‘Europe?’ asked Fane almost hopefully.
‘Anywhere on the continent. Or Moscow, more likely. Once they got away they won’t have hung about.’
Peggy added, ‘Despite that, we’ve found out quite a lot about these operations. They all seem linked. The children were initially selected in Hamburg, then the Head of the Freitang school there, Irma Nimitz, sent them off – to the UK, but also to America to Vermont University. One of the older ones who’d stayed in Vermont came on to Bartholomew Manor when the US operation was aborted. The FBI have confirmed it’s the same guy.’
‘I hope you’ve got him under lock and key.’
‘Something like that,’ said Liz, since it seemed pointless to explain that Aziz, like all the students at the college, was just an innocent dupe of those behind the operation. ‘But the real issue is what the Russians were hoping to get out of these linked operations. Because it is very clear that the Russians are behind all this, using their long-time recruit Irma Nimitz, the Head of the school in Hamburg.’
‘I should think it’s perfectly obvious.’ Fane leaned back in his chair with a sigh, looking superior. ‘They were training these refugees in cyber subversion, of course. I don’t claim myself to understand how it all works but take it from me, that’s what it was all about.’
‘Yes, Geoffrey. I’m sure you’re right. We’ve been in touch with GCHQ and someone from the National Cyber Security Centre is going down to talk to the students and find out exactly what they were doing. I couldn’t get a lot of sense out of the boy Thomma when I interviewed him because he only really knew about the part he was involved in, and I’m not an expert in this sort of stuff either.’
‘You need to be careful. There’s a lot of trouble in Germany over the Hamburg end of this,’ said Fane. ‘Questions in their Parliament. A huge fuss in the press about the immigration policy. Why was the school not better monitored? How could a Russian spy have been appointed as Head? Why did the BfV not know about the Nimitzes? How did he get a job in the European Commission and was he working for the Russians there? The head of the BfV may have to resign, and the interior minister too.’ He sighed. ‘It’s almost worse that the Nimitz couple were uncovered. Might have been better if no one had ever known they were “Cold War spies”, as the media put it.’
‘Exactly,’ said Liz. ‘The three men from Bartholomew Manor would have been exposed as well if there hadn’t been a cock-up with the coastal services. They were hanging around at the college for more than twelve hours after young Thomma escaped. Why?’
‘The escape plan wasn’t in place, I imagine,’ said Fane briskly, staring at Liz. He was silent for a moment, then he said, ‘I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Elizabeth.’
‘I’m not entirely sure myself,’ said Liz. She wanted to think this through but needed to do so on her own. ‘Shall we break for lunch now? Geoffrey, I would be happy to treat you to the best from our canteen.’
Fane shook his head, suppressing a shudder at the thought. He looked at his watch. ‘That’s very good of you, Elizabeth, but actually I have a lunch appointment. Shall we reconvene here at two thirty?’
‘Yes, and I’ve invited the Chief Constable of Suffolk to join us; he’s in London for a meeting this morning.’
48
Liz found herself alone – Fane had sauntered off to his rendezvous, and though Peggy had apparently gone back to her desk, there was no sign of her when Liz went to look for her. She had arranged to meet Pearson in the front of Thames House at two fifteen, but it was only half past twelve now, so she decided to leave the building for a stroll. She wanted to sort out exactly what this complicated series of events had been about.
On the Embankment, the sun was making a rare autumnal appearance, flooding the river’s surface with a low, misty light. She hesitated between directions, then decided to walk west towards the Tate. There she found tour buses jamming the inner kerb, and tourists taking selfies on the front steps. Weaving a way through them, looking for something peaceful to help her clear her mind, she ignored the notices for the special exhibitions and went into the Modern galleries, where she found old favourites and a new one – the latter wearing a dark suit and staring at a large Francis Bacon triptych.
She said from eighteen inches behind his broad shoulders, ‘What do you think of that then, governor?’
He didn’t move an inch, but said slowly, ‘Not sure. I know he’s a great painter and all that, and there’s undoubtedly enormous power to the picture, but I have to say it’s not exactly cheering.’
Liz laughed as Pearson turned around with a broad smile on his face. ‘Great minds think alike, I see,’ he said. ‘I thought you’d be up to your neck in meetings and that I should kill a bit of time. Seems you had the same idea.’
‘The meetings are over for the time being and everyone’s sloped off to lunch. I actually came in here to think and then I spotted you. But I can’t think in front of a Francis Bacon. Why don’t we walk over and look at the Turners?’
They spent twenty peaceful minutes in the Clore Gallery without much conversation. Outside again, they walked back slowly west towards Thames House, passing a group of schoolchildren eating hot dogs bought from a cart.
‘I’m starving,’ said Liz.
‘Want one?’ asked Pearson, and he walked over and bought two. They ate them sitting on a bench facing the Thames.
‘I wonder if I could persuade you to come back to Suffolk this weekend,’ said Pearson. ‘It would be an enormous help if you would come with me to a meeting with my Police and Crime Commissioner on Saturday morning. He’s very supportive but he’s feeling a bit out of his depth in this Bartholomew Manor business. Not surprisingly, to be fair. It’s not the sort of thing rural forces normally get involved in. I think he’d find it very reassuring to meet you.’
‘Well, yes, I could,’ said Liz. ‘I could come up on the train first thing. What time is the meeting?’
‘Ten thirty. I could meet you at Ipswich station at about ten. The meeting’s at our main headquarters, not far from there. Then,’ he went on, ‘I was going to try out a boat that Geoff Gumm is lending me. Do you fancy a bit of sailing? The weather is forecast to be quite good.’
Liz hesitated but only for a moment. ‘Why not?’ she said. ‘I won’t be a lot of use but you can tell me which ropes to pull. And it would be great to blow away a few cobwebs.’
As they approached Thames House Liz was saying, ‘You’ll have to go through the visitors’ entrance, but I’ve told them you’re coming,’ just as a voice called from the steps.
‘Liz!’ It was Peggy, standing at the top of the steps, wearing her winter coat and beaming.
‘Hello,’ said Liz, catching sight of another figure walking away towards Horseferry Road. Even from the back he seemed familiar, but she didn’t have time to think who it was because Peggy had run down the steps towards her.
‘I got it!’ Peggy exclaimed. ‘I got the promotion.’ Throwing her usual reserve aside, she gave Liz an enormous hug.
Laughing, Liz extricated herself and gestured towards Pearson. ‘You’ve met the Chief Constable, I think.’
‘Oh yes,’ said Peggy, slightly abashed.
She shook hands with Pearson, who was smiling at Peggy’s obvious joy. ‘Congratulations,’ he said politely. ‘I’m sure it’s very well deserved.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ Peggy said modestly, but then she beamed again at Liz. ‘Thank you so much for recommending me, I’m really thrilled.’
‘We must celebrate. Can we have a drink together this evening?’