Inside Enemy by Alan Judd

Author:Alan Judd [Judd, Alan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781471102530
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

12

Sarah was relieved to be alone when she reached home that afternoon. It was late but there was still time to collect herself before telling Charles about the attempted blackmail. Not that there was any question of wrong-doing or cover-up by either of them but as head of MI6 he was reputationally vulnerable if the story was spun in the right, or wrong, way. Dredging up all that business again was the last thing they wanted. She felt responsible because it was baggage she brought with her. Talking to Mr Mayakovsky made her feel dirty. She showered and washed her hair.

The phone rang just as she put the hairdryer down and heard Charles’s key in the latch. She picked up the bedroom extension. It was the MI5 duty officer. She called to Charles from the top of the stairs and could see from his face how much he welcomed it the moment he got in. He took it on the kitchen extension.

Later, hair done and wearing comfortable old jeans and jersey, she went downstairs. He was still on the phone. She offered tea in sign language and he nodded. He continued listening, asked a couple of questions, then gave directions to the house. When she turned on the kettle he took the cordless phone into the drawing room. She waited until he had finished, then took the teas in, looking at him questioningly. He took the tea as if he wasn’t seeing her.

‘The police liaison officer from MI5 wants to bring the police round to talk about Viktor. Then there’s an emergency meeting of that committee I was telling you about in the Cabinet Office.’

Clearly not the best time to tell him, unless it was really a police matter. She wasn’t sure. ‘They’re coming here, now?’

‘They’re on their way.’

‘Everything’s such a mess. They’ll think we live like this all the time.’ She tried a smile. ‘There’s something we need to talk about.’

He nodded but still looked preoccupied. ‘When’s that wedding, your nephew’s?’

‘Danny’s? The 16th, two weeks, just under. He should be back now. I can’t remember when his ship – boat, he calls it, his submarine – was due in. They never seem to have a date but he told everyone he’d be back in good time. I must ring my sister.’ A car drew up outside and three men got out. ‘That was quick. I suppose they’re only just round the corner, aren’t they? I’ll leave you to it.’ This time her smile elicited a brief response. She went upstairs to unpack boxes in what was to be her study.

Charles sat them round the kitchen table. They all said yes to tea. They were from SO15, part of the counter-terrorist command formerly known as Special Branch. He knew one of them as DI Steggles, whom he had privately nicknamed Corduroy. ‘We know each other of old,’ he told the others as they shook hands. ‘He arrested and interviewed me in the bad old days of the SIA. Did it very well.

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