He also knew a hell of a lot about me and my private life, by the way.
And now everyone suddenly wants to drop the whole thing like a hot potato. I don’t call that nothing. And I don’t like it, Annie. I don’t like it one bit.”
“Put like that, I suppose you’ve got a point.” Annie gave a little shudder. “I wish you wouldn’t put it like that, though. You’re giving me the creeps.”
“So you believe me?”
“Are you really being watched?”
“Since Browne’s visit, yes, I think so.”
“Well, I suppose you did send him away with a f lea in his ear. They must think you’re something of a loose cannon.”
“My lot in life. He even knew about Sophia.”
“Who? Browne?”
“Uh-huh. He knows where she lives. He said something about my lovely young girlfriend in Chelsea.”
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Annie said nothing for a moment. Somehow the image of Sophia’s loveliness got in the way of their discussion and distracted her, rolled over her like a wave of dissatisfaction with herself, her appearance, weight, everything. Christ, Banks hadn’t even noticed her new haircut. “So what are you going to do?” she asked.
“I still need a couple more pieces of information,” he said, “then I think I’ll head down to London, check out the pied-a-terre for myself, dig around, see what I can find. I’ve still got a few days holiday left.”
“Chasing shadows, tilting at windmills?”
“Maybe.”
“I don’t know,” said Annie. “It could be dangerous. I mean, if you’re right and they
“Thank you,” said Banks. “I was trying not to think of that.
Anyway, what else can I do? Madame Gervaise has closed the case. I can’t expect any support there.”
“I think you should be very careful.”
“I will be.”
“I suppose you’ll be staying with Sophia?”
“I suppose so. If she’s not too busy.”
“Oh, I doubt that she’ll be too busy for you. It’s just that . . .”
“What?”
“Well, are you sure you should be involving her in all this?”
“I’m not involving her. Besides, they already know about her.”
“Listen to me. You’ve got me as paranoid as you are.”
“That’s all right. It’s good of you to be concerned. But don’t worry, I’ll be careful. For both me and Sophia.”
Annie tore into her beer mat. “So what is it you want from me?”
“I’d like you to be my eyes and ears up here while I’m away. Keep a lookout for anything out of the ordinary. And if I need any information, some record tracked down, another chat with Wyman and the theater people, fingerprints running through NAFIS, any sort of information I can’t get my hands on, I’d like to think you might help.”
“Might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb,” said Annie. “Anything else, while you’re at it?”
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“Yes. Could you water the plants?”
Annie gave him a playful slap on the arm.
“I’ll be buying a new mobile as soon as I get down there,” Banks went on. “Pay-as-you-go, throwaway. I don’t want my calls traced, or any troublesome records kept. I’ll ring you and let you know the number.”
Annie frowned at him. “Just like a criminal. You’re really serious about all this cloak-and-dagger stuff, aren’t you?”
“You didn’t meet Mr. Browne. And there is one more thing before we go.”
“What’s that?”
“What did you do with your hair? It looks great.”
T H O U G H B A N K S didn’t expect any further visits from the likes of Mr. Browne, he nonetheless kept his
