Counterpoint Read Online Free PDF

it only succeeded in
burning rubber as the wheels spun on the smooth cobbles, impaling
itself deeper onto the tow bar. The rear nudge bar stopped any
further advance.
    Although the men could get out of their
car on one side, they could not get past the van, so the driver
reversed hard, leaving bits of his vehicle hanging off the tow bar.
The car shot backwards straight as an arrow, down the alley and
into the main road, then headed up the next alley towards the
market place.
    Under cover of the crowd in the market,
even at this early hour, Max and Carla slipped away.
    The men searched the van as the car
drove off, but did not find what they wanted. The bandaged
passenger in the car made mobile phone calls, alerting other
searchers for Carla, that she had been seen, and had a man helping
her. He made it clear they must be taken alive, and the briefcase,
must be recovered.
    Max found it difficult to keep up the
brisk walk behind Carla; she glided along, weaving in and around
people like someone hurrying purposefully to catch a bus. Just when
it looked as though she would continue ahead, she would dart down a
side street.
    Max took his eyes off her for a moment,
and she just seemed to disappear. He was looking about for her when
she pulled him back, into the shop doorway he had just passed.
    “How do you do that?” He exclaimed! You
just disappeared. You know we are going round in circles, don’t
you?”
    “I am just checking to see if we are
being followed,” replied Carla. “Right, tell me what this is all
about,” Max demanded.
    “Not now,” she snapped. “The answers
will be no good to you if you are dead. Come in here!”
    They entered the small back street shop
selling sports clothing and equipment, mainly aimed at tourists.
Max followed her in, feeling apprehensive about the immediate
future, his breathing was fast, and deep like he had been running
hard, yet the air in his lungs seemed without oxygen. He felt as
though he was being smothered.
    The panic attack soon passed.
    The shop seemed so normal and safe;
perhaps this was all an unpleasant dream. He thought; you never
seem to get answers to questions in dreams, reality blends with the
bizarre. You know it is wrong somehow, but cannot quite focus your
mind to seek out the truth.
    Max focused his mind on the reality.
Carla was ordering clothes for the both of them. What was she up to
now?
    Large backpacks, peaked caps, dark
sunglasses denim jackets and jeans and trainers. Without
discussion, realizing this was some sort of disguise; Max went
along with it, though he wondered who was picking up the bill for
all this.
    The clothes fitted well, and the two of
them looked utterly transformed. For the first time since last
night, Carla looked into Max’s eyes and gave him a deep warm smile.
It took him by surprise. He felt himself relaxing and
involuntarily, his face smiled at her in return. This happened
without any conscious effort on his part, his conscious mind was
still trying to take in and make sense of it all. When he realized
their eyes were still locked on each other, and his face was now
beaming, he felt happy, embarrassed a warm glow all over.
    Pulling himself together, he broke the
gaze. She turned and paid from a thick wad of high denomination
Euro notes, out of Philippe’s wallet.
    She asked the shopkeeper if he could
recommend a good garage to repair their vehicle, it would need to
be towed away, and if she could use his phone.
    He was delighted to help. Speaking to
the garage in fluent Italian, she explained the camper van had
broken down in a side street near the market, and needed to be
towed away and repaired because someone had driven into the back,
as well. The garage said they knew about the van, the police had
already been in touch with them, to remove the obstruction. Carla
said she was on her way to the police station and would call them
again to sort out payment when they had found a hotel to stay
in.
    Packing their old clothes and bag