Crocodile Tears

selfish and that he wanted to put all that behind him.
    Instead, he set up a charity. First Aid. That’s what it’s called. It provides a rapid response to emergencies all over the world.”
    “ How much farther?” Sabina’s voice came from the backseat. She was still plugged into her earphones.
    Edward Pleasure held up a hand and opened it twice, signaling ten minutes.
    “ You interviewed him,” Alex said.
    “ Yes. I’ve done a big piece for Vanity Fair . They’ll be publishing it next month.”
    “ And?”

    “ You’ll meet him tonight, Alex, and you can see for yourself. He’s got an enormous amount of energy and he’s channeled it into helping people less fortunate than himself. He’s raised millions for famine relief in Africa, bush fires in Australia, floods in Malaysia … even that accident in southern India.
    Jowada …”
    Alex nodded. He’d read about it when he’d been working as a ball boy at Wimbledon. It had made the front pages. “The nuclear reactor … ,” he said.
    Edward nodded. “For a time it looked as if the whole city of Chennai could have been affected.
    Fortunately, it wasn’t as bad as that, but a lot of people were killed in the panic. First Aid was up and running the very next day, getting antiradiation stuff to the women and kids, helping with supplies …
    that sort of thing. Nobody was quite sure how they got off the mark so quickly, but that’s how they work. Instant response. Their aim is to be the first charity in.”
    “ And you really think this man, McCain, is genuine? That he’s turned a new leaf?”
    “ You mean … do I think he’s another Damian Cray?” Edward smiled briefly. It had been his article exposing Cray as a maniac that had almost got him killed. “Well, I did have my doubts when I first met him. I mean, even if he wasn’t a crook, he was a politician, which didn’t exactly recommend him. But you don’t need to worry, Alex. I did plenty of research into his charity. I interviewed him and a lot of people who know him. I spoke to the police and I opened many old files. The truth is, other than his past, I couldn’t find anything bad to write about him. He really does seem to be a rich man who made a bad mistake and who’s trying to make up for it.”
    “ How has he managed to buy a castle? If he went bankrupt …”

    “ That’s a good question. After he went to prison, he lost all his money … everything. But he had powerful friends—both in business and in politics—and they did what they could to help him out.
    Thanks to them, he managed to hang on to Kilmore Castle. He also has a London apartment, and he’s the part owner of a safari camp somewhere in Kenya.” A car suddenly appeared in the road beside them, overtaking. Edward slowed down to let it pass. He watched as it was swallowed up by the whirling snow. “I’ll be interested to hear what you think of McCain,” he muttered.
    “ Is that why you’re going?”
    “ When I met him, I mentioned I was planning to be in Scotland for the New Year, and he invited me.
    He gave me the tickets, which is just as well, since they cost one thousand dollars each.”
    Alex let out a low whistle.
    “ Well, it’s for charity. All the profits will go to First Aid. There’ll be a lot of rich people there tonight.
    They’ll raise a fortune.”
    There was another brief silence. The road had begun to climb steeply uphill, and Edward shifted down a gear.
    “ We never really talked about Damian Cray,” Edward muttered.
    Alex twisted in his seat. “There’s nothing to say.”
    “ My book about him sold a million copies. But I never mentioned you, or your part in what happened.”
    “ I prefer it that way.”
    “ You saved Sabina’s life.”

    “ She saved mine.”
    “ Can I give you some advice, Alex?” Edward Pleasure had to keep his eyes on the road, yet just for a moment he turned them on Alex. “Stay away from all that. MI6, intelligence, all the rest of it. I’ve got a good idea what’s been going on over the past year. Sabina’s told me some of it, but I have contacts in the CIA and I hear things. I don’t want to know what you’ve been through, but believe me, you’re better off out of it.”
    “ Don’t worry.” Alex remembered what he’d been thinking back at Hawk’s Lodge. “I don’t think MI6
    are interested in me anymore. They didn’t even send me a Christmas card. That part of my life is over.
    And I’m glad.”
    The road was even steeper now, and