Samuel Edwards - Neptune

‘You were treated with consideration at Lubyanka.’

‘The service reminded me of Claridge’s,’ Porter said. ‘I hope we’ve returned the compliment.’

The prisoner stiffened. ‘I have no complaints.’

Porter offered him tobacco and cigarette paper. ‘I wonder if you’d be interested in a deal, Georgi,’

‘These things are always possible.’

‘You’ll get a free ride to Moscow. We won’t blow your cover, so you can tell the KGB you were picked up in a minor case that makes your transfer necessary, but that we never found out you came over here to run clandestine operations. No salt mines for you, Georgi, Not even a demotion.’

Verschek’s expression was wary. ‘When Porter becomes Father Christmas and offers me gifts, I believe he wants something in return.’

‘Very shrewd of you. A couple of days ago somebody took a pot shot at me with a seven point six-two rifle. A Russian rifle, Georgi. Tell me who. And why. And you’ll soon be on your way home,’

The prisoner sighed.

‘I’d hate to cancel your airline reservation. With a memory as poor as mine, you might stay here for years before somebody remembers to turn you loose.’

‘All right,’ Verschek said. *We make the deal. In Hong Kong you picked up the trail of Nancy Wing and became friendly with her, You did not know this, but she was one of ours. Andreyev was afraid she talked too much, so he ordered her killed. You, too. Then both of you disappeared.’

So the Eurasian girl had vanished. The Corporation would want to find her,

‘The word went out,’ Verschek said. ‘For a few days no one knew where to find you. Suddenly you appeared at the shipbuilding plant of the millionaire Richards.’

It could do no harm to offer a specious explanation. ‘That’s what happens when you try to help a friend,’ Porter said. ‘You played hide-and-seek with our man Kaspar in Marseilles, as I recall. Well, he’s out of the game now. In charge of security at the shipyard, and asked me to check out his system for him.’

‘You were seen at the yard,’ the prisoner said. ‘Do you remember Ravovsky?’

Porter thought for a time. ‘Young fellow. American-bom. Not too bright. Changed his name to Rasmussen.’

‘That’s the one.’

Porter leaned back in his chair, yawned and gazed up at the ceiling. ‘I’m curious, Georgi. How did Ravovsky-Rasmussen happen to see me there?’

‘A lucky accident, and he tried to take advantage of it. He has a cover job working at the plant. As a security guard.’

The Director’s office resembled a drawing-room. There were no documents on the table he used as a desk, his private wall safe was concealed behind a portrait of the President of the United States, and even his telephones were hidden in a cabinet of inlaid teakwood. He looked like the amiable Midwestern members of Congress who were his close friends and supporters, and only his subordinates, men who had worked in the Corporation for enough years to be admitted to his august presence were familiar with the coldly incisive side of his nature.

‘The only conclusion we can draw is negative,’ he said. ‘We don’t know whether the Russians are wise to Project Neptune.’

‘That’s right, sir,’ Porter said. ‘I can accept Verschek’s story that they put out the contract on me because of the Nancy Wing case. But there’s no way of knowing whether it was accidental that I was seen at the Richards yard. I didn’t mention Adrienne Howard and neither did Verschek, so we don’t know whether she was recognized, too.’

Brian Davidson, the third person present, cleared his throat preparatory to speaking, then changed his mind and subsided.

‘The crux of the matter,’ the Director said, ‘is the presence of Rasmussen, a Soviet agent, on the Richards payroll as a security guard. Shocking. And although it may be coincidental, we can’t afford to regard it as such. We must proceed on the assumption that the Russians know why we’re building the Neptune.’

‘Sir,’ Davidson said, ‘Verschek hasn’t been released yet. We may find out all we want to know if we squeeze him.’

‘No,’ Porter said. ‘You don’t reach his level in the KGB unless you can keep your mouth shut under torture. He’ll die before telling us anything else. Besides, I made a bargain with him.’

Davidson was annoyed. ‘Surely you don’t expect us to abide by your deal.’

Desk men rarely understood some of the more refined aspects of the trade. ‘I gave my word,’ Porter said, ‘and I expect it to be kept.’

‘Verschek will be returned to Moscow as soon as we settle the immediate problems at the Richards shipyard,’ the Director said. ‘Til want a satisfactory explanation from Kaspar. How did a Russian agent land on his payroll?’

‘I suggest we let Adrienne Howard handle that problem. Privately. Without notifying Franklin Richards,’ Porter said.

The Director glared at him. ‘I trust you aren’t questioning the patriotism and integrity of Frank Richards! He’s providing the Corporation with cover for Project Neptune. He’s building the ship, the float, and a great deal of the special equipment and instrumentation, which he helped design. And he intends to play a major role in the recovery of the Zoloto.

No country could ask more of any citizen, Mr Porter!’

‘Granted.’ Porter was unflinching. ‘But are we as sure where Marie Richards stands?’

‘You have a point,’ the Director said, backing down. We’ve made a routine check on her, but I’m now ordering a discreet investigation in depth.’

‘Then my request makes sense,’ Porter said. ‘For the present, anyway, what Richards doesn’t know may not hurt him. Let’s tidy up our own house first.’

‘Fair enough,’ the Director said. ‘That leaves the Rasmussen problem.’

Porter smiled. ‘He’s mine.’

Davidson was perturbed. ‘We should interrogate him.’

‘He’s a hit man,’ Porter said. ‘On the bottom rung of the ladder. Nobody tells him anything, and nobody will miss him.’

Adrienne spent the morning at the shipyard, still posing as a friend of the proprietor who had developed an interest in the Neptune. She was driven to the Richards mansion at noon, and had just joined her host and hostess for a pre-lunch cocktail when she was summoned to the telephone.

‘Hello, my love,’ Porter said. ‘Don’t mention my name. Borrow a car – don’t let anyone drive you – and meet me at the Palisades Motel, about fifteen miles down the main road. As fast as you can get here.’

She followed the instructions without questioning them, and less than a half-hour later she pulled into the motel parking lot,

Porter was watching the entrance from the vantage point of a bar stool, and leaving his beer untouched, showed no sign of recognition as he walked to a room at the end of the corridor.

Adrienne remained a dozen paces behind him, and opened the unlocked door.

He bolted it behind her, and without preamble brought her up to date.

‘Do you think Kaspar is a double agent?’ she asked.

He shook his head. ‘The Director says he’s okay. But private industry is sloppy when it hires people, so it couldn’t have been too difficult for Rasmussen.’

‘There may be others, too!’

I’m afraid you have a bit of a problem,’ Porter said. ‘So have I.’

‘I’ll go straight to the yard for a chat with Kaspar. Obviously I’ll have to bring in some of my own people and clean house.; Quickly.’

He nodded. ‘Richards is to know nothing until we get a green light on his wife.’

‘I understand. When will you return to the mansion, Porter?’

‘I intend to remain incognito until I attend to a little unfinished business. Care to do me a favour?’ The question was rhetorical, and he took a small photograph from his wallet. ‘Rasmussen may be using another name liere. Get me a profile from Kaspar’s files. Privately. And make certain that Kaspar says and does nothing that will alarm our friend prematurely.’