Page 162 of Everything That Kills Me
“He won’t be doing that,” Thomas said.
“And you’re sure he’s on his own?” Jack asked.
Thomas nodded. “Zeph, why don’t you go and have that shower while Jack and I sort things out?”
Zeph retrieved his bag from the boot and went into the house. Then he turned and came back out. “Do you think I could have a gun?”
“Have you ever fired a gun?” Thomas asked.
“No.”
“Go take a shower. We’ll wait here,” Jack said.
Zeph gave a relieved sigh and slipped into the house.
“Do you know him?” Jack asked.
“No. No ID, no keys, but his car must be around here somewhere. Go and look for it. I’ll keep Zeph safe and I’ll fix the door. Is that your car or a rental?”
“Mine. Ours.”
“I’ll sort it out. We’ll get you another.” Thomas looked around. “So I do have to say goodbye to this place.”
He was right. They had no idea what the assassin had been told or what he had told someone else.
“Where’s Django?”
“With the lady from the vet’s. Which is how we’re going to dispose of the body. The practice has an incinerator. I’ll chop him up.”
Jack thought about where he’d have left a car if he’d been doing this job. He’d spotted a car park for a woodland walk the first time he’d come here. Two miles away. He ran.
Three vehicles were parked there and the first one he checked had the key hidden in a magnetic box under the back wheel arch. There was no one around. Jack checked the car over carefully before he pressed the open button—from a distance. It was unlikely the vehicle would be rigged to explode. Quick getaways were important but you could never be too cautious.
There was a bag of clothes in the boot, labels cut out but the toiletries were American. Stupid mistake to make. No ID in the car. He checked the satnav. Heathrow to Aversham. Then he cleared the history. There was no point driving the car elsewhere, but he left the keys in the ignition before he exited the parking area.
Back at the house, the hole in the front door had been filled and painted. Zeph was sitting quietly in the living room looking a little pale. Thomas had a number of suitcases packed, and was filling boxes. Jack told him what he’d found.
Thomas nodded. “Zeph’s disguised the hole in the car.”
“Let’s get your stuff loaded and we’ll deal with the body,” Jack said.
He laughed when he saw Zeph had put a large sticking plaster over the hole and drawn a smiley face on it.
“I cleaned inside too,” Zeph said.
Jack hugged him. “You don’t need to come with us. You could stay here.”
“I’m coming.”
Though when Thomas brought his axe, Zeph audibly gulped.
Jack was relieved to find the body. No matter how sure Thomas had been, there was always that slight worry. He recognised the guy.
“You know him?” Thomas asked.
“Yes. You’re right about the Texan connection. I’m fairly confident this stops here.”
“Good.”
