Read Online Edge of Danger by Jack Higgins - Free Book Online

Something’s going on.’
    ‘Dammit!’ Jake Cazalet said. ‘I don’t like it at all.’
    ‘It’s a dirty world, Mr President. I can’t prove it, but I’ll lay you odds Rashid struck back.’
    ‘Does Charles Ferguson know anything about it?’
    ‘I don’t know, Mr President. I haven’t asked him.’
    ‘Well, do so. Then get back to me.’
    It was late in London as Ferguson sat by the fire of his flat in Cavendish Place and talked to Blake.
    ‘I can’t help you with the Sultan, although my personal feeling, too, is that it was a Rashid hit.’
    ‘You’re certain?’
    ‘Absolutely. I have a trusted operative, Colonel Tony Villiers, commanding the Hazar Scouts as a contract officer. He keeps me well informed. During the Gulf War, he also commanded the SAS unit Rashid served in.’
    ‘Well, that’s close enough. Thanks, Charles. How’s Dillon?’
    Ferguson hesitated. ‘Well, since you mentioned him … Dammit, Blake, this is strictly confidential, but… sit back, my friend, I’ve got a story to tell you. It concerns the Rashids.’
    He went through everything: Drumcree, Aidan Bell, Kate Rashid, the shooting of the Provisional IRA men.
    ‘My God,’ Blake said. ‘What are they up to?’
    ‘So you don’t believe their story either, do you? The Rashids are moving into Northern Ireland, that’s a fact.’
    ‘Maybe, but there’s a lot more to all this than they’re saying. Well, keep me informed, Charles.
    Give my love to Hannah - and tell Dillon to watch his back.’
    He put down the phone and went back to the Oval Office to bring the President up to date.

Nantucket
    They made the trip from Long Island to Nantucket in the Alice Brown overnight. Arthur Grant took the wheel from Casey at midnight. Aidan Bell replaced him at four a.m.
    It was still dark and the Irishman sat in the swivel seat, smoking a cigarette in the light of the binnacle, enjoying every minute of it and thinking about things.
    He’d enjoyed seeing Dillon again, a great comrade in the old days, although their paths had altered, and he’d liked the girl. What a woman, and she’d seen right through him. It wasn’t the money, never had been. He’d really showed those Russians in Chechnya: the General, with one round through his head at six hundred metres, and fifty pounds of Semtex for his staff. What they’d called an Ulster fry-up in the old days in the IRA … The door creaked open and Liam Casey came in with tea and sandwiches.
    ‘I couldn’t sleep. How are you?’
    ‘Fine.’ Aidan Bell put on the automatic pilot and took a sandwich as Casey poured tea into two mugs. ‘How are you feeling?’
    ‘I’ll be fine myself, Aidan.’
    ‘And why wouldn’t you? We got away with it in Chechnya, didn’t we?’
    Casey took a sandwich himself. ‘Yes, but the President of the United States, Aidan, that’s something else again.’
    ‘Ah, but what a ploy.’
    He took another sandwich and Casey said, ‘I’ve been thinking. What if Cazalet doesn’t turn up this weekend? He must do that sometimes.’
    ‘I checked his schedule, Liam. What am I, daft? I also checked CNN News earlier today on the TV there above the chart table. There was a mention of him going to the old family house by the sea as usual. This is America, they tell you everything.’
    ‘Then why the hell didn’t you tell me, Aidan?’
    ‘Because Grant was in the wheelhouse at the time and you were on deck stowing the gear. What’s it matter?’
    Casey gave him a cigarette. ‘I don’t like him. He’s what my old Gran used to call a sly boots.’ ‘Yes, well, if he crosses me, I’ll cut off his boots
    with his feet still inside, but don’t worry. I’ve a story for him that should keep him happy. Leave it to me. Just make sure he doesn’t get into the weaponry bag.’
    It was raining slightly, more of a sea mist than anything else, as the Alice Brown drifted parallel to the coast three miles off Nantucket. Arthur Grant was at the wheel and Aidan Bell and