Fifteen minutes later, the BMW drew up outside the entrance to the airport. Connor stepped out and began walking towards the revolving door as Romanov gave instructions to the two men in the car, finally peeling off several more hundred-dollar bills and handing them over. When he joined Connor at the check-in counter, he whispered confidently, ‘The rifle will be in Washington within forty-eight hours.’
‘I wouldn’t bet on it,’ said Connor as they headed towards the departure lounge.
‘You know the whole of Yeats off by heart?’ asked Stuart in disbelief.
‘Um, most of it,’ admitted Maggie. ‘But then, I do reread a few poems almost every night before going to bed.’
‘Darling Stuart, you’ve still got so much to learn about the Irish,’ said Tara. ‘Now, try to remember some more of the words.’
Stuart thought for a moment. ‘“Hollow“!’ he said triumphantly.
‘”Through hollow lands and hilly lands“?’ asked Maggie.
‘That’s it.’
‘So it can’t be Holland we’re headed for,’ said Tara.
‘Stop being facetious,’ said Stuart.
‘Then try to remember some more words,’ said Tara.
Stuart began to concentrate once again. ‘”Friend“,’ he said eventually.
‘”Always we’d have the new friend meet the old“,’ said Maggie.
‘So we’re about to meet a new friend in a new country,’ said Tara.
‘But who? And where?’ said Maggie, as the plane continued its journey through the night.
27
WITHIN MOMENTS OF READING the priority message, Gutenburg was dialling the number in Dallas. When Harding came on the line, the Deputy Director of the CIA simply said, ‘Describe him.’
‘Six foot, possibly six one. He was wearing a hat, so I couldn’t see his hair colour.’
‘Age?’
‘Fifty. Could be a year or two either way.’
‘Eyes?’
‘Blue.’
‘Dress?’
‘Sports jacket, khaki pants, blue shirt, penny loafers, no tie. Smart but casual. I assumed he was one of ours, until I noticed that he was accompanied by a couple of well-known local hoodlums, who he tried to pretend weren’t with him. There was also a tall young man who never once opened his mouth, but he was the one who paid for the gun - in cash.’
‘And the first man made it clear he wanted those particular modifications?’
‘Yes. I’m pretty sure he knew exactly what he was looking for.’
‘Right - hold on to the cash. We may be able to identify a fingerprint from one of the bills.’
‘You won’t find any of his prints on them,’ said Harding. ‘The young man paid, and one of the hoodlums carried the gun out of the shop.’
‘Whoever it was obviously wasn’t willing to risk taking it through airport security,’ said Gutenburg. ‘The two thugs must simply have been couriers. What name did he sign the forms in?’
‘Gregory Peck Radford.’