“Hey, I think you’re right, Heidi,” Hedy said. They gave the material back to Bond. “The U.S. government is very concerned about Espada. We’ve been on alert ever since he started all the ruckus in Spain over Gibraltar. We’re afraid your people might get into a nasty scuffle with Spain over it.”
“We’re all afraid of that,” Bond said. “You’ve got to give me the benefit of the doubt. If I’m taken out of the picture, we’ll never know what’s going on. I’m a part of it, don’t you see? The Union needs me for something. If I don’t follow this scheme through to the end, then we’ll never know what it is.”
The girls were silent. Finally, Hedy said, “I want to talk to Heidi in the other room. Don’t try anything.”
“I wouldn’t dare leave,” Bond said. “Being with you two is the safest I’ve felt in days.”
When the girls went into the bedroom, Bond shut his eyes and tried to relax. They returned, and Hedy sat down in front of him. Heidi draped herself on the desk, one long leg bent like an inverted V.
“All right, James,” Heidi said. “We’re going to play it your way. But we’re going to have to clear it first.”
“You have to call your boss,” Hedy said. “You have to convince her. If she gives us the okay, then we’ll trust you on this one.”
“Give me the phone,” Bond said. He fought a wave of panic. Could he convince M that he was sane and not guilty of the crimes he was accused of? Would she allow him to continue this possibly aimless wild goose chase?
Hedy handed him a white phone. “It’s a secure line.”
Bond dialed the number and was put through to Bill Tanner.
“My God, James, are you all right?” The Chief-of-Staff sounded very alarmed.
“Yes, Bill.”
“I’m glad to hear that. We were very relieved a few minutes ago when we got the message that the CIA had found you. You have to come back, James. You know you do.”
“Bill, I didn’t do those things, and you know it.”
“I believe you. But …”
“No ‘buts,’ ” Bond said angrily. “You have to trust me. I’m on to something and must speak with M.”
“Certainly,” Tanner said. “I’m sure she’ll want a word.”
Bond waited a moment. He looked at the twins, who suddenly felt uncomfortable and exchanged glances, but didn’t bother to get up and give him some privacy.
“Double-O Seven.” The voice was hard.
“Ma’am.”
“Well? Are you on your way back to London with Agent Taunt?”
“Agent Taunt?” Bond asked.
“That’s what it says here, Double-O Seven, agent Hillary Taunt.”
“Are you listening, Bill?” Bond asked. He knew that Tanner monitored some of M’s phone calls when she gave him the order, and he was sure that this would be one of them.
“Yes,” came the voice, after a beat.
“I’m with … er, Miss Taunt, now,” Bond said. “If you insist on it, ma’am, yes, I will come back to London. However, I must ask that you hear me out first.”
“Very well.”
“I may have evidence that Domingo Espada is linked to the Union.”
That got her attention. “Go on.”
“I disobeyed your orders, ma’am; I freely admit that,” he said. It was one of the most difficult things he had ever confessed in his life. “But I had to go after the Union. If not for Britain, then I had to do it for myself. I swear to you that I’m not responsible for Dr. Feare’s murder, or the terrorist attack on the ferry. I identified and traced Helena Marksbury’s recruiter and killer to Casablanca and almost got into the Union’s main headquarters. The CIA here was on to them, too. The Union must have suspected discovery, so they left. Vanished.”
“What’s this about Espada?”
“The man I followed here had a map on his person with the location of Espada’s home marked on it. He also had a ticket to a political rally and bullfight at which Espada is speaking.”
“When is that?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“Interesting,” M said. “The summit meeting in Gibraltar has been scheduled for the day after that.”
“Who’s going to this summit meeting?” Bond asked.
“The PM. Spain’s PM. Espada …” Tanner answered.
“Ma’am, all this is connected somehow,” Bond said. “I’m sure of it.”
“But you have nothing, Double-O Seven. What does a ticket tell you? Perhaps this man simply likes bullfighting.”
“Liked, ma’am,” Bond said. “He’s, uhm, no longer with us.”
“I see.”
“Why would he have a road map to Espada’s house? This man was Union! It either means that the Union is involved somehow with Espada, or that they are interested in him for some reason. Maybe someone has paid the Union to kill him! I think I should try to meet Domingo Espada before the summit meeting and see what I can determine.” He then presented M the same argument that he had given the twins—that he believed he was a cog in the Union’s plan. If he were taken out of it, something awful might happen.
“Agent Taunt … and I … would like your permission to pursue this,” he said.
M was silent. After a moment, she said, “Hold the line, Double-O Seven.”
Bond heard a click. She was conferring with Tanner, and probably the Minister of Defence.
She was back in three minutes. “Double-O Seven.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ve just spoken to my opposite number in the CIA. I should probably have cleared this with the PM, but I’m not going to. You are to stay in Agent Taunt’s company at all times. You are under house arrest, although you’ll be mobile. You are not to attempt to escape, do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You can go to Spain. I realize that you’re interested in this because you think it will bring you closer to the Union. Be that as it may, I think you might be on to something with regard to Espada. Providing you can get close to the man, you are to gather any information that you can that might link him to something as reprehensible as the Union. He’s already a controversial figure in Spain, but I think that would all but destroy the people’s confidence in him. It would give us more bargaining power. At the same time, we wouldn’t want any harm to come to him before the meeting in Gibraltar. It’s the most important thing on the government’s plate right now. We can’t have it jeopardized, but we can certainly have it slanted in our favor. Do we understand each other, Double-O Seven?”
“Clearly, ma’am.”
“Very well.”
“One more thing. One of the Union recruiters I tracked to Morocco—Michael Clayton—has a cousin in London who is connected to the Union. You might want to investigate that.”
“Noted. Now let me talk with Agent Taunt. Good luck.”
Bond thanked her and held the phone up for one of the twins to take. Hedy grabbed it and listened, occasionally replying, “Yes, ma’am.” Then she said, “I’ll call him right now. Thank you.”
She rang off and said, “I have to call my chief in the States.” She received the same instructions, and then she hung up and looked at Bond.
“Well. Looks like we’ll be spending more time together after all. Heidi, I think we should use the yacht to get up to Spain, what do you think?”
Heidi nodded. “That’s the safest. We can’t risk bringing him through Immigration anywhere.”
Hedy explained. “The Company has a boat in a hidden marina on the coast not far from Tangier. We can use it, but we’ll have to drive to Tangier.”
“Let’s go, then,” Bond said, standing.
“Oh boy!” Heidi cried, jumping up. “This is going to be fun!”
“Just watch it, pal,” Hedy told Bond. She patted the Browning 9mm at her side. “I’m pretty good with this. And we also carry extrastrength, high-powered OC pepper spray that will stun an elephant. So don’t try anything that would be considered conduct unbecoming of a gentleman.”