by Oliver Tidy
‘Yes. Quite a bit actually.’
‘And?’
‘And I’m not an assassin. I can’t just go and kill someone because I’ve been ordered to. I’m sorry.’
‘You wouldn’t have to do that.’ Crouch didn’t say that he had others for the dirty work, but the emphasis that he gave the first word of his sentence led Sansom to understand it. ‘There are often other, more humanitarian aspects to what we have to do sometimes.’
‘Such as?’ Sansom was not going to join Crouch’s band of merry mercenaries but he didn’t mind talking with him about it.
‘Such as a problem that you have highlighted for us.’
‘Me?’
‘The Hammonds, Acer. If Iran really does have them then we want them back. We want them back because of what they might be forced to contribute to Iran’s nuclear aspirations and we want them back because they are British citizens abducted against their will – a man, a woman and their two children. You’ve made us aware of them and now we have to follow it up; do something to help them. If it’s true, of course. Perhaps Bishop was spinning you a line?’
‘No. I don’t think so. He was desperate. He didn’t make that up on the spur of the moment. And Smith tried to shut him up.’
Crouch shrugged. ‘So you see, we can’t abandon them. Sometimes our foreign policy might make us guilty of many things that we rightfully shouldn’t be particularly proud of but we always look after our own.’
‘So what are you going to do for them?’
Crouch gave an apologetic smile. ‘I’m sure you’ll understand that is not something I can discuss with you if you are not part of the team.’
‘Of course,’ said Sansom, although he realised that his pulse had quickened and he felt disappointed at being excluded. And then he heard himself saying, ‘What if I did become part of your team?’
‘Then you would be on the payroll and I would be asking for your input.’
‘What does joining the team involve?’
‘Authorisation by me and you signing the Official Secrets Act.’
‘I already did that.’
‘True, but they probably threw it away when they thought you were dead.’
‘Exactly in what capacity would I be employed?’
‘I believe that on the form it says “Government Advisor”.’
To Crouch’s surprise, Sansom gave a little laugh. The older man waited patiently, a bemused look playing around the corners of his mouth.
‘Sorry,’ said Sansom, when he finally had himself under control. ‘You want me to explain?’
‘It might be polite.’
‘Smith was tagged in the news agency archive photographs as a “Government Advisor”. You’re offering me the same title.’
Crouch stared back blankly. ‘More of that comic irony,’ he said, although there was no outward indication that he saw the joke in the same way as the man in front of him.
‘How long would I have to sign on for?’ Sansom was himself again. He was back thinking about the Hammonds, as he had done many times over the previous few days. There was nothing funny in the idea that a family were being held against their will and being forced to perform for a hard-line regime with which they would have no sympathy.
‘We are not the Army, or a branch of it, I hasten to add. You don’t sign on for a specific length of time. Look, I’ll be honest with you, Acer. I would like you with us on this one. You know the Hammonds.’
‘Not very well,’ said Sansom truthfully.
‘By sight, I mean. The man, the woman and the children. I told you last time we spoke that you have qualities and skills that I could use. Well, I could use them and you trying to find out if the Iranians really are holding them.’
Sansom was coming to realise that Crouch had an agenda already prepared and his name was pencilled in on the cast list. Crouch broke the Official Secrets Act. ‘There is a United Nations delegation heading to Iran in nine days’ time. It’s an inspection team. Its purpose is to report back to the UN regarding Iran’s claims that they are not pursuing a programme of uranium enrichment with a view to nuclear weapon development. I want you there as part of that team.’
Sansom was about as far from seeing anything funny in that as he could get. ‘Are you serious?’ he said, although he didn’t think for a moment that Crouch had the time or was the type to joke around.
‘Absolutely. You know them by sight – more importantly, I’m hoping that they would remember you. It is probably the one and only chance we have of gaining entry into their facilities other than as an occupying army.’
‘But I don’t know anything about uranium enrichment or inspecting for it.’
‘You wouldn’t have to. There would be others there for that.’
‘Well, surely if they had the Hammonds they would hardly be likely to parade them around in front of international visitors.’
‘So I need someone who is resourceful, inventive and who can make their own luck. I wasn’t going to do this, Acer, but I’m desperate too.’
‘Do what?’
‘Play the emotional card. They are people – our people. They are a family. There are young children involved. Can you not want to help, especially after what you have in common with them?’
‘Would you expect me to try to get them out?’ Sansom’s incredulity was real.
‘Of course not. All we need is evidence that they are there, being held against their will. If we can confront the Iranian ambassador here in the UK with incontrovertible evidence of this monumental breach of international law and let him know what we will do with that evidence if our people are not returned to us unharmed we might be able to get them back without an international incident.’
