Miller asked.
    “Andrews Air Force Base, where they’ll refuel, and then move on to another base in Florida, and then proceed by helicopter to the island.”
    Monica went and kissed him and ruffled his hair. “You look tired, love.”
    “I always do, these days, it’s my new look. Sorry about Dunkley, there seem to be bad people out there. Are you okay?”
    “A few bruises here and there. It could have been worse.”
    “I suppose so. At least with Kurbsky and the ladies out of it, we’ll have a level playing field, and we can just concentrate on discovering who these people are.”
    Maggie Hall appeared from the kitchen, face beaming. “And how are you, Lady Monica? It’s real nice to see you again. Mr. Dillon will be smiling, I know that. Can I get you some tea? I know you’ve been traveling.”
    Ferguson loomed up behind her. “We’ll all have tea, my dear, and some of those delicious chocolate biscuits that you seem to have an inexhaustible supply of.”
    “You can have anything you want, General.”
    She departed, and Ferguson held Monica for a moment and kissed her cheek. “Sorry about having to drag you away from Cambridge like this, but it’s for your own good, I’m afraid. Has it been made plain to you what we’re up against?”
    “It’s been made plain to me what’s happened. The behavior of the wretch who drove his truck into me was proof enough of what we’re up against.”
    “You’re armed, I trust?” Ferguson asked.
    She opened her shoulder bag and produced a Colt .25. “As provided by Roper when I first signed up.”
    “Hollow-point cartridges at all times. We are really going to war, my dear.”
    He turned to Roper. “Any sign of Dillon and Billy?”
    “Not yet. I’ll call them, if you like.”
    “No need,” Ferguson said. “Here’s the tea.”
    Maggie put her tray on the table and poured tea for everyone and distributed biscuits, smiling and cheerful, and made Ferguson, Roper, and Miller all laugh, too. Monica thought how strange it was that these men she had come to know so well, including the brother she had never really known properly until now, these men who were so civilized and jolly, were all in the death business, had all killed people.
    She felt slightly unreal for a moment, and Roper, with that ravaged face, glanced at her and stopped smiling. “Are you all