The Killing Ground by Jack Higgins Read Free Book Online Page A

avoids roadside bombs. Ex-Navy guys, SAS, former Green Berets, are all at it.”

T H E K I L L I N G G R O U N D
    41
    “Who have you got?” Dillon demanded.
    “A rogue named Jack Savage. He was a sergeant-major in the Special Boat Service, Royal Marines. Used to specialize in operations against the IRA during the Irish troubles, knocking off trawlers and the like running guns in the Irish Sea. I’ve negotiated an extremely large fee, for which he’ll organize everything. You’ll meet him in Baghdad.”
    “Where?”
    “A club down by the river. He owns it in partnership with a wife named Rawan Savage, originally Rawan Feleyah, she’s Druze. He’s named it the River Room. Tells me it reminds him of the Savoy. I’ve filled him in on the situation. He’ll have the right sort of plan worked out.”
    “You mean an approach from the Tigris?”
    “He and other vessels travel up and down, particularly at night, on good business and bad.”
    Dillon nodded and turned to Billy. “Run me down to Wapping. Let’s fill Harry in. You know he likes that.”
    “He’ll try and come, too,” warned Billy, “He’s done that before.”
    “Tell me about it.” Dillon said to Greta, “You’d better try to prise the good doctor from her husband.”
    Greta went to their room, and Molly and Caspar rose to greet her.
    “Time to go. You won’t be seeing each other again until this whole thing is over. How do you feel about that?”
    “As Allah wills,” he said.
    “For a man who doesn’t follow his religion, you reflect on Allah a lot.”
    “You could be right, but we are all at the mercy of events. This will be a violent affair?”
    “If things go right, it could go very simply.”
    “And if they go wrong, people will die. Even Sara could die.”
    “There are always risks. But let me tell you about the man you’re dealing with, Sean Dillon. He was the most feared enforcer the Provisional IRA ever had.”
    “And what went wrong?”

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J A C K H I G G I N S
    “During the war in Bosnia, he flew a private plane into Serbia carrying medical supplies for children. He was shot down and facing death when Charles Ferguson arrived. Ferguson blackmailed Dillon into joining his organization, and then did a deal with his captors.”
    “What kind of people inhabit your world?” Molly Rashid asked in a kind of horror.
    “People who are prepared to do whatever is necessary. We must go.
    You said you were on call at the hospital.”
    “Yes, I am.”
    “Do you want to visit the house?”
    “No, not really. I have everything I need.”
    “Good, I’ll drop you, then check to see that all is well. I’ll see you again at the end of the afternoon. I have your mobile number.”
    The rest of the journey passed in silence. At the hospital, Molly Rashid took the umbrella she was offered, opened it and stood looking down. “You must have killed people yourself.”
    “Many times,” Greta said serenely. “I’m in the death business; but then so are you. I’d have thought you’d have got used to it by now.”
    Molly Rashid smiled sadly. “I imagined I was in the life business, but it seems I was misinformed.”
    She turned toward the hospital entrance and Abu came out and down the steps. “Abu,” she called. “Where are you going? I thought you were on duty?”
    He smiled at them both. “Ladies. No, I’ve got this afternoon off. A friend is picking me up,” and at that moment the yellow van appeared, carrying just the driver, an Arab with a pockmarked face. “This is Jamal.
    I often help him in my spare time.”
    Jamal, who looked like the kind of man who was permanently angry, nodded unwillingly, Abu climbed in beside him, and they drove away.
    Greta said to Molly, “I’ll see you later,” and followed them.
    The traffic was light at that time of the afternoon and, on a hunch, she drove straight to the Rashids’ house, parked in the garage and locked the door. She went upstairs to the highest window in the house and

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