“Is this something to do with the Soviet Union?”
“Yes.”
“Are you still involved with them?”
“No way. I hate their guts. And if they knew where I was they’d probably kill me. They don’t like defectors.”
“Can you tell me about it. Just a rough idea of what it’s about.”
“That’s part of the reason I came to see you. You’re the only American I can trust.” He paused. “I can trust you, can’t I?”
“It depends a bit on what it is, Jo-jo. I need some rough idea of what it’s all about before I can make any promise.”
For several moments Serov was silent, and then he said, “The Russian who runs Moscow’s most important espionage network in New York is disillusioned about the men in the Kremlin. I think if it was done in the right way he’d be willing to help us.”
“You mean he’s ready to defect?”
“No. It’s more complicated than that.” He paused as if he were trying to sort out the words. “This is a man who mixes with the top men in the Kremlin. He knows what they’re thinking.”
“I don’t understand, Jo-jo. Would he be on our side or theirs?”
“Both or neither if I guess right about his attitude. All he’s interested in is preventing another war.”
“Unless there’s more to it than you’ve told me I can’t see anyone going for it. It could be a plant. A disinformation operation.”
“If you knew the man you’d know it couldn’t be that. I’ve known him since we were young men in Paris before the war and that’s a long time, Bill.”
“And what if they discovered what he was up to?”
“They’d kill him. They trust him and he’s never given them bad advice. He wouldn’t agree with the description, but he’s an intellectual although he doesn’t see himself in that way.”
“You’re keeping some things back from me, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I feel partly a traitor to him for telling you what I have told you already. I’m certainly not going to reveal enough for him to be identified without knowing what the reaction would be this side. In Washington.”
“I don’t have any idea what their reaction would be. I’m long out of this sort of business. It sounds kind of crazy to me, Jo-jo. I’m sure you mean well but it doesn’t make any sense.”
“I haven’t explained it very well, Bill, it needs talking about with someone right at the top. All I hoped for was that you’d be able to introduce me to someone who was high-up enough in the White House to appreciate what this could mean.”
“Have you even hinted of this to anyone else?”
“No. And if you can’t help I shall forget it.”
“How long can you give me to think about it?”
Serov shook his head. “I guess there’s no time limit but I just feel that if something’s going to be done, now is the time. Before it’s too late.”
“You think it’s that bad?”
“I think there are going to be confrontations where knowing what the other side are thinking could save us making mistakes.”
“If I were to describe this to somebody what should I say that sums it up? Something that makes them take notice.”
Serov was silent for a few moments, looking towards the window, and then he turned to look at Malloy. “Ask him if the President would like to know where the Soviet Union’s next aggressive move against the United States will take place?”
“You think your man knows this?”
“If he doesn’t he could easily find out.”
Malloy looked at his watch and then at Serov.
“Can you stay in New York an extra day?”
“If it will help, yes. I’ll have to phone the office.”
“OK. Let’s do this. Give me until six o’clock and we’ll meet in the bar at the Waldorf, OK?”
“Whatever you say.”
“Whatever happens come and stay at my place tonight.”
“Thank you.” He stood up and Malloy walked with him to the door. “I’m so glad we’ve met up again, Jo-jo. We’ve got a lot of missing pieces to fill in for each other. And let me say it—I’m flattered that you trust me.”
“I do, Bill. I’ve often thought about you.” He smiled. “We didn’t do a bad job together all those years ago.”
Hancox sat listening impassively as if he were listening to the details of some complex fraud case, while Malloy outlined his talk with Serov. When Malloy finished Hancox said quietly, “And why are you telling me this, Bill?”
“I thought with your connections you might be able to advise me on who to talk to about it. Somebody high enough to appreciate the potential of all this.”
“The man Serov. Do you trust him?”
Malloy smiled. “I guess by now I don’t trust anybody entirely. I trust his loyalty. He was tortured and sent to a concentration camp because he wouldn’t talk about our operation. He did wonderful work for me. I’d have been lost without him.”
“So what is it that you don’t trust about him?”
“I suppose I don’t trust any communist.”
“Nothing specific?”
“No.” Malloy smiled. “Just prejudice.”
Hancox pursed his lips. “A popular prejudice, my boy, these days.”
“But if we want inside information it’s not going to come from anyone who isn’t a Commie.”
“But you can be sure that nobody at the top is just going to give the nod to something like this without a lot of checking.”
“Serov isn’t going to tell us who the man is unless he’s satisfied that it will be handled the right way. The man concerned doesn’t even know that Serov is doing this. He hasn’t said that he wants such an operation.”
“The FBI could probably come up with the name of two or three possibles.”
“I don’t think so. The man’s been operating here in New York since before the war. And if anyone made the wrong move he’d just light out in a matter of hours.”
“It sounds like your friend Serov has convinced you.”
“He has. Convinced me that at least we should pursue it further.”
“It means that you want me to talk with someone important about an anonymous man who’s a senior
