Read The Fire for Free Online Page A

a look I couldn't quite read and changed the subject.
    "So what's the plan, boys? We going to paint the town red or what?"
    Des stood unsteadily. "I'm no painting anything; am away to my bed fer a couple of hours."
    I looked at my friend swaying from side to side, his feet planted firmly on the floor.
    "I think we all need some kip," I said.
    What happened next surprised me. Even Des raised an inquisitive eyebrow despite the drink.
    Lauren grabbed my hand. "No! I mean... not yet...eh?"
    Sudden embarrassment took hold and she released her grip slightly. "I mean, stay and have another, just one more eh? I'll get a waiter."
    Des raised a hand. "Not for me, hen;" he caught my eye and unlike Lauren's previous attempt, I understood his unspoken message perfectly. "Why don't you two carry on without me? I'll meet you in The Tavern later."
    I looked at Lauren; she gave an almost imperceptible nod.
    "Okay, I'll have one for the road," I said.
    Lauren sat back in her chair and relaxed a little; Des made his way back to his room, bumping into guests and muttering apologies.
     
    From the moment I met Lauren North, I knew she was different. A beautiful woman without question; I mean classically beautiful; not like some of the models you see now with exaggerated features. With Lauren, everything was in perfect balance; great hair, eyes, body; a man could do a lot worse, believe me.
    That would be enough for most, but this girl had something very special; she just didn't know it.
    If she'd been a soldier, rather than a nurse, she would have been a spook by now. You just don't find that natural talent; that analytical brain; that sheer courage.
    But even with all the balls in the world, sometimes you just aren't prepared for a close quarter kill.
    I'd tried to tell her about the O'Donnell job in that bar across from The Merchant. I tried to tell her what it might do to her head,
    I studied her across the table as she played with ice in her glass.
    "I think you did a great job," I said.
    Lauren placed her drink on the table and stared at it, not meeting my gaze.
    "I feel dirty, Rick, dirty like you wouldn't believe; and to make it fucking worse, you heard it all."
    I reached over, it was a big step. I took her hand.
    "Lauren, thanks to you, I've got what I've wanted after all this time. Of course, you know, I would've loved to have pulled the trigger myself, but you were right in The Nest that night, and you did the job. So, after all this time, all the searching, I got what I wanted. How do I feel now? I'm not sure to tell the truth. I lost Cathy, nothing will ever change that."
    Finally she held my gaze. Her green eyes flashed in the candlelight. As she spoke they glistened with starting tears. She took a deep breath. Her words studied.
    "It isn't the close quarter thing. O'Donnell was a bastard. He was a killer and he deserved what he got."
    She grimaced. "I've seen as much blood and death as you, Rick. Difference was, mine were all lying on a bed or a slab, but they bled and most died, just the same. It's not the death. It's not blood. Can't you see what it is?"
    I didn't want to, but of course I could.
    She lowered her voice to a whisper.
    "I smell him on me. I can taste him. Every time I close my bloody eyes I can see that leer, see him lick those lips. I can't wash that off, Rick; and you...you...heard everything."
     
    I was dreading this. Back in the day my squad had been responsible for the training and support of a small Croatian team of fighters. There was a girl among them. She was called Ðenadija. She was used to 'distract' one of the Serb officers whilst we took a small village.
    She spoke pretty good English, and the night after our very hollow triumph over lightly armed villagers she came to me with the same issue; the guilt trip. My talk didn't go too well. She killed herself a week later. She was nineteen.
     
    I have never known what to say. I heard myself speaking, but it was Rick the soldier talking, not Rick the