Castling by Jack McGlynn Read Free Book Online

addressed the team in its entirety. His brain swam with possibilities, scenarios in which he might employ this ethereal connectivity to his advantage; chief among them the timely procurement of ice-cream.
    “ Well, hows about you lot tell me what you uncovered while I go climb into the freezer?”
    “Right ho. ” Wendy chimed, following, “First: Them two guards received their irregular payments from a launderette in Edinburgh.”
    “Maybe the washing machines ate their socks?” Rook rumbled, a migraine flaring from nowhere. Eyes throbbing, he slowed, dragging himself up by the banisters. Wendy seemed too polite to draw attention to it.
    “The laund erette in question is a relatively obvious front for a small time crime operation. Its sole proprietor goes by the name ‘Big Phil’ .”
    “Imaginative bunch those Scots!”
    “Don’t let the boss hear you say that!” Wendy giggled, “According to phone logs and email exchanges, Big Phil organized both guards be paid off. Presumably their only tasks were to see our man through the gate and enjoy some early retirement.”
    “I suppose they are. Kind of.”
    “ Way too soon.” Wendy admonished. She rethought a playful slap to the back of his head, deemed it unwise.
    They strode into the kitchen. Molly and TG sat inside, sipping tea. They whispered to each other, while studiously picking apart a set of confidential looking blueprints.
    With a silver-plated glove, TG tapped a sketch in the plan’s top left corner. The crackle of static was audible from across the room. Tall, blonde and distractingly attractive, the former Canadian super-heroine tied her hair back while trying to emphasise the importance of some detail to her captain.
    Obviously sensitive to his prying eyes, without looking up, TG extended the middle finger of her left hand.
    Rook snorted, shook his head and continued inside, missing the smile glimmering across TG’s downturned face.
    Flicking over the kettle, Wendy continued,
    “From what we gathered, Big Phil also organised for a contact to meet our boy five miles south of Tartarus. We can’t determine his exact instructions but in our experience it’s usually along the lines of fresh clothes, supplies, maybe some cash or the keys to a safe house.”
    “Now we’re getting somewhere!” Rook exclaimed as he hauled open the freezer, his second meaning lost to all but himself.
    His craggy hand dove into the sub-zero temperatures. Digits plunged, tearing through cardboard boxes, content with whatever they snared provided it met the criteria of being cold, unhealthy and coated in chocolate.
    “We were able to track this mysterious contact’s e-trail. Just regular updates on his progress really. Real amateur stuff like Still waiting on that suit and I’ve now officially mud-stained my shoes .”
    “That you deciphered their code astounds me, folks.” Rook droned, numbing his mouth with the first ice-cream he could find. He happily traded the hammering of his skull for the sting in his teeth.
    “ He was reporting back to one of the launderette’s inboxes quite consistently... up until two hours ago. We’re making the educated guess this sudden lull in conversation comes as a result of meeting up with Lancet.
    A nd then, you know, getting eviscerated by Lancet.”
    “ Jesus, don’t sugar-coat it Wendy!”
    She gave him a playful wink before plonking herself onto a nearby stool. Having imparted all the relevant information, she waited patiently as Rook worked through his snack and plan of action.
    Propping himself up on the long freezer, legs dangling, Rook outlined his strategy, waving his mostly demolished dessert for emphasis. It dripped, spotting the kitchen floor in cream.
    “Well, I don’t know about you lot but I feel it’s time to do our civic duty and inform...” he swallowed, “ Big Phil of his clients somewhat extreme business practice.
    Seeing us as the only chance to kee p his innards from becoming outards, Big Phil will