Slough House

Real Tigers / C08

Chapter 8

Book 3 Part Two 4106 words POV: Sean Donovan, River Cartwright, Jackson Lamb, Catherine Standish

Summary

On the Embankment, Sean Donovan admits to Ben Traynor that the job has gone wrong in the worst way: Monteith made a break for it, and Donovan hit him once, harder than he meant, and killed him. Traynor takes the news calmly, says Monteith was no great loss, and refuses to walk away now. Nick Duffy walks River Cartwright out of the Park with threats dressed as career advice, and River answers him before being sick in the gutter round the corner. Back at Slough House he shows the others the photograph of Catherine handcuffed and gagged, and Shirley Dander notices that she does not look frightened, which makes the image seem staged rather than desperate. Lamb arrives and takes over Ho’s room, telling them that Monteith’s crew was Judd’s tiger team, that the tigers have now eaten their owner and want the Grey Books, and that Slough House is therefore live again. He sends them out to find who is running the operation and where the files are held, and orders them back with answers by five. Alone with her untouched tray, Catherine argues with herself about the bottle of wine.

Beats

  • C08S01 · Sean Donovan — Sean Donovan waited under a tree on the Embankment and told Ben Traynor that the job had gone wrong in the worst way. He described chasing Monteith after he broke free and hitting him once, harder than he had ever hit anything, and Traynor said Monteith was no great loss and that they would not walk away now.
  • C08S02 · River Cartwright — Nick Duffy walked River Cartwright out of the Park, advising him to give up while he could, and River answered him and then vomited into the gutter once round the corner. Back at Slough House he showed the others the photo of Catherine handcuffed and gagged, and Shirley Dander said she did not look frightened, which made the picture seem staged.
  • C08S03 · Sean Donovan — Crossing Hungerford Bridge, Donovan explained to Traynor that he had dumped Monteith outside the restaurant so the death could not be quietly covered up. He said Tearney had agreed the Slough House crew would take them where they needed to go, and the two men settled into waiting for dark.
  • C08S04 · Jackson Lamb — Lamb took over Ho’s room and told the slow horses that Monteith’s crew had been Judd’s tiger team, that the tigers had now eaten their owner and wanted the Grey Books. He ordered them to find who was behind the operation and where the files were kept, and to be back with answers by five.
  • C08S05 · Catherine Standish — Catherine Standish sat with the untouched tray, reasoning that leaving the wine unnoticed would neutralise it. She remembered finding Charles Partner’s body in a bath, repeated her mantra that no sober day is wasted, and considered mixing the wine with water to be rid of it while the bottle stood waiting in the heat.

People

  • Sean Donovan — Ex-soldier now running the tiger team; admits killing Monteith with a single punch.
  • Ben Traynor — Donovan’s comrade, who takes the killing calmly and insists the operation continue.
  • River Cartwright — Released from the Park; returns to Slough House and produces the hostage photograph.
  • Nick Duffy — Park security man; escorts River out with thinly veiled threats.
  • Louisa Guy — Slow horse; questions River and presses Ho for the CCTV.
  • Marcus Longridge — Slow horse; studies the photo and agrees Catherine looks unafraid.
  • Shirley Dander — Slow horse; spots that the hostage photo looks staged.
  • Roderick Ho — Slow horse; identifies Monteith onscreen and is sent to make tea.
  • Jackson Lamb — Head of Slough House; briefs the team and hands out the new task.
  • Catherine Standish — Held alone with the tray and the bottle; fights the temptation to drink.
  • Charles Partner — In memory only; Standish’s former chief, found shot in his bath.

Places

  • Slough House — Where Lamb briefs the team and River is reunited with them.
  • Regent’s Park — The Park, offstage; River has just been released from it.

Lines worth keeping

“Murder’s over the line.” — Sean Donovan, to Traynor on the killing

“That’s the thing about tigers, isn’t it? Some of them turn out to be real.” — Jackson Lamb, on Monteith’s death

“She doesn’t look frightened.” — Marcus Longridge, studying the hostage photo

“No sober day is wasted.” — Catherine Standish, her sobriety mantra

Threads

  • Plants: Lamb tasks the team with finding who controls the tiger team and where the Grey Books are stored; Louisa is to look for the man’s traces in chat rooms and online; Donovan and Traynor will wait for dark and use the Slough House crew; Shirley thinks the hostage photograph looks staged; Ho is to obtain the CCTV of the body dump
  • Payoffs: Monteith’s death is explained as a single punch from Donovan; River is released without charge and returns to Slough House
  • Continuity: Monteith was killed by Donovan after breaking free in the car park; The tiger team now answers to Donovan and Traynor, not to Judd; Catherine is held at a farm used as a holiday let and guarded by Bailey; The Grey Books are the Service’s records of conspiracy theories, mostly outsourced; Lamb wants the team back with answers at five

Characters

Places

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