Cross of Fire Read Online Free Page B

the station wall, attached the safety chain, clasped her windcheater close to her neck against the bitter wind off the Atlantic.
    As the Citroen descended down the ramp Henri gritted his teeth to conceal his fear. It was like entering a dimly lit cavern. No passengers were about at that hour. The tall man repeated for the third time the question he had asked as they drove to the Gare.
    'Who were you communicating with when you used that transmitter we found in your apartment?'
    'I'm a radio ham. I talk to other hams all over the world.'
    'You're lying. That's the last time I'm going to ask.'
    'How did you get into my apartment?' Henri demanded.
    'Haven't you heard of skeleton keys? I'm sure you have. This is the end of the line. Get out.'
    The Citroen had parked near the entrance to the ticket hall. Behind, the cavern was disturbing darkness. Carey followed the shorter man out on to the sidewalk. His arm was gripped in a vice. The tall man stayed inside the car, pointed an automatic at him.
    'Get rid of him, Louis. He isn't going to talk.'
    'You can go now.' Louis told Carey. 'You get out to the street that way. Shove off before we change our minds.'
    Carey walked into the deep shadow and stopped as something moved, a shadow among the shadows. Hands grasped him round the neck. Carey tried to kick his attacker in the groin, slipped and fell. The shadowy figure knelt on top of him, hands still grasping his neck, thumbs pressed expertly on his windpipe. Carey tried to scream. Only a gurgle emerged as the remorseless pressure increased. Carey began to lose consciousness. He choked for dear life, his clenched fists hammering futilely against his assailant. Even when Carey had gone limp the strangler continued exerting pressure. When another minute had passed he rose to his feet, vanished into the darkness.
    Louis pressed the button on his flashlight, walked for ward, bent down over the prone form, checked its neck pulse. He strolled back to the car, climbed back into the rear.
    'No neck pulse,' he reported to the tall man.
    'Kalmar - whoever he may be - did another good job. For a big fat fee, I'm sure. What will we get? A pat on the back.' He addressed the driver. 'Back to the barracks.'

    Isabelle pressed herself against the wall at the top of the ramp as the Citroen drove off. She had caught a glimpse of Henri getting out of the car by the glow of the courtesy light inside the car when the rear door was opened.
    She crept slowly down the ramp, stopped to listen. The silence frightened her. She pulled out the flashlight her mother insisted she carried, switched it on, walked on to the bottom of the ramp. Swivelling the beam, she ventured into the shadows.
    She almost tripped over the body, gave a little cry as she aimed the beam downwards. Henri was on his back, his tongue protruding obscenely from his slack open mouth. His throat was badly bruised.
    She forced herself to kneel beside him, felt his wrist pulse. But she knew he was dead. Numb with terror and grief, she felt inside the breast pocket where he kept his papers, his wallet. Both had gone. She had no way of knowing that within minutes Kalmar would be throwing them from the bridge into the Garonne.
    She kissed the cold head, her eyes closed to avoid seeing the distorted face. Standing up, she stumbled back up the ramp to where she had left her moped. She was unlocking her moped chain when a drunk holding a bottle staggered across the wide place from the Bar Nicole. Tears were streaming down Isabelle's face as she began to wheel her machine to the street. The drunk leered at her.
    'Lost your boy friend, girlie? Maybe we could have fun together...'
    'Drop dead.'
    She started up her moped and rode off towards her home. The wind raked her damp face as tears continued to pour down her cheeks. She remembered what she had just said to the drunk. It was poor Henri who was dead and she had been in love with him.
    At least she could do one last thing for him. Carry out his request