Read The Main Chance for Free Online

there must have been someone watching us leave Park Crescent. Then he'd use his mobile to alert a pilot waiting at a private airfield, describing our car and maybe us. Pilot takes off and checks the lane leading to Hengistbury Manor. When he sees us the pilot flashes a signal to the digger driver, already waiting for us.
    `Very good. But how did they know we were heading out to see Bella this morning?'
    No idea.'
    ` Think! ' he said with a smile. 'There's a traitor inside the Main Chance family. They all knew we were coming. Bella will have told them, maybe days ago. The traitor informed the brilliant organizer of that attack on us.'
    `Oh, my God! You have to be right.' She leaned forward. "There's a police barrier across the road. Very close to where that digger crash-landed.
    `Leave the talking to me,' Tweed suggested as he stopped, but kept the engine running.
    A uniformed officer, exuding self-importance, strolled towards them as Tweed lowered his window. He peered into the car and Paula stared back. He then addressed Tweed.
    `Driving down from London, sir?'
    `I'm driving to London from Gladworth. What seems to be the problem?'
    `I'm Inspector Tetford from Leaminster. There's been a nasty accident. Fatal. Driver of a large digger missed seeing a small gorge, plunged into it. Weight of the said digger killed him.'
    `Really,' said Tweed.
    `Coming from Gladworth, would you know a Jed Higgins?'
    'No, I wouldn't.'
    `Odd business. Digger was stolen from his barn. Earlier the farmer received a phone call saying his wife had been injured in a car smash on the motorway nearer London. So he dashes off and later finds there's been no car smash. Gets back to his farm after the digger was stolen. Finds his wife safe and sound, back from shopping in Gladworth.'
    `As you said, odd business.'
    `And, sir, none of the locals ever heard of Jed Higgins. I won't detain you any longer.' He stood back, saluted, waved to someone and the barrier was lifted.
    Tweed drove on without a glance into the field where a canvas tent had been erected over the digger.
    `What do you think of that?' Paula asked.
    `I don't like it. The whole thing was planned by a brilliant organizer'
    `So are we getting involved with the Main Chance Bank.'
    `No.'
    `You mentioned a traitor. I'm wondering about Snape. He did take photos of us this morning when we were leaving Park Crescent.'
    `The timing is all wrong. They — whoever "they" may be — had to have that data earlier to set up their complex trap.'
    `Yes, that makes sense. So you still think we'll never get involved with Hengistbury again?'
    `Absolutely not. I'll explain why if you'll come back with me to my Bexford Street house this evening.'
    `Of course I'll come. But I still wonder if we've seen the last of Hengistbury.'

    5

    Norfolk, the Wash.
    Thirty-six hours before Tweed and Paula left for Hengistbury, a man called Max was standing in darkness on the seaward side of the great dyke which protected the wilderness known as the Wash, protected the vast area of grassland from the erosion of the North Sea. Max was waiting for the tramp steamer lying just beyond the three-mile limit to reply to his signal.
    He held the powerful torch in his large hand. He had flashed one short, two long, one short. He was cold. Despite his fur-lined beaver overcoat, woollen scarf, the cap on his head and the motoring gloves he was frozen in the bitter Arctic breeze. Fortunately the sea was calm. The VIP who would come ashore disliked rough water.
    Then the breeze dropped and at that moment the tramp answered his signal. One short, two long, one short. His earlier signal had informed the tramp it was safe, this section of the Wash was deserted.
    Dammit, he thought, the whole Wash is deserted. The only buildings were never-used ancient churches scattered across the grassy emptiness, built centuries ago by wool merchants when wool was profitable money. Then the economy changed and the price of wool nosedived. The wool barons