Her gaze was arrested by his expression. His hazel eyes held a look of bitter disillusionment so striking it took her breath away. It wasn’t just in his eyes, but in the set of his shoulders, in his posture. He exuded cynicism and anger.
‘While he was in the military, one incident in particular stands out.’ Dom tilted her screen to see it better. ‘His unit was pinned down by enemy gunfire. Moran’s commanding officer was hit and killed, and his second in command badly injured. Moran took over leadership of the unit, rescuing two wounded men, risking his own life many times, until an air unit arrived to get them out of there.’ She glanced up. ‘He was the last one in the helicopter. Received a medal for bravery. Then left the service.’
Isabelle nodded briskly. ‘Since then?’
‘Nothing striking,’ Dom said. ‘No criminal record. Married at twenty-six, divorced at thirty. One child, a girl…’ She glanced at her screen. ‘Annabelle; five years old. The mother has custody. Career history not so great – he had a few jobs but never held them for long. Mostly security work. Applied to be a police officer but his application was rejected for suspected mental issues – PTSD, apparently.’ She leaned back in her seat. ‘He started working for Nathaniel eight months ago.’
Allie thought about what Christopher had told her.
‘Does he have debts?’
Dom shot her a surprised look. ‘Loads. Couple of years ago he got behind on his child support and rent. Racked up big credit card debts. A loan was turned over to a collection agency. Within the last year, though, he’s started paying everything off. All of a sudden, he’s a model citizen.’
Allie suppressed a relieved sigh. So far her brother hadn’t been wrong once.
‘Thank you, Dom,’ Isabelle said. She leaned closer to her phone. ‘Raj, what’s the plan?’
His voice emerged tinny but clear from the phone’s small speakers. ‘Moran eats every meal at a pub called the Chequers. It’s not far from St John’s Fields at the edge of Diffenhall. Your basic village joint, nothing fancy. None of the other guards join him, he likes to eat alone. I suggest this is where we catch him.’
Dom typed something into her computer then turned it so Allie and Isabelle could see it. ‘This is the place.’
Allie leaned forward to see the image. It was a traditional looking old inn at the edge of a country road. Vines grew up the walls and over the roof.
‘Last night he had dinner there before six o’clock. I suspect he goes early because he likes it empty. Here’s the plan: I’ll place six of my guards in there, sitting two to a table. Allie will remain with a separate team outside until Moran enters the establishment. Once he’s inside, I will contact her team by radio. Allie…’ She sat up straight. ‘… you are to walk in and go directly to his table. How you handle this moment is up to you. I suggest you quickly introduce yourself, using your real name and identity, and do not ask permission to sit. Take control of the situation from the start. Isabelle can go through this with you.’
His tone was the same cool, efficient one he used when briefing his guards.
‘You will have no more than two and possibly less than one minute to make your case,’ he continued. ‘You need to have your facts lined up and your offer ready. You must not hesitate. State your case and make your points and, only when you have done so, give him the opportunity to ask questions. I believe he will have quite a lot of questions under the circumstances.’ He took a breath. ‘So you must be ready with answers.’
The sound of a car engine roaring by, momentarily drowned him out. He’d explained at the start of the call that he’d parked on a layby not far from the farmhouse. She waited until the noise faded.
‘I’ll be ready,’ she assured him.
She tried to sound confident, although nervousness had settled on her chest like a weight.
Nine was a grownup. A veteran. He’d had a life so tough it made her own look like a cake walk by comparison. Why would he listen to some pampered teenager from a private boarding school?
Why should he pay any attention to her at all?
Somehow, she had to reach him. She had to make him listen. For Carter. For herself.
For everyone.
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ Raj said after a long beat. ‘Because this is the only chance we get at this. Isabelle and I have both made it clear we’re worried about this plan. You’re in no condition to fight. If he takes against you, I will do all I can to help. But this is dangerous, Allie. There’s no way around that fact. Moran is a highly trained ex-soldier. He could kill you in an instant. I suggest, if you start to believe he’s going for you, you run.’
Allie swallowed hard – the wound on her neck gave a twinge, as if to remind her it was there.
‘I understand,’ she said, her voice steady.
Isabelle shook her head but didn’t argue with her.
‘Good,’ Raj said. ‘Now, let’s go over it again. From the beginning.’
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