by Ray Saunders
“What about the cabinet member?”
“He’ll be resigning on health grounds.”
Well now I knew, and I still didn’t get it. “How do I — we, set this up?” I asked.
“This will be explained to you by Tim Jennings, when you get to Geneva.” he replied.
That wound up the interview and shortly afterwards I was being chauffeured to the airport.
When we arrived at Heathrow, the driver took my bag, and escorted me to the VIP lounge. He led me through to another room, and there were two people waiting there. One was a tall young man, athletic looking, and with clean cut features. The other was a stunning young woman, early twenties, and with well styled long brunette hair.
The man stepped forwards and proffered his hand. “I’m Alan Cooper,” he said.
Gripping his hand, “Pleased to meet you,” I said.
“And this is Christine Turner.”
She walked towards me, and I saw at once that she had class. “Hello, Matt,” she said smiling. “Nice to be working with you.”
“Likewise,” I replied. “Let’s hope it all goes according to plan.”
She kissed me on the cheek. “Well, you know the old saying, the best laid plans of mice and men.”
I was not sure what she meant, but being close to her, I began to wish that I was an MP.
“There’ll be a car waiting in Geneva to take you to the consulate where you’ll get your final briefing.” Cooper said. “I hope you have a pleasant flight.”
We sat together on the flight, and our conversation was limited to pieces of trivia, as we read magazines to pass the time. About an hour or so later, we landed at Geneva airport.
Chapter 2
The consulate was not what I had imagined, being tucked away in a back street. Once inside, however, it was rather grand. Tim Jennings offered us refreshments, then we got down to business.
He began. “Professor Linstead, by the way, his name is Carl, is staying at the Movenpick Hotel, and we’ve booked you a room there.”
“One room?” I queried.
“Well yes. There was only the one room available at such short notice.”
“And we’re on a budget,” I said, sarcastically
He didn’t answer and went on. “It’s a twin-bedded room, so I’m sure you’ll manage in the circumstances.”
It might not be so bad at that, I thought.
“The hotel has a casino, and Carl Linstead visits it every night,” he went on. “Your job, Matt, is to arrange it so that Christine meets up with him at the tables. Her job is to strike up a relationship with him and get close enough to find out about his formula and intentions.”
“You mean sleep with him and indulge in pillow talk,” I said.
“You could put it like that,” he replied.
I suppose she knew what she was letting herself in for, I thought to myself, but somehow it sounded all too easy.
Christine had remained silent, but then asked, “I know that to get that close to anyone, takes some time. What sort of time scale do you have in mind?”
He looked at her. “Well, we’re not the only ones after this information, so you must do your best to convince him of your sincerity, and make sure he becomes infatuated with you.”
She took it in her stride, and I could see the thought did not trouble her.
He turned back to me. “Before you leave, Matt, you’ll be given a standard Browning 9mm handgun. You’ve already had instructions on how to use it.”
“Are you expecting that I’ll have to?” I asked.
He stared at me. “I’ve told you that we’re not the only ones after this prize, and the going could get pretty rough. We’re playing for high stakes, and it’s a serious business.”
“I think I can handle it,” I said. “It won’t be the first time I’ve been up against the odds.”
“Oh, there’s one more thing,” he added. “In your documents there’s a contact number for you to report to. I won’t be dealing with this, and from here on in, you’ll be handled by someone who won’t be connected officially to the consulate here in case anything goes wrong.”
That could leave me out on a limb, I thought, but said nothing.
He went on. “Call in and report your progress and use the code word ‘bluebells’. You’ll be put in touch with Steve Price who will handle things from here on in.”
Before we left, I was taken to a garage and given a Sunbeam Alpine convertible, a pretty, little blue car, the model of which I was familiar with. Giving me the directions to the hotel, he bid me farewell, and with Christine beside me, I drove off.
***
It was late afternoon when we arrived. The hotel was a large, twelve-storey building of modern appearance. I preferred the Swiss traditional hotels in the Alps, but this was Geneva.
After being shown to our room, we both set about settling in, deciding which bed to have, and arranging our items. We were on the second floor, and luckily the room was surprisingly large.
I stretched out on my bed, while Christine took a shower.
She emerged later, wrapped in a towel, and sat on her bed facing me. “If you shower now, Matt, I’ll get dressed.”
I rolled over to face her. “How come you got to be doing what you do?” I asked her.
Her expression didn’t change. “I enjoy having sex, and I choose my own clients. How else could I get the kind of money I can earn?”
“I’ll buy that.” I said, then realising what I had said. “I don’t mean that literally — I couldn’t afford you.”
“Well, if you’re patient, I’ll let you know when there’s a sale on.” She giggled as she said it, and I wondered how long I would have to wait. If the offer came, I knew that I would be very tempted. Her matter-of-fact attitude was surprising for one so young.
