Sure Fire by Jack Higgins Read Free Book Online Page B

Rich wanted – an A to Z of London.
    â€œGonna look him up in the index?” Jade suggested. “John Chance is here with a big arrow, maybe?”
    For reply, Rich pointed to part of one of the maps. “That’s where we are now, right? Just there.”
    â€œSo?”
    Rich moved his finger across to the facing page. “This is Totters Lane.”
    â€œOf course. Where the scrapyard is. How much is the book?”
    Rich closed it and put it back on the shelf.“Dunno,” he said. “But I can remember the way from the map. Come on, we’ve got fifteen minutes before his meeting.”
    The moment they were out of the shop, the woman who had been standing on the other side of the bookcase, listening carefully, took a mobile phone from her small handbag. She pushed aside her long, straight black hair as she made the call.
    â€œTotters Lane,” she said, as soon as the call was answered. “The scrapyard. He’ll be there in about ten minutes.”
    Chance paused to have a cigarette. He was surprised to find the packet was full.
    He stared at the tightly-packed ends of the cigarettes and frowned. He had not finished the packet, and his lighter had been inside. His mind raced through the possibilities. He checked his watch, and decided it was too late to get back to the flat and have it out with Jade and Rich. He had to be at the scrapyard in less than ten minutes. He’d decide what to do then.
    In the mean time, he had a box of matches in his pocket. He could at least have a smoke.
    * * *
    Ten minutes later, out of breath, Rich and Jade arrived at the scrapyard. Huge, heavy metal double gates were standing slightly open at the end of the lane. Jade eased through first, followed by Rich.
    There were no lights inside the yard. The high gates and walls kept out most of the light from the streets outside. They found themselves in a world of shadows and silhouettes. There was an open area immediately inside the gates, where lorries and cars could drive in. After that the place was a jungle of discarded debris. Cars were piled on top of each other, crushed down under the weight from above. Prams and old shopping trolleys, iron bedsteads and old bicycles lay in heaps. Pages of damp newspaper blew like tumbleweed through the landscape.
    â€œThis place is huge,” Jade said. She spoke in a hushed whisper, as if the dead cars might hear her.
    â€œHe could be anywhere,” Rich agreed.
    As he finished speaking, there was a sound from behind them – a rasping, scraping sound as the heavy gates were pushed open. Rich grabbed Jade’s hand and they ran for the nearest shadows, hiding in the darkness by the gutted shell of an old Rover.
    A dark shape pushed into the yard and stood inthe darkness inside the gates. There was a flare of light as the figure struck a match, and the twins could see that it was their father. He lit a cigarette and flicked the match away.
    â€œHe took his time,” Jade whispered.
    â€œCame the long way,” Rich whispered back. “Making sure he wasn’t being followed, remember?”
    â€œBut who is he meeting?”
    As Jade spoke, they could hear the sound of an engine – a vehicle approaching at speed. Chance had heard it too, and he moved quickly away from the gates, obviously expecting them to be pushed open.
    They exploded open as a large blue van crashed through into the open area inside the yard. It screeched to a halt, skidding on the wet ground. Two men leaped out and ran straight at Chance. A heavy crowbar caught the light from the street outside the shattered gates as one of the men wielded it.
    Jade cried out, but no one apart from Rich heard.
    The heavy bar crashed down. Chance stepped neatly aside and slammed his elbow into the man’s stomach. The attacker doubled over, dropping the bar. Chance immediately grabbed him tight round the neck and spun him around. Into the otherattacker. Both assailants went down