Len Deighton - XPD by XPD

Author:XPD [XPD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

24

Sir Sydney Ryden had a lunch appointment but he was able to fit Boyd Stuart into a gap between the secretary of the estimates sub-committee on pay and a pre-lunch drink with the coordinator.

Boyd Stuart waited in an empty sitting room for half an hour before the DG came in, slumped down into the armchair and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Everything seems to come at once,

Stuart. Do you find that?’

‘Yes, sir, I do. I’m awfully sorry to be making a difficult day even worse for you.’

‘Not at all,’ said the DG. ‘It was my own decision to keep close to your investigation.

Something come up, has it?’

Boyd Stuart explained the phone call which Paul Bock had made to Stein’s home in Los

Angeles. And his visit to the house in north London the day before.

‘Homosexuals are they?’ He nodded as if in answer to his own question.

‘I’ve no reason to think so, Director.’

‘They sound like two delinquents,’ said the DG.

‘They are delinquents,’ agreed Boyd.

‘Quite so, Stuart.’ The DG eyed the drinks cabinet but decided that his lunch was going to be a tricky one. It would be better to remain completely clear headed. ‘Am I to take it that you are treating their information seriously?’

‘For the time being I am, sir.’

‘Isn’t it rather preposterous? Surely you don’t believe that a syndicate of German industrialists is about to start a new Nazi movement?’

‘I’m not yet at the stage where I can start enjoying the luxury of discounting anything,’ said

Boyd.

‘Well, it’s your investigation,’ said the DO scratching his head. ‘But the PM is asking for a situation report. I’m not going to relish telling her that my principal field agent thinks it’s all a neo-Nazi plot.’

‘Paul Bock gained access to the bank computer,’ insisted,’ Boyd Stuart. ‘The other one has worked in electronics and, according to the hasty and superficial inquiries I’ve made this morning, is well qualified to know about retrieving information.’

‘I’m not contesting any of that,’ said the DG testily.

‘Then what could be their motive?’ said Boyd Stuart. ‘Why would they contact Stein to warn him that his life is in danger? Obviously Stein is a stranger to them or they would have recognized me immediately as an impostor. The German boy has confessed a secret to a perfect stranger. If that stranger betrays him, he could face at best dismissal from the bank, perhaps a term of imprisonment. So what motive could they have, other than what they told me?’

‘Perhaps he thinks it’s fun,’ said the DG. ‘Perhaps he doesn’t need to have a job of any land; he might well have a private income. Rich young trouble-makers. The western world is full of such people.’

Only with difficulty did Stuart suppress his irritation at this generalization. ‘I think it’s safer to assume that they work for a living, sir. And I prefer to assume they’re sincere.’

‘You don’t have to read me the riot act, Stuart.’ Boyd Stuart did not reply. The DG looked at his watch. ‘Well, I can see that you want to follow this one up, so I’ll not stand in your way.

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