The Labyrinth Makers

'Do you mean there's really something I can do? I wouldn't have thought you–you People of the Hills –would ever use outsiders.'

'They don't–but I do. I've got all sorts of odd characters digging already. You'd be surprised.'

She started guiltily, hand to mouth. 'One of them wouldn't be called Esau, would he?'

'He certainly would.' Esau was Jake's private nom de guerre - it was an ancient joke between them that he grew his own hair shirt, to belie his name.

'I'm sorry. He phoned just about teatime. But he left a number–it's on the pad by the phone, and it's good until 7.30.'

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Audley almost ran to his study. Jake wouldn't phone unless he had come up with something worthwhile.

The number was not one he recognised, and it turned out to be one of the fly-by-night Soho clubs where Jake seemed to spend much of his free time. But they were only too happy to summon Mr Esau.

'Esau?'

'My dear David! Your little girl friend–whom you so shamefully neglect–she remembered to give you my message!'

'She isn't my girl friend.'

'No, of course not. Your secretary-housekeeper with the county accent. How stupid of me to misplace her!'

'Come to the point, Esau.'

'The point? My friend, the point is that I value you so highly that instead of rushing to my morning assignation I put in a call to that other friend of mine.'

Jake's interest in Panin was evidently more than casual to have galvanised him so quickly. But of course Jake was ambitious.

'David, you know that your friend has returned to the scenes of his youthful conquest?'

'I do.' The Israeli Berlin end was good, evidently.

'I never doubted it, even though you carelessly omitted to tell me.

But no matter. My friend mentioned it in his acknowledgement. He promises to give the matter some of his valuable time. But in the meantime he did give us a snippet. Have you ever heard of G

Tower?'

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'No, I haven't.'

'Neither have I. But it seems that your friend spent quite a lot of his time there back in the old days. G Tower– you'd better look it up.

I'm sure you'll have lots of information on it, whatever it was.'

'I shall give it my earnest attention. And that was all?'

'All! At such short notice I think that's not at all bad. But, yes. It is all for the time being–except that there is a small matter that I'd like your advice on.'

The bill, or its first instalment, was about to be presented. With Jake there was always a bill.

'But I won't burden you with it now. My–secretary-housekeeper is waiting for me, as I've no doubt yours is, David. I'll have a word with you next week some time.'

'I shall be at your service.'

Even before he had replaced the phone Audley was weighing the advantages of getting through to the department to have G Tower located quickly against the disadvantages of handing his discovery to others. He rejected the disadvantages almost at once. There just wasn't enough time in the morning for him to do it before driving north. And he knew that secretiveness was another particular occupational vice which he had to watch. Some people tended to become submerged by facts. He always had to fight the urge simply to keep them to himself.

He nerved himself to override protests. The information service was there to be used, but hardly for apparently esoteric intelligence on a Saturday evening.

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But when he got through he was surprised at first by the helpful reception, until it dawned on him that the word really was out.

Stocker must have been as good as his promise. So of course they would establish the identity of G Tower, and with the utmost despatch. And then they would phone him back.

And then they would pass on the details to whomsoever else it also concerned . . .

He returned to the kitchen to find Faith laying supper, as domesticated as any of her predecessors.

'Ham and salad again–Mrs Clark says you live on it through the spring and summer . . . Did your Esau deliver the goods?'

'He may have done. I shall know later this evening.'

She stopped work and faced up to him.

'If I'm going to help you, you know, David, you're going to have to take me into your confidence. If that poor man really was killed this afternoon I've a right to know what I'm letting myself in for.

And I'd prefer to know what I'm doing.'

'That's reasonable enough. Providing, of course, that I can trust you.'