He raised an eyebrow and said, ‘So what happened?’
‘We were leaving,’ Harry replied, ‘and Rik spotted two men answering the description you gave us. We got out just ahead of them. Thanks for the tip.’
Ballatyne’s eyebrows went up. ‘Close call. I checked with the squad we sent round, but they didn’t see anyone. They were held up in traffic.’ He shrugged. It happened. ‘What can I do to help?’ He was speaking to Harry but looking at Clare.
‘Katya Balenkova. How do we get hold of her?’
Ballatyne looked surprised. ‘Boy, you don’t ask much, do you? Why do you want to contact her?’
‘If we don’t stop these guys,’ Rik replied, ‘they’ll stop us. If we do stop them, they’ll send someone else — someone we don’t know.’
‘And you think Balenkova might help you? Dream on — she’s a Federal Protective Service officer, which makes her all but FSB in name only. Why would she put herself at risk?’
‘She might consider it’s worth it.’ Harry gave a fractional tilt of his head towards Clare.
‘What — you think because of their little fling Balenkova will turn on her old bosses?’ If he thought the comment undiplomatic, he didn’t show it.
‘Litvinenko did. Tobinskiy did.’ It was the first time Clare had spoken, and surprised them all. Her voice sounded cracked and dry, as if she had got out of the habit. She was staring at Ballatyne, eyes dulled by tiredness but a firm line to her mouth.
Ballatyne didn’t respond at first. Then he said, ‘You’re ready to go along with this insanity?’
‘Not really. I think Tate’s nuts, but what choice do I have? Anyway, Ferris is right: if the two men who approached me don’t finish this, they’ll send somebody else; maybe not straight away, maybe not even this year. They’ll let the dust settle, then one day they’ll send in another team. It’s the way they do things, you know that.’
Ballatyne looked grim. ‘Fair enough. I suppose I can’t stop you trying.’ He checked his watch. ‘About now, Balenkova’s babysitting three Russian government financial heavyweights at an international banking symposium in Vienna. They’re in the city for three days, glad-handing and talking roubles, euros and dollars.’
‘I don’t believe you.’ Clare spoke forcefully, but with a tinge of uncertainty.
‘Why — you think escorting bankers is beneath her? That they don’t merit equal protection to military chiefs and politicians?’
‘Damn right. She’s one of their best people. She was heading for the top spot, guarding Putin himself.’
‘Was.’
‘Huh?’
‘After you were busted and had to be pulled out, we heard she was suspended for a year or more, under suspicion. Then she was put on a roster looking after bureaucrats and low-level functionaries travelling in and out of Chechnya. Sounds like a punishment squad to me.’
‘She would have hated that.’ Clare sounded saddened by the revelation.
‘Probably. She must have had a hard time convincing her bosses that she hadn’t got anything out of you. . or that you hadn’t managed to turn her. Whatever her specialist FSO skills, she’ll have a good head on her shoulders. She will have heard things in private spoken by her charges, got to know who has doubts, who has a taste for money, women, boys or drugs or any other weakness that can be exploited.’ He tilted his head. ‘It’s attractive stuff for the shrinks who like to know about these things — on both sides.’
‘You’ve been monitoring her?’
‘Of course.’
‘Why? It was a busted operation, for God’s sake!’ She sounded angry, with twin spots of red growing on her cheeks. She slumped back in her seat, as if distancing herself from them all. ‘What was the point?’
‘Get over it.’ Ballatyne’s voice was flat, unapologetic. ‘You know targets are never forgotten that easily.’
Harry and Rik sat very still. Ballatyne clearly knew more about Clare’s aborted operation than he had let on, right down to the fine details. It was a reminder that he had been in the game for a long time, working his way up in the ranks at Vauxhall Cross. He would have been involved in numerous operations, either on the periphery or right in the centre. If he hadn’t, he’d have made it his business to acquaint himself with the file.
‘We were doing exactly what Balenkova’s bosses were doing,’ he continued, eyes fixed on Clare. ‘We had to play safe, so we kept a watching brief. How did we know you hadn’t got turned instead? We didn’t. The only way we could be sure was if Balenkova got busted down the ranks or suspended. Which she did.’
‘So what now?’ said Harry, after a few moments of silence. ‘We need to contact her.’
‘Tonight they’re attending an opening gala dinner. Tomorrow the Russian delegates are dining with the Russian Ambassador at the embassy in Reisnerstrasse. Balenkova and her FSO colleague, if they follow previous habits, will cut loose and do their own thing, leaving the embassy security team to play tag. Separately, I might add. The colleague likes to go and do his own thing when he’s not working, so he shouldn’t be a problem.’
Harry stared at him. ‘You knew what we were thinking of doing.’
‘Not really. But it’s what I would have done in your boots.’ He smiled at Clare. ‘Sorry, but if you hadn’t spoken up, I’d have vetoed the idea. You know her better than anyone; just be sure you’re not walking yourselves into a cold, dark cell.’
Clare shifted in her seat. ‘Does that mean you won’t help us if we get into trouble?’
‘Officially, I can’t. But I’m having Balenkova and her party watched, in case of any deviation from their plans. I can also give you a safe house to go to on the outskirts of the city, with an escort, after you make contact. The rest, though, is up to you.’ He stood up, reaching for the envelope. He took out a slim white folder and dropped it on the table. ‘Flight details and passes for each of you on a military flight out of Northolt this afternoon. Don’t be late.’ He held the brown envelope out to Clare. ‘Where you’re going, you’ll need your passport. It’s in there with the rest of your personal stuff from the hospital. Don’t say I never help you.’
He walked away, back rigid, and paid at the counter before leaving the restaurant.
THIRTY-NINE
‘I think I’m in love,’ Rik murmured. ‘What’s got into him all of a sudden? He’s usually on our case all the time.’
‘He’s helping, but it’s off the books.’ Harry turned to Clare. ‘You know what this means: you’re coming with us. Are you up to the trip?’
Clare tipped out the contents of the envelope and scooped up her wallet, passport, coins and other personal belongings she’d had on her the day of the shooting. ‘Fuck off, Tate.’
‘I think you said that already.’
‘Why would Katya talk to me, after what he said?’ She tipped her head towards Ballatyne’s departing back. ‘I caused her nothing but grief and lost her God knows how much credibility in her job. She probably hates my guts.’
Harry didn’t have a definite answer to that. But they had to try.
‘You haven’t been in contact with her since?’
She shook her head. ‘Like when? I’ve been too busy being busted, then sent to that shithole in Georgia and helping save your arses. It’s not like I was sitting on my hands doing nothing.’
It was a glimmer of humour. Not much, and tinged with a core of anger. But it was an improvement on anything they had seen so far. ‘Anyway,’ she continued, ‘I didn’t think she’d want to hear from me.’
‘You might be right. But if you meant anything to her, she wouldn’t want to see you taken out by a couple of FSB hotshots, would she? The simple fact is, she won’t give Rik and me the time of day, no matter how we dress it up. But I’m betting she’ll give you a hearing, at the very least. That’s all we need.’
‘What do you hope to achieve?’
‘She might have an answer to this problem. She might not, but it’s worth a try. And it gets you out of the country for a while and away from those two shooters.’