Unholy Ghost by James Green Read Free Book Online Page A

did things, even the French police. But they had to be police, who else could swan around central Paris in a car with a siren and requisition office-space in an international airport? Jimmy gave it up. What did it matter? He was leaving, which was exactly what he’d wanted in the first place.
    He walked on and eventually came out of a staff doorway into the main concourse where he looked around for the nearest flight information screen. There was an Air France flight to Munich due out in just under an hour. He went to the Air France desk, bought his ticket then went through security into the Departure lounge where he went to a bar, bought a beer, and sat down at a table. He took out his phone and made a call.
    â€˜I read the dossier.’
    â€˜Good.’
    â€˜Not so good.’
    â€˜No?’
    â€˜No. My hotel room got turned over and I got picked up by the law.’
    â€˜The law? What sort of law?’
    â€˜I don’t know what sort, just plain-clothes coppers. I’m at the airport now, they’re bouncing me out.’
    â€˜Good heavens, Mr Costello, what on earth have you been doing?’
    â€˜Nothing. I went to the convent then the lawyer and did a bit of sight-seeing in between, that’s all.’ He paused wondering whether to go on. Then decided why not? ‘I assumed it was something you’d arranged.’
    â€˜Me! Why would I arrange for such a thing to happen?’
    â€˜Well who else is there who might have set it up, Joubert, the old nun, my hotel clerk? All I did was go to the convent, got sent to Joubert, took in some sights then picked up your dossier. Next thing I know, blam, my room’s turned over by somebody and then I’m bounced out of the country by the police.’ There was a silence. ‘You didn’t arrange it then?’
    â€˜Mr Costello, I sent you to Paris to do a job. Even supposing I could do such a thing, why would I arrange for you to be ejected by the French police only days after your arrival when you’ve hardly had a chance to get started?’
    It was a silly question coming from her, why did she do anything? Jimmy ignored it.
    â€˜Whoever tossed my room must have known I was coming, so did the police. They were both waiting. They must have been. Somebody tipped them off,’ he paused, ‘like they did in Santander.’
    There was silence for a moment. His point had got home, he could tell, because when she spoke again the sharpness that had been in her voice was gone and was replaced by concern.
    â€˜I assure you it wasn’t me this time. Where is the dossier, was it taken from your room?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Do the police have it?’
    â€˜No. I read it in a café after I’d picked it up from Joubert’s office. As soon as I got back to the hotel and saw my room had been done I sent it back to him by motorcycle delivery with a message to get it safely off to you as quick as he could.’
    â€˜I’ll check with M. Joubert.’ There was another silence. ‘Are you coming back to Rome?’
    â€˜I can, but I thought I’d follow up on the bloke in the hit and run in Munich, Ma Colmar’s ex-lover. It gets me out of Paris and it’s all I’ve got so far. There’s nothing else.’
    Another silence.
    â€˜I have something.’
    â€˜Oh yes?’
    â€˜A woman.’
    â€˜What sort of woman?’
    â€˜A woman who may be what you’re looking for.’
    Jimmy smiled to himself and shook his head. She was indeed a devious bastard.
    â€˜You had her up your sleeve all along, didn’t you?’
    â€˜Yes. I was going to introduce her into the matter when I thought the time was right but as it is …’
    â€˜As it is you’ll have to tell me the truth instead of giving me the usual run-around.’
    â€˜Yes, unfortunately I can see no other way.’
    â€˜So, do you want me to come back to Rome and give Young Hitler the