Read Online Death Run by Jack Higgins - Free Book Online

briefcase.
    Bannock’s voice was loud and excited in his ear. “We’ve got something!”
    â€œAbout time too, if I may say so,” the Tiger said quietly. He turned slightly to smile and wave at his colleagues, gesturing for them to go ahead into the conference room.
    â€œOn the CCTV and from talking to the staff at the casino.”
    â€œYou’ve found how he got out?”
    â€œNo. But we have identified a suspect. Someone I think you’d be interested in. Someone who was atthe casino that night and left the next morning.”
    â€œThat sounds very promising. Do we know where this person is now?”
    â€œWorking on it,” Bannock said. “He went from Mont Passat to Venice. We’re checking departures now. Should have an answer soon.”
    â€œThe sooner the better,” the Tiger told him. “This is very important to me, Bannock. Very important.” He didn’t need to spell out the consequences of failure.
    â€œI understand. I’ll call you again as soon as I have more news.”
    â€œI’ll look forward to it.” For the first time in days, the Tiger was feeling good. Things were coming together at last. He pushed his mobile into his jacket pocket, picked up his briefcase and walked briskly to the conference room.
    It looked as though everyone else was here. The man who had called the meeting was standing at the head of the table, ready to start.
    â€œI’m sorry to keep you waiting,” the Tiger said, making his way to his seat. As he passed the man standing at the head of the table, he added: “I do hope this won’t take long, Mr Ardman.”

7
    Jade wouldn’t admit it, but she actually enjoyed the twenty minute walk every morning from Dad’s cottage to the school – though she knew that might change as the autumn weather kicked in. The first ten minutes were the best – through the all but deserted village. The second half of the walk was along the winding school driveway, up a shallow incline and through a wooded area. Finally, the old manor house appeared as they turned a bend in the drive. The old house had been added to when it became a school. There was a new block with the school hall, maths and English classrooms and an adjoining IT suite. The newer parts of the building dwarfed the Georgian splendour of the main house.
    It was a lovely walk. But by this time, other children were arriving. Rich and Jade were the only pupils from the tiny village. But some children came on a local bus that stopped at the bottom of the drive. Because the one-way system in and out of the school meant there were always queues of traffic, a lot more children were dropped at the gates and walked up the drive – with Jade and Rich.
    Not that they were bad kids. Jade found she got on better than she expected with most of them. She’d even made a few hesitant friends in her class. It was the teachers who were a pain – who told Jade she had an “attitude” and who always thought they knew best. If she was quiet in class, they told her off for being uncommunicative. If she made an effort and joined in, she was showing off.
    Rich, on the other hand, fitted in fine. He’d joined a computer gaming group and the drama club, and got a couple of merits for homework. No one had said it yet, but Jade knew from experience that it was only a matter of time: “Why can’t you be more like your brother?”
    It was a shock to her when she realised that this was something her father had never said.
    â€œWe said we’d give it a term,” Rich reminded Jade as they joined the stream of pupils heading up the drive. “Dad agreed. At least, he didn’t say no.”
    â€œWe’re here for good,” Jade said glumly. “Though I guess it’s no worse than anywhere else.”
    â€œYou kidding? The cottage is great. Better than the poky flat in London with just one bedroom between