of the Polish girls. ‘What’s your room number this time?’ she asked, smiling up at him.
But he was shaking his head. ‘I’m not in the hotel. I’m sorry, but I’m in a Glenmor house with my colleagues. I can’t try and smuggle you in there; we’d get caught.’
‘Oh,’ she said, unable to disguise her annoyance. Why had he bothered to contact her then? ‘But you’ll be back for this conference, won’t you? Don’t tell me you’ll be staying with these people then.’
‘I won’t be staying at all. Officially I’m not going to be at the conference,’ he said flatly, then looking at her his tone softened. ‘But don’t worry – I’ll be nearby. Only no one’s to know that I’m around. It’s strictly hush-hush. Do you understand?’ There was a hard edge to his voice which scared Jana a little, and she nodded right away.
‘Good. Now listen to me,’ he said, putting an arm around her shoulders. She tried to snuggle up against his chest, but he held her away. She could feel the strength of his arms, and wished they could be somewhere more private. ‘There’s something I want you to do for me during the conference. Two things actually – things I can’t do myself, because I won’t be here. Will you do them for me?’
She looked up at him and said, ‘That depends.’
‘Depends on what?’ There was that hint of coldness in his voice again.
She detached herself from his arm, then took him by the hand. ‘It depends on how nice you are to me now.’ And she pulled him in the direction of the woods behind them.
‘What are you doing?’
‘You know. Come on,’ she said, ‘the pine needles back there are very soft.’
It was dark when she walked back to the hotel, brushing off the pine needles from the back of her skirt. She laughed inwardly at the ridiculousness of it all; she could have been a schoolgirl again, meeting Franz, the lawyer’s son, by the river near the tavern. But she couldn’t help herself; she had never been able to.
Besides, the man was
She thought of what he had asked her to do. It certainly seemed odd, but she reassured herself that it couldn’t be anything wrong, or else he wouldn’t be coming back after all these international bigwigs had been and gone. She was a bit frightened, but she hadn’t wanted to admit that. She’d have to find someone else to do the other thing – how could she be five miles away at the same time she was waiting on tables at dinner? But she knew that her friend Mateo, one of the busboys, would do it for her. He was Spanish and he had an enormous family. What had he said? Twelve brothers and sisters. Five hundred pounds wasn’t to be sneezed at and all he had to do for it was walk up some hills.
FORTY-THREE
‘You’ve been shopping,’ said Liz, as Peggy Kinsolving walked into her office in a new trouser suit with a short jacket that showed off her figure.
Peggy blushed. ‘Do you like it?’ she asked.
Liz nodded. ‘It suits you,’ she said, thinking that things must be going well with Tim. Peggy didn’t usually bother much about clothes; but now, thought Liz, with a tinge of jealousy, she had someone to appreciate them.
They discussed what they’d come to call The Syrian Plot, Liz voicing her frustration at the lack of obvious leads. ‘Now that Bokus and Brookhaven are in the clear, the only element that keeps recurring is Mossad – or Kollek, actually. I think we need to home in on him. Why don’t you do some digging?’
‘Can I talk with people in Israel?’
‘I’d rather you didn’t for now.’
‘That won’t help,’ said Peggy.
Liz understood the complaint, but shook her head. ‘If we tell Mossad we’re interested in Kollek they’ll want to know exactly why, and we’ve promised the Americans to be discreet.’
‘What about other sources there? You know, his school and university.’
‘Sorry, no. It’s such a small country they’d soon find out we’d been asking. We can’t take the risk. I’m afraid you’ll have to stick to his time in the UK. Start with his visa application.’
‘Anything in particular I’m looking for?’
‘See if you can find out where else he’s been posted. Check with the friendlies and see if they know him. Show them his photograph – he might have been using other names. Talk to the FBI. They might have something on him that they haven’t shared with the CIA. But for heaven’s sake don’t blow Bokus’s little secret.’
‘It sounds a bit of a long shot.’
Liz knew Peggy wasn’t being negative, just realistic. ‘You never know,’ she said encouragingly. ‘Something may turn up and it’s all we’ve got to go on for now.’
After Peggy had left, Liz rang Sophie Margolis’s home number. Her friend picked up on the second ring.
‘Hi Sophie, it’s Liz. How are things?’
She listened patiently while Sophie told her the latest about her two children (school phobia and teething were the current concerns) and about David’s recent promotion.
‘And how about Hannah?’ Liz asked at last.
‘She’s fine. The peace conference has got her very excited.’
‘I’ll bet,’ said Liz. ‘Has she seen anything of our friend
Kollek lately?’
‘Funny you should ask. She hadn’t mentioned him for a while, but they’re having lunch just now, while we speak.’
‘Really?’ Liz thought quickly. ‘I’d like to talk to her about him if I could. He’s proving a bit of a puzzle – though please don’t say so to Hannah. Is there any chance I could drop in for a bit? Maybe this evening if that’s not too short notice.’
‘Of course. Come after work. You can share our chicken stir fry, if that’s an inducement. And don’t worry, I won’t say anything except that you’re dropping in.’
One more call to make. She looked through her phone book and found Edward Treglown’s work number. She slightly dreaded phoning, since they’d fixed the date almost two weeks before. The switchboard put her through to a secretary, who was frosty when Liz asked for Edward -‘Will he know what it’s about?’ had to be Liz’s least favourite telephone response.
But Edward came on straight away, sounding cheerful. ‘Hello, Liz. Your mother and I are both looking forward to this evening.’
‘Oh Edward,’ she said with undisguised regret, ‘that’s exactly why I’m ringing. I can’t make it. Something’s come up at work, and I have to see someone.’
The pause was almost imperceptible, and she thanked him mentally for the way he reacted. ‘Doesn’t matter. We’ll find another time. But listen, help me with something. If you can’t come, I’d like to do something special for your mother. She’ll be so disappointed not to see you. Have you any ideas?’
She had a sudden inspiration. ‘Why don’t you take her up in the Eye? There’s a special deal where they give you champagne.’
‘That sounds like the voice of experience,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘Splendid idea. Just sorry you can’t join us. Ring soon and we’ll make another plan.’
Hannah seemed excited, drinking white wine and munching prawn crackers she took in handfuls from a large bowl on the kitchen table. Sophie had disappeared momentarily to put little Zack to bed – the baby was already asleep.
‘I was just telling Sophie before you came that I’ve had the most wonderful news. I’ve been asked to go to the peace conference, as part of the peace delegation.’ Her eyes lit up.
‘That’s great. I didn’t know there was to be a peace delegation. So you’re going to Gleneagles?’
Hannah nodded. ‘I’ve even got a place to stay. Some B and B in Auchterarder.’ She laughed. ‘Did I pronounce it right?’
‘I think so,’ said Liz, with a smile. ‘To the Scots I’m as foreign as you.’
‘Obviously, from the Israeli government point of view it’s all just a PR exercise. They’ve invited a small group of Jewish peace activists to meet the Israeli delegation before the main conference starts. But if they think we’re just
