Licence To Howl by Helen Harper

Chapter Thirty

Six days later

Devereau shifted uncomfortablyon the park bench. It was a bitterly cold day and he was certain that snow was beckoning. Given all that he’d achieved, he’d been sure that he he could at least graduate to being allowed to meet in a coffee shop instead of a frozen park.

‘Happy Christmas.’

Sarah Greensmith eyed him. ‘It’s not quite Christmas yet. And if this is where you produce a perfectly wrapped present, know that I didn’t buy you anything and that I bloody hate Christmas.’

‘Yeah,’ Devereau said, ‘all that peace on earth and goodwill to all men stuff is rather tiring, isn’t it?’

She gave him a long look. ‘In any case, thank you for putting a word in for me with the higher-ups,’ she told him. ‘It is appreciated. My present is that I get to keep my job.’

‘Maybe we’ll both be treated with a bit more respect from now on,’ Devereau said.

She smiled slightly. ‘Stranger things have happened.’

He grunted.

‘You should know,’ Greensmith told him, ‘that we have recovered almost all of the money which Alina Bonnet accrued from the German, French and British governments. She was persuaded to return it all and she is being … taken care of. I doubt we’ll be seeing or hearing from her ever again.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’

‘Roughly one and a half million pounds are still missing. It looks like that amount was transferred to an online bitcoin wallet shortly before you met Ms Bonnet in the Bell Street pub. You wouldn’t know anything about what happened to that money, would you, Mr Webb?’

He blinked innocently. ‘Not a clue.’

‘Hmmm.’ Greensmith gave him a pointed frown but didn’t pursue it further. ‘Well, in any case, you’re being lauded across MI5 for your actions. I do believe that going forward, you will have your pick of assignments. I could be persuaded to continue working with you now that I’m no longer being thrown under the bus.’ She shrugged awkwardly and looked away. ‘It’s up to you.’

He didn’t hesitate. ‘I’d be delighted.’

Greensmith only just managed to mask her smile. ‘As you wish,’ she said blandly. ‘But don’t think that being a maverick hero will give you carte blanche from here on. You still need to work on being a team player.’

‘I’ll do my best,’ Devereau promised her. ‘Scout’s honour.’

‘I do not believe for one second, Mr Webb, that you were ever a Boy Scout.’

He raised three fingers to his eyebrow. ‘Dib dib dib.’

Greensmith gave him a disbelieving sniff. ‘If you say so.’ She held out her hand. ‘Now,’ she said briskly. ‘Hand it over.’

‘Hand what over?’

‘The Ring of All Seasons. We know it fell to the floor when Ms Bonnet attempted to escape. We’ve searched for it but we can’t find it. It’s potentially a powerful object that could do a great deal of good.’

‘It doesn’t belong to MI5,’ he said gently.

‘It doesn’t belong to you either, Mr Webb.’

He held up his hands. ‘I don’t have it.’

‘Hmmm.’ She gave him a hard look. ‘Hmmm. If I’m not mistaken, it was the Winter Solstice last night. If someone were to put on a magical ring that told the future and they saw something that related to their job perhaps or the safety of their country, then I would expect that someone to pass that sort of information on.’

‘I am sure,’ Devereau agreed, ‘that someone would indeed do that.’ He paused. ‘If that were the case.’

Greensmith gave him a long look. ‘Very well, Mr Webb.’ She stood up and slid her hands into her pockets. ‘I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again very soon.’

Devereau grinned. ‘I’ll look forward to it.’

* * *

The fanged bouncersoutside Heart did not look very pleased to see him. ‘You,’ the nearest one growled. ‘We have told you before. You need to stop coming here.’

‘I only need to speak to Scarlett. Once I’ve done that, I will indeed stop coming here.’

‘She doesn’t want to see you. So fuck off.’

There was a brief whine and both bouncers tilted their heads, their expressions darkening. Devereau felt himself relax. Someone was talking to them through their tiny earpieces. He reckoned he knew who. It was about time.

‘She’ll meet you at the bar,’ the bouncer told him with heavy reluctance. ‘But don’t try any funny business, wolf.’

‘We all know that Scarlett could take us all down if she wanted to. I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about.’ He patted the vampire on the shoulder and wandered into the club, pretending that he didn’t feel relieved she was agreeing to meet him.

There was already a glass of whiskey waiting for him on the bar top. The bartender gave him a nod and moved away to a discreet distance. A moment later, Scarlett glided into view. She didn’t smile. She didn’t say hello.

‘You took Alina Bonnet down and you didn’t contact me, Devereau. I should have been there too. I deserved to be there too.’

‘You walked out on me.’

Her expression was stony. ‘So you were punishing me by keeping me out of the way?’

‘No. If she’d glimpsed you, she’d have run a mile. She threatened London and you’d already made it clear how you feel about this city. I had to make her believe I was on her side for as long as I possibly could. I wasn’t trying to shut you out. I was trying to catch a terrorist.’ He hesitated. ‘But I am sorry you weren’t there to see it. Truly.’

Scarlett glared at him. ‘Don’t fucking do it again.’

‘Does that mean you’ll work with me again?’

She didn’t answer. Instead, she folded her arms. ‘Is that why you’re here? You wanted to apologise? Because if you’re here because you think that another stupid declaration of love is going to make me melt into your arms and then we’ll waltz off into the sunset together, you are sadly mistaken.’

The walls she’d built around her heart were very high indeed. ‘That’s not why I’m here. I came to bring you a present. It is nearly Christmas after all.’ He took out the small velvet lined box and held it out to her.

‘What?’ she asked with the edge of a taunt. ‘You’re not going to get down on one knee?’

He watched her carefully, hoping his expression didn’t give him away. ‘Are you disappointed that I’m not?’

Scarlett snorted. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ She took the little box from him and flipped it open. Then she stared at the Ring of All Seasons for a moment. ‘The Winter Solstice was yesterday, Devereau. The ring is all but useless for another year.’

‘That’s assuming it even works at all.’

‘You mean to tell me you didn’t put it on last night to see?’

Devereau grinned and tapped the side of his nose, indicating his lips were sealed. ‘Would you like to go out for dinner tonight?’

‘No.’

‘Tomorrow night?’

‘No.’

‘Wednesday?’

Scarlett muttered something under her breath. ‘That’s Christmas Eve.’

‘I’m free if you are.’

Something passed across her eyes. ‘Fine. But only because I have to eat. Not for any other reason.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of thinking otherwise.’ Devereau doffed an imaginary cap and took a moment to gaze at her. Of course he’d tried the Ring of All Seasons last night. He’d have been a fool not to. There was only one flickering image that he’d seen, emerging in front of him like a leprechaun with a Candy Crush addiction. It had been Scarlett, smiling at him like the happiest vampire in the world. And she’d been dressed in white with a veil.

‘What?’ she asked suspiciously. ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘No reason.’ He gave her another smile. ‘See you soon, Scarlett.’ Then he downed the whiskey and walked away. He glanced over his shoulder as he reached the exit and caught her staring at his arse before she hastily turned away.

Devereau’s smile broadened until it stretched from ear to ear. The future looked very bright indeed.