Read Online The Death Trade by Jack Higgins - Free Book Online

cigarette?”
    â€œWhy not.” He gave her one, and she said, “Our own private undertaker.”
    â€œAbu will be six pounds of gray ash about two hours from now.”
    â€œAnd how long has Ferguson been getting away with this?”
    â€œSince Ireland and the Troubles. He was annoyed by really bad guys evading punishment because of human rights lawyers and the like. So, in a sense, we stopped taking prisoners. It saves a hell of a lot of court time. You don’t approve, do you?”
    â€œDon’t be too sure about that. Afghanistan was a cruel taskmaster. Perhaps it dulled the senses. Exposure to the butchery of children, innocent civilians, made one indifferent to the lives of those who had murdered them. If anything, a quick bullet seemed too easy for them.”
    â€œHad anything happened to make you feel that?”
    â€œSix months before the fuss at Abusan when they gave me an MC, I was on a similar gig with three brigade reconnaissance guys. We touched on a village called Mira and came under fire from the Taliban. We poured it in, they gave up. We found fourteen dead, mainly children. It looked like two families, with four young women who appeared to have been raped.”
    â€œAnd the Taliban?”
    â€œThey stood there, hands on heads, impassive and unconcerned as I passed along the line, Glock in hand. I reached the last one, and he smiled and pursed his lips as if to kiss me, so I shot him between the eyes and worked my way backward, taking out all four.”
    It was quiet there in the rain, and Dillon said softly, “And what did your three companions do?”
    â€œThere wasn’t much they could do, it had happened so quickly. They swore to keep their mouths shut, not that it mattered. BRF duties are some of the most dangerous in the army. They were dead, one by one, over the next four months.”
    â€œWhich leaves you alone with your guilty secret?”
    â€œNot quite, Sean, now that I’ve told you.”
    Dillon put an arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad you did, girl, perhaps I can help carry your burden.”
    â€œBut there
is
no burden,” she said. “Those men deserved what they got. I don’t feel the slightest guilt in the matter, so what does that say about me?”
    Dillon actually laughed. “God save us, Sara, I can’t help you there, being in the same boat.” He passed her the pack of cigarettes. “Have another if you want, I’m going to check out the Mini.”
    His clothes were completely soaked now, and Abu had slumped onto his side. Dillon pulled the body away from the car and laid the corpse out on its back.
    He crossed himself and, remembering Abu’s final words, murmured, “You’ll know all about it now, son.”
    He turned to the Mini and inspected it as best he could. The passenger door required a bang to close it, but the fact that the gates standing half open had bounced out of the way on the Mini’s passage into the yard meant there was little damage. The lights still worked, and he found that he could drive it around the yard. As he was doing that, a large black van coasted in silently and four men in black overalls got out.
    â€œGood to see you in one piece, Mr. Dillon,” the man in charge said. “No injuries, I trust?”
    Dillon shook hands. “I’m in perfect working order, and so is Captain Gideon, Mr. Teague.”
    â€œA pleasure to see you, ma’am,” Teague said as Sara approached.
    Two of his colleagues were already easing Abu into a black body bag, the third had righted the Montesa and was wheeling it to the rear of the van.
    â€œNo problem with the bike, we’ll dispose of it, but I’d be obliged if you would show me what happened with the London cab.”
    Which Dillon did, Sara following them. They stood on the broken end of the wharf, and Teague shone a powerful torch. “Forty feet down and possibly a depth of