'She did. She was either being fey, like you, or getting on to me about something or other.'

'What?' Annemarie said.

'How can one remember one instance out of so many? However. The FFF promise to entertain us at two o'clock this afternoon. Same place on the North Holland ca.n.a.l north of Alkmaar as promised this morning - they say the mines have been planted since yesterday, that they elected not to fire them and defy us to find them - and also the Hagestein sluice.' 'The what?' Julie said.

'A sluice. Technically, I believe, a regulable weir. Concrete structure to control the flow of water. South of Utrecht, on the lower Rhine. They may attack one or the other, they say, or both, or neither. The old uncertainty principle. Well, time to dress for my appointment.'

He squeezed his sister's shoulders, kissed her, did the same to an astonished Annemarie, said: 'Someone has to uphold the law,' and left. Julie looked at the closed door and shook her head. 'There are times, I feel, when someone should pa.s.s a law against him.'

Van Effen, attired as he had been for his visit the previous afternoon, parked his car - not the Peugeot - in a side street three blocks away from the Hunter's Horn and made his way to the back entrance of the restaurant. As the Hunter's Horn was situated in a far from salubrious area this door was kept permanently locked. Van Effen had the key. He entered, pa.s.sed into the semi-darkness of the pa.s.sageway beyond and had just relocked the door when something hard jabbed with painful force into the small of his back.

'Don't move.'

Van Effen didn't move. He said: 'Who is it?'

'Police.'

'You have a name?'

'Raise your hands.' A torch flicked on behind him. 'Jan, see if he has a gun.'

Hands fumbled at his jacket and he felt his shoulder holstered gun being removed. Van Effen said: 'So. My hands are up. My gun is gone. May I turn round?'

'Very well.' Van Effen turned. 'Is that the way, Sergeant Koenis, to teach your men to search for weapons?' He lowered his hands and hitched up his trousers. There was an ankle holster, each with its Lilliput, attached to each leg. 'Put on the overhead light.' The light came on. The man with the gun said: 'Good G.o.d. Lieutenant van Effen. Sorry about that, sir.'

'Just as long as you didn't shoot me full of holes, Sergeant. Nothing to be sorry for. Semi-dark, and, with my back to you, my trademarks, scar and black glove, weren't visible. And, of course, you weren't expecting me to enter this way. I'm just glad to see that you and your men are so on the alert.'

'I didn't even recognize your voice.'

'Cheek padding. I must admit it does alter the voice somewhat. How many men do you have here, Sergeant?'

'Five, sir. Two with machine pistols.'

'And in the street outside?'

'Another five. Behind first-floor windows. Another two machine pistols.' 'Very gratifying. To see that the Colonel places so high a value on his Lieutenant.' He turned to the young policeman who field the gun in his hand. 'Do you think I could have my property back?' 'Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. Of course.' The policeman was highly embarra.s.sed. 'I won't make that mistake again.'

'I know you won't. Go and ask Henri if he'll come here -Henri's the sad-looking man behind the bar.'

When Henri appeared, lugubrious as ever, he said: 'I hear you've been held at gunpoint, Peter. Must have been a rather unusual experience for you. My fault. I forgot to tell the Sergeant that you had your own key. Never expected you to come that way.'

'No harm. Customers. How many?'

'Three only. And, yes, they're regulars. Any more come in when you and your visitors are talking and I'll keep them well away. No one will be able to hear a word you say.'

, Except you, of course.'

Henri almost smiled. 'Except me. The gentleman who was here said they wouldn't find the microphone even they looked for it. He asked me if I could find it and I couldn't. Not in my own bar. He said he thought it was highly unlikely that they would look anyway.'

'I think so too. Switch on the recorder in the office as soon as they come through the door. I shall be off now and make a respectable entrance through the front door. They've probably got someone watching.'

Van Effen was sitting in the booth nearest the door when the three men entered, Agnelli in the lead. Van Effen stood and shook hands with Agnelli, who seemed no less genial and friendly than he had on the previous occasion.

'Very pleased to meet you again, Mr Danilov,' Agnelli said. 'Helmut, of course, you know. 'Paderiwski didn't offer to shake hands. 'And this is my brother, Leonardo.'

