Читать книгу The Spy Quartet - Len Deighton - Страница 47

I was awakened at nine thirty. It was la patronne. ‘There is time for a bath and a meal,’ she said. ‘My husband prefers to leave early, sometimes the policeman calls in for a drink. It would be best if you were not here then.’

I supposed she noticed me look towards the other room. ‘Your colleague is awake,’ she said. ‘The bathroom is at the end of the corridor. I have put soap there and there is plenty of hot water at this time of night.’

‘Thanks,’ I said. She went out without answering.

We ate most of the meal in silence. There was a plate of smoked ham, trout meunière and an open tart filled with rice pudding. The Fleming sat across the table and munched bread and drank a glass of wine to keep us company through the meal.

‘I’m conducting tonight.’

‘Good,’ I said. Kuang nodded.

‘You’ve no objection?’ he asked me. He didn’t want to show Kuang that I was senior man, so he put it as though it was a choice between friends.

‘It will suit me,’ I said. ‘Me too,’ said Kuang.

‘I’ve got a couple of scarves for you, and two heavy woollen sweaters. We are meeting his case officer right on the quayside. You are probably going out by boat.’

‘Not me,’ I said. ‘I’ll be coming straight back.’

‘No,’ said the man. ‘Operations were quite clear about that.’ He rubbed his face in order to remember more clearly. ‘You will come under his case officer, Major Chan, just as he takes orders from me at this moment.’

Kuang stared impassively. The man said, ‘I suppose they’ll need you if they run into a coastguard or fisheries protection vessel or something unexpected. It’s just for territorial waters. You’ll soon know if their case officer tries something.’

‘That sounds like going into a refrigerator to check that the light goes out,’ I said.

‘They must have worked something out,’ said the man. ‘London must …’ He stopped and rubbed his face again.

‘It’s okay,’ I said. ‘He knows we are London.’

‘London seemed to think it’s okay.’

‘That’s really put my mind at rest,’ I said.

The man chuckled. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘yes,’ and rubbed his face until his eye watered. ‘I suppose I’m blown now,’ he said.

‘I’m afraid so,’ I agreed. ‘This will be the last job you’ll do for us.’

He nodded. ‘I’ll miss the money,’ he said sadly. ‘Just when we could most do with it too.’