Десмонд Бэгли - Running Blind

Case regarded me thoughtfully. ‘You know you’re very convincing sometimes. I’m getting so I might believe this silly story if I’m not careful. But Kennikin didn’t catch you.’

‘It was nip and tuck,’ I said. ‘And the bloody Yanks didn’t help.’

Case sat up. ‘How do they come into this?’

I pulled out Fleet’s pass and skimmed it across the room into Case’s lap. ‘That chap shot a hole in my tyre at very long range. I got out of there with Kennikin ten minutes behind.’ I told Case all about it.

His mouth was grim. ‘Now you really have gone overboard. I suppose you’ll now claim Slade is a member of the CIA,’ he said sarcastically. ‘Why should the Americans hold you up just so Kennikin could grab you?’

‘I don’t know,’ I said feelingly. ‘I wish I did.’

Case examined the card. ‘Fleet — I know that name; it came up when I was in Turkey last year. He’s a CIA hatchetman and he’s dangerous.’

‘Not for the next month,’ I said. ‘I cracked his skull.’

‘So what happened next?’

I shrugged. ‘I went hell-for-leather with Kennikin and his boys trying to climb up my exhaust pipe — there was a bit of an affray at a river, and then I lost him. I suppose he’s around here somewhere.’

‘And you’ve still got the package?’

‘Not on me, Jack,’ I said softly. ‘Not on me — but quite close.’

‘I don’t want it,’ he said, and crossed the room to take my empty glass. ‘The plan’s changed. You’re to take the package to Reykjavik.’

‘Just like that,’ I said. ‘What if I don’t want to?’

‘Don’t be a fool. Taggart wants it that way, and you’d better not annoy him any more. Not only have you loused up his operation but you’ve killed Philips, and for that he can have your hide. I have a message from him — take the package to Reykjavik and all is forgiven.’

‘It must be really important,’ I said, and checked my fingers. ‘Let’s see — I’ve killed two men, damn near shot the leg off another, and maybe fractured a couple of skulls — and Taggart says he can sweep all that under the carpet?’

‘The Russkies and the Americans can take care of their own — they bury their own dead, if any,’ said Case brutally. ‘But Taggart — and only Taggart — can clear you on our side. By killing Philips you set yourself up as a legitimate target. Do as he says or he’ll set the dogs on you.’

I remembered I had used a phrase like that when speaking to Taggart. I said, ‘Where is Slade now?’

Case turned away from me and I heard the clink of glass against bottle. ‘I don’t know. When I left London Taggart was trying to contact him.’

‘So he could still be in Iceland,’ I said slowly. ‘I don’t know that I like that.’

Case whirled around. ‘What you like has ceased to matter. For God’s sake, what’s got into you, Alan? Look, it’s only a hundred kilometres to Reykjavik; you can be there in two hours. Take the bloody package and go.’

‘I have a better idea,’ I said. ‘You take it.’

He shook his head. ‘That’s not on. Taggart wants me back in Spain.’

I laughed. ‘Jack, the easiest way to get to the International Airport at Keflavik is through Reykjavik. You could drop off the package on the way. What’s so important about me and the package together?’

He shrugged. ‘My instructions are that you take it. Don’t ask me why because I don’t know.’

‘What’s in the package?’

‘I don’t know that either; and the way this operation is shaping I don’t want to know.’

I said, ‘Jack, at one time I’d have called you a friend. But you’ve just tried to con me with this nonsense about being pulled back to Spain, and I don’t believe a bloody word of it. But I do believe you when you say you don’t know what’s going on. I don’t think anyone in this operation knows what’s going on except, maybe, one man.’

Case nodded. ‘Taggart has his hands on the strings,’ he said. ‘Neither you nor I need to know much in order to do the job.’

‘I wasn’t thinking of Taggart,’ I said. ‘I don’t think he knows what’s going on either. He might think he does, but he doesn’t.’ I looked up. ‘I was thinking of Slade. This whole weird operation is warped to the pattern of his mind. I’ve worked with him before and I know how he thinks.’

‘So we get back to Slade,’ said Case grimly. ‘You’re obsessed, Alan.’

‘Maybe,’ I said. ‘But you can make Taggart happy by telling him I’ll take his damned package to Reykjavik. Where do I deliver it?’

‘That’s better.’ Case looked down at my glass which had been held, forgotten, in his hand. He gave it to me. ‘You know the Nordri Travel Agency?’

‘I know it.’ It was the firm for which Elin had once worked.

‘I don’t, but I’m told that as well as running the agency they have a big souvenir shop.’

‘You were told correctly.’

‘I have here a piece of wrapping paper from the souvenir shop; it’s the standard stuff they gift-wrap with. You have the package neatly wrapped up. You walk in and go to the back of the shop where they sell the woollen goods. A man will be standing there carrying a copy of the New York Times, and under his arm will be an identical package. You make light conversation by saying, “It’s colder here than in the States,” to which he will reply...’

’ “It’s even colder than Birmingham.” I’ve been through the routine before.’

‘All right; once there’s a mutual identification you put your package on the counter, and so will he. From then on it’s a simple exchange job.’

‘And when is this simple exchange job to take place?’

‘At midday tomorrow.’

‘Supposing I’m not there at midday tomorrow? For all I know there may be a hundred Russians spaced out along that road at one kilometre intervals.’

‘There’ll be a man in the shop every midday until you turn up,’ said Case.

‘Taggart has a touching faith in me,’ I said. ‘According to Slade the Department is afflicted with a manpower shortage, and here is Taggart being spendthrift. What happens if I don’t turn up for a year?’

Case didn’t smile. ‘Taggart brought up that problem. If you’re not there within a week then someone will come looking for you, and I’d regret that because, in spite of that snide crack you made about friendship, I still love you, you silly bastard.’

‘Smile when you say that, stranger.’

He grinned and sat down again. ‘Now let’s go through all this again, right from the beginning — right from the time Slade came to see you in Scotland.’

So I repeated my tale of woe again in great detail, with all the pros and cons, and we talked for a long time. At the end of it Case said seriously, ‘If you’re right and Slade has been got at then this is big trouble.’

‘I don’t think he’s been got at,’ I said. ‘I think he’s been a Russian agent all along. But there’s something else worrying me just as much as Slade — where do the Americans fit in? It’s not like them to be cosy with people like Kennikin.’

Case dismissed the Americans. ‘They’re just a problem of this particular operation. Slade is different. He’s a big boy now and has a hand in planning and policy. If he’s gone sour the whole department will have to be organized.’

He made a sudden sweeping motion with his hand. ‘Jesus, you’ve got me going now! I’m actually beginning to believe you. This is nonsense, Alan.’

I held out my empty glass. ‘I could do with a refill — this is thirsty work.’ As Case picked up the depleted bottle, I said, ‘Let me put it this way. The question has been asked and, once asked, it can’t be unasked. If you put my case against Slade to Taggart, just as I’ve put it to you, then he’ll be forced to take action. He can’t afford not to. He’ll have Slade under a microscope and I don’t think Slade can stand close inspection.’