Dirty Work

42

Sir Edward and Carpenter were on time, and Stone showed them into the dining room. “Would you like some refreshment?” he asked.

“Perhaps later,” Sir Edward replied. “Let’s get on with it.”

Stone sat down. “Marie-Thérèse is willing to meet with you in a public place of her choosing, under stringent security requirements, which she will dictate.”

“Agreed,” Sir Edward replied. “Subject to my approval of her choice of place.”

“You offered to meet at a place of her choosing. You won’t know the place until you’re there. If you become concerned as you make your way there, you can always abort.”

“How will she arrange this?”

“You’ll go to a public place, then be contacted by cell phone and directed to another public place, then another, until she is satisfied you didn’t bring company. Then, and only then, will the meeting take place.”

“Agreed,” Sir Edward replied.

“She will require a written apology from you, personally, on your service’s letterhead, for the deaths of her parents.”

Sir Edward grew an inch. “Absolutely out of the question,” he said.

“And monetary damages,” Stone said.

“That is patently ridiculous,” Sir Edward replied hotly.

“Is it? Think about this for a moment, Sir Edward. On your instructions, members of your service lay in wait for her parents, deliberately destroyed their vehicle on a public street, killing her mother and father. That is, of course, a criminal act worthy of life in prison anyplace in the civilized world, but we’ll overlook that and keep this a civil matter.”

“It doesn’t sound very civil to me,” Sir Edward said.

“Civil as opposed to criminal. Marie-Thérèse, in return for your written acceptance of responsibility and apology, plus monetary damages, will forgo, in writing, her right to press criminal charges, and she will waive any further civil action.”

“Her parents were killed in a war,” Sir Edward said.

“Oh? Was there a declaration of war by Britain on Switzerland and its citizens?”

“Of course not.”

“Then, under international law, there was no war.”

Carpenter spoke up. “Stone, surely you can see that we cannot give her anything in writing. An apology, maybe, but not in writing. She might publish it.”

“That’s exactly what she intends to do, should you renege on the agreement.”

“Ridiculous,” Sir Edward said.

“Is it? You have recourse if she breaks the agreement: You can reinstate the computer record of her activities with international law enforcement and intelligence services, and she becomes a fugitive again. She is entitled to recourse, as well, and the ability to publish your letter would be a motive for you to keep the agreement.”

“What else does she want?” Sir Edward asked.

“Just those two things.”

“How much does she want?”

“Two million dollars; a million for each parent.”

“Out of the question.”

“Make me an offer.”

Sir Edward did some whispering with Carpenter.

“One hundred thousand dollars,” Carpenter said.

“If you’re going to make jokes, then we don’t have anything left to talk about,” Stone said, gathering his notes.

More whispering. “All right, half a million,” Carpenter said.

“A million,” Stone replied.

“Three quarters of a million . . . euros,” Sir Edward said, “and that’s my final offer.”

“I believe I can recommend that to my client,” Stone said, “though she reserves the right to reject the offer at her meeting with you.”

Sir Edward nodded.

“I’ve drafted some language for your letter,” Stone said, sliding a sheet of paper across the table.

Sir Edward shoved it at Carpenter. “Read it to me.”

Carpenter picked up the letter. “ ‘To whom it may concern: On (fill in date) in the city of Cairo, Egypt, agents of this service, at my personal direction, assassinated two Swiss citizens, René and Fatima du Bois, who were innocent of any crime. I wish to apologize personally, and on behalf of this service, to their daughter, Marie-Thérèse du Bois, for this unconscionable act. As a consequence of my actions, this service is paying the sum of (fill in amount) to Mademoiselle du Bois as reparations for the deaths of her parents. Signed.” ’

“Will you excuse us for a few minutes?” Sir Edward asked.

“Of course.” Stone got up and went into his study. He could hear murmurs and occasionally the raised voice of Sir Edward. Finally, Carpenter came into the study. “All right, come in. And Stone, he will not go one inch further than what you’re about to hear.”

“Let’s hear it,” Stone said, getting up and walking back to the dining room.

Sir Edward sat, his jaw clenched, and stared at Stone.

“This is what we have,” Carpenter said, reading from a handwritten document. “ ‘To whom it may concern: Some time ago, agents of British Military Intelligence conducted an operation in the Middle East, during which two Swiss citizens, René and Fatima du Bois, were inadvertently killed. This organization regrets its actions and extends its apologies and sympathy to their daughter, Marie-Thérèse du Bois.’ That’s it. There will be no mention of reparations in the letter. It will be typed on the letterhead of the Ministry of Defence.”

“And I won’t change a fucking word of it,” Sir Edward said.

“All right,” Stone replied, “you may present the letter and your offer to Marie-Thérèse at your meeting.”

“Which will be when?” Carpenter asked.

“I’ll let you know when I’ve spoken to my client.”

Everyone stood up, and Stone showed them out.

Carpenter hung back for a moment. “Stone, believe me when I tell you, this is an extraordinary concession for Sir Edward. Please tell your client that he will offer nothing further.”

“I’ll pass that on,” Stone said.

“Call me when you have a time for the meeting.” The two walked away from the house.

Stone went back inside, called Marie-Thérèse and asked her to call back from a pay phone. When she did, he read her the text of the letter and told her about the money.

“The letter and the sum are both inadequate,” she replied.

“Listen to me, Marie-Thérèse. This is the offer, and it won’t change. It’s more than you ever expected to get, and I advise you in the strongest terms to accept it.”

She was quiet for a moment. “All right, but Sir Edward will have to apologize to me in person when we meet.”

“We can make that demand at the meeting, but don’t expect it to happen.”

“All right. Now, how are we going to prevent these people from trying to kill me at the meeting?”

“I have some ideas about that,” Stone said, and he explained.

“I like it,” she said. “Tell Sir Edward to be at the Rockefeller Center skating rink tomorrow at three p.m.”

“All right,” Stone said, and hung up. Then he called Dino.