Daniel Silva - The Unlikely Spy

Later, Roach would call her stroll along Oxford Street the best demonstration of streetcraft he had ever seen. She paused in at least a half dozen storefronts. She doubled back twice, once so quickly that Blair had to dive into a cafe to get out of the way. At Tottenham Court Road she descended into the underground and purchased a ticket for Waterloo. Roach and Reeves both managed to get on the train with her-Roach, twenty feet away in the same car, Reeves in the next one. When the doors opened at Leicester Square she remained still, as if she were going to continue on; then suddenly she stood up and stepped onto the platform. Roach had to squeeze through the closing doors to stay with her. Reeves was stuck on the train; he was out of the game.

She melted into the crowd on the staircase and Roach lost her momentarily. When she reached street level she quickly crossed Charing Cross Road and took the stairs back into the Leicester Square Station.

Roach could have sworn he saw her climb onto a waiting bus, and for the rest of the afternoon he berated himself for making such a stupid mistake. He rushed across the street and jumped onto the bus as it pulled away from the curb. Ten seconds later he realized he had the wrong woman. He got off the bus at the next stop and telephoned Vicary at West Halkin Street to tell him she had given them the slip.

"Clive Roach has never lost a German agent before," Boothby said, glaring at the watch report that evening in his office. He looked up at Vicary. "The man could follow a gnat through Hampstead Heath."

"He's the best. She's just damned good."

"Look at this: a taxi, a long walk to check her tail, and then into the underground, where she buys a ticket for one station and gets out at another."

"She's extremely careful. That's why we've never caught on to her."

"There's another explanation, Alfred. It's possible she spotted the tail."

"I know. I've thought about that possibility."

"And if that's the case, the entire operation is blown even before it's started." Boothby tapped the thin metal attache case containing the first batch of Kettledrum material. "If she knows she's under surveillance and we give her this, we might as well publish the secret of the invasion in the Daily Mail under a bloody banner headline. They'll know they're being deceived. And if they know they're being deceived, they'll know the opposite is true."

"Roach is convinced she didn't spot him."

"Where is she now?"

"She's in her flat."

"What time is she supposed to meet Jordan?"

"Ten o'clock, at Jordan's house. He told her he was working late tonight."

"What were Jordan's impressions?"

"He said he detected no change in her demeanor, no sign of nerves or tension." Vicary paused. "He's good, our Commander Jordan, damned good. If he weren't such an excellent engineer, he'd make a marvelous spy."

Boothby tapped the metal attache case with his thick forefinger. "If she spotted the tail, why is she sitting in her flat? Why isn't she making a run for it?"

Vicary said, "Perhaps she wants to see what's inside that briefcase."

"It's not too late, Alfred. We don't have to go through with this. We can arrest her right now and think of some other way to repair the damage."

"I think that would be a mistake. We don't know the other agents in the network, and we don't know how they're communicating with Berlin."

Boothby rapped his knuckle against the attache case. "You haven't asked what's inside this briefcase, Alfred."

"I didn't want another lecture about need to know."

Boothby chuckled and said, "Very good. You're learning. You don't need to know this, but since it's your brilliant idea I'm going to tell you. The Twenty Committee wants to convince them that Mulberry is actually an offshore antiaircraft complex bound for Calais. The Phoenix units already have crew quarters and antiaircraft guns, so it's a rather neat fit. They've just altered the drawings a bit."

"Perfect," Vicary said.

"They have some other schemes in mind to help sell the deception through other channels. You'll be briefed on those as necessary."

"I understand, Sir Basil."

They sat in silence for a time, each studying his own private spot on the paneled walls.

"It's your call, Alfred," Boothby said. "You control this part of the operation. Whatever you recommend, I'll back you up on it."

Vicary thought, Why do I feel as though I'm being measured for the drop? He did not take comfort from Boothby's offer of support. The first sign of trouble and Boothby would be diving for the nearest foxhole. The easiest thing to do would be to arrest Catherine Blake and do it Boothby's way-try to turn her and force her to cooperate with them. Vicary remained convinced it would not work, that the only way to funnel the Double Cross material directly through her was to do it without her knowledge.

"I remember a time when men didn't have to make decisions like this," Boothby said wistfully. "If we make the wrong one, we could very well lose the war."

"Thank you for reminding me," Vicary said. "You don't have a crystal ball behind that desk, do you, Sir Basil?"

"I'm afraid not."

"How about a coin?"

"Alfred!"

"A poor attempt at levity, Sir Basil."

Boothby was tapping on the attache again. "What's your decision, Alfred?"

"I say we let her run."

Boothby said, "I hope to God you're right. Give me your right arm."

Vicary stuck out his arm. Boothby shackled the attache case to his wrist.

Half an hour later Grace Clarendon was standing in Northumberland Avenue, stomping her feet against the pavement for warmth as she watched the evening traffic rushing past. Finally, she spotted Boothby's large black Humber when the driver winked the shaded headlamps. The car pulled over. Boothby threw open the back door and Grace climbed inside.

Grace shivered. "Bloody cold outside! You were supposed to meet me fifteen minutes ago. I don't know why we can't just do this in your office."

"Too many watchful eyes, Grace. Too much at stake." She stuck a cigarette into her mouth and lit it. Boothby closed the glass partition.

"Now, what do you have for me?"

"Vicary wants me to run a couple of names through Registry for him."

"Why doesn't he come to me for a chit?"

"I suppose he thinks you won't give it to him."

"What are the names?"

"Peter Jordan and Walker Hardegen."

"Clever bastard," Boothby murmured. "Anything else?"

"Yes. He wanted me to run a trace on the word Broome."

"How broad?"

"Names of our own personnel. Code names of agents, German and British. Operational code names, existing or closed."

"For Christ's sake," Boothby said. He turned and watched the traffic. "Did Vicary come to you directly, or did he make the request through Dalton?"

"Harry did it."

"When?"

"Last night."

Boothby turned and smiled at her. "Grace, have you been a naughty girl again?"

She didn't respond, just said, "What do you want me to tell him?"

"Tell him you searched for the names of Jordan and Hardegen in every index you could think of and found nothing. The same for Broome. Understood, Grace?"

She nodded.

Boothby said, "Don't look so glum. You're making an invaluable contribution to your nation's defense."

She turned at him, narrowing her green eyes in anger. "I'm deceiving someone I care about very much. And I don't like it."

"It will all be over soon. When it is I'll treat you to a nice dinner out, just like the old days."

She pulled the door latch, a little too forcefully, and put a foot out the door. "I'll let you take me to an expensive dinner, Basil. But that's all. The old days are definitely over."

She got out, slammed the door, and watched Boothby's car vanish into the dark.