Page 66 of Tell No One
“It’s safer for you if I don’t. I’ve risked enough revealing that I’m not Russian. You need to pack and leave this house. If you’re sure Scotland is safe, go there. Don’t trust your car. Don’t trust anyone. Use cash for tickets. Do everything with cash. Do you have a burner phone?”
Rafiq nodded.
“Give me the number and get rid of your other phone. No more contact with the Master or Norbury.”
“What are you going to do?”
“See if I can find out what happened to Ahsan. If heisin Scotland, there’s a chance he’s where they propose to hold the game that involves killing Tag.”
“His name’s Tag? You still mean it that you won’t hurt him? He wasn’t like the others. He didn’t want to be there.”
“I have no intention of hurting him. By the way, I have your diamonds.”
Rafiq gasped. “What?”
“I stole them from Chason, and he saidthey’ll kill me. Was he talking about you?”
“I went on my own.”
“I suspect he was aware of exactly what you’d brought him. I think Ahsan’s brother wants the diamonds and wants you silenced.”
“Yakhsafallahbihal’ard.”
May God swallow the earth under him. Delaney was assuming he meant Saad.
Rafiq took another phone from a drawer. “If you can find Ahsan, keep the diamonds. He’s worth more to me than they are.”
“You know the chances aren’t high that he’s still alive.”
Rafiq nodded. “But he was. And I cling to that.”
Once phone numbers were exchanged, and Delaney also had Rafiq’s email address, he held out his hand. Rafiq clasped his fingers.
“Leave today,” Delaney said. “Take no more than a small bag. Not the one you took to Harborne House. Make sure you’re not followed. Now Chason no longer has the diamonds, they might come for you. I’ll keep in touch. If you go two weeks without hearing from me, assume the worst.”
Delaney was careful when he left Rafiq’s and he saw no sign of anyone watching. But he found a place to wait and watched the house. Fifteen minutes later, Rafiq left with a small bag and Delaney followed. Once he was sure no one else was tracking Rafiq, he broke off surveillance. Maybe Rafiq would be lucky.
Nor was Delaney followed when he backtracked to Henry’s house, though he still took the usual precautions. On his way, he called in at a florist’s. Henry had no idea that Delaney knew where he lived, and if Delaney could find that out, Saudi operatives probably knew where Ahsan had been living with Rafiq.
A hefty bribe to the florist let Delaney travel in the delivery van with the flowers he’d bought for Rosa, Henry’s wife. He’d slipped the USB and mask into an envelope, writtenHenryon the front and tucked it inside the display. If Rosa wasn’t in, he’d have to come up with something else, but she was there. Delaney handed over the large bouquet with a bright smile, and had the florist drop him near Regent’s Park.
Then he called Tag.
“Hi,” Tag said.
“Hi yourself.”
“Everything done?”
“Yes, where are you?”
“Near Madame Tussaud’s.”
“Go to Hampstead Heath station. I’ll meet you there. Buy me a pasty or a sandwich and water.”
Coincidentally, Delaney wasn’t far from Tag. He hurried towards the Tube at Baker Street, hoping he’d delayed Tag enough that he’d not yet have caught a train. Sure enough, when he went down onto the platform, he saw Tag waiting. Delaney didn’t approach, but watched to see if anyone had Tag or him under observation.
Not until Tag was standing outside the station did Delaney move up behind him.
