The Defector (11 page)

“Back to the cage,” he remarked.

“Not for long,” Davina said quickly.

“As soon as you’ve reached an agreement with the Brigadier, you can choose where to stay. I think I’ll go up this afternoon and see him.”

“You should be promoted for this,” Sasanov said.

“I don’t mind about that,” she answered.

“I just want everything to work out well. I want you to have your family with you, and to give us your full cooperation. That’ll be my reward.”

“You like a happy ending,” he said.

“Like the fairy stories? Russian stories don’t have happy endings. The witch turns into a wolf and eats the children.” She glanced at him, and then concentrated on the road.

“You’re the most morbid person I’ve ever met,” she said.

“You love looking on the black side. I think you do it just to annoy me.”

“Perhaps I do,” Sasanov admitted.

“Perhaps I am just superstitious, and afraid of tempting the fates.”

“There’s no such thing as fate,” she said firmly.

“People make their own destinies. Fate didn’t bring you to England, you decided to come. And it certainly won’t be fate that gets your wife and daughter out of Russia! “

“What will it be if you fail?”

“We won’t fail,” she said.

“I promise you.” She didn’t know what made her think of Peter Harrington on her way up to London. Perhaps it was her own success contrasting with his failure and depression; on impulse she rang through to his section in Personnel while she was waiting to see the Brigadier, and suggested they meet for a drink afterwards. As soon as she walked into his office, James White knew that she had come to report success. There was an air of confidence about her, of buoyancy, that was unusual. He gained his impressions in a few seconds, while he got up and shook hands, and she settled into the chair in front of his desk. He smiled at her and before she could begin, he said, “You’ve made progress, Miss. Graham. I can see that you’re pleased about something. The weekend went off well? “

“It was the catalyst we needed,” she said.

“He’s ready to make a deal with you.”

“Congratulations,” he said gently.

“How did you do it?”

“He did it himself,” she said.

“He reached his crisis point and I happened to be there. He wants his wife and daughter brought over here. Then he’ll cooperate fully with us, for the next two years. He doesn’t want to settle in England after that; he doesn’t like it here. My guess is somewhere like Canada. ” The Brigadier didn’t answer at once.

“The wife and daughter…” he said slowly.

“That’s a pity.” Davina looked at him.

“Why? Nothing’s happened to them, has it? My God, I promised him they were all right!”

“And so they are, as far as we know,” James White answered.

“Did you guarantee we’d be able to smuggle them out?”

“I had to,” she said flatly.

“Otherwise he wants to go home. And he means it. I don’t know if you can prevent him.”

“Not with our present Home Secretary,” the Brigadier said sourly.

“And unless he’s willing, he’s useless to us. But you’ve done very well; I do congratulate you. Taking him home was your idea, and I must confess I thought it rather an odd thing to do. But obviously you judged the situation absolutely right. When had I better see him? Is he ready now? “

“Not ready to do more than whet your appetite,” Davina said firmly.

“He’s made his terms quite clear. I think it would be a good thing to keep the momentum going; he just might slip back and get depressed if nothing happens quickly. He’d like to meet you and start preliminary talks.”

“We can arrange it now,” the Brigadier said. He looked at his desk diary, and frowned.

“This week, you think… hmmm. Thursday seems possible, with a little juggling.” He switched on his desk intercom. His secretary answered.

“Change my late afternoon appointments for Thursday, will you? No, never mind, put them off till the next week. Yes. Thank you.”

“Will you come down?” she asked him.

“No.” He considered for a moment.

“No, I think it would be less conspicuous if we met in London. At my club.

I go there once or twice a week anyway, and nobody is going to suspect anything unusual. They certainly won’t expect to see Sasanov walking into the Garrick at five o’clock on a Thursday.” He gave a little chuckle.

“Put a hat and some spectacles on him and deliver him there on Thursday.

I’ll arrange for a security cover for both of you. You wait in the car and I’ll be in the hall to meet him at five o’clock.” He got up to end the interview; his eyes were bright and friendly.

“You’re a clever girl,” he said gently.

