The Secret Houses by Gardner John

Author:Gardner, John [Gardner, John]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2014-07-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-five

So now, on that first of many mornings when he began to win his brother back, to see justice done and take vengeance for the whole of his family, Caspar went to him with the same cold lack of humour that he would maintain over the next weeks and months.

‘Well, brother Ramillies, have my people looked after you? Do you want for anything?’

Fatigue creased Ramillies’ face, making him look like a man in his late sixties, rather than his fifty-two years. His eyes were bloodshot, his stubble grey, and his thinning hair dirty and dishevelled. ‘They haven’t let me sleep,’ he said, his voice surly and hoarse.

‘Good practice.’ Caspar spoke sharply, with no sympathy. ‘Good practice for what you will undoubtedly go through when they get you back to Moscow.’

Ramillies appeared to sag within his own body, his head giving a tiny nod that could be taken as tacit agreement.

Caspar continued. ‘The three packages – the photographs and records – are ready to be sent covertly into the East. I await final instructions from my superiors.’ He sat, looking maliciously at his brother for almost three full minutes. Then Caspar drew in a deep and tired breath. ‘I hold out no hope, Ram. No hope at all, but God knows why, I have put some proposals to my Chief.’

‘You shouldn’t have bothered. I shall go back and face what has to be faced.’

‘Certain death?’

Ramillies nodded.

‘Very well. I’ll get on to London now.’ He stood, turning towards the door. Ramillies spoke again as Caspar’s hand touched the knob.

‘Cas?’ It was the first time in three decades that Ramillies had spoken to Caspar on the equal terms of their brotherhood. ‘Cas… What are the alternatives to Moscow?’

Caspar stayed by the door, then took a step back into the room. He asked Naldo and Arnie to leave him alone with Ramillies and they both gave signs of reluctance, as though following Caspar’s lead as good dancers will follow a partner.

‘Please,’ Caspar said very quietly. ‘Please leave me alone with him.’

Finally they left the room. Herbie was outside and Caspar went back towards the table separating him from Ramillies. He hesitated but did not sit down.

In reality he was playing for time. On the previous evening he had given Naldo and Arnie a guided tour of the safe house to show them some of what he had called the extra-interrogatory devices: the listening and recording devices in the basement – each linked to a main room or particular area of the house. Caspar had checked on the one covering the room in which the primary interrogation would take place – even though, as yet, Ramillies had no idea he was to be interrogated. Possibly he had prepared himself for it, and then with Caspar’s arrival the preparation had become ragged.

When he judged that Naldo and Arnie had activated the hidden microphone, Caspar seated himself again. ‘There’s little I can offer, Ram. Very little. You had better know that this whole operation was mounted solely to get rid of you.

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