Leonardo Agnelli did offer to shake hands. Hc bore no resemblance to his brother. He was short, squat and had black beetling brows. The brows in themselves meant nothing, he'd just been born that way: in his own ugly way he seemed just as harmless as his brother, which again, of course, meant nothing. Introductions over, van Effen sat down. Agnelli and the other two men remained standing.

Agnelli said: 'This is your favourite booth, Mr Danilov? Van Effen looked slightly puzzled. 'I don't have a favourite booth. This is - well, it's just the one furthest away from the rest of the customers. I thought you might appreciate the privacy.' 'We do, we do. But would you mind if we went to another?' Van Effen gave them some more of the same puzzled frown. 'Not at ail. But I think I'm ent.i.tled to know why. Stop! I have it. The concealed microphone. A splendid basis for mutual trust.' He appeared to think briefly. 'Might have done the same myself.'

'You're an explosives expert.' Agnelli sounded apologetic. 'Such people usually - always, I believe - have a considerable knowledge of electronics.'

Van Effen smiled, stood, moved out into the aisle and waved a hand toward the empty booth. 'A thousand guilders to the first man to find the concealed microphone which I've just spent hours installing under the fascinated gaze of the proprietor and his customers. A thousand guilders for a few seconds' work. I have a generous nature.' Agnelli laughed. 'In that case, I don't think we need bother to move.' He sat and gestured that the other two should do the same. 'Not joining us, Mr Danilov?

'When I'm talking I -'

'Of course. I think we'll all have beer.'

Van Effen ordered, sat and said: 'Well, gentlemen, to the point.' 'Certainly.' Agnelli smiled. 'That's the way I prefer it. We have reported to our leader and he seems to approve our choice.' 'I had hoped to see him here this morning.,

'You'll see him tonight. At the Dam Square. The royal palace, to be precise, part of which, with your expert a.s.sistance, we intend to blow up tonight.'

'What!' Van Effen spilled some of the beer which he had just picked up. 'The royal palace! You did say the royal palace?'

'I did.'

'You're mad. You're quite mad.' Van Effen spoke with simple conviction.

'We don't think so. Nor are we joking. Will you do it?' 'I'll be d.a.m.ned if I will.'

Agnelli smiled his easy smile. 'You have been overcome by a bout of righteousness? A law-abiding upholder of justice and the straight and narrow path?'

'None of those things, I must admit. But you must understand that although I operate mainly outside the law and have a past that wouldn't bear rigorous examination, in fact, any kind of examination, I'm a pretty normal citizen in most ways. I've come to like the Dutch, and, although I don't know them from Adam, I've come to respect, even admire, their royal family.'

'Your sentiments do you credit, Mr Danilov. Believe me, I share them. But I hardly think those are your real reasons for refusing. You said yesterday afternoon that you would not become involved in any operation where there might arise even the danger of risk to limb, far less to life. Is that not so?' Van Effen nodded. 'I a.s.sure you no such risk will arise tonight.'

'Then you just want to cause a harmless explosion inside the palace-' 'Precisely.'

'And why in heaven's name should you want to cause a harmless explosion inside the palace?'

'You are not to concern yourself with that. It is, as you may well guess, a purely psychological gesture.'

'How am I to know it will be harmless?'

'You'll be able to satisfy yourself on this score when you get there. The explosion will take place inside an empty cellar. There are empty cellars on either side of it. All four doors are lockable and we will remove the keys after they have been locked. There are also empty cellars above. There is absolutely no danger to anyone involved.' 'There's danger to us. The palace is heavily guarded. Word has it that the guards are likely to ask questions of an intruder after they've shot him dead. My aversion to people getting killed includes myself.' 'Please, Mr Danilov. We are not simple-minded. Do I look like a person who would embark upon an operation like this without every detail being meticulously planned in detail beforehand?'

'I'll grant that. You don't.'

'Then you may rest a.s.sured that we will encounter no trouble. As an additional a.s.surance, both our leader and I will be there with you. We have no more ambition to end up in durance vile than you have.' 'Maybe your records are not so unblemished either.' 'Unblemished or not, it would go hard with anyone caught with explosives within the precincts of the palace.'