try. He offered her a visiting card, and she accepted.
You may regret that invitation. She smiled at Sara. I don t know who you are, my dear, but it s a pity to see a charming young woman like you in such bad company.
She turned away, and Owen, who couldn t think of a thing to say, went after her. She took a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter and leaned against the balustrade, sipping it as Owen reached her.
The young woman looked interesting, she said.
I wonder who she is.
Owen answered without thinking. She s an army captain, wounded and decorated in Afghanistan. A gifted linguist, I understand. Her name s Sara Gideon.
Any connection with the Gideon Bank?
She inherited it some years ago when her parents were killed in a bomb attack in Israel. Her grandfather sits in for her as chairman.
So what is she doing with Dillon and Holley?
There was no way round it except to tell the truth. I believe Charles Ferguson has recruited her for his team.
You seem very well informed.
Well, you know how it is these days. It pays to keep up, and there s not much that can t be found on a computer.
There was more to it, she knew that, but she shied away from perhaps learning an uncomfortable truth about him. In any case, an announcement sounded over the loudspeakers.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Prime Minister and the President of the United States.
They came through the entrance, Ferguson, Miller, Roper, and Blake Johnson behind them, and the applause was deafening.
The glad-handing went on for thirty or forty minutes, Blake Johnson at the President s side the whole time, as was Harry Miller with the Prime Minister. Ferguson, who had been standing back, crossed the terrace to speak to them.
It s not over yet.
No problem, Dillon said.
Ferguson turned to Sara. Your performance since you ve joined us has been remarkable. I m beginning to wonder how on earth we managed without you.
It was a daily occurrence in Afghanistan, General, this sort of thing.
But not in Mayfair, he said. At least not since the high tide of the IRA s London campaign. We ve still got the rest of the day to get through. Then there s the early-evening cocktail party at Downing Street, but you won t be required for that. The President flies out to Berlin at ten o clock, and then it will all be over.
Watch out behind you, General, Dillon said, and Ferguson turned to find both the Prime Minister and the President aiming for the doorway.
The President said, Mr. Dillon, Mr. Holley, good to see you. But it was the man in the wheelchair to whom he extended his hand. Major Roper, it s an honor to see you. The official accounts I ve read of your bravery are outstanding especially that time in the Portland Hotel foyer nine hours on your own.
Not quite true, Mr. President. I had the bomb as company, which I found myself occasionally talking to.
The President roared with laughter. It s been a joy meeting you, and if I could, I d give you the Congressional Medal of Honor to go with your George Cross.
The words were for public consumption, but at a private meeting he had said as much to Roper already, along with a commendation to all of them for the way they d handled the incident in the garage, which the powers that be had decided had not taken place at all. No point giving Al Qaeda the oxygen of publicity.
He shook Roper s hand warmly and went out, followed by the Prime Minister and his entourage. Ferguson said quietly to Roper as he passed, I ll speak to you soon.
Suddenly it was all over, people drifting out in twos and threes, no sign of Jean Talbot and Owen Rashid.
Now what? Sara asked.
Back to Holland Park. Let s see if any interesting business has come our way. He took his wheelchair out through the entrance, and they followed.
Early evening, Owen Rashid gave Jean Talbot a call and invited her to join him in an Irish bar in Shepherd Market. They sat in a corner booth and had Irish coffees.
What did the President say to you? Owen asked.
I got caught up with the crowd the Secret Service were holding back.
Oh, he said what a tragic accident it was, the plane crashing into the Irish Sea like that with my son inside.
Do you think he believed that?
No, he was just being civilized. Dillon, Holley, Kelly, and myself were all there when Justin slammed the door on all of us and flew off to his death. The President would have been told the facts. She smiled a little bleakly. Don t worry about me, Owen. I ve survived, and I ll go on surviving.
He took her hand. You re a remarkable woman.
Not really, just practical. Now that the President s come and gone, what s next on your agenda?
I need to go to Rubat for a few days. I haven t been for a while, as you know.
Because you don t want to go. She laughed. Without Mayfair, you re like a fish out of water.
On the other hand, the Sultan does like to see me every so often. I mean, it s protocol even if he is my uncle. Just a few days, a week at the most. He took her hand again. Is there any chance you d consider coming with me? You ve often talked about it. I could show you the Bacu Railway.
When would this be? she asked.
I m pretty flexible where that s concerned.
Well, as it happens, we have a half-term vacation coming up at the university on Friday.
How long for?
Two weeks.
So you ll come?
Only if you take me to dinner tonight. Do you think we could go to that little Italian place again?
He smiled. Only if you ask me in for coffee afterward.
Oh, I think that could be arranged. Let s go, shall we?
At the antiques shop, Kelly was in the kitchen, checking on an Irish stew he was preparing for the evening meal. Henri was dozing in a wingback chair beside the fire when he came awake with a start, because he d suddenly realized why that Frenchman s face at Hyde Park had been familiar to him.
Kelly appeared in the kitchen doorway. Are you okay?
I ve just realized that I can put a name to the face of that Frenchman I was following. Colonel Claude Duval. He s with the DGSE, the Secret Service. His face was in newspapers a lot six months ago, having to do with a Muslim terrorism trial.
What would he be doing over here? Kelly asked.
How do I know? It explains why he was in Roper s company, though. Kelly returned to the kitchen, and Henri followed him, found a bottle of red wine, and poured two glasses. I ve been thinking. If Rashid phones, which he probably will, I ll tell him our impression is that the Gideon woman is staying at the hotel with Holley, so we re looking at a new target.
And what would that be?
The Salters place, the Dark Man, down by the river.
It s a thought, Kelly said. Okay, that s what we ll say. Mind you, I think Rashid s occupied with other things at the moment.
Like your boss?
I think so. She doesn t answer her mobile, and I walked round again today and knocked on her door in Marley Court, but no answer.
Wasn t I with you twice yesterday and no response? Perhaps they were in bed. She s no chicken, but she s a