“I knew I was right in giving him to you.” There was a few seconds’ pause, while he looked at her, and didn’t put out his hand to shake hers. She felt suddenly that he was going to ask the one question she didn’t want to answer. Which was irrelevant anyway. But the Brigadier said nothing. He shook hands with her, and walked with her to the door.

“Keep him happy till Thursday,” he said. She went out of the room wondering exactly what that last remark had meant. He couldn’t know; there was no way he could find out that Sasanov had made up his mind after making love to her. In the best tradition of female spies, she thought, and smiled to herself as she went down in the lift to Personnel to pick up Peter Harrington. Peter rejected the local pub as a suitable place to talk over a drink.

“To hell with the expense,” he said, grinning at her.

“We’re going to get pissed in style this time-I’m taking you to a dark romantic little bar in wicked Jermyn Street.”

“Jules’,” she said.

“I know, it’s your second home when you’re in London. It’s a pound every time you eat an olive. I suppose I’m put down to expenses?”

“You are,” he agreed. He watched her as she drove up Pall Mall. She seemed relaxed, less shut into herself. Quite an attractive woman, he decided, and was surprised at the way his imagination was working. He had never thought of Davina Graham in the nude before. They settled into a corner in the little bar, and he ordered a vodka martini for her and a whisky for himself. The waiter brought a dish of olives, and she took one and laughed.

“How’s life in the country?” he said.

“Very good,” she answered.

“It seems to suit you,” he remarked.

“I know you can’t talk about what you’re doing, so I’ll tell you all the deepest secrets of Personnel.”

“Tell me about New York instead,” she said.

“Has Spencer-Barr gone out yet?”

“No, he hasn’t. Due in a fortnight or so. He called in and asked me out to lunch. To brief him on my contacts.”

“Did you go?” She sipped the martini.

“Yes, I went. I chose the most expensive things on the menu, drank myself stupid, and gave the sod the bare minimum. He knew it, too, but he couldn’t say anything. He just paid the bill and walked off. I wove my way back to the office and fell asleep over the Bs in the card-index.” Why the Bs? “

“I don’t know,” he said.

“I must have been trying to look him up hoping his name was Barikov, or something. Anyway he’ll have no joy at all, with my Rumanian. He’ll turn on that upper-class public-school charm, and Gregory Vitescu will run a mile. Three years’ ground work chucked away. The East German may take to him; he wants money and he’d trust the type. Personally I hope he makes a real cock-up of both of them. ” He swallowed a lot of his drink.

“I’ve never hated anyone before. But I hate him; I wonder why?”

“Because he’s a conceited, ruthless little climber,” Davina said.

“And you told me, he walked all over you when he got the posting. That’s reason enough.”

“Yes, I suppose it is,” he muttered.

“And yet it isn’t, quite. I’ve met shits like him before; they’re in the Service like everywhere else. Run you down without a backward look. All right, I was furious at the way I was recalled; I hated having some bloody jumped-up new boy put in, so he can get the credit for the hard work I did. But apart from all that, I just get a gut-feeling when I’m with him that he’s nastier and more unscrupulous than anyone I’ve met in a long time. And he’s young, Davina - fifteen years younger than I am. I ought to be able to wipe the floor with him.”

“I wonder how he feels about you?” she asked.

“Don’t underestimate yourself, Peter; you can be quite a hard-nose, too.”

“He despises me,” Harrington answered.

“He despised me for getting drunk and showing I minded when we had lunch. He despised me for trying to hold back anything he’d find helpful. He knew exactly what I was doing. I told you, outside the bloody restaurant, he just turned his back on me and walked away.”

“You mustn’t let it get to you like this,” she said slowly.

“He’s going out there and if he makes a mess of your two contacts, the Brigadier won’t find any excuses. Forget about him, Peter. Why don’t you enjoy yourself, now you’ve got a bit of time? I remember you moaning about missing Test matches, and longing to get married but who would put up with the life all that sort of thing. Kicking isn’t going to do you any good. Work away at Personnel; grin and bear it and wait for the little beast to fall on his face. Then you can go to the Chief and gently remind him about your old job. ” He smiled and reached out, squeezing her hand. He held on to it, until she pulled it away.

“You’re a wonderful girl, Davy. And you’re dead right, of course. I’m in the dog-house and the more I grumble, the longer I’ll stay there. What I really need is a new assignment something I can get hold of, and prove I’m not finished. Do you know that’s one of the things White said to me?