‘You’d cut a deal with the Iranians? No sanctions?’
‘First we get our people safe. Then we see what there is to be done about it.’
‘In what capacity would I be there?’
‘I’ll think of something. Whatever it would be it would involve some intensive training and education. I repeat, the delegation leaves in nine days.’
‘When would you need my answer?’
‘Before you leave this office would be nice.’
Sansom thought, stood, walked to the window, thought some more and returned to his seat.
‘Just try to get some evidence of their existence?’
‘Yes. If it’s impossible, unmanageable, we go back to the drawing board. But time is against us. I’m not a great believer in fate but I do believe that with you we have been presented with a window of opportunity. And I think that we must, if for no other reason than the sake of the children, try to crawl through it.’
‘And when I return, I’m done?’
‘If that’s the way you want it.’
‘I’ll do it.’
Crouch smiled a serious smile of thanks and appreciation for what Sansom was undertaking and giving up. He put out his hand and Sansom took it.
‘That’s excellent news. Take the rest of the day. I’ll have you collected at eight tomorrow morning. And make sure you turn off the utilities. You won’t be back for a while. Do you need anything?’
‘There is something you can do for me.’
‘Go on.’
‘A few days ago a Turkish national, Eda Ulusoy, died in a car accident somewhere in Turkey. I don’t know where. I want to know everything about it.’
‘Such as?’
‘Such as was it an accident?’
‘You knew her?’
‘She was a great help to Stan Tallis and me.’
Crouch scribbled down her name.
‘I’ll get someone on it. You’re suspicious?’
‘Naturally.’
*
As she had done on the three previous nights since they had stumbled into bed together, Susan arrived at Sansom’s new home as soon as London traffic allowed after a day’s work. They hadn’t fallen into a relationship, it was more of a casual understanding, but she had stayed with him each night, leaving
early the following morning.
He was sitting in a deck chair in the rambling back garden in a coat and hat, hanging out with nature. She noticed the can of beer in his hand. She helped herself to a glass from the box of wine in the fridge and joined him.
‘You won’t be able to keep this up much longer,’ she said, exaggerating a shiver.
‘Never a truer word spoken.’
‘How did it go with Grouch?’
‘His name is Crouch.’ He smiled in her direction.
‘Did you tell him to stick his job?’
He took a long pull on the can before answering.
‘Yes and no.’
‘What?’
‘I’m going to break the Official Secrets Act and tell you something. I’m going to tell you so that you understand why I’ve chosen to do a job for him.’ He was staring out over the long grass towards the dilapidated shed that leant against the high brick wall.
‘If you’re going to work for him, I won’t understand.’ She was standing.
‘All right. But at least you’ll know. I want you to know. It is important to me that you do. Please, Susan. Sit down.’ She sat, and regarded him angrily. ‘You remember I spoke about the Hammonds?’
‘Of course. What have they got to do with you? What are they doing to help them?’
‘Sending me to get evidence they can then use as leverage to get them back quietly.’
‘You are joking.’
He explained what little Crouch had told him.
‘Are you mad? If you get caught sniffing around an Iranian nuclear facility they’ll execute you as a spy and stick it on YouTube.’
‘I’m just going to try and get some evidence. I’ll have diplomatic immunity.’
‘Acer! How can you imagine that will help you if you get found out? They are Iran.’ She sounded it out slowly as though to a hard-of-hearing simpleton. ‘They don’t give a shit for diplomatic immunity, human rights or anything else come to that. Change your mind.’
‘No. I can’t. There’s a hook in me, Susan. I keep thinking, what if that had been me, my family, my kids. No, I have to try and help because of what I share with them from The Rendezvous.’
‘You don’t, Acer. Wherever you got that line from send it back. It’s not true. This is a job for the intelligence services, MI6. They’re trained for it.’
‘So will I be in nine days.’
‘You’ve accepted?’
‘Yes. I told you. It’s just this one job for him, for the Hammonds.’
‘Oh, that old chestnut – just one more job. You can have a good, comfortable life here. You’ve earned it. Don’t throw it all away like some patriotic fool.’
He remained calm. ‘I’m not doing it for my country. I’m doing it for the children. I can only ask you to try to understand. And now, I must swear you to secrecy over this.’
‘Or what?’
‘Or I’ll have to kill you.’
‘It’s not funny, you arsehole.’
‘No. I know it’s not.’
A gust of wind sprang up, raking the garden and it began to rain.
The End
Hello,
Firstly, thank you for taking a chance on downloading this book. I hope you found something in it to enjoy.
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Oliver Tidy
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