“So it has nothing to do with the U-boat or the cavern itself then?” Dillon looked, Asquith in the eye as he spoke.
Asquith’s reaction was exactly as he had expected, completely controlled. But Dillon had hit a nerve. “Absolutely not, Mr Dillon.”
“No of course not, please forgive me. But your father the late, Lord Asquith was a foremost authority on religious antiquities, and in particular the Spear of Destiny, was he not?”
“Yes, Mr Dillon, he was. My, how you’ve done your homework, haven’t you?” Walking over to the window he stared out of it, and after a brief moment he added, “However, I must correct you on one point. My father wasn’t merely a foremost authority. He was the only person in the world at that time that could authenticate the genuine spearhead.” Asquith paced around the room, agitated by Dillon’s questioning and his own lack of self-control.
LJ put his cup down on the highly polished surface of the desk and looked at his watch. “Good God, is that the time already. Oliver, old son, we’ve got to get going. Damned meeting to go to, you know what it’s like.” He got up off his chair and put his coat on, Dillon was already standing by the door.
“But I really did want to discuss what it is you intend to do next, Edward?”
“Sorry, old son. We’ve really got to dash, but I’ll give you a call when I’ve got something to report, say in a day or two.” LJ and Dillon left, Asquith went over to the telephone, picked up the receiver and dialled a number.
Walking down through the austere corridors Dillon said. “I don’t trust him, he sweats too much, has a limp handshake, and constantly wrings his hands. I’d say that he’s either a nervous wreck, which I very much doubt, or he’s a man with something to hide. I’ll stay with the latter.”
“I agree, perhaps a quite chat off the record with Simon Digby over at MI5 would be in order?”
“Is that little rodent still there?”
“Married the DG’s youngest daughter. Smart boy.” LJ remarked as they walked through the Old Palace Yard towards Cromwell Green. Big Ben struck four o’clock as they got in to the rear seat of the Mercedes and were driven away.
Chapter Six
Simon Digby was sitting at his MI5 desk, and on the flat-screen monitor in front of him, a satellite image of London. He was so engrossed with what he was doing, that when the intercom sounded, it startled him. “Yes Sarah?” He said, still studying the moving image.
“Mr Levenson-Jones is on his way up to see you, sir.”
“Thank you Sarah.” He switched off the monitor, got up from his desk, and walked towards the sliding glass door, which moved silently to one side as he approached it. Stepping out in to the corridor, he adjusted his tie just as Edward Levenson-Jones came around the corner towards him. “Edward, long time no see. How are you?” He said shaking the other man’s hand vigorously.
“It must be six months, Simon, and I’m extremely well thank you.” LJ said with a smile that masked what he was really thinking. Dillon is quite right, you really are a smarmy loathsome little rodent.
“I see that there have been a few changes made since the last time I was here, Simon?”
“Oh, you know what it’s like. The top brass insists that we move forward with the times, away from the old ways and image of your time, Edward. Quite frankly, the changes that have been made to the service since you left, have virtually made it unrecognisable.” Digby led the way back into his office, going straight behind his desk and sitting down, he said, “So tell me, Edward, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
“Information, old son.” LJ pulled out a cigar from the half empty pack, and absent-mindedly lit it. Smoke swirled around him as he exhaled and then hung heavily in the air until it was carried away by the air conditioning system.
“That’s one of the changes, Edward. No smoking inside the building, I’m afraid.”
LJ apologised, and immediately looked for something to stub the brown pencil like stick out in to.
“But I won’t tell if you don’t. So, what information, and on whom?” Digby said.
“Extremely sensitive, and it’s Lord Asquith. Past and present.”
Digby smiled superciliously. “It’s jolly good to see that you haven’t lost your sense of humour, Edward?”
“What do you mean?”
“The Asquith file has been sealed. Nobody except the DG and the Prime Minister can get into it. Why that should be, I haven’t got a clue, but it must be something very sensitive to warrant that level of security.”
“I see, how extraordinary. When was the file given that sort of protection, can you tell me that, Simon?”
“Exactly three days ago, Edward. Why, what’s Ferran & Cardini’s interest in Lord Asquith?”
“Oh, nothing really, he’s being considered by Sir Lucius and the Partners for an advisory role on one of the firm’s current assignments, that’s all. Sir Lucius would like a little more in-depth background information on Asquith’s father. I’m simply trying to cover our position should things go sour. You know how these things work, Simon.”
“Certainly do, Edward,” he glanced down at his wrist watch. “Now if that’s all, you’re going to have to excuse me I’ve got a meeting to go to.”
“Of course and thank you for your time, Simon. I’ll see myself out, old son, I know the way. Thankfully that’s one thing they haven’t changed yet.” LJ got up, shook hands with Digby, and left through the sliding glass door.
Ten minutes later Simon Digby was standing in Oliver Asquith’s office at the British Museum.
“I’ve just had a visit from Edward Levenson-Jones, and do you know what he wanted, Oliver old chap?”
Asquith remained composed, sitting behind his large desk. “Does he know that I still do the occasional job for your lot?”
“Good God, Oliver. I’m sure that he wouldn’t be surprised at that. No, what he wanted was a look at not only your file, but your father’s as well.”
Asquith’s face went very pale, and standing up he said. “Is this some sort of practical joke, are you getting some sort of a jolly from this, Digby?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
Asquith walked over to a long bench that ran down the entire length of one wall. Picking up one of the artefacts he held it up to the light. “Did he get a look at the files?”
“Absolutely not, Oliver. Lucky for you, he wasn’t able to, it was sealed by the DG, at my request, three days ago. Of course, that’s because you’ve resumed your work for the Government in the Middle East from time to time.”
“Good, in that case we have nothing to worry about then, do we Simon?”
Asquith carried on studying the artefact that he was holding, while thanking his lucky stars that Digby had not come to see him about anything other than LJ wanting to take a look into his personal file. He obviously had no idea about the U-boat in Jersey or that he’d spoken and seen Hugo Malakoff, who was known to both MI5 and MI6. However, he never underestimated Simon Digby. Especially as he knew from bitter experience that he was as slippery as a snake.
Turning he said matter of factly. “Is there anything else, Simon? Because if there isn’t, I’m very busy and need to get on with dating all of this by five o’clock,” he gestured with the sweep of his arm over the bench. “So if you’ll excuse me,” and he turned back to his work.
“I’ll see myself out, Oliver. But, please do be careful with whatever it is you are involved in with Ferran & Cardini. The Partners are both hardened professionals, and they do not take prisoners you know?”
Asquith turned quickly around, “What do you mean, they don’t take prisoners?”