'Don't forget my Browning automatic - and plenty of ammo,' said Paula.

'The lady will be equipped with her favourite weapon,' Marler promised.

'I should have thought of that myself,' Tweed admitted, but I have a lot on my mind. This evening I have dinner with Jefferson Morgenstern.'

'You'll tell him where we're going?' Newman teased. 'Of course not. Don't be so silly.'

Paula narrowed her eyes, then looked away. It was very rare for Tweed to have a flash of temper. Something must be putting him under immense pressure. Her mind flooded with doubts about him again.

'I was joking,' Newman said mildly.

'Sorry. I should have realized that,' Tweed said with feeling.

The phone rang. Monica answered, asked the caller to hold for a moment. She looked at Marler, her hand shutting off the mouthpiece.

'It's for you. Your girl friend, Denise Chatel.'

Tweed stood up, told Marler to take the call on his phone. As he picked it up, Marler noticed everyone else in the room was suddenly interested in what was going on outside the window, which amused him. Was this their idea of giving him privacy?

'h.e.l.lo, Denise. Alec here. How is the desirable brunette?'

'All right. And thank you. I'm calling on my special line from my flat. Have you heard anything yet about Virginia?'

'Not yet. It may take a day or two. As soon as I have something you'll hear from me.'

'I'm afraid I won't. Which is why I'm phoning you. Sharon told me at lunchtime that we're flying to Basel in Switzerland today. Well be staying at a hotel called the Three Kings. I'll call you as soon as I get back - although I don't know when that will be.'

'Did she give any reason for this sudden decision?' 'Not even a hint. But she works like that. I have to go. Take care of yourself.'

'You do the same. And don't mention the Virginia business to anyone.'

'I promise.'

Tweed returned to his desk. Marler walked over to the wall near Paula, leant against it. He took his time about lighting up a king-size. No one asked why Denise had phoned but Tweed sat looking at him.

'Denise is going abroad today,' Marler eventually announced. 'With Sharon.'

'So I can forget my date,' Newman commented. 'They are both flying to Switzerland today,' Marler went on. 'Specifically, to Basel. They're staying at the Three Kings Hotel.'

'Which is where we'll be staying from tomorrow,' Tweed told everyone. 'Another coincidence? Probably. It is not only the oldest hotel in Basel, it's also the best.'

'So I may see Sharon.again soon,' Newman said more cheerfully.

'Bob.' Tweed smiled. 'I foresee great activity in Basel. You won't have to much time to pursue your personal affairs.'

'You couldn't care to spell that last word?' Newman joked back.

'I wouldn't like to embarra.s.s you.' Tweed smiled again. 'In fact, the closer you get to Sharon the more pleased I'll be. She's a beautiful lady-- and men talk to lovely women. She may have heard something we need to know. If she has, sooner or later she may let something slip when you're together.'

The phone rang. After answering, Monica again looked at Marler.

'It's for you. Cord Dillon...'

Tweed again ushered Marler into his chair. He wandered over to the window, staring into the distance. Outside sleet was falling. Moving cars had their wipers going full blast.

'Marler here, Cord.'

'We may be on to something big, reaching right up to Washington. I found Jim Briscoe's phone number. Told him who I was, what my job was, omitting to say I don't hold the post any more. He'd had a few drinks, but his brain was ticking over. He's bitter as all h.e.l.l. He has no doubt at all Chatel and his wife were murdered. A heavy truck or some other vehicle slammed them over the edge down into that gorge. He called in the FBI, wrote a report. Next thing he knows, he's been replaced by a new sheriff, retired on full pension. His report was shredded.'

'This is pretty sensational...'

'There's a bit more. A few weeks after his forced retirement Briscoe was drinking with a young deputy brought in at the same time as the new sheriff. The boy got talkative when Briscoe mentioned the Chatel case. His boss had told him the case was closed for ever - that if it was ever reopened someone back in Washington called Charlie would see they both disappeared for good. It stinks of a huge cover-up. Guess that's all I have to give you.'

'It's more than enough, Cord. I'm very grateful. You've been very quick.'

'You've got a job to do, d.a.m.ned well do it.'

