Malcolm,' said Ogilvie irritably. He turned to Harrison. 'I don't think we need you any more, Joe.' Harrison's expression managed to mirror simultaneously shock, outrage, curiosity and regret at having to leave. As the door closed behind him Ogilvie said, 'I think a valid point has been made. It's not good for an agent to be emotionally involved. Malcolm, what do you think of Ashton?' 'I like him-what I know of him. He's not an easy man to get to know, but then I haven't had much chance yet; just a couple of weekends' acquaintanceship.' 'A point has been made,' conceded Mr. Nameless. He twinkled at me as though we were suddenly bosom friends. 'And in rather unparliamentary language. But the fact remains that Mr. Jaggard, here, is on the inside. We can't just toss away that advantage.' Ogilvie said smoothly, 'I think that Malcolm will investigate the circumstances around Ashton as soon as it is properly explained to him why he should.' 'As to that,' said Mr. Nameless, 'You mustn't overstep the limits. You know the problem.' 'I think it can be coped with.' Mr.
Nameless stood up. 'Then that's what I'll report.' When he had gone Ogilvie looked at me for a long moment, then shook his head. 'Malcolm, you really can't go about telling high-ranking civil servants to get stuffed.' 'I didn't,' I said reasonably. 'I told him to stuff my record. I didn't even tell him where to stuff it.' 'The trouble about people like you who have private incomes is that it makes you altogether too bloody independent-minded. Now that, while being an asset to the department, as I told his lordship before you came in, can make things difficult for your colleagues.' His lordship! I didn't know if Ogilvie was being facetious or not. He said, 'Will you take things a bit easier in future?' That wasn't asking too much, so I said, 'Of course.' 'Good. How's your father these days?' 'I think he's a bit lonely now that Mother's dead, but he bears up well. He sends you his regards.' He nodded and checked his watch. 'Now you'll lunch with me and tell me everything you know about Ashton.'
CHAPTER SIX We lunched in a private room above a restaurant at which Ogilvie seemed to be well known. He made me begin right from the beginning, from the time I met Penny, and I ended my tale with the abortive checking out of Ashton and my confrontation with Nellie. It took a long time to tell. When I had finished we were over the coffee cups. Ogilvie lit a cigar and said, 'All right; you're supposed to be a trained man. Can you put your finger on anything unusual?' I thought a bit before answering. 'Ashton has a man called Benson. I think there's something peculiar there.' 'Sexually, you mean?' 'Not necessarily. Ashton certainly doesn't strike me as being double-gaited. I mean it's not the normal master-and-servant relationship. When they came back from the hospital last night they were closeted in Ashton's study for an hour and a half, and between them they sank half a bottle of whisky.' 'Um,' said Ogilvie obscurely.
'Anything else?' 'The way he was pressuring me into marrying Penny was bloody strange. I thought at one time he'd bring out the traditional shotgun.' I grinned. 'A Purdy, of course-for formal weddings.' 'You know what I think,' said Ogilvie. 'I think Ashton is scared to death; not on his own behalf but on account of his girls. He seems to think that if he can get your Penny away from him she'll be all right. What do you think?' 'It fits all right,' I said. 'And I don't like one damned bit of it.' 'Poor Ashton. He didn't have the time to polish up a scheme which showed no cracks, and he sprang it on you too baldly.
I'll bet he pulled that Australian job out of thin air.' 'Who is Ashton?' I asked. 'Sorry; I can't tell you that.' Ogilvie blew a plume of smoke. 'I talked very high-handedly to that chap this morning. I told him you'd take on the job as soon as you knew what was involved, but he knew damned well that I can't tell you a thing. That's what he was objecting to in an oblique way.' 'This is bloody silly,' I said.
'Not really. You'll only be doing what you'd be doing anyway, knowing what you know now.' 'Which is?' 'Bodyguarding the girl. Of course, I'll ask you to bodyguard Ashton, too. It's a package deal, you see; one automatically includes the other.' 'And without knowing the reason why?' 'You know the reason why. You'll be guarding Penelope Ashton because you don't want her to get a faceful of sulphuric acid, and that should be reason enough for any tender lover. As for Ashton-well, our friend this morning was right. A commander can't tell his private soldiers his plans when he sends them into battle. He just tells them where to go and they pick up their feet.' 'The analogy is false, and you know it,' I said. 'How can I guard a man if I don't know who or what I'm guarding him against? That's like sending a soldier into battle not only without telling him where the enemy is, but who the enemy is.' 'Well, then,' said Ogilvie tranquilly. 'It looks as though you'll have to do it for the sake of my bright blue eyes.' He had me there and I think he knew it. I had an idea that Mr. Nameless, whoever he was, could be quite formidable and Ogilvie had defused what might have been a nasty situation that morning. I owed him something for it.
