The Double Tap (Stephen Leather Thrillers) Read Online Free Page A

something.’
            ‘Doesn’t seem to be keeping a low profile, then?’ said McCormack impatiently. He wondered why Twomey was bothering him with such a trivial matter. If the SAS were conducting an undercover operation in Howth, the man would hardly be drinking in the local pub.
            ‘I was wondering if maybe the boys had anything going in Howth. Anything they’d rather keep to themselves.’
            ‘Not a thing, Aidan. Take my word for it.’
            ‘Aye, right enough, right enough. But it’s the way he’s carrying on. Like he was waiting for something to happen.’
            McCormack clicked his tongue in annoyance. Initiative was all well and good, but he didn’t appreciate having his time wasted. ‘Well, thanks for the tip, Aidan. I’ll make a note of it.’
            ‘Cramer,’ said Twomey. ‘Mike Cramer. That’s his name.’
            McCormack’s jaw dropped. ‘What?’ he said.
            ‘Mike Cramer. That’s his name. That’s what he told Padraig in the pub. I checked with the solicitor, too, and that’s the name on the deeds of the cottage.’
            ‘This Cramer. Describe him.’ McCormack sat hunched over the phone as he made notes on a sheet of paper, the fly forgotten.
            ‘Just over six feet tall, thin but looks like he can take care of himself, you know. Deep-set eyes, his nose is sort of hooked and looks like it might’ve been broken. Brown hair, a bit long. His accent is all over the place, but he’s definitely not Irish. He told Padraig he was from Scotland originally.’
            ‘Did he tell Padraig what he was doing in Howth?’
            ‘Enjoying the sea air is all he said. What do you think, Thomas? Did I do the right thing calling you?’
            ‘Oh yes,’ said McCormack. ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph, you did the right thing all right. Now listen to me, Aidan, and listen well. Stay where you are. I’ll have someone down there as soon as possible. Make sure no one goes near him, I don’t want anyone asking him questions. I don’t want him frightened off, okay?’
            ‘Sure. But I don’t think your man’s going anywhere. He’s well settled in at the cottage.’
            McCormack replaced the receiver and sat staring at his reflection in the mirror on the wall. Cramer the Sass-man back in Ireland, sitting in a pub as if he didn’t have a care in the world. It didn’t make sense. It didn’t make any sense at all.
           
           
           
           
    The young man slowed the blue Citrön to a walking pace as he scrutinised the numbers on the houses. ‘There it is,’ he said to his passenger. ‘Number sixteen.’
            ‘What’s the guy’s name?’ asked the passenger, a redhead in his late teens, pale skinned with watery green eyes.
            ‘Twomey. Aidan Twomey.’
            ‘Never heard of him.’
            The driver stopped the car and turned to look at his passenger. ‘Yeah, well he’s probably not heard of you either, Paulie. The difference is, Aidan Twomey did a tenner in the Kesh for the Cause and he’s got McCormack’s ear, so I’d be careful what you say, you hear?’
            Paulie held his hands up in surrender. ‘I hear you, Davie. Jesus, you’re touchy today.’
            Davie shrugged. He was a couple of years older than Paulie and since their father had died he’d become accustomed to being the man of the family. He ran his hand through his thick, sandy hair. ‘This is important, Paulie. We can’t afford to fuck up.’
            ‘We won’t,’ said Paulie. He opened the glove compartment and took out a revolver, checking that all the chambers were loaded. It was an old gun and had once belonged to their father, though it had never been used in anger. For the last five years it had lain under the attic floorboards, wrapped in an oiled rag.
            ‘What the hell are you doing with