Winter of the World (Century Trilogy 2) by Ken Follett

Author:Ken Follett
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
ISBN: 9780230710108
Publisher: Macmillan Publishers UK
Published: 2012-09-17T23:00:00+00:00

9

1941 (II)

The phone rang on Greg Peshkov’s desk on a hot morning in July. He had finished his penultimate year at Harvard, and was once again interning at the State Department for the summer, working in the information office. He was good at physics and math, and passed exams effortlessly, but he had no interest in becoming a scientist. Politics was what excited him. He picked up the phone. ‘Greg Peshkov.’

‘Morning, Mr Peshkov. This is Tom Cranmer.’

Greg’s heart beat a little faster. ‘Thank you for returning my call. You obviously remember me.’

‘The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1935. Only time I ever got my picture in the paper.’

‘Are you still the hotel detective?’

‘I moved to retail. I’m a store detective now.’

‘Do you ever do any freelance work?’

‘Sure. What did you have in mind?’

‘I’m in my office now. I’d like to talk privately.’

‘You work in the Old Executive Office Building, across the street from the White House.’

‘How did you know that?’

‘I’m a detective.’

‘Of course.’

‘I’m around the corner, at Aroma Coffee on F Street and Nineteenth.’

‘I can’t come now.’ Greg looked at his watch. ‘In fact, I have to hang up right away.’

‘I’ll wait.’

‘Give me an hour.’

Greg hurried down the stairs. He arrived at the main entrance just as a Rolls-Royce motor car came silently to a stop outside. An overweight chauffeur clambered out and opened the rear door. The passenger who emerged was tall, lean and handsome, with a full head of silver hair. He wore a perfectly cut double-breasted suit of pearl-grey flannel that draped him in a style only London tailors could achieve. As he ascended the granite steps to the huge building, his fat chauffeur hurried after him, carrying his briefcase.

He was Sumner Welles, Undersecretary of State, number two at the State Department, and personal friend of President Roosevelt.

The chauffeur was about to hand the briefcase to a waiting State Department usher when Greg stepped forward. ‘Good morning, sir,’ he said, and he smoothly took the briefcase from the chauffeur and held the door open. Then he followed Welles into the building.

Greg had got into the information office because he was able to show factual, well-written articles he had produced for the Harvard Crimson. However, he did not want to end up a press attaché. He had higher ambitions.

Greg admired Sumner Welles, who reminded him of his father. The good looks, the fine clothes and the charm concealed a ruthless operator. Welles was determined to take over from his boss, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, and never hesitated to go behind his back and speak directly to the President – which infuriated Hull. Greg found it exciting to be close to someone who had power and was not afraid to use it. That was what he wanted for himself.

Welles had taken a shine to him. People often did take a shine to Greg, especially when he wanted them to; but in the case of Welles there was another factor. Though Welles was married – apparently happily, to an heiress – he had a fondness for attractive young men.

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