Читать книгу The Killing Grounds: an explosive and gripping thriller for fans of James Patterson - Jack Ford, Jack Ford - Страница 31

20

‘Hey.’

‘Look, if you’ve come here for a fight, don’t bother. Oh, and don’t bother trying to change my mind about coming either.’

Cooper tilted his head as he stood at the kitchen door of Maddie’s house. Their house. ‘No, I come in peace. Here, I even brought you a donut from Mac’s diner… Thought I’d come to see how you were getting on with the research. Sorry, I left it for you. Had a few things to sort out.’

Looking up from her computer screen, Maddie gave a half smile. Ignored the way her tummy had butterflies when she looked at him. ‘It’s as I thought, I can’t get any kind of information from the authorities over there. They’re notoriously secretive, and pretty paranoid. The contacts we’ve got over there have drawn a blank. Not that it really matters, because the likelihood of them having a record of a small plane is zero to none. And from what I hear, their aviation department has troubles of their own. It’s not looking good for them.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well for a start, the Democratic Republic of Congo has one of the world’s worst aviation safety records. Did you know the majority of their airlines are banned from entering any EU airspace because of failing to meet regulatory standards? Also, one of the main DRC airlines – connected to the government, incidentally – have had a couple of planes impounded for non-payment themselves. They’ve been impounded over in South Africa after a court order. To release them, they’re looking at well over thirty mill. So it looks like they’re in the same boat as our Emmanuel Mutombo. So getting any sort of help from them just isn’t about to happen.’

Taking a bite from one of the sugared donuts, Cooper sat down. ‘What about international data records? See if it’s been flown out of the country.’

‘Usual story. Like trying to find a pin in the ocean. You know the score. It’s one thing tracking down a commercial airliner – though that’s not altogether easy – but when someone’s flying a private plane, the ability to track it has so many variables. It’ll depend on location and the routing of their flight, and of course if the flight has been filed by the pilot, which in this case it won’t have. My guess is, if this Emmanuel guy did fly it he would’ve blocked the aircraft tail number.’

‘In other words, impossible to trace.’

‘Totally. Here in the States the Federal Aviation Administration requires all aircraft to have a visible registered tail number… but that’s certainly not the case for a lot of countries. The problem is, if by some kind of miracle they hadn’t blocked out the tail number, and they had filed a flight out of the country, the accuracy level of tracing the plane is mainly based on which technology is available in that particular geographical area, which won’t be a lot in the DRC and surrounding countries. It’s only been in the past few years that N’Djili Airport in Kinshasa has had a radar system, so we don’t have the luxury of the vast sources of data from receivers that track ADS-B or aircraft equipped with Mode S, like we do here. So it looks like we’ll be looking for this plane the old school way… Knocking on doors. But you know all this anyway.’

Cooper grinned. ‘I know, but I didn’t want to stop you in full flow. I know how much you like your research.’

‘No. I know how much you don’t like yours and hey, someone has to do it.’

He winked. ‘And you’re great at it. You see, you’d be wasted just in the kitchen.’

Maddie picked up the pen next to her and threw it at Cooper. ‘You’re starting to sound like Rosedale.’

‘Difference is, I don’t mean it… Hey baby.’ Cooper’s face lit up as Cora walked into the kitchen, clad in a pair of pink fluffy teddy bear pyjamas.

‘What have you got there, honey?’

‘A picture.’

‘Can I see it?’

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because you haven’t said please.’

Cooper laughed. ‘You’re right, Cora, I should know better and mind my manners… Please can I see your picture?’

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because it’s a secret.’

‘A secret?’

Cora nodded furiously, making her chestnut curly hair bounce over her face. ‘You said it was a secret.’

‘I said that?’

‘You said when we went to see John, it was a secret.’

Cooper stiffened as he felt Maddie’s gaze on him. ‘Can Mommy see it, honey?’

‘No.’

‘Please.’

‘No. Daddy said it was a secret.’

To which Cooper grinned. ‘Well then you better go and hide it.’

Maddie frowned. ‘Who’s John, Cora?’ ‘Daddy’s friend.’

Cooper shrugged his shoulders. Bit his lip. Pulled a face. ‘I think she means James. I took her to see him when we were looking to buy a pony for her.’

Cora giggled. ‘Not James, Daddy. John. John in the big white house.’

Quietly, Maddie pressed on. ‘Tell me about John, honey.’

‘Jesus, Maddie, stop questioning her.’

Maddie stopped. Stared. Narrowed her eyes. ‘Why is that such a problem to you?’

‘Because she’s a kid, and all she’s done is draw a picture and you’re going in at her like the CIA. Leave her alone… Cora, why don’t you get back into bed and I’ll come and tuck you up in a minute.’

Cora looked at Mommy and then at Daddy, and something told her maybe what she’d said had made them cross. ‘Have I done something wrong?’

Cooper shook his head and gently pulled Cora in towards him. ‘Listen to me, baby. You have done nothing wrong. You understand that?’

‘You’re not mad at me?’

‘Oh honey, I couldn’t be mad at you if I tried. I love you.’

‘I love you too, Daddy.’

‘Go on, go to bed. I’ll be through in a minute.’

Cooper watched Cora skip out of the room. He stood up in an atmosphere which was so heavy he would’ve sworn you could’ve knocked it with a hammer. As he got to the door, Maddie’s words hooked him and tried to reel him in. ‘Don’t do that again.’

‘What?’

‘Well apart from making me look like the bad guy, don’t get our daughter to keep secrets.’

‘I’m not.’

‘Tom, I know you, and I know Cora would do anything you asked her to. Don’t abuse her trust.’

Cooper rubbed his head. ‘Jesus Christ, Maddie, have you heard yourself? You know what Cora’s like. She loves pretending she’s got secrets.’

‘I know what you’re like. I know how you love having secrets.’

‘Well thanks for that vote of confidence, Maddison. I didn’t come here for this… Look, I’ll speak to you tomorrow.’

‘Tom, who’s John?’

‘Maddie, leave it okay. There is no John. Cora’s just a kid, she’s got it wrong.’