The Prodigal Son

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Book Excerpt

Having showered, Rob dressed and went through to his study. He crossed the room and opened a code protected, half height door to expose a large safe which he opened by inputting a numerical code.

He pulled out a black waxed canvas rucksack which he kept prepacked, for times when he needed to move quickly. He unzipped it and checked its contents; changes of clothes, toiletries, a passport and drivers licence. His military training had taught him that no matter how sure you are of something, always re-check. Better to be safe than be killed.

Rob took out a metal case and again checked the contents, this time a Heckler & Koch SFP9-SF pistol. He quickly disassembled, checked and reassembled the weapon and was in the process of replacing it in the case when Justine swung open the study door and walked in.

“Oh my God, you have a gun?

“Once a Boy Scout, always a Boy Scout. “Be Prepared.””

“Don’t you need a licence for that? Wow, what am I getting into here.”

“You’re not getting into anything, Justine. You just offered to arrange some travel for me and that’s all. And, yes, I need a licence to own a gun and I need separate approvals in the UK to take it with me on a commercial flight, I have both.”

“You’re taking it with you?”

“Yes, I’m sure I’m not going to need it but I’ve got a bad feeling about this whole thing. Lorna said Fraser was in hospital, but not why he was there. She also said it wasn’t safe. So just in case, it comes with me.”

He shut the case and stuffed it into the rucksack, on top of the leather sheath housing a Serrated Edge Tactical knife with a razor sharp seven inch blade, which Justine had not seen. He closed and locked the safe, stood up and turned to face her.

“So tell me about my journey to Achravie, Miss PA, what have you booked in the way of flights? How am getting there and most importantly, when will I be on the island?”

“Well, actually,” Justine replied with a mischievous look, “I spoke to Sir Andrew, told him that I kind of knew you already through your dealings with the company and had bumped into you last night. I said you got a call while I was with you to say that there was a serious family problem at home, which you needed to attend to urgently. I suggested to him that as Peter Hall, his pilot, had flagged up that he was light on flying hours this quarter he might cement relationships between our two companies by having Peter fly you north. Two birds, one stone. Andy rather likes you anyway, so it wasn’t too hard a sell and probably not a bad thing if you’re going to tote that thing around with you,” Justine said, pointing at the rucksack.

“You’re joking Justine, you’ve borrowed Andy’s chopper?”

“I wouldn’t put it that way,” she said raising an eyebrow, “Lets stick with helicopter, shall we?”

As she walked from the room, she called back to Rob, “Just let me know when you want to leave and I will set things up with Peter, he’ll meet you at the Savage building.”

Rob followed Justine through to the lounge where she was looking out through the glass doors at the views across the Thames. He stood behind her and put his arms around her slender waist, pulling her back towards him.

“Thank you for doing that, I really appreciate it,” he said kissing the back of her neck.

She turned in his arms reaching up to touch the end of his nose with her finger, “You can show your appreciation when you get back, big boy. Now while Peter is getting organised at his end, how about that breakfast you mentioned earlier. Then, we’ll head out.”

Joe had been driving the previous day, so Rob’s car had been left in the underground garage at his apartment. It was merely a matter of picking up Justine’s Mercedes SLK from the car park at the bar and then driving over to the Savage building to meet up with Sir Andrew’s pilot and helicopter. On the way there, Rob had called Joe to fill him in on the morning’s events, including Justine’s overnight stay. Justine having reluctantly agreed, assured of Joe’s discretion.

“There has to be something seriously wrong, Joe. I gave Fraser McEwan that number almost twenty years ago and he has never called me. Now all of a sudden I get a message to say he needs me, like now, right now. He says my brother can’t know that I’m there and that I need to be careful because it’s dangerous.”

“OK, I’ll get Eve to clear your diary for a few days, first thing on Monday. Do you need me to do anything else?”

“No, I’m sorted at this end. I’ve got a bag with me so I’ve pretty much everything I need for a few days. Justine has somehow managed to persuade Andy Savage to give me his chopper and pilot for the day, gave him some excuse about making up flying hours she says, but I think there’s maybe a bit more to it than that,” Rob smiled across at Justine as he said this. “Do you remember “Big Mac”, Iain MacDonald, one of the snipers we worked with in Helmand?”

