Chapter 10

August 2002

Irene leans back in her seat as the plan begins its descent into Heathrow airport. She sighs and looks out of the window next to her seat. She shifts uncomfortably as the overweight person next to her spills over the armrest separating them and into the space of her seat. She recoils and pulls a distasteful expression. The man shifts in his sleep and Irene lets out a disdainful snort. He wakes up and places a hand on her leg. She pushes it off and crosses her legs, angling her body away from him.

Thirty minutes later Irene is still sitting in her seat on the plane but the man next to her has gone. She breathes deeply to calm herself and watches as everyone slowly makes their way off the place onto the tarmac. As the line dwindles Irene finally stirs from the uncomfortable position and stands retrieving her hand luggage from the racks above her head. She follows everyone off the plane and makes sure there is a space between her and the rest of the passengers as she walks across the tarmac to the arrivals gate. She collects her luggage with out any hassle and makes her way to the exit. She scans the people waiting for their loved ones. She spots a notice held by a young women only a couple of years older than her. Irene Adler. Irene pauses looking at the woman before heading over. 'And you are?'

'Katherine Silverton, Miss Adler. I am here on behalf of Rebecca Stover.'

'Bex sent you?'

'Yes Miss Adler.' Katherine answers as she summons a porter to carry Irene's suitcases to the car. As the porter loads the suitcases into a black Aston Martin Vanquish, Katherine opens the rear passenger side door for Irene to climb in.

'Thank you.' Irene hands Katherine a twenty-pound note and glances at the porter. Kate takes it and gives it to the porter before seating herself in the driver's seat.

It takes the two women forty minutes to drive from the airport to the house that Irene and Sophia had abandoned three years previously. Katherine pulls the car up out side the house. Bex opens the house door and walks out to the car. She opens the car door for Irene to step out. Irene embraces the older woman. 'It's good to see you Bex. It's been a long time.'

'Yes, it has Rene dear.' Bex smiles at the teenager. 'Kate bring the suitcases in and place them in the back bedroom. That was Irene's old bedroom.' Bex puts an arm around Irene's shoulders and guides her into the house. Kate follows carrying the lighter of the two suitcases and places it just inside the front door. She returns to the car for the second suitcase and places it on the ground by the car. She closes the boot and locks the car. She picks up the suitcase and carries it into the house closing the front door firmly behind her. Inside the house Bex has seated Irene in the sitting room and has started pumping her for details of the three years, three months, three weeks three days they had spent apart. Irene tells her everything from the overweight buffoon on the flight into London to the little house on the beach on the Costa Rican coast looking out onto the Pacific Ocean.

'Quite the little traveller, aren't you?' Bex comments as Kate enters the sitting room with a fresh pot of tea. 'Thank you Kate.' Irene smiles her thanks as she accepts a cup and saucer. She takes a sip and sighs in ecstasy.

'I haven't had a decent cup of tea in a long time.'

'What are you going to do about the reason for you leaving?' Irene looks at Bex over her teacup.

Jim opens the door to his study and heads over to the monitor-laden desk. He seats himself in front of them and turns them on. A knock sounds at the door causing him to look up. Jared enters the study and walks around to stand behind him watching every keystroke that Jim makes. 'How's taking over the empire going?'

'As well as it can.' Jim twists in his seat. 'Where are you planning on going?'

'I think I will find our old acquaintance Sophia Adler and move in with her.'

'Jaco, Pacific coast, Costa Rica.'

'I already knew that Jimbo. Thank you very much. How much longer until it's complete?'

'A year for you to relinquish all the control you wish. Another year to accentuate my control in your place, two years at the maximum for me to rise to the very top of the British criminal scene after that. Before finally another two years to be top of the European scene and high in the American scene. All extra time after sees me rising, rising, rising.'

'And maybe getting an opponent or two along the way.'

'One who will match our intellects?' Jim scoffs. 'Yeah right.'

'Don't get too big headed Jim.' Jared warns him. Jared glances at one of the screens. He points to a half-written email. 'Who's that to?'

'Irene. She emailed me to find out the whereabouts of John Clay, the son of the late Victor Clay.'

'What happened?' Jared moves and sits himself on a comfy chair placed just behind Jim.

'John beat Sophia up. He told his father it was self defence and Victor put out a contract on both Sophia's and Irene's lives.'

'Good job we got rid of the elder Clay then.' Jim spins in his chair chuckling to face his father. His eyes glint maliciously. 'What?'

'I neglected to follow that part of your order. He's still alive. Just.' Jared leans forward leaning on his fists. 'He's in semi permanent agony in a deep dark basement with no hope whatsoever of seeing daylight again. I reckon he'll last another month at the most. The least we can do is allow his son to join him when he's in such horrendous agony. After my maleficent sister has had her way with him.' Jim spins back round in his chair and types a few commands into his keyboard. He reaches for a phone and dials a number switching on to speakerphone.

'Hello?' Kate's voice fills the room.

'Kate, it's Jimmy.' Jim's voice is sickly sweet. 'Would you bring Rene to the phone?

'Jimmy for Rene.' Jim and Jared listen to the excited squeal of Irene as she hears Kate's announcement.

'Jimmy! So nice of you to call.'

'No need to squeal sister dear.'

'Drop the sickly voice Jimmy, I know you better than that.' Jim's changes the tone of his voice to his Irish drawl.

'Better?'

'Much. Well what do you have?'

'So abrupt, sister dear. Expect a small package by the end of the day. Of it's on the house and with my compliments. You have an appointment as detailed in an email I'm about to send. Take your time with him but ring the number in the package once you've finished. My men will pick him up.'

'Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, you haven't. It's all for me.'

'Yes Rene, enjoy.'

'And give our regards to your mother.' Jared interjects. Jim aborts the call imagining the look on his twin sister's face. He smiles contentedly.