Brian Freemantle - Comrade Charlie

The man took another drink of water. He said: ‘You will be aware of the current Farnborough Air Show. In London at the moment, attending that show, is a Russian delegation. The majority — certainly one person who is extremely important in the context of this inquiry — are staying at the Blair Hotel, in Bayswater. An inter-agency task force, with myself as its head, was authorized to pursue as actively as possible the purpose and meaning of the messages we were intercepting but not understanding. That made available to us the counterintelligence observations upon the Blair Hotel…’ Harkness stopped again, turning once more directly to face Charlie. ‘Those observations included the usual photographs and those phototgraphs showed the occupation in that hotel of Charles Edward Muffin, who was understood to be on leave from this department…’

There was a stir from among the men at the table which Harkness took as something like congratulation for work well done because he nodded his head in what looked like appreciation.

‘As the result of that identification I again initiated a thorough investigation of the man…’ He reached sideways without looking at Witherspoon, who placed in his hand a file that Charlie recognized. ‘… in his office in this very building this was discovered. A file — which was not listed on any register, which regulations I have introduced strictly require — upon one Natalia Nikandrova Fedova. She is a member of the Soviet delegation in this country. She is staying at the Blair Hotel. And it is my contention that she is clearly the person referred to by the legand name Guest… the control, I further contend, of Charles Edward Muffin, whom the records will show spent some time in the Soviet Union and who therefore fits the legend name Visitor…’

Harkness returned the folder and briefly leaned over the table in muffled conversation with Witherspoon. Turning back to the committee Harkness said: ‘I make those contentions on the basis of further evidence. Convinced of an association between this woman and Muffin, I two days ago had a rummage search made of his flat, in Vauxhall…’ Harkness extended his hand, so that the money was quite evident in its envelope. ‘Extremely cleverly hidden, in a cavity behind a bedroom skirting board, was this envelope. It contains one thousand pounds. And I would remind you, gentlemen, of the first message I quoted to you in full: “Reactivate payment by one thousand”.’ Harkness felt out and was handed a key. ‘This — obviously the key to some storage facility of which we are not at the moment sure — was also found in this hiding place…’ There was another quick exchange and the key was traded by Witherspoon for the cipher pad. ‘… taped inside the casing of an electricity meter in the kitchen was this one-time cipher pad. It has been forensically tested and proven beyond doubt to be of Russian manufacture and was unquestionably the method by which Muffin communicated with Moscow …’

Harkness hesitated, looking triumphantly at Charlie, who gazed back at him but without any gesture on this occasion because he was intent upon how the deputy would continue. It was only when Harkness did, saying: ‘It is, I submit to you, the most damning incriminating evidence possible,’ that Charlie smiled.

Harkness’ voice was hoarse, being strained into a croak by the length of time he had been talking, but he pressed on, buoyed by the triumph of the moment and determined to omit nothing. ‘I would have liked to pursue this investigation further before arresting the man,’ he said. ‘I felt, however, that this was impossible for two reasons. Two days from now the Soviet delegation, including Natalia Fedova — this man’s control — returns to the Soviet Union…’ The familiar demanding hand reached out and Witherspoon offered another slip of paper. ‘… and because of this, a message intercepted less than two hours ago. It reads: “King William Street filled”.’ Harkness gulped from his water-glass and said: ‘I consider that this is overwhelmingly sufficient to justify the continued detention of Charles Edward Muffin, pending the further investigation I have intimated…an investigation for which I also seek the authority, on suspicion of activities detrimental to the State, of Natalia Nikandrova Fedova…’

Harkness finished, swallowing, but remained where he was in front of the evidence table for a few moments before walking back to join the men to whom he had been talking.

To Charlie, Harkness looked exhausted and probably was, but he was also flushed with elation. Charlie stood, waiting for permission from Wilson, feeling the throb developing in his feet, particularly the right one, near the ankle, and wished they’d let him sit. Another thing it was impossible to expect, he supposed, like getting any friendly reaction from the Director General.

‘Well?’ asked Wilson. There was a sad resignation in his voice.

‘Is that it!’ exclaimed Charlie. He made it intentionally discourteous, speaking not to the Director General but to Harkness.

The deputy director shifted uncomfortably, not expecting questioning, and looked to Wilson for guidance. Wilson said: ‘Well, is it?’ and Charlie guessed that Harkness regretted the earlier attack upon the older man.

‘As I have made clear, the investigation is continuing,’ maintained Harkness stiffly.

Charlie gave an exaggerated sigh, shook his head and said: ‘Incredible! Absolutely incredible!’

‘I’ll not have play-acting,’ warned Wilson. ‘If you have something to say, hurry up and say it.’

‘I have a lot to say, sir,’ responded Charlie politely. ‘And I ask you to bear with me because there is something going on that I don’t fully understand, not yet. But which I’ve got to: we’ve got to.’

‘You’ll have all the time you want,’ assured Wilson, the sadness still in his voice. ‘I want to understand it, too.’

Charlie half turned, to look at the two Special Branch men by the door, and then back to Harkness. Charlie said: ‘And it is going to be important that the investigation from now on is handled correctly and professionally. Not in the naive and amateurish way it appears to have been conducted so far…’

He hesitated, looking back to the guarded door where the two policemen were standing tight-faced and red with fury. There would have been an interruption anyway because from the table Harkness said: ‘I must protest at this! I have presented what I consider sufficient evidence for this man to be detained in custody pending charge under the Official Secrets Act and I urge that this be done. And that this farce stop!’

‘You’ve presented nothing!’ challenged Charlie, pleased at the way Harkness’ protest enabled him to expose the man’s obvious incompetence. Charlie glanced contemptuously back at the Special Branch couple and said: ‘If I were an agent of a hostile power, which incidentally I am not nor have I ever been, do you know what I’d be doing now? Laughing at you. Laughing at you, like I would have been laughing all the way here in the car because I would have already known how weak your case was: how you didn’t have one, in fact. Goliath over there made a big show at the hotel of waving a piece of paper and claiming it to be a warrant for my arrest. But cocked it up by referring to “the appropriate section” of the Official Secrets Act and not specifying the section, which he is required to do by law. A professionally trained agent, like I have been professionally trained but which some people here apparently haven’t, although they should have been, would have realized at once what’s happened. You’ve got a set of circumstances, most of which you haven’t got a clue about, and you’re hoping like hell for a confession, an explanation so that you’ll at last understand. Right!’