“Yeah, yeah, big guy. About seven foot tall and built like a brick shithouse wall, if I remember rightly”

“Yeah, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but yeah, big guy. Anyway he kept in touch from time to time and he runs an Adventure Training Camp thing on Arran, about half an hour from the Achravie ferry, would you believe. I gave him a call and he is going to meet us and let me have a vehicle to use for a few days. I thought a helicopter landing on Achravie might just attract attention, so I’m going to his and driving down from there.”

“Have you got any hardware with you, Rob?”

“Just my Boy Scout stuff.”

“I take it that means a handgun and a rather large knife. Boy Scout stuff!” Joe scoffed,” Baden Powell would turn in his grave, man. Just remember, you’re going to Achravie not Kosovo. Don’t go re-enacting the gunfight at the OK Corral, I don’t want you getting locked up.”

“No, no. I just need to take a look, see what’s going down, I’m not going to engage if it seems any way dangerous. I’ll talk to Fraser and see what the problem is.” Rob assured Joe.

Joe was less than convinced, having seen first-hand Rob’s ability to create mayhem in a combat situation “OK, but keep me in the loop. If you drop out of contact for more than twenty four hours, I might have to come looking for you. Text me a number for “Big Mac.”

“OK, daddy. I’ll be a good boy. I’ll text you that number and I’ll report back every twenty four hours. See you soon,” Rob cut the call then texted “Big Mac’s” contacts to Joe.

Justine drove quickly and confidently through the traffic which was now building up to its Saturday morning peak as people headed for offices or shops. As they approached the Savage Building in Chiswick, Justine glanced across at Rob.

“I like you, Rob MacLaine. I don’t say that often or lightly.

“I like you too Justine,” Rob said, smiling and reaching across to touch her hand which was resting on the gear-lever. “Does that make you my girlfriend?” he teased. “Can’t remember when I last had a girlfriend. One night stands, yeah, but not someone that I really liked and wanted to spend more time with.”

Justine nodded to the security guard at the gate as she presented her pass to the panel on the post beside the main entrance barrier to Savage Guidance Systems. The barrier lifted and she drove to the parking bay beside the main reception, where she parked her car.

“Let’s go,” she said “Pete will be waiting on the roof.”

She blipped the remote and the indicators blinked as she led Rob through the automatic doors and over to the elevators. As the doors closed, cutting them off from the rest of the world and the elevator rose smoothly towards the rooftop helipad, Justine looked over at Rob again as she had done in the car with a wistful smile on her lips.

“I don’t trust easily, Rob, too many broken hearts in the past, please don’t play with me.”

“I won’t, Justine, I promise.”

“My friends call me Tina.”

“Am I your friend?”

“Yes, Rob MacLaine, I think you are, which means I can say, “You look after yourself”. Don’t take any chances up there, do you hear!”

“Oh God, I’m falling for a nagging woman,” Rob laughed, pulling her toward him.

“Is that what you’re doing, falling for me?”

“Mm, yes, I do believe I am,” he smiled as he kissed her gently on the lips.

Justine was about to say something else when suddenly the elevator doors opened and there stood a smiling Peter Hall. The two jumped apart quickly. “Hi Justine. Hello again Mr MacLaine, all ready to go?”

“If you need anything Rob, give me a call or text” Justine said, pulling a business card out of her purse, handing it to Rob. “Otherwise, call me when you get a chance, Bye for now”. She blew Rob a kiss as Peter Hall turned away.

Peter Hall had met Rob MacLaine on a number of occasions when the latter was providing Sir Andrew Savage with personal protection. He was not a talkative man. Experience over the years had taught him that the people he flew about the country and into Europe did not normally want to have an ongoing conversation when they were traveling. He did not try to engage Rob in conversation when he saw his eyes flutter then close, soon after the Agusta 109 E Grand Helicopter took-off.

Rob was not asleep, he was remembering the events of twenty years ago, which had led to his acrimonious departure from his home and family, sent away in disgrace by his father, blamed by his brother, Bruce, for a fatal accident he did not cause.