It’s then we take a long walk.
* * *
The loch is black. Its waters reflect the mood of the sky which is angry and about to start to snow again. Isaac is recovering; Goldsmith has given a statement. The explosion has been convincingly blamed on religious extremists and a lapse in Goldsmith’s security – services failed to deal with men who were radicalised and reported. The usual tale.
Blair is walking about and sitting with her father, having conversations with her mother about anything aside from what is going to happen.
I hold my phone and consider tossing it into the loch, giving it to the eels and the salmon to swim around. This spot has cushioned my ass for years, even in my daydreams when I’ve been far away and needed to think of home, it was here and the maze.
I unlock the screen and inhale, pressing my phone book and finding a number that belongs to a different name than the one it should have.
Majken answers after three rings.
“I thought I’d let you know that I’m alive.”
She laughs. “You are worth more alive to us than dead.”
“Good to know.”
“The princess is still breathing though.”
“She is. She’s tougher than what you think.”
“They build pretty things to stand a lot ofknockingthough, don’t they?”
Her meaning is clear.
“Was it you?”
“Not me directly.”
“How did you know where she’d be and at what time, because it wasn’t from me.”
She sighs loudly. “You know how.”
“The nurse.”
“There’s always someone who needs a bit of extra cash. Boyfriend owed a lot of money to his dealer. Dealer was threatening her and her kid, she needed to pay off his debt. See, we help people out. Be a lot easier though if you helped your sister out. Lachlan’s keen on Norway.”
I know Norway aren’t keen on him, but I’m not bringing it up with Majken.
“How’s your pregnancy?”
There’s silence.
“Keeping me on the side lines.” She responds after a few long seconds. “I may come back to Scotland when I have the baby. He’ll be safer on Skye or one of the islands.”
“You mean you’ll leave the group?”
“I can work from there.”
“You can.”
Static crackles.
“Ben, I need your help. I need intel.”
“I’m not signing the death warrant for Blair.” Because that’s what it would entail.