I showered and changed, and we went down for dinner. We were seated at a table for two, in the corner of the large dining room. The tables looked splendid, with their white tablecloths and gleaming cutlery. Each table had a little posy of fresh flowers, with the menus neatly enclosed in leather booklets.
A waiter came and asked if we would like a drink, while we chose our meal.
I turned to Christine. “You’ll have an aperitif?” I asked.
“Of course,” she replied. “I’d like a gin and tonic.”
“Make that two,” I told the waiter.
When they arrived, we chinked our glasses. “Here’s to success,” I said.
“To success,” she repeated.
The waiter came and asked if we were ready to order.
We both chose a starter followed by two of the fish main courses, plus a bottle of Yvorne and two more gin and tonics.
As we sat there, I looked around at the other diners that had begun filling the restaurant. Seated on the far side to our right was a man at a singles table.
He was rather gaunt looking with grey hair and a goatee beard.
I turned to Christine. “Don’t look now,” I said, “but over to our right there’s a man I think could be our target.”
When she had looked, she said, “It is. I was shown his photograph.”
“After dinner we’ll go to the casino and I’ll manoeuvre you next to him when he comes in,” I told her.
The plan didn’t work as he finished before us and left the restaurant.
We finished our meal and the wine and went to the casino. Carl Linstead was at the roulette wheel.
It was still quite early and there were not many at the table, so I went over and stood beside him with Christine on my other side. I bought some chips and began playing.
After a while I was losing, but he was having some success.
“You seem to know how to beat the table better than me,” I said. “Do you have a system?”
He looked at me, and for a moment I thought he was going to ignore me but, seeing Christine, he hesitated, then spoke.
“I do, but it works better if I have someone with me to bring me luck.�
��
I smiled at him. “May I introduce my lucky charm?” I said, “This is Christine, but she isn’t bringing me much luck right now.”
She moved around to him and they shook hands.
“I’m Matt Sands and we’re here on business,” I said.
He looked at Christine. “I’m Carl,” he said. “It’s always a pleasure to meet a beautiful young woman. Could I persuade you to join me to see if you bring me luck?”
She smiled at him. “I’d love too, I don’t think Matt has quite got the idea of this game.”
“Maybe with my system and with you as my lucky charm we’ll make a winning team,” he said.
She took his arm. “I’m sure we will,” she replied.
Shortly afterwards I excused myself and left them.
As I went to the bar, I told myself, “So far so good.”
***
It was late when she returned to our room. I was in bed when she came in.
“How’d it go?” I asked.
“He’s hooked,” she replied. “He’s going to the casino in Montreux tomorrow and has asked me to go with him.”
“Great,” I said, “but he’s bound to find out that we’re sharing a room. How will you explain that?”
“That’s easy,” she answered. “I’ve already told him that you’re gay.”
“Well thanks a lot”, I said. “When that gets around it’ll completely ruin any hope I had, of getting laid here.”
“That’s a sacrifice you’ll have to make in the call of duty,” she laughed.
“When will you be sleeping with him?” I questioned her.
“That can’t be rushed. I have to lead him on and get him so desperate to get me into bed he’ll do almost anything to gratify his desire.”
“I can see that but don’t forget we’re on a budget,” I told her.
“What I’m doing will outweigh any budget if I’m successful. I’m not stupid. Don’t you see that the stakes are so high that any country that gets his formula first will have the power to outperform all the others?”
She had a point. I wasn’t stupid either and could see that we wouldn’t be the only ones after the formula. That being the case, the sooner we had a result the better.
“What time are you going tomorrow?” I asked.
“He wants to leave after breakfast. We’re driving along for lunch there, and then he wants to spend the afternoon at the tables. There’s a poker game for high-flyers that he’s keen to join.”
“Well good luck with that,” I said. “Come and see me as soon as you get back.”
That was it. As she went into the bathroom, I put out my light and settled down for the night.
***
I woke to a beautiful morning and Christine was already dressed.
“I’m having breakfast with the professor,” she said, “and then he’s taking me to Montreux.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll see you when you get back.”
With that she left.
I rose, showered, and went to breakfast. They had already left and sitting there I thought I had better phone in and report progress so far.
It would be best to use an outside phone, so I decided to drive to the lake and later take lunch somewhere at one of the restaurants there. It took about thirty minutes until I found a suitable place, and I parked the Alpine then took a stroll by the lake. Coming to a post office building I went in and spotted a row of telephone booths.
I dialled the number and a girl answered. “Hello,” I said. “What are your favourite flowers?”
She hesitated before she replied. “Oh, I guess its roses.”
“I prefer bluebells,” I said.
“One moment, I’ll put you through,” she said.
I waited, then came a voice. “Hello, Matt, I’m Steve. I was hoping you’d call. There’s been another development, and I need to meet you.”
“Well, I’m not at the hotel,” I told him.
“Where are you?”
“I’m at a post office by the lake but I’ve left my car at a café some way from here.”
