Page 40 of Nobody's Hero

‘I doubt I could stop you.’

‘I pulled out a knife. It has wet blood on the blade. Yet you didn’t bat an eyelid. You didn’t panic. You didn’t scramble for your cell or yell out in fear. You saw a Fairbairn–Sykes,Isaw someone who was unafraid. Someone used to being around weapons.’

‘I’m from Manchester, mate. This isn’t the first knife I’ve seen.’

‘But do you want to know whatreallygave you away?’

Summers shrugged.

‘You did,’ Koenig said.

‘Me?’

‘I’ve spent seven years as a grey man. I understand how to hide in plain sight. How to blend in. To be unmemorable.’

‘You’re making a point, I take it?’ Summers removed his elbows from the counter and put his arms down by his side. Out of sight.

‘I see you, Marion. Not only that, I seethroughyou. The unthreatening way you dress yourself can’t hide your physique. It’s toned, it’s sinewy, and although I would advise you not to try anything, you’ll undoubtedly be proficient in one of the more aggressive fighting techniques. The way you dress can’t hide the way you looked me up and down when I entered your store, the way you immediately understood I was a threat. It’s why you’re behind your counter. I suspect you have a weapon under there. You may even be tempted to use it. If you do, I’ll use mine and I’m not going to lie, I’ve been trained by the best. If I see a weapon in your hands, you’ll never use them again.’

Summers brought his hands out from behind the counter. They were empty.

‘And there’s the shop,’ Koenig continued. ‘The location is perfect to meet the needs of both LiverpoolandManchester. It’s within a ninety-minute drive of a dozen ports, some of them lightly regulated. Easy to get guns into the country. And the nature of the shop itself is perfect to meet potential customers in a safe environment. No one’s going to bat an eyelid if it’s open at midnight – you’re stocktaking or meeting an out-of-town collector, like I claimed to be.’

Summers smiled. ‘So, you think I know something about that . . . what was it you called it, a derringer?’

‘I think you sold it to her, or you know who sold it to her. And ever since Speakers’ Corner, I think you’ve been dreading a guy like me turning up.Especiallya guy like me.’

‘A guy like you?’

Koenig showed him the commando dagger again. ‘A guy comfortable using Fairbairn–Sykes diplomacy.’

Summers smiled. Didn’t look the slightest bit worried. They might as well have been talking about Stanley Kubrick.

‘Let’s pretend what you say is true,’ he said. ‘That I am this big bad arms dealer. Surely I’d be a fool to keep anything on any premises that could be linked to me? I’d probably have cutout after cutout. A whole team of mules who had no idea who was paying them.’ He paused. ‘Do you think I’m a fool, Ben?’

‘I don’t think you’re a fool, Marion.’

‘Then we have nothing more to discuss. I’m sorry I couldn’t sell you a movie poster, but you have nothing to threaten me with. No carrot, no stick. Just a rumour and a knife we both know you won’t use.’

‘I don’t think you’re a fool, Marion, but I do think you’re wrong. Because Idohave something to threaten you with.’ He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and threw his passport on the counter. ‘Do you know what that is?’

‘Is this a trick question? It’s a passport.’

‘Wrong. This is adiplomaticpassport.’

Summers leaned forwards and checked. The word ‘diplomatic’ was front and centre on the black cover.

‘You say I have nothing to threaten you with, Marion,’ Koenig said. ‘How about the US government?’

Koenig pushed the passport across the counter.

‘I’ve been sent to the UK with one purpose: to track down the woman who bought that derringer,’ he said. ‘I’m here on behalf of the kind of people who discuss things like wet work over breakfast. You’ve now been sucked into their gravity well. That leaves you with a simple binary choice: you either become an ally of the United States, or you become an enemy of the United States.’

‘But I’m neith—’

‘If you choose the latter, the Brits will arrest you pending an extradition request.’

‘My country won’t extradite me on unsubstantiated rumours,’ Summers said. ‘I have rights.’