Besides, the cunning old devil's eyes were green. 'All right,' I said.
'But it isn't a one-man job.' 'I'm aware of that. Spend this afternoon thinking out your requirements-I want them on my desk early tomorrow morning. Oh, by the way-you don't disclose yourself.' I opened my mouth and then closed it again slowly before I swore at him. Then I said, 'You must be joking. I have to guard a man without telling him I'm guarding him?' 'I'm sure you'll do it very well,' he said suavely, and rang for the waiter. 'Then you'll be astonished at what I'll need,' I said acidly. He nodded, then asked curiously, 'Hasn't it disturbed you that you'll be marrying into a rather mysterious family?' 'It's Penny I'm marrying, not Ashton.' I grinned at him.
'Aren't you disturbed for the same reason?' 'Don't think I'm not,' he said seriously, and left me to make of that what I could.
CHAPTER SEVEN When I got back to the office Larry Godwin looked me up and down critically. 'I was just about to send out a search party.
The griffin is that you've been given a real bollocking. I was just about to go down to the cellar to see if they really do use thumbscrews.' 'Nothing to it,' I said airily. 'I was given the RSPCA medal for being kind to Joe Harrison-that's all.' 'Very funny,' he said acidly, and flapped open a day-old copy of Pravda. 'The only time you'll get a medal is when you come with me when I get my knighthood.'
He watched me putting a few things in a bag. 'Going somewhere?' 'I won't be around for a couple of days or so.' 'Lucky devil. I never get out of this bloody office.' 'You will one day,' I said consolingly.
'You have to go to Buck House to get a knighthood.' I leaned against the desk. 'You really should be in Slav Section. Why did you opt for General Duties?' 'I thought it would be more exciting,' he said, and added sourly, 'I was wrong.' 'With you around, the phrase 'as happy as Larry' takes on an entirely new meaning.' I thought he was going to throw something at me so I ducked out fast. I drove to Marlow and found the police station. My name presented to the desk sergeant got me Honnister in jig time. He shared an office with another inspector and when I indicated a desire for privacy Honnister shrugged and said, 'Oh, well; we can use an interview room. It's not as comfortable as here, though.' 'That's all right.' The other copper closed a file and stood up. 'I'm going, anyway. I don't want to pry into your girlish secrets, Charlie.' He gave me a keen glance as he went out. He'd know me again if he saw me. Honnister sat at his desk and scowled.
'Secretive crowd, your lot.' I grinned. 'I don't see you wearing a copper's uniform.' 'I had one of your blokes on the blower this morning-chap by the name of Harrison-threatening me with the Tower of London and unnameable tortures if I talk about you.' I sat down. 'Joe Harrison is a silly bastard, but he means well.' 'If anyone knows how to keep secrets it's a copper,' said Honnister. 'Especially one in the plainclothes branch. I know enough local secrets to blow Marlow apart.
Your chap ought to know that.' He sounded aggrieved. I cursed Harrison and his ham-fisted approach; if he'd queered my pitch with the local law I'd string him up by the thumbs when I got back. I said, 'Inspector, I told you last night I had no official connection with Ashton. It was true then, but it is no longer true. My people now have a definite interest.' He grunted. 'I know. I've been asked to make an extra copy of all my reports on the Ashton case. As though I don't have enough to do without producing a lot of bloody bumf for people who won't even give me the time of day without consulting the Official Secret s Act.' His resentment was growing. I said quickly, 'Oh, hell; you can forget that nonsense-just as long as I can see your file copies.' 'You got authority for that?' I smiled at him. 'A man has all the authority he can take. I'll carry the can if there's a comeback.'
He stared at me and then his lips curved in amusement. 'You and me will get on all right,' he said. 'What do you want to know?' 'First, how's the girl?' 'We haven't been allowed to talk to her so she must be pretty bad. And I need a description. I don't even know the sex of the assailant.' 'So that means no visitors.' 'None except the family.
Her sister has been at the hospital most of the day.' I said, 'I think I might be able to help you there. Suppose I got Penny to ask Gillian for a description. That would do to be going on with until you can ask her yourself.' He nodded. 'I won't be seeing her until later. Where will you be tonight?' 'Theoretically off duty. But I'll be sinking a couple of pints in the Coach and Horses between nine and ten. I'm meeting someone who might give me a lead on another case. You can ring me there. Doyle, the landlord, knows me.' 'Okay. Now, how have you got on with the acid?' Honnister shrugged. 'About as far as you'd expect.
