‘Oh?’
‘Yeah. Oh, and blow up my wife.’
‘Ex-wife,’ said Annie.
‘And it upsets me, as you can imagine,’ said Max, as if she hadn’t spoken.
‘I can understand that.’
‘I’m starting to suspect that he didn’t die in a plane crash. That he’s alive and well and making trouble. So if you know anything about what Redmond’s up to, or where he is, or who else might be behind these things that have been happening, this is your chance to tell us.’
Silence.
Benny was very still, his eyes locked with Max’s. Then he slumped back in his chair and assumed an air of disappointment. He shrugged. ‘Sorry. Can’t help you. Don’t know a bloody thing.’
‘But if you did, you would tell me,’ said Max.
No he fucking well wouldn’t, thought Annie.
‘Of course.’
‘If you should hear anything, I’ll make it worth your while.’
Annie turned and looked at her ex-husband. He had clearly gone berserk. If Redmond was on the scene, it would be more than O’Connor’s life was worth to say a word. Max must realize that.
‘I appreciate the offer,’ said Benny, very smooth. Then he turned his head and shouted: ‘Dora!’
Dora reappeared through a door at the rear of the cloakroom, like a rabbit popping out of a hole. She looked at Benny.
‘Give these people their coats, our business here is done,’ he said, getting to his feet.
While Dora hurried off to fetch his visitors’ coats, Benny swaggered around the desk and extended a hand to Max. Max shook it.
‘I’ll be in touch if I hear anything,’ said Benny.
Liar, thought Annie. Why the hell wasn’t Max grabbing this fucker by the scruff of the neck, why wasn’t he making O’Connor spill his guts?
‘Thanks,’ said Max.
Dora handed Annie her black cashmere. Then she gave Alberto, who was standing beside the big man on the door, his camel-coloured coat.
‘Thank you,’ said Alberto politely.
She gave Max his. ‘Thanks,’ he said, and Dora went back into her rabbit-hole.
Max shrugged on his coat – and turned with a gun in his hand.
Benny’s eyes popped out of his head. ‘What the f-’ he squeaked.
Max fired the gun. It had a long barrel, a silencer. It went thunk, hardly made a sound.
A neat hole appeared, ripped in the costly grey leather of Benny’s right shoe, just above his instep.
Benny opened his mouth to yell in pain and Max clamped a hand over it.
‘Make a sound and your knee’s next. Then kiss goodbye to your bollocks.’
It had happened so suddenly that Annie could only stand and stare. She half-turned, and saw that Alberto had a silenced pistol in his hand too, and its muzzle was jammed against the slab-like neck of the heavy on the door.