CHAPTER 35
Pascale was in Kuala Lumpur. Ritchie was at the Peacock and Mark Dobson was alone.
He’d spoken with Colin Asher but they were getting nowhere trying to hack the Russian’s warehouse computer.
“Forget it for a while,” Mark said. “Try to find Peter Lester. He’s probably in one of the better hotels in Malacca. Pascale and Jeffrey are heading there tomorrow.”
“Yes,” Colin said. “Peter Lester. I’ve never met him but tell me why I don’t like him. I think I’ll try another angle with him.”
Mark then took a stroll up Lat Krabang road knowing that Ritchie would be close by. He’d watched the Peacock from a dark corner on the other side of the duel carriageway and saw the white Toyota Camry arrive and then leave again. A minute later his phone buzzed with a ‘Ritchie’s free’ text.
They sat at an open-air restaurant near the night market. A heavy thunderstorm had earlier washed the road and walkway but it was now back to normal – hot, humid and not a breath of wind. By 10pm Ritchie was describing his short meeting with Olga and the even shorter phone conversation with Maxim Novak.
“But what now, Mark?”
“Step by step,” Mark replied.
“And you still want me to make friends with that bastard, Novak?”
“Micky Parker is our bait to hook Maxim Novak and maybe collapse the entire organisation. Next step is you hop on the next plane home. Job done here.”
They parted shortly after that. They shook hands and Mark gave him a bit of a hug. He didn’t normally do that sort of thing but Ritchie had performed brilliantly and he told him so. He watched Ritchie walk away, then stop and come back.
“When can I come back here, boss?”
“Why?”
“I think I’m in love.”
“Olga’s too old for you,” Mark said and gave him a kick.