“Well, no. But I never eat anything cleverer than myself. So we’ve got the same boundaries.” He peeled back the lid and peered at the contents. “Say what you like about the Chinese.”
She waited. “But what?”
“Nah, I was finished.” He wrinkled his nose. “You sure he didn’t scrape this out of the bin?”
“Would I spoil the surprise if he had? He wants his bill paying, by the way.”
“He can go take a runny dump.”
“. . . Running jump.”
Lamb resealed the lid. “I was reading my future. Oh God, who now?”
Who now was Lech. “Louisa rang. She and River just had some kind of run-in with the Dogs at—”
“I know.”
“Okay, good, but they’re on their way back now. And apparently Sid Baker—”
“I know.”
Lech said, “It’s like talking to an oracle. Or a teenager.”
“Or your boss. You know, according to yesterday’s business section, a good team should predict its leader’s needs and act accordingly. So why haven’t you both fucked off yet?”
When they’d done so, Catherine said, “So Taverner’s playing games again.”
“Games are where no one gets hurt. The way Taverner plays, you wouldn’t want to be sitting in the front three rows.” The lighters she’d given him earlier were in a pile next to the takeaway, and he reached for one.
“You’re not really going to smoke that?”
“Well I’m going to need something to anaesthetise my taste buds.” He looked at the tinfoil container sourly.
Catherine said, “What are you going to do about River?”
“It’s a bit late to have him neutered. Baker’ll have to take her chances.”
“Would you be serious for one minute? If Taverner’s putting pressure on him and Sid, then whatever she’s up to is off the books. River’s barely back to health as it is, and you know what he’s like. If his career’s at stake, he’ll do anything to save it. Things could get nasty.”
“They usually do. But Cartwright’s not the issue. Nor is Baker. Taverner was using her to get to someone else, name of Charles Cornell Stamoran. Heard of him?”
“Rings a vague bell.”
“Me too. But he’s ancient history, and that’s a worry.”
“That Taverner’s looking at ancient history?”
“That Taverner’s looking for someone expendable.”
Catherine said, “That’s what you meant by a cutout.”
Lamb was still toying with the lighter. With the squashed-end butt in his mouth, he looked like some clown had just fed him an exploding cigarette. He said, “Uh-huh. Baker’s still on medical leave after a bullet bounced off her brain. What you’d call a deniable asset. I’m guessing Taverner’s scrubbed any record of their having had a recent conversation.”
“And Stamoran’s expendable.”
“Find out what you can.”
“I’ll talk to Molly.” She hesitated. “You don’t think . . .”
“What?”
“If Taverner’s looking for someone for an under-the-bridge assignment, well. Who’s the likeliest target, would you say?”
“You’re asking me who’s the biggest thorn in Taverner’s side?” He shook his head. “Nah. She wouldn’t dare. Besides. I haven’t done anything lately.”
“Strange as it might seem,” Catherine said, “it wasn’t you I was thinking about.”
At King’s Cross traffic flowed in all directions, while on the concourse in front of the station crowds milled busily: There were coffee stands, street-food stalls and souvenir merchants peddling junk, and pedestrians who weren’t heading into the station wheeling luggage were wandering with coffee cups in hand or perched on available seating, forking food from cardboard containers. The station served the north, and Al, Avril and Daisy could all catch trains from here. CC parked illegally and they got out and fetched the bags from the boot.
Daisy said, “So you’re dumping us. What will you do now?”
“Lie low for a few days. Do quiet penance. Then head back to Oxford with my tail between my legs and pick up where I left off.”
“Eating your single-serving meals in front of a two-bar fire,” Avril said.
“Yes, well, I might have exaggerated a touch. Besides, no need for heating yet. It’s set to be a glorious summer.”
“We should talk more about the weather,” Al agreed. “You’re full of shit, CC. And if we’re not doing anything about it, that reflects how pissed off we are, not that we’ve been taken in.”
“I’m sorry.”
“So you should be. I mean, involving Daisy—”
“I never meant to—”
“It’s okay,” said Daisy. “She pulled my triggers, that’s all. Turning up like that. At a safe house.”
“It was over long before you jumped on her. The fact that she was there at all meant we were finished.”
“Well, I know that. I might lose my shit now and again, but I’m not stupid.”
CC said, “Well, Taverner’s granted absolution. I mean, I’m not her favourite bunny, and I can probably kiss the housekeeping job goodbye, but she won’t be unleashing the Dogs, and I’m not expecting a knock on the door. So, you know. Compared to some places we’ve found ourselves, we’re on Sunny Street.”
Avril, Al and Daisy shared a look. It was Avril who spoke. “You’re a hundred per cent on that?”
He put a hand to his heart, noticed what he was doing, and let it drop. But said, “Sincerely. It’s all fine. You’re unsullied and I’m forgiven.”
“Okay, then.”
