‘You’re asking me to call you back and do what?’
He could hear the frustration in Chrissie’s voice, so he repeated himself. ‘I want you to confirm what we should do about lunch when you get here, and what time to expect you.’
‘But I’ve just told you!’
‘I know! Look, Chrissie, remember David Abram?’
‘I’m not likely to forget.’
‘Remember what he could do with a mobile phone?’
The line went quiet. Then: ‘Okay. I get it. You don’t want me to use my cell.’
‘NO! I want you to use your cell to call me and set up some kind of scene in case these bastards are listening in to the calls I make on my own phone! I’m using Robin’s right now.’
‘Give me five minutes. I’m on my third cup of coffee and I’ll swear this hospital stuff is anaesthetising my brain. I got it, Billie. I’m on it. Just give me five.’
Fifteen minutes later Billie received a call on his own phone.
‘Billie—sorry, I’m running a bit late at the hospital. Where are you now? At the Hilton?’
‘Yeah, no problem. How are things?’
‘Okay. My big brother’s lost his gift for answering back a little but he’s promised to arm-wrestle me tomorrow, so I guess he’s improving. You wanna do lunch?’
‘Sounds good to me. We got a lot to catch up on.’
‘You bet. I wanna hear all about this Emma girlfriend of yours. And the Titanic. You got a place in mind?’
‘Well, there’s a great restaurant right here on the twenty-third floor you should like. Views all over the city. Hey, and she’s not my girlfriend. But I’ll tell you everything I know over lunch.’
‘Sounds perfect. I should get there around 12.30 and check-in. Can you meet me in the lobby?’
‘I’ll be there. Hey, Chrissie, thanks for this. I’ve missed you.’
‘Me too, Billie. Just one thing—stop calling my brother slaphead. At least for a while?’
Billie allowed himself a chuckle. ‘You’re the boss!’
‘Glad you remembered that.’
*
Three men around a table in a rented apartment, two of them with phones in their hands. One stared hard at his screen while the other glanced at his own before raising an eyebrow at his neighbour. The third man was older, wore a suit and tie, and kept his expression blank while returning the look from his ponytailed colleague.
‘Got it!’
They turned to their guest. He was holding up his phone so they could see the display. A green LED was blinking above the screen, where a spot glowed red from the centre of a detailed map of their location.
‘That’s my phone right there?’
‘It is. I just tagged it. Now turn it off. Power it right down.’
Ponytail gave an irritated sigh, but did as he was asked. ‘And the point of all this is?’
‘My brief was to report on Billie Vane’s movements as well as conversations. Well, he switches his phone off occasionally, and I guess he’s also getting a little suspicious by now. What if he changes his SIM? We lose him for a few hours? What’s your boss going to say?’
‘I’ll want to know why our so-called technical expert fucked up.’ It was the first time the man in the suit had spoken.
‘Fair point. I’m guessing there’s a lot depending on me keeping a close eye on your Mr Vane. Which is why I’ve been working on a little bonus package here. You did say the money was sound, didn’t you?’ The technician glanced at the man in the suit but got a frosty stare in response. ‘Though I’d have to say I already gave you everything you asked for. You know where he is right now, and you know what he’s doing for lunch.’ He dropped his focus to the table in front of Ponytail. ‘Is your phone off?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then how come I can still see it?’
He held up his own phone again with the display and LED blinking as before.
‘Shit, Kellaway! How are you doing that without power?’ Excitement in his voice, a gleam in his eye.
‘Your battery didn’t close down. Just the display. My tag is sitting quietly inside your phone using the same circuit that operates the clock. How d’you think your phone still keeps time when you switch it off?’
Ponytail digested the answer, then immediately demanded another. ‘And if Vane gets himself a new SIM will this still work?’
‘Yes. And it reports the new number direct to me.’
‘You clever fucking bastard! We’ve got to do it—’
‘One moment.’ Ponytail’s boss took command. ‘I agree this holds promise. But how soon can you duplicate the process onto someone else’s phone?’
‘Well, give me until this afternoon.’
‘That’s too late. This needs to be in place for our lunchtime appointment. My client insists every resource is made available to make use of Mr Vane’s privileged information. As you said yourself, he could take evasive action at any time.’
‘I’ll do it myself, then.’ Kellaway’s expression was confident. ‘He doesn’t know what I look like. All I need is to get within about four metres and for him to sit still a few minutes. Could do it while he’s on the khazi!’
Ponytail gave his technician a hard stare before looking for approval from his boss. It came in the form of a raised eyebrow and a slight inclination of the head.
*
‘That’s a great suit.’
‘And do you like the way it’s filled?’ It was a leading question and Chrissie knew it, but she didn’t wait for an answer. ‘Would you mind?’ She dangled her car fob.
Billie smiled and went to retrieve Chrissie’s luggage while she approached the reception desk. When he returned with the suitcases, she was asking about valet parking, and Billie passed the fob over before broaching a question.
‘Are you ready for lunch? Or—is there anything else you need?’
She caught on immediately. ‘Now that you mention it, I do need some toiletries.’
‘There’s a wide range in your room, madam.’ The receptionist was on the ball, but Billie was not impressed. Again, Chrissie caught his look.
‘Yes, well. Something a little more… I’m thinking there’s a store near here called Kimballs?’
‘Kendals, madam.’ The ever-resourceful receptionist was still keen to assist. ‘It’s a House of Fraser now. On Deansgate. Just ten minutes’ walk that way.’
‘Perfect. Sorry, Billie. A girl has to do what a girl has to do! Why don’t we eat out instead? C’mon. Let’s go.’ She led the way to the revolving doors.
Billie glanced at the stony expression on the receptionist’s face and dared a what-can-you-do smile before following in Chrissie’s wake. He noticed a man and his wife quietly arguing about a mix-up of room allocation further along the counter, but failed to see the reaction of a heavy-set girl in her mid-thirties looking at a display of things to do in Manchester.
As Billie exited the lobby, she strode quickly across to where a man in a leather jacket was sitting nearby, listening to music on his phone.
‘They’re going out to lunch.’
‘What? But they’re supposed to be eating here!’
‘I know. I heard her say something about shopping for toiletries, but they might come back. Did you manage the tag yet?’
‘Fuck no! I tried beaming it twice but the little shit wouldn’t stay still long enough.’
‘Do you want me to follow them? Shouldn’t be difficult.’
‘No. I’ll do it. I need to try again if I get a chance. Call it in and ask for back-up.’