Riptide

§ 18

Reggie called McKendrick from his room. One last try. Would Gordon even talk to him on an unscrambled line?

‘I can’t just dump the fellow, now we’ve got him here.’

‘We don’t need him. Briggs changes everything. This bloke your American knows is a sprat. We’ve got the kingfish now. The PM’s told us to get Briggs to talk.’

‘All the same, we can’t just leave Jerry wandering around London-even if he is on our side.’

‘I rather think you’re going to have to, Reggie.’

McKendrick rang off. It was still only six o’clock. They had an hour before their driver was due. Reggie decided to nip down to the bar, and pass the hour over a drink with Charlie.

After his second whisky he could not but muse out loud.

‘I mean, I can’t just dump the fellow, can I?’

‘Doesn’t seem fair,’ said Charlie, pandering.

‘That’s what the old man doesn’t grasp-“fairness”. Everything is contingent to Gordon.’

‘I rather think that’s the nature of war, total contingency,’ said Charlie. ‘However, I’ve an idea. There’s Orlando Thesiger over by the bar…’

‘Is he? Where?’

‘Two tables to the left, chatting to Margot Asquith.’

Reggie strained his eyes. He could just make out the languid figure of Thesiger sprawled in a bucket chair, long legs crossed, knees jutting, head nodding gently, in perfect listening mode-listening to something old Margot was telling him, smiling, then laughing. She was known for her wit. She’d been outrageous since long before he or Thesiger were born.

‘OK. I see him now. What’s your point?’

‘Well, before I got moved to Six, I had four months working for Orlando just after the fall of France. He spends his time quizzing suspected spies out at Burnham-on-Crouch. They fish them out of the water and Orlando has to decide whether they’re kosher or not. They come across in rowing boats, on rafts and God knows what. Most of them are completely innocent, but every so often the Germans try and slip one through. As well as chaps like me, Orlando’s got a bunch of Special Branch coppers working under him-they do the surveillance, arrests, all the legwork, that sort of thing. He must have someone who can look after your Yank. Show him around London, take him to all the likely places.’

‘A German speaker would be useful.’

‘A German speaker in the Met? You’ll be lucky. Most of ‘em hardly speak English!’

Reggie got to his feet.

‘Well, I suppose it’s worth a try. Do you think you’re up to entertaining the Countess while I buttonhole him?’

‘Dunno,’ said Charlie, ‘but I’ve always wanted to try.’