Crash Course by Derek Fee (pdf to ebook reader .txt) 📕

the cavalry in the shape of Superintendent Davenport of the Metropolitan Police, thank God.” He heard a sound behind him,

whirled around and brought up his Glock at the same time. He found himself looking into the muzzle of a Beretta. Veeral Hackett had a smile on his face.

“We been here before, mon. But this time you different. I see in your eyes that you don’t want to die no more. I like that. Now when I kill you, it won’t be suicide.”

The two men fired together.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Kane was concentrating with all his might while Morweena gave the black and red coloured Kernow full throttle as it raced neck and neck with Nippon and Finnspeed down the last lap of the Spanish leg of the European Offshore Championship. It had been a gruelling race and every bone in his body ached. There were six miles to go and it was anybody’s race. He looked across the cockpit. Their boat was being buffeted about like a shuttlecock. It was difficult to tell who was in the lead but he felt that they had the advantage. The three race-leaders were bunched together as they neared the mile marker. Kane tried to respond when he saw Hakonen pull ahead but he hit a wave that threw the boat off-balance. Morweena re-established the trim but they had lost vital metres. Hakonen crossed the line metres ahead of Kernow with Tedeka third.

“Shit!” Morweena fell back in her chair and looked at Kane.

He extended his hand and pulled Morweena towards him. “It was that close. Nobody could deny us a kiss.” He pulled her into his arms and they kissed.

“Well done, great race” David’s voice came over the intercom from the circling helicopter overhead. “Stop that bloody cuddling and get that damn boat back to the marina so we can get on with the celebrations.”

They looked upwards as the helicopter bearing David and Tom whirled towards the coast of Catalonia.

“No commitments, remember.” Morweena opened the throttle and they began to move gently forward. “I still sometimes shudder when I think how close we came to death in the Doñana.”

“We may have to review that policy,” Kane said, steering the boat for the old marina in the Port of Barcelona. He knew that he had located a rare jewel in Morweena Penhalion. They were alive and in love and victorious without a single cloud on the horizon. He couldn’t remember a similar set of circumstances in his whole life. He had already consigned Hackett, Safardi, and his henchmen to the garbage dump of history and he had begun the process of exorcising the rest of the ghosts who had been his constant companions.

They travelled slowly towards the marina. There were hordes of well-wishers waving enthusiastically from the hundreds of boats circling the port. A simple finish in the last race of the series at Bournemouth would put them in the top three. They would then have to begin preparing for the ultimate challenge – Key West.

“Bloody incredible!” David pumped Kane’s hand and hugged Morweena as the boat was tied up in its berth. “Who would have believed that people who’ve been through what you have this week could go out and race in that fashion. Bloody magnificent.” David’s suntanned jowls lifted in a huge smile.

“Well done, Mark.” Tom Bell extended his hand. “I was afraid that the saying by Confucius might turn out to be true. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.”

“Will you ever be able to forgive me?” Bell said.

“What for?”

“I never meant to put either you or Morweena in mortal danger.”

“I’ve never been happier in my life and I owe it all to you,”

Doc walked along the marina and Kane went to meet him. They hugged.

“They let you out,” Kane said. “How’s the head?”

“The bastard might have killed me. I suppose I’m lucky it’s only a fractured skull.”

“You’ll be off work for a while.”

“Three months.”

“I shouldn’t have been so rash.”

“It’s who you are.”

“I’ll change.”

“It didn’t look like it out there.” Doc held out his hand. “I have somewhere to be.”

Kane shook. “We’ll get together soon.”

“Sure we will.”

Morweena joined them. “Barrett will go down for the murder of Tom’s daughter,” Morweena said.

Doc nodded. “The Spanish police picked him up yesterday.”

“I could kill you two. But I understand it was your job.”

Bell approached them and Morweena hugged him. “I’m glad you’ve got some closure,” she said.

“Thank you, that’s very gracious after what I put you through.” Tom blushed through his sunburn.

Doc tried to slip away and Kane caught his arm. Doc shook his head and Kane released him. He felt sad as he watched his former partner walk back along the marina.

Morweena noticed Doc’s departure and the look on Kane’s face. She turned to Tom. “I suppose you’ll go back to running your business now.”

“Aye,” he replied. “It’s what I’ve always done best. But David and I will announce a little merger after the prize giving. David’s agreed to sell me forty-nine per cent of Penhalion Marine. That’ll see off the sharks. The only problem is that I’ll need somebody to look after my shareholding. I don’t suppose you’d be interested, Mark?”

“Why not. I don’t to have a job to go back to. It looks like Doc has already packed his bags.”

“What do you mean?” Tom pointed to a group at the end of the wharf.

Davenport was standing in the middle of them.

“I’ve already told him that I’m through” Kane said. “He’s not happy but he’s certainly had his pound of flesh from me.” Kane looked at Morweena. “Can you continue putting up with me?”

“Just about.”

“Okay, Tom, It’s a deal. No strings attached.”

“No strings attached.”

“You’ve told them?” David asked.

Tom nodded.

“Well, let’s go, partner.” David began ushering the three of them forward. “We’re delaying the nice man on the podium from presenting the new Penhalion team with a big pot of money.”

Author’s plea

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