Читать книгу The Courier - Ava McCarthy - Страница 7

Damn. Probably too much moisture. She must have exhaled for too long. She could try it again, but in her experience, tricking around with her breathing technique wasn’t going to help.

‘Now what?’ Beth’s voice was shrill.

Harry aimed for a confident tone. ‘Plan B.’

She reached for her case, but before she could open it the desk phone rang. Harry jumped. Beth’s hand flew to her throat and they both stared at the phone.

‘Aren’t you going to answer it?’ Harry said.

Beth shook her head. After four rings, the answering machine kicked in.

‘If you’re there, pick up the bloody phone.’ The man’s voice was gravelly, his accent clipped. New Zealand? He waited a beat before continuing. ‘Forget it. I’m nearly there, I’ll see you in two minutes.’

The call ended with a click. Beth stepped backwards, wide-eyed. Her fear was infectious, and Harry found herself checking over her shoulder.

‘Can you do it?’ Beth’s voice was a whisper.

‘In two minutes?’ Harry swallowed. ‘Maybe. Or you could bail out now?’

Beth’s headshake was almost imperceptible. A voice in Harry’s head shrieked at her to run, but she blocked it out. Fumbling through her case, she found a clear plastic bag and a bottle of water. Trying to hold the bag steady, she half-filled it with water, then tied a knot in the top. She kneaded it, testing its pliability. It wobbled like jelly in her hands. She squeezed a corner of the water-filled plastic into a marble-sized balloon. Then she turned back to the vault.

She felt Beth’s eyes on her like a pair of hot skewers. Holding her breath, she lowered the balloon on to the sensor and counted to three.

Beep. Beth cursed. Harry’s gaze shot to the screen: