Through the enormous window at the end of the room, the last remnants of the late afternoon sun could just be seen disappearing over the rooftops of the nearby buildings.
Finally, the Home Secretary leaned back and looked at them. “Edward, this really is quite amazing. Some of the names in these ledgers are incredible. I see that you’ve tagged one of the pages, does the present Lord Asquith know of this revelation about his father?”
“Earlier this afternoon, Home Secretary.” LJ replied. Digby turned and glanced at LJ sharply. The Home Secretary said, “How did he react, when you told him that his father had been a Nazi collaborator.”
“He already knew about him, Home Secretary. You see, his butler was the son of the late Lord’s personal butler, and inevitably got the job of looking after Oliver Asquith.” “I see, and I appreciate you bringing this to my attention, Edward. After all, if these books ever fell into the wrong hands. Well, let’s just say that it would be extremely embarrassing to the Government and the Royal Family. However, the fact that his father was a rabid fascist all those years ago is hardly his fault. And furthermore, there is absolutely nothing to gain by raking up old muck, as they say.” The Home Secretary closed the book he’d been reading, and stacked it on top of the other three. “So gentlemen, if there is nothing else. I think that the best thing for these is to have them shredded immediately.”
A strange silence descended on the room, broken only by the opening of the door, and the young personal assistant walking in.
The Home Secretary picked up the ledgers and handed them to him. “Adams, take these down to the shredding suite and have them destroyed. You’d better take one of the security guards with you, and stay until they’re all done.”
The young man left, and the Home Secretary said, “Those were the originals, Edward? No copies lurking in your briefcase, I hope.”
“No copies, Home Secretary.”
“Good, and what of this Spear of Destiny?” “Safely under lock and key with Adrian Vass at the central depository vault.” LJ confirmed.
The Home Secretary stood up to leave, “It was a long time ago, gentlemen, a long time ago.”
Digby stood up, and looked awkward at his lack of input into the conversation that had just taken place, and said, “I think you’ve made a wise decision, Home Secretary.”
“My dear Digby, I already know that I’ve made a wise decision, but thank you for your input, anyway.” He came round the desk to shake hands with LJ and smiled.
“I’m sure that the bits you’ve deliberately left out, you old rogue, make for a very interesting story, which you must tell me over dinner one evening. Have your secretary telephone mine to arrange it. And now you must excuse me, I’m due in the House in twenty minutes.” The door opened and he left, a moment later the assistant returned to usher them out.
Standing in the main reception area, LJ switched on his mobile phone, and called his driver to bring the car around to the front of the building. “I’d say that was the right conclusion, Edward.”
Digby remarked.
“Would you?” LJ said laconically, and gave the spook a sideways glance.
LJ was just about leave, when the security guard called out to them, and at the same time, the elevator doors opened. The Home Secretary’s personal assistant rushed out, and over to where they were standing.
“Gentlemen. A minute of your time, please.” He took them to one side. “I’ve just received some disturbing news from the Chief Constable’s office. It would appear that two beat officers were called by a member of the public to an incident down by the river. And, that half an hour ago, they discovered the body of Lord Oliver Asquith on a park bench. I’ve already informed the Home Secretary, and he thought that you should both be informed immediately.” “Did the police say how he died?” LJ asked. “Only that he’d been shot at close range. They seem to think that it was most likely a mugging gone wrong. But they’ll know more after the post-mortem has taken place tomorrow morning.”
Digby was dumbstruck, and had gone a pasty shade of grey. LJ said, “A very sad business. Thank you for letting us know,” and he walked off towards the main doors, out onto the pavement and was about to get into the waiting silver Mercedes, when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.
Digby was stood behind him.
“I want to know, exactly what it was you discussed with Asquith earlier today, when you met him.” LJ turned, and held the other man’s gaze for a moment, before saying. “I wanted to talk to Oliver alone.
After all, I was his original handler all those years ago. And, for old time sake, wanted to give him the facts as I saw them.”
LJ leaned back against the gleaming paintwork of the car, and crossed his arms. “Simon, you are aware of the part he played from the very beginning in this affair. I simply wanted him to know, that he’d been instrumental in the murder of Guy Roberts and a number of other people.
That’s all, old son.”
LJ, got into the luxury car, and closed the door. The blackened glass rolled silently down, “But it’s like you said a moment ago, old son. The right conclusion, I think.” The window closed, and the car moved off up the street. Digby was left standing alone on the pavement, walking off in the opposite direction a moment later. “Damn you, Edward Levenson-Jones. Damn you to hell.” And he lengthened his stride.
The silver Mercedes swerved into the kerb. The rear passenger door swung open, and Jake Dillon got in.
“I thought Sir Lucius would have taken you to your door.”
“No such luck.” Dillon said, clipping his seat belt into position.
“Before you say anything, I’ve heard about Asquith. No problems, I assume?”
“No. Although he did pull a gun on me.”
“I gather you made it look like a potential mugging gone wrong. I like that, neatness.”
“How did your meeting with the Home Secretary and Digby go?”
“He had the ledgers sent to the shredding room. Said it was a long time ago, and that Asquith couldn’t help it if his father had been a rabid fascist.”
“Did you tell him about Malakoff?”
“I couldn’t see the point, old son.”
“And how did dear old Simon Digby take it all?”
“All went over his head, I fear. However, he now knows that the Home Secretary doesn’t care much for him or his department. And, so he kept quiet, but when we were downstairs in the main reception area, he discovered that Asquith’s body had been found down by the river. Took that rather badly, and very personally. But, do you know, in a perverse sort of way I found that rather satisfying.”
“Do you think he knows that we were involved?”
“I really don’t know what he thinks. And, to be quite frank, I don’t much care either. But, what is of concern to me, is whether he is able to remain professional about it. After all, he dislikes me enough for it to most definitely cloud his judgement in the future. But, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
The Mercedes pulled up outside of a converted riverside warehouse. Dillon opened the door and got out, and before closing the door, leaned back in and said, “Oh, I almost forgot. Annabelle Cunningham phoned to say, thank you for having Phil Allerton fly them back down to Jersey.”
“Least I could do, are they both okay?”
“Absolutely fine. She said to tell you, that once Nathan has settled back in to life down there, he will phone you.” Dillon went up the steps to the front door of the apartment building.
The window rolled down and LJ peered out. “I’ve been thinking, old son. With the successful conclusion of this assignment, it’s about time you had a permanent contract with the firm. I know that the Partners would be in agreement, and Sir Lucius is most definitely in favour of it. But, I know you value your independence, so think about it for a few days, and then give me a call.” The window rolled back up and the car drove away.