“Do you think it was deliberately left behind?”
“Most definitely. They’d put it inside the caretaker’s van, which was then driven away from the house by Trevelyan’s men and hidden in woods about a mile away. The caretaker said that he heard one of them talking about hiding the van and then coming back for it later. But something he hadn’t thought about, was that they were almost certainly going to return later to kill both him and his wife, of that I’m positive. Once I’d pointed that out to him it was all it took for him to tell me where they were likely to have hidden the van. Anyway, after driving around for a bit I spotted it from the road. Thank God for amateurs, because in their haste they’d made a shabby attempt at concealing it.”
“I see. But why leave such a small amount behind? It seems a bit odd, doesn’t it?” Morgan asked.
“My view is that Trevelyan’s men were going to line their own pockets with it. And what better time to steal from your employer? Who’s going to miss one crate when there’re so many being shipped to God knows where?”
“So what have you done with it?”
“It’s safe. I’ve got a contact in the drugs squad, I’ll hand it over to him the moment I leave here.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll take it to them myself. Your job is done.”
“I don’t think it is. And anyway, drugs are not your concern.”
“Just what are you implying? And, damn it, Dillon. Aren’t you satisfied with your success?”
“No, not really. And as I say, Morgan, it’s not finished yet. I’m not one of your menials who you can push around, you know? I don’t work for you and you aren’t paying for my services, so you can piss off. You made your entrance long after I’d started on this assignment for whatever reasons. And you still haven’t given a sufficiently believable explanation as to why MI5 is so involved with what is evidently a narcotics investigation.”
Morgan’s voice took on an almost casual tone.
“Let me reiterate, Jake. We have been working alongside agencies from across Europe and the United States on this investigation. And, of course, their respective drug squads. This is far too big for any one agency or, come to that, any one country to handle. We are primarily concerned with the terrorist threat in the UK, of course. Our intelligence tells us that revenue is being generated from the sale of drugs, which will end up in some of the world’s hotspots to fund terrorist training boot camps.”
Dillon was taking a perverse sort of pleasure in seeing Morgan attempt to wriggle and squirm his way out of the situation he now found himself in.
“Does the drug squad know that they’re involved? I mean, if so many agencies and their highly qualified and experienced officers are tied up in this thing, why was it one person, an outsider, who was able to come up with the evidence where they had not? My instincts tell me that you’re talking a load of old bollocks, Morgan. I don’t believe a word of what you’ve just said and I reckon that you’re working alone on this whole affair. The only thing I’ve not figured out is why.”
Havelock was listening to this exchange, wishing he could break from the diplomatic protocol and niceties that he was bound to live his life by, like Dillon did so easily.
Morgan tried his best to sound reasonable and not at all peeved.
“Jake, call me what you like, but we only had your interests at heart once we found out where your investigation was taking you. We decided to let you run with it on your own because we all know that you get results. Quickly. If you still don’t believe me you can verify everything I’ve told you both this evening with Sir Lucius. He’s been behind you one hundred percent ever since you inadvertently discovered this very real threat to the security of this country. We all admire you, Jake. Hell, you might even get a bloody Knighthood for your roll in this. But believe me when I tell you that your part in this is now over. Mr. Havelock will confirm it.”
Dillon gazed across at Havelock as Morgan did. He shot him a quick look as a warning to not be intimidated into a hasty agreement.
Havelock was in a quandary. All his allegiance lay with Dillon who was right about who had engaged him. But even if he supported him now he knew that if Morgan represented the official line, he would have to comply. He tried for a compromise.
“You might have the authority you say, Brendon, but I cannot accept it without confirmation from a higher level. Preferably in writing from the Director General.”
Morgan shrugged. “Well you won’t get anything in writing and certainly not from the Director General. I’m surprised you even asked. I can phone someone now, if that will satisfy you.”
“I’m afraid that won’t do at all. After all, you could be calling anyone. And with respect, you’re no stranger to the art of deception, are you?”
“You surely don’t expect Dunstan to just take your word, do you, Brendon?”
Morgan turned to Dillon in fury. “I’ve already told you, Jake, that your input is no longer required. This is a matter for Mr. Havelock and me to sort out. Do I make myself clear?”
“I’m afraid not, can’t understand a bloody word you’re saying. It’s almost like you’re talking penguin or something.” Dillon was quietly laughing.
“And that nice guy façade of yours is slipping a little, Brendon, old son. You were thanking me just a minute ago. But I knew that you’d have difficulty in keeping that one up. You’d better watch your lip and start treating Dunstan with a little more respect than you’ve been showing him. Or suffer the consequences.”
Dillon stood up and moved to the front window, leant against the wall and crossed his arms.
Morgan managed to regain control of his temper, well aware that Dillon was merely goading him. He turned back to Havelock. “Would a word from the Home Secretary satisfy you?”
“Of course. But you don’t intend to call him right now, do you?”
“First thing tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll have to take the drugs back to Thames House. Obviously I’ll give you a receipt.”
“Oh, the drugs are not here in the house, Brendon.”
Havelock had told the lie with ease and without feeling guilty. He did not like Morgan’s increasing arrogance or his assumption that he could get the better of him.
Morgan tried to stare Havelock out, but the senior civil servant had now taken his stand and was not going to be intimidated. Morgan lowered his head, gazed at his drink for an instant and was silent for a short while.
“You do realise that I could have you both arrested for obstructing the law?”
“Well, you should know a thing or two about that,” Dillon said from where he was standing by the window.
Every now and then he eased the curtain to one side and took a look outside.
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I will leave here and drive straight to the drugs squad and hand the drugs over this evening. What could be fairer than that?”
Morgan said with tension in his voice, “What is your problem with allowing me to take the drugs? You know who I am and what my authority is. So what’s the big deal here?”
“The only problem is that the drugs are not here, Brendon. Nothing more and nothing less.”
Dillon was convinced by now that Morgan’s men had seen him lift the holdall from out of the boot of the Porsche and into the house, but Morgan couldn’t admit to it because he would then have to explain why Dunstan’s house was under surveillance.
“I see. Well I believe that the drugs are in fact here in this house.”
Dillon gave Morgan full credit for the way he was controlling his exasperation.
“So what are you saying? That we are both liars?”
Havelock intervened again. “Gentlemen, please. All that you are achieving is to display just how much you despise and dislike each other.”