The Grey Man by Andy McNab Page B

Symington's office. His boss was on the phone, talking to the Head Office duty manager. A theatre programme for Lady Windermere's Fan lay on his desk next to his overcoat. There was a photo of Jessica Drake on the front cover.
    'He's here at last! Lucky I got in pretty quickly.'
    Symington turned to Kevin. He liked to
bollock him while Head Office was listening. 'I'm supposed to be able to contact you all the time, Dodds. Why couldn't I? You're supposed to be a professional.'
    'Sorry, Mr Symington. I went straight from work to a friend's nearby and didn't get my messages. I didn't hear your call. I'm sorry. I—'
    Symington had put up his hand to silence him. 'Let me get on with my work, Kevin, as you should be. Wait in your office for me to carry out a deposit-box key check.' Then Symington spoke into the phone. 'No, I haven't checked the CCTV tapes yet. Just the vault and deposit boxes. I'll look at them now.'
    Kevin went into his office, hardly daring to breathe. All he had to do was keep his cool, and he'd soon be able to get out of there. He switched on his mobile, and tried to keep his voice steady. 'Hello, darling. I'm going to be a couple more hours yet, so don't wait up. And I'm really sorry, but I'll probably have to come into work in the morning. Head Office security visit.'
    Kevin could hear banging from the next-door office. Symington was going mad. 'Where are those bloody tapes!'
    Even Linda could hear him. 'I understand. Who was that, Kevin?'
    'Just Symington doing the usual. I'll see you soon, darling. I can't wait for tomorrow night.'
    He switched off the phone. If he'd had one of Clint's cigars right then, he would have lit it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
     
    Saturday, 11 February, 8.20 p.m.
    K EVIN PARKED THE CAR, then he and Linda crossed the road to Marco's. Linda was still questioning him about last night. Kevin had been forced to spend the best part of the afternoon at the bank, talking to Head Office and filling in forms. 'Will Symington really get the sack for not getting videos of those yobs?'
    'They'll make him take early retirement. It's funny, but I feel a bit sorry for him. Anyway, he'll get a big fat pension. The bank needs to keep him happy. They won't want their customers to find out that they let the world's worst bank manger look after their money for so long.'
    'Do you really think you might get the job?' she whispered, as if it felt too risky to say it out loud. 'Tell me exactly what he said again.' She wanted yet another blow-by-blow account of
what the general manager had told him.
    '"Let's book a meeting on Monday for you to come up to Head Office. We'll discuss your future and the branch's long-overdue refit."'
    Linda kissed his cheek, excited, as Kevin pushed open the door for her. He followed his wife in. The restaurant was packed, everyone enjoying their Saturday night out. As Linda took off her coat and hung it over the back of her chair, Kevin saw again how beautiful she was. Her freshly blow-dried hair swung across her face as she sat down.
    'Good evening, Mr and Mrs Dodds. A pleasure to see you again.' Mark placed two glasses of champagne on their table. 'Please accept these on the house, and may I congratulate you on your wedding anniversary. I hope you have a lovely evening.' He lit the candle on their table and left them alone to look at menus.
    Something caught Kevin's eye at the far end of the room. 'Bloody hell! That's Dave from school – over there. He's punky Debs's husband. But that's not her with him.'
    Linda turned to see Dave with a young blonde girl. Her hand was in his on the table,
and they were gazing into each other's eyes. 'Yuk! I almost feel sorry for Debs.'
    Kevin thought back to the way she'd taken the piss out of him and Linda on the bus but couldn't help feeling the same. 'Me too. But let's forget about them and tonight just think about us.' He lifted his champagne glass, 'To our happy marriage and lots more happy years to come.'
    'To our happy marriage.' They