The connection was broken without another word. Marler relaxed in Tweed's chair, recalled out aloud everything Dillon had said. As he went on, Tweed perched on the corner of his own desk, arms folded, his eyes fixed on Marler's. Eventually Marler spread both his hands.

'You've got the lot.'

'Charlie again,' Tweed said in a-quiet voice. 'I know you're doing your best, Monica, but at the earliest possible moment we must identify Charlie.'

17.

Halfway through dinner in a magnificently furnished room, full of antiques, Jefferson Morgenstern brought up the subject. Earlier he and Tweed had had drinks in a smaller room and the American Secretary of State had chatted about their previous meeting in Washington.

Morgenstern was about five feet eight tall, in his fifties. He was clean-shaven with greying hair, plump cheeked, had a longish face and a prominent nose and wore rimless gla.s.ses. His personality radiated self- confidence without arrogance and he spoke at speed in a deep voice. His mind moved like quicksilver and Tweed considered him one of the most intelligent men he had ever met.

He had the reputation of liking the company of beautiful women, providing they were also intelligent. His expressions were mobile - sometimes grave and on other occasions amiable. He was known internationally as a man who could charm the birds out of the trees and his diplomatic skills were awesome. Despite his long sojourn in the States he was far more European than American. His energy was legendary.

'You know, Tweed,' he began, 'today the world is changing, and to survive we must change with it.'

'Jefferson, what sort of changes had you in mind?'

Tweed finished his fourth gla.s.s of wine and out of nowhere an attentive waiter appeared and refilled his gla.s.s, then vanished. On the wine front Tweed was keeping up with his host. He had an unusual metabolism. He would drink hardly anything for months, then, when the occasion required it, could consume a large quant.i.ty without it in any way affecting his brain.

'For one thing,' Morgenstern continued, 'I believe we have to considerably strengthen the special relationship between our two countries. In every field - economically, socially and politically '

'Why?'

'You haven't changed. You never hesitate to ask the leading question. Which is one of the many things I like about you. That and your global outlook.'

'So why?' Tweed repeated.

'From Washington's point of view - and the world's - we are the great superpower. Between us, I believe we have peaked. In the Pacific we face China. China is steadily building itself up into a monster.

'So why,' Tweed interjected, 'is your President supplying the Chinese with advanced technology which will help them to build up a vast war machine?'

'At times he runs away with himself. But what he has done also serves' the purpose of lulling the Chinese. Between us, we now have far more advanced technology in the missile fields than what we have given them. But China has a population of over a billion people. We have only approximately two hundred and sixty million. In a clash China could lose fifty million and think nothing of it. If that happens to the States it would be devastating.'

'I take your point...'

'When we look east we see Europe losing all its strength with their crazy idea of merging countries - nations, Tweed, all with different languages, histories, ways of life. Madness. History shows us the Austro- Hungarian Empire, also a hotch-potch of nations with different cultures, collapsed after the First World War. Yugoslavia, another mixture of nations who detested each other, was held together by t.i.to for a time. t.i.to dies. Yugoslavia, as a similar federation to the one proposed for Europe, collapses in a bloodbath. The Soviet Empire is another example of different nationalities which broke down into chaos. You see why Washington is so worried about Europe.'

'You've made a powerful case.'

The waiter appeared to fill their gla.s.ses. Morgenstern looked up, smiled.

'Thank you, but I will attend to the wine. We want to be alone. I'll press the bell when we need help.'

'I think you're leading up to something, Jefferson,' Tweed remarked.

'Then, beyond Europe, there are more menaces. Militant Islam is on the upsurge. Turkey, which could fall to Islam, will soon have a population of a hundred and fifty million. Germany, the largest nation in Europe, has eighty million. It only needs a brilliant Muslim general to do a Mohammed. To sweep across Europe. Based in an occupied Britain, their missiles could annihilate the East Coast of the States - while the Chinese did the same thing to our West Coast. You agree it is possible? This dessert isn't bad.'

'It's the best I've eaten in years,' Tweed said.

'Then Iran is building nuclear bombs, has ballistic missile systems. Allied to Turkey, with Iran's huge population, nothing could stand in their way.'

