Solo

dead – naked, hanging by her jawbone from the hook on the back of the door, blood still dripping from her opened throat.
    Bond heaved the door to and sank to his knees.
    Kobus Breed.
    Bond felt the tears smart in his eyes as he hung his head and thought desperately about Blessing and what she must have endured, a conflagration of outrage making him tremble, igniting his seething anger. Then he stood up, his head clearing. He inhaled deeply – the shock was draining from him to be replaced by a new granite-hard resolve. There was nothing so invigorating as clear and absolute purpose. There was only one objective now. James Bond would kill Kobus Breed.
     
----
    1 James Bond’s Salad Dressing. Mix five parts of red-wine vinegar with one part extra-virgin olive oil. The vinegar overload is essential. Add a halved clove of garlic, half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a good grind of black pepper and a teaspoon of white granulated sugar. Mix well, remove the garlic and dress the salad.

·10·
     

ONE-MAN COMMANDO
     
    Bond called Brig Leiter from the Fairview. It was after midnight.
    ‘Red alert, Brig,’ Bond said, his voice heavy. ‘Bad news – your agent has been erased. I’m very sorry.’
    ‘What? Jesus, no. Aleesha? Where is she? In her house?’
    ‘No, in a motel. It’s very nasty. Blackstone Park Motor Lodge, suite 5K.’
    Silence. Bond could almost hear Brig’s brain working.
    ‘How do you know?’
    ‘I saw her.’
    ‘What was she doing in a motel? And how come you were in her room?’
    ‘She moved. I think she felt safer in a motel.’
    ‘Who killed her?’
    ‘Kobus Breed.’
    ‘My God . . .’ there was another pause, then, ‘You didn’t answer my second question, Mr Bond.’
    ‘I went to her room to ask her something.’
    ‘How did you know she was staying there?’
    ‘I followed her.’
    ‘OK . . . Felix is coming up tonight from Miami.’
    ‘I’m going to miss him,’ Bond said. ‘I go back to London tonight.’ Now Bond paused to let the lie sink in.
    ‘Brig, I don’t know what procedures you follow in these circumstances,’ Bond said, ‘but I think you should get a team round to that motel now and seal the room. I put a “Do not disturb” sign on the door. Lock it down. I wouldn’t call the police for twenty-four hours, also. Wait till Felix gets here. He can coordinate with them. You don’t want Breed to make a run for it.’
    ‘Yeah, you’re right,’ Brig said. ‘What time’s your plane?’
    ‘Nine o’clock this evening.’ Let them think for as long as possible that he was going home, he reasoned. They had more important tasks on their hands than worrying about James Bond.
    They said goodbye and Bond hung up. He undressed and stood under the pounding shower as if the water would wash away all his bad feelings, his memories of Blessing and her miserable death. Then he tried to sleep but his mind grew busy with the plan that he was forming. He needed to equip himself better if he was going to attack the Rowanoak estate single-handed. He turned his pillow over and rested his cheek on the cooler underside. Why had Breed killed Blessing? There could only be one answer. Breed had followed her to the motel and had seen Blessing with him – Blessing back in contact with James Bond . . . That would have been enough to confer a death sentence on her. Bond recalled that sixth-sense shiver he’d experienced in the parking lot when he left her suite in the annexe – had Kobus Breed been out there watching in the darkness? And Bond knew that the manner of Blessing’s death had been a warning directed at him. Breed knew that he could read the signs; Breed was saying to him, I know you’re out there – you’re next, Bond.
    He thought on. Breed hadn’t done anything immediately because he wanted to wait until after the flight had arrived and was happy to let Blessing continue with her AfricaKIN duties. So: there must have been something on that flight that came in to Seminole Field that was especially important. Twelve sick children? There had to be something more.
    Bond ordered breakfast in his room but only smoked a cigarette and drank a cup of coffee, leaving his eggs untouched. He wasn’t hungry. As he left the Fairview he saw Agent Massinette approaching. Bond greeted him amiably enough but Massinette’s face remained impassive.
    ‘Brig told me to tell you – we’re all locked down at the Blackstone Park. The room’s sealed.’
    ‘Good. It should buy