Алистер Маклин: Borrowed Time

‘Much sifting, sorting and tidying has taken place,’ Philpott announced from his armchair. ‘I have spent the better part of a sleepless night and all of this morning collating the data that’s come to hand. If there are gaps or omissions I’m sorry. I must plead weariness.’ He made a little smile. ‘I’m weary but content. I have to say I’m pleased.’

‘There’ll be a blue moon tonight,’ Mike muttered.

Philpott asked him how his shoulder felt. Mike had been bandaged and stitched at the general hospital in Srinagar.

‘It’s sore, but it’s a wound I’ll wear with a touch of pride.’

‘Well said.’ Philpott sipped his wine and squared the notes on his knees. ‘Information time. First, Dr Arberry is at police HQ in Srinagar. Commissioner Mantur tells me he is still uncommunicative. The shock of seeing his employees and his business empire wiped out in the space of minutes has unhinged certain of his brain’s moving parts, I fear. But I’m sure he’ll recover in time to face the charges against him.

‘Meanwhile, the response to our transmission of Dr Arberry’s fingerprints has produced a voluminous history. He turns out to be a misanthropic, hugely materialistic scoundrel with a well-cloaked history of pharmaceutical villainy.’

‘Is he a real pharmacologist?’ Sabrina said.

‘Yes, he is. With more aliases than some people have teeth. He has great skill at playing the likeable benefactor, usually a wistfully brave widower, although he never married. That talent rises from the same pit of ingenuity which told him Kashmir would grow lucrative drug-producing plants, as well as providing access to a well-heeled customer base.’

‘And there was even a ready-made supply of peasant mules,’ Mike said, ‘with a heart-warming capacity for fear.’

‘This was Arberry’s biggest scam to date,’ Philpott said. ‘I think we can assume it was his last. The important thing is, it’s all over.’ Philpott took another sip of wine and held up a fax sheet. ‘From Harry Lewis at WHO. A note to tell me that the late Reverend Alex Young’s sister is now in New York City to sort out his affairs with his diocesan administrators. She has told Harry that she recalls she was here in Kashmir when Arberry asked her brother to send an appeal to the UN. Arberry said it might appear like some kind of elitist pleading if a man in his position were to send the letter himself.’

Ram asked if Young’s sister knew that Arberry was being charged with her brother’s murder.

‘She will,’ Philpott said. ‘And now, there is one final piece of excellent news. Agent Amrit Datta of Drugwatch International yesterday kept a rendezvous on the Chinese border. He supplied high-grade drugs to three bulk purchasers from Thailand.’

‘I knew that guy was the right stuff,’ Mike said.

‘The buyers were each arrested as they took possession of their consignment. Agent Datta has been slated for a commendation, and he should be back amongst us tonight in time for a celebratory noggin before we leave for the States.’

‘So have we managed to make the authorities happy, too?’ Sabrina said.

‘With Amrit Datta’s help,’ Philpott said. ‘The revelation that an American interloper was behind the new trade in drugs has soothed the Pakistani authorities, who are delighted to learn that no blame attaches to them or their people. India is relieved to have something so ghastly uprooted from the Vale of Kashmir, and the Thai police are delighted that three big-time drug peddlers have been delivered to them on a plate.’

Philpott put aside his glass and his notes. He rose, went to the kitchen, and returned with a tray of filled champagne glasses. He distributed them and took one himself.

‘A toast,’ he said. ‘To the triumph of style and cool common sense over old-maidish philistinism.’

Mike, Ram and Sabrina looked at each other.

‘You’re going to have to explain that one, chief,’ Mike said.

‘I managed to score a triumph in New York without even being there,’ Philpott said. ‘Whitlock reports that our battle with Policy Control ended in victory for UNACO. There will be no changes in the way our show is run.’

‘Brilliant!’ Sabrina said.

‘Isn’t it, though? Secretary Crane of Policy Control has offered his resignation and Director Lubbock is asking to be reassigned. Full details when we get back.’ Philpott raised his glass. ‘To success – and to C.W. Whitlock, who scored this particular goal.’

‘Success and C.W.!’

They emptied their glasses. Sabrina looked enquiringly at Philpott. He nodded towards the kitchen. She went through and came back with a fresh chilled bottle.

‘Quite a catalogue of wins for you,’ she said, pouring the boss more champagne. ‘Has it something to do with the way you surround yourself with reliable people?’

Philpott looked at her resentfully. But he couldn’t hold the look. He gave way and smiled. ‘I suppose it has everything to do with that,’ he said, ‘although I’ll never admit it when I’m sober.’

I am grateful to Hasan Mantu and Desmond Hare for all the dope on Kashmir, to Reg Godwin who demystified digital cameras, and to Tamara Drake for explaining covert image transmission.

My thanks also to Sarah Leigh, who worked hard on my behalf and was always kinder than she had to be.

Alistair MacLean, who died on 2 February 1987, was the international bestselling author of thirty books, including world-famous novels such as The Guns of Navarone and Where Eagles Dare. In 1977 he was commissioned by an American film company to write a number of story outlines that could be adapted into a series of movies; two, Hostage Tower and Air Force One is Down , were, with Alistair MacLean’s approval, published as novels by John Denis; these were followed with six by Alastair MacNeill, the highly successful Death Train, Night Watch, Red Alert, Time of the Assassins, Dead Halt and Code Breaker , and two, Prime Target and Borrowed Time by Hugh Miller.

Hugh Millerwas born in Scotland but now lives in Warwick. He is the author of the bestseller Ambulance , as well as the highly acclaimed Mike Fletcher crime novels. He is an acknowledged expert on forensic medicine and has numerous TV credits.

Borrowed Time is the tenth title in the UNACO series.