'They sound pretty worried in Washington,' Tweed observed.

'With good reason, as I'm explaining. Britain, for a thousand years the bulwark against tyranny from Europe, is enfeebled in a military sense.- It wasn't necessary. You have no army to speak of, a skeleton of an air force, a ghost of a navy. Yet not so long ago you were the main factor in destroying Hitler. How are the mighty fallen.'

'I find it difficult to argue against what you have said.'

'Why don't we adjourn to the smaller room for coffee and liqueurs?'

'Good idea.'

The 'smaller' room was also large, s.p.a.cious and luxuriously furnished. They sat facing each other, on two couches, with a coffee table between them. Morgenstern's blue eyes were gleaming with vitality.

'With all these terrible forces soon to be so powerful,' Morgenstern continued, 'we have to adjust, adapt, be revolutionary.'

'I sense we're approaching the reason why you invited me to have dinner,' Tweed said, then sipped his Cointreau.

'You are a very intuitive man. I noticed that rare quality when we met in Washington.'

'Why didn't you ask Howard to meet you?' Tweed enquired.

Tweed was making no attempt to pretend to be running an insurance outfit. Morgenstern would know he was Deputy Director of the SIS, that Howard was Director.

'Howard is a nice man.' Morgenstern paused for the first time, choosing his words carefully. 'But he hasn't a fraction of your global outlook. We regard you as a key figure in the new system.'

'What new system are you referring to, Jefferson?'

'I said earlier we have to be revolutionary.' Morgenstern leaned forward. 'Britain and America have to merge in a new and much stronger relationship. That is why we are talking tonight.'

'Merge?'

'As I said earlier, economically, socially and politically.'

'Before, you go any further I'd like to ask a few questions. I imagine you saw the TV pictures of the outrage in Oxford Street after the bomb detonated?'

'I did. I was appalled. Such savagery.'

'I think some of your people planted that bomb.'

'You think what what?' Morgenstern sat back, appeared to be visibly shaken. 'You can't mean that, Tweed. It's crazy. I find it hard to believe I heard what you just said. We don't do things like that. Why would we, for G.o.d's sake?'

Tweed had been watching his host closely. He had a lot of experience in detecting when people were lying. He could have sworn Morgenstern believed what he had just said. He pressed on.

'We have evidence that a huge number of the worst American thugs - gangsters - have arrived in this country by devious routes recently.' He opened the executive case which he had brought with him, took the batch of prints from the envelope, spread them on the coffee table. 'These are the men I'm talking about.'

'They must be members of the Medellin drug cartel - or maybe the Mafia,' Morgenstern said as he looked at' the prints. 'I can only a.s.sume someone has fed you with disinformation.'

'You've seen any of those men inside the Emba.s.sy at Grosvenor Square?'

'Heavens no! I most certainly haven't.'

'May I ask, do you know everyone who works at the Emba.s.sy?'

'Absolutely not. Why should I? My role is running foreign policy. I have a suite of offices on the second floor. And I always enter the Emba.s.sy by a side door - to avoid the press photographers.'

Second floor? Then Tweed remembered that in America the ground floor is called the first floor. So when he had seen the back of Morgenstern with two bodyguards at the time of his visit to Sharon Mandeville, on the first floor, the Americans would refer to that as the second floor. Which linked up with what Morgenstern was telling him. Again he had no doubt that his host was speaking the truth.

'You know Sharon Mandeville?' Tweed persisted.

'Yes I do. She has an office on the same floor as my suite. I don't know what her role is, but she has close connections with the White House. She's friends with the President's wife. You know something, Tweed? You make a good interrogator.'

'I've no intention of offending you...'

'That's enough.' Morgenstern smiled. 'You are someone who could never offend me. Very occasionally, you might be deceived by someone trying to make bad blood between us, but I make no claim to infallibility.

'Would you like to explain in more detail this merger between our two countries you suggested a few minutes ago?'

'I said merge, not merger.'

'There's a difference?'

'I suppose there isn't. Have you read how when France-was falling to Germany in the Second World War Churchill offered the French dual citizenship? The French would also have British nationality - and vice versa.'

'Yes, I have read about that. The French turned it down.'