“You’re not a young man any more, my dear chap. Spencer-Barr has youth on his side. ” As if experience didn’t count.. Waiter? Two more, please.” Davina leaned back and said casually, “How much did you drink in the States, Peter?” He jerked round to look at her.

“What the hell do you mean how much did I drink? Who’s been talking to you behind my back?”

“You have,” she said.

“Listen, Peter, I’m fond of you, and we’ve known each other for a long time. But I’m not going to sit here listening to you moaning and groaning unless you tell me the truth. Was your drinking a factor or not?”

“Oh, well, hell yes, I suppose it was,” he said sulkily.

“I got a bit of a reputation, and the word got back. It never made any difference to my work everyone in New York and Washington gets pissed out of their minds now and then. It had nothing to do with it.”

“They don’t get pissed when they’re trying to recruit two double agents in high-sensitivity areas,” she said.

“Why don’t you face that, to start with? Stop drinking. Be seen to stop drinking. Never mind what’s wrong with Spencer Barr Take a good look at yourself, Peter, and for God’s sake either put the cork in the bottle, or resign from the Service and do something else!”

“My God!” He stared at her aggressively.

“My God, I’m glad I asked you out for a drink! Any more lectures before I pay the bill?”

“I asked to see you, as it happens,” she said calmly.

“And I’ve had an idea, but there’s no point discussing it with you if you’re going to be adolescent. Spencer-Barr may be fifteen years younger than you, but he struck me as fully grown-up. Get me some cigarettes, will you?” The waiter had brought their second drinks, and she waited for Harrington’s reaction.

“What do you like?” he said sullenly.

“Twenty Benson and Hedges,” he said when she told him.

“I’d just like to know,” he said, ‘why you’ve suddenly decided to kick me where it hurts. ” She gave him a cigarette and lit it for him.

“I’m not trying to hurt you, you idiot. I’m giving you very good advice. You’re a Service man;

you wouldn’t know what to do outside it. I wouldn’t either and I haven’t been in it half as long. You’ve let yourself slip, Peter. That’s why you were recalled. You’re far too young and too valuable to be retired, and that’s what will happen. Don’t think Spencer Barr won’t have dropped hints about the lunch-he’s just the type. Go on the wagon and make sure everyone knows it. And keep yourself fit. You’ve got flabby. “

“Oh, Christ,” Harrington moaned.

“What are you suggesting a run round the park every morning?” Davina sipped her drink and smiled.

“It’s an idea,” she said.

“You might need to run for it one day.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” he said. He had stopped being angry.

“I told you, I’ve got an idea. Nothing may come of it;

but nothing will, unless you pull yourself together. You want to get back to active work, don’t you? “

“Yes,” he said.

“I’d give anything and you’re right, I’ve let myself slip. You can’t tell me any more?”

“No, not till I’ve thought it out properly. And I’m afraid I can’t say anything till I’ve sold it to the Chief.”

“You won’t find it very easy to sell me,” he said. He picked up the whisky and looked at it.

“I don’t want to waste it,” he said.

“Especially as it seems likely to be my last.” He drank it, and pushed the empty glass away across the table.

“I’m sorry if I was rude to you, Davy. I just wasn’t expecting to be told I’d turned into a boozy slob.” He grinned at her, half defensively.

“Even though it’s true. Do you have to get back or will you stay and let me buy you a nice dinner? I’d really like to to say thanks, for helping me. And just incidentally because I’m bloody lonely and I think you’re looking particularly good tonight. Stay, won’t you?” She hesitated. He looked even more bedraggled and tired, and the hand holding his cigarette was shaking slightly. She knew it would annoy Sasanov if she came home late. The empty glass stared at her like an eye.

“I’ll make a call to see if everything’s all right,” she said.

“There’s a booth at the back there,” he said.

“Nice and private for making lovers’ trysts and phoning up a tart for the evening. Here’s some change.” She dialled the private number at Halldale, and immediately Roberts answered.

“It’s me,” she said.

“Put him on, will you, please?” There was a pause, and then Sasanov’s voice came through. She didn’t let him talk.