our standards that’s not a very high striking rate,’ Audley replied. ‘But don’t worry. I’ll check out the Cypriots its well as the Wogs.’
‘When you do, Dr. Audley,’ Yeatman said, ‘you might make a special effort in the case of your friend Colonel Shapiro.’
Now at last, thought Roskill, they were coming down on the target area. Shapiro was Audley’s special Israeli buddy: he had been at Audley’s wedding, and at Cambridge with Audley years before. And though the man seemed rather comical, his was top grade military intelligence and hard as nails, blooded in ‘56 and ‘67.
‘And what has Shapiro been doing?’
‘He left town, as the Americans would say, in a sudden cloud of dust the morning of the day Llewelyn’s car was stolen. Instead of having lunch with you, Dr. Audley – your regular Wednesday lunch, I believe – ‘
Audley blinked unhappily.
‘ – he plunged into rural Sussex and lunched with another friend at Lewes.’
‘And then, apparently, he drove cross-country,’ Llewelyn took up the story, dead-pan, ‘to dine at All Souls, four places away from me.’
Roskill strove agonisingly to listen and to think at the same time. Lewes was – what – maybe ten minutes’ drive from East Firle?
‘One of those little coincidences which make life interesting,’ continued Llewelyn. ‘In the terms of personal alibis. Colonel Shapiro has what might be called a watertight one. I can testify that he didn’t lay a finger on my car. But in any accessory role, or as a mastermind, I’m afraid he’s guilty until you can prove him innocent. It does rather look as though he put the finger on me, if that’s the correct term. Don’t you agree?’
They had ambushed Audley neatly and cruelly. But with Shapiro as their No. 1 prospect, it was no wonder they’d wanted him above everyone else.
‘As a matter of fact, I don’t agree at all. Jake Shapiro would never set up anything so crude. And since Americanisms are de rigeur this morning, I’d say it’s much more likely that he’s been framed.’
Audley spoke calmly, his composure quickly restored. ‘Besides, he’d be even less likely to miss you than Eleazor’s sons – if he wanted you dead you’d be dead. The only surprising thing is that he’s in this position.’
He turned from Llewelyn back to Yeatman. ‘And since you’re so well posted on comings and goings, where were all the other possible suspects? The Fatah man, for instance – I don’t even know who the current top man here is now – did he leave town? And the P.F.L.P. man? And that new Egyptian who’s got Howeidi’s job – what’s his name? – Razzak? He’s new in town.’
It was Yeatman’s turn to look put out, but it was Stocker who answered.
‘You can count Razzak out – unless leaving town on Wednesday according to plan is suspicious circumstance in itself, that is. I happen to know that he went to Paris to see their ambassador. He asked me on Monday which was the best early boat train.’
A premonition rose in Roskill’s mind like a telltale wisp of smoke from a haystack, catching him unaware.
‘Boat train?’ he echoed.
Stocker looked at him sardonically. ‘Unlike you, Squadron Leader, there are people who are not enamoured with flying.’ (How little they knew!) ‘Colonel Razzak only flies when he has to, it would seem, and in this instance he was in no hurry.’
‘We’ll check it out all the same.’ Audley hadn’t missed it either, evidently. ‘Dover-Calais, I take it?’
‘Newhaven-Dieppe as a matter of fact. A longer sea trip but a less depressing journey, I’m told.’
Roskill stared stupidly at his knee, not trusting himself to look anyone in the eye. If Lewes was in easy driving distance of East Firle, Newhaven was almost within easy walking distance. Razzak and Shapiro were like two bearings on a map: their point of intersection in time and space could have turned that peaceful stretch of downland into a place of danger. The
‘When you do, Dr. Audley,’ Yeatman said, ‘you might make a special effort in the case of your friend Colonel Shapiro.’
Now at last, thought Roskill, they were coming down on the target area. Shapiro was Audley’s special Israeli buddy: he had been at Audley’s wedding, and at Cambridge with Audley years before. And though the man seemed rather comical, his was top grade military intelligence and hard as nails, blooded in ‘56 and ‘67.
‘And what has Shapiro been doing?’
‘He left town, as the Americans would say, in a sudden cloud of dust the morning of the day Llewelyn’s car was stolen. Instead of having lunch with you, Dr. Audley – your regular Wednesday lunch, I believe – ‘
Audley blinked unhappily.
‘ – he plunged into rural Sussex and lunched with another friend at Lewes.’
‘And then, apparently, he drove cross-country,’ Llewelyn took up the story, dead-pan, ‘to dine at All Souls, four places away from me.’
Roskill strove agonisingly to listen and to think at the same time. Lewes was – what – maybe ten minutes’ drive from East Firle?
‘One of those little coincidences which make life interesting,’ continued Llewelyn. ‘In the terms of personal alibis. Colonel Shapiro has what might be called a watertight one. I can testify that he didn’t lay a finger on my car. But in any accessory role, or as a mastermind, I’m afraid he’s guilty until you can prove him innocent. It does rather look as though he put the finger on me, if that’s the correct term. Don’t you agree?’
They had ambushed Audley neatly and cruelly. But with Shapiro as their No. 1 prospect, it was no wonder they’d wanted him above everyone else.
‘As a matter of fact, I don’t agree at all. Jake Shapiro would never set up anything so crude. And since Americanisms are de rigeur this morning, I’d say it’s much more likely that he’s been framed.’
Audley spoke calmly, his composure quickly restored. ‘Besides, he’d be even less likely to miss you than Eleazor’s sons – if he wanted you dead you’d be dead. The only surprising thing is that he’s in this position.’
He turned from Llewelyn back to Yeatman. ‘And since you’re so well posted on comings and goings, where were all the other possible suspects? The Fatah man, for instance – I don’t even know who the current top man here is now – did he leave town? And the P.F.L.P. man? And that new Egyptian who’s got Howeidi’s job – what’s his name? – Razzak? He’s new in town.’
It was Yeatman’s turn to look put out, but it was Stocker who answered.
‘You can count Razzak out – unless leaving town on Wednesday according to plan is suspicious circumstance in itself, that is. I happen to know that he went to Paris to see their ambassador. He asked me on Monday which was the best early boat train.’
A premonition rose in Roskill’s mind like a telltale wisp of smoke from a haystack, catching him unaware.
‘Boat train?’ he echoed.
Stocker looked at him sardonically. ‘Unlike you, Squadron Leader, there are people who are not enamoured with flying.’ (How little they knew!) ‘Colonel Razzak only flies when he has to, it would seem, and in this instance he was in no hurry.’
‘We’ll check it out all the same.’ Audley hadn’t missed it either, evidently. ‘Dover-Calais, I take it?’
‘Newhaven-Dieppe as a matter of fact. A longer sea trip but a less depressing journey, I’m told.’
Roskill stared stupidly at his knee, not trusting himself to look anyone in the eye. If Lewes was in easy driving distance of East Firle, Newhaven was almost within easy walking distance. Razzak and Shapiro were like two bearings on a map: their point of intersection in time and space could have turned that peaceful stretch of downland into a place of danger. The
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