“What’s it called?” he asked.
“I think it’s the Café Madeline.”
“I know it,” he went on. “I’ll meet you there at midday.”
He hung up. I did the same and left the post office then walked back to the café.
I sat down at a table outside under an umbrella. I did not have to wait long before a car swung into the car park and a blue suited man got out.
He was about thirty, with short brown hair and a moustache like mine.
Coming straight to my table, he said, “Hello Matt, I’m Steve Price.”
“Hello, Steve,” I answered. “How did you know it was me?”
“I have your description,” he said.”
“How do I know you’re really Steve Price?” I questioned.
“Bluebells,” he said, and we both laughed.
“There’s been another development,” he said. “Linstead is not all he seems. He didn’t leave South Africa because of the Apartheid. He left because he owed so much money from his gambling debts. The Chinese had loaned him large sums of money to induce him to reveal his formula to them but Zola Peterson, who was working with him, refused to let him have her research results. One is no good without the other.”
“If that’s the case, why is Christine trying to find out his formula if it’s not complete, and needs the research that Zola Peterson has done?” I asked.
“Well, we’ve been in touch with Miss Peterson and she’s flying to Nice, and we’ve arranged for her to stay in the Grand Hotel in Monaco. She has been in touch with Linstead and asked him to meet her there. With the two of them together there, we hope to persuade them to bring their findings to England.”
“Why Monaco?” I queried.
“Things are pretty lax there, and they don’t ask questions as to what’s going on.”
“Okay. But where do I fit in?”
“When Linstead meets Miss Peterson in Monaco, we need you to take Christine there so that she can continue to work on him. The offer of her services could influence him to decide that his best interests would be served by coming to us.”
“Is Peterson willing to come too?” I asked him.
“We think that she is, and you can play a part by helping us to convince her.”
It all seemed straightforward enough, in fact too easy. “What about his gambling debts? The Chinese won’t let that little matter drop,” I told him.
“You’re right,” he said. “You’ve probably heard of the Triads. It’s an illegal organisation that the Chinese government uses to do their dirty work without involving them directly. You’ll have to be on your guard, Matt, they’re a vicious lot, and will stop at nothing.”
“I somehow knew that what Mr Smith had told me when I was recruited would lead me into trouble,” I said. “Perhaps I should have stuck to selling houses.”
Steve laughed. “But think of all the excitement you’d have missed,” he said.
I nodded. “When do we leave for Monaco?”
“We’ve provisionally booked you both into the Grand Hotel from tomorrow.”
“Do I get my own room this time?”
He grinned. “Yes, you both have your own room, but we’re hoping Christine won’t need hers.”
We finished up and after a light lunch Steve left and I drove back to the Movenpick.
The afternoon passed slowly until it was at last time to get dressed for dinner. I ate alone, and then returned to my room to wait for Christine to arrive back. I couldn’t settle and as there was no sign of her by eleven, I undressed, and got into bed. It was just before midnight when she came in.
I switched on the bedside lamp. “Well, how did it go?” I asked her.
“This guy Linstead is a pain in the arse,” she said. “I’ve had a boring day with the old goat, and now he wants me to go to Monaco with him.”
I thought that she had been drinking by the way
she flung off her shoes as she spoke. “He’s also kinky and has made some lewd suggestions to me.”
I laughed. “All in the line of duty,” I joked, and I never let on that I knew about the Monaco deal.
“It’s not funny, Matt, I’m particular who I have sex with.”
“Well, you made a deal,” I told her. “It’s better than a spell in prison, that wouldn’t be a picnic either.”
She crossed to the fridge that held items for guests to select on an honour system. “I need a drink,” she said.
Taking one of the small bottles of brandy, she tried to open it. She stood struggling with it but gave up and brought it over to my bed.
“Open this for me, please.”
“You’ve had enough,” I said, “Why don’t you just go to bed?”
“I’ve not been drinking, Matt,” she said. “Well, I had some wine with lunch, but tonight I’ve been with him in the casino, and he wouldn’t leave the tables.”
“What did he tell you about the Monaco trip?” I asked.
“Oh, he just said he was meeting someone there, and then we could have some fun together.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Like I told you, I don’t like him, he’s kinky,” she replied.
With that she gave up on the bottle and disappeared into the bathroom.
Minutes later she came out and stood by the door for a moment.
She was completely naked, and her body was the colour of ivory, in the dim lighting.
Then she quickly came across and got into bed beside me.
“I want to have sex with you, Matt. I need to have some proper sex, and I know you’re not kinky.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now,” I told her, but could feel my immediate sexual urge. Before I could stop her, she pushed herself down the bed, and I felt the sensation of her warm wet lips on my erection.
Taking her shoulders, I dragged her up to face me.
“Look,” I said, “there are two good reasons why we shouldn’t do this. First, we’re here to do a job, and our involvement would only complicate things.”
She kissed me. “What’s the second?” she asked.
