Terror's Reach by Tom Bale Read Free Book Online

before we’re done, he thought.
    There was a tense silence in the kitchen. Then Yuri turned away.
He lifted the coffee pot and poured quickly, slopping some on the
table.
'If you would fight me for her, maybe you want to fuck her?’ He
nodded towards the ceiling. 'Maybe I tell Valentin how you feel?’
Joe didn’t rise to the bait. He and Yuri had formed a mutual enmity
from the beginning. It might have deterred Joe from taking the job,
if not for the fact that Yuri was rarely on the island. He was Valentin’s
personal bodyguard, and Nasenko spent at least two weeks of every
month attending to his various business interests around the world.
The rest of the time was divided between the Reach and his apartment
in Belgravia.
Yuri was in his mid-forties, a short burly man with thick black hair
and dark eyes. His features were large and unprepossessing, and his
skin had the look and texture of old dough. One side of his neck was
disfigured with scar tissue where someone had once thrown battery
acid over him. Legend had it that he had ignored the burns until he’d
disarmed his attackers and killed them both with his bare hands.
The Ukrainian said nothing as he spooned three sugars into his
coffee. Finally he picked up his cigar from the side plate he was using
as an ashtray. He inhaled, then jabbed the cigar at Joe.
'Clean up and get ready. You take Cassie to Brighton in thirty
minutes.’
'I thought we were leaving at six.’
'Not any more. There is something to collect at Merrion’s.’
Joe glanced at his watch. 'We’ll be cutting it fine. What time do
they close?’
'Don’t worry about that. Just do it. And say nothing to her.’ Yuri
bared his teeth, but it couldn’t have been called a smile. 'Valentin
has arranged a surprise.’
'Okay. What’s the real reason for going early?’
Yuri glared at him. 'His visitor arrives soon. He wants no distractions.’
'Must be an important meeting.’ When Yuri showed no sign of
responding, Joe indicated the yacht, sitting squarely in their field of
vision. 'Is that anything to do with it?’
'This is not your concern.’
Joe kept his voice level. 'If Valentin wants to change the plan, I’d
expect him to tell me in person. How do I know I’m not just running
some silly errand for you?’
'He is busy. He tells me, and now I tell you. And for Valentin, you
are here to fetch, to carry, to be good little worker and keep your fucking mouth shut.’
Joe clenched his fists. A glint in Yuri’s eye suggested he would relish
a fight, and yet he didn’t seem overly disappointed when Joe forced
himself to relax.
'We’re going to have a talk about this tomorrow,’ said Joe quietly.
'Get a few things straight.’
Yuri threw back his head and laughed. 'Tomorrow? Very good. See
how I tremble with fear!’ He motioned towards the door. 'Now go.
Go before you make me angry.’
Reluctantly, Joe turned away. He knew he shouldn’t let Yuri rile
him, nor should he keep trying to fight Cassie’s battles for her. If
Valentin chose to keep her in the dark, it was her responsibility either
to have it out with him or to put up with it.
Crossing the kitchen, he earned another long-suffering smile from
Maria. He walked along the hall and descended the stairs to the staff
quarters, aware that the prospect of a night away had just become a
lot more inviting.
    Eight
    Liam knew from the floor plans that the garage could be accessed
via the house. He hurried through a kitchen so enormous that it was
probably larger than some of the flats he’d rented over the years.
Then into the adjoining utility room, where he discovered the door
into the garage was locked. He looked round for a key but couldn’t
find one.
He was about to kick the door in when he remembered the estate
agent’s keys. He pulled them from his pocket, saw that several were
on a keyring of their own, along with a plastic tag marked DREAMSCAPE .
The second one he tried slipped easily into the lock.
The garage was stifling, the air as thick