Read Online Shall We Tell the President? by Jeffrey Archer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeffrey Archer
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morning. If
anything else arises tonight, you call me here or at home. Don’t hesitate. If
it’s after 11:30, I’ll be home. If you call me on the phone, use a code name -
now let me think - Julius - let’s hope it’s not prophetic, and give me your
number. Make sure you use a pay phone and I’ll call you back immediately. Don’t
bother me before 7:15 til the morning, unless it’s
really important. Have you understood all that?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Right. I think I’ll get back to dinner.’
Mark stood up, ready to leave. The Director
put a hand on his shoulder.
‘Don’t worry, young man. These things
happen from time to time and you made the right decision. You showed a lot of
self-possession in a lousy situation. Now get on with the job.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Mark was relieved that someone else knew
what he was going through; someone else with far biggest shoulders was there to
share it.
On his way back to the FBI office, he
picked up the car microphone. ‘WFO 180 in service. Any word from Mr Stames ?’
‘Nothing yet, WFO 180, but I’ll keep
trying,’
Aspirin was still there when he arrived,
unaware that Mark had just been talking with the Director of the FBI. Aspirin
had met all four directors at cocktail parties, though none of them would have
remembered his name.
‘Emergency over, son?’
‘Yes,’ Mark said, lying. ‘Have we heard
from Stames or Calvert?’ He tried not to sound
anxious.
‘No, must have dropped in somewhere on the
way home. Never you worry. The little sheep will find their way back without
you to hold their tails.’
Mark did worry. He went to his office and
picket up the phone. Polly had still heard nothing. Just a buzz that continued
on Channel One. He called Norma Stames , still no
news. Mrs Stames asked if there might be anything to
worry about.
‘Nothing at all.’ Another lie. Was he
sounding too unconcerned? ‘We just can’t find out which bar he’s ended up in.’
She laughed, but she knew Nick never
frequented bars.
Mark tried Calvert; still no reply from the
bachelor apartment. He knew in his bones something was wrong. He just didn’t
know what. At least the Director was there, and the Director knew everything
now. He glanced at his watch: 11:15. Where had the night gone? And where was it
going? 11:15. What was he supposed to have done tonight? Hell. He had persuaded
a beautiful girl to have dinner with him. Yet again, he picked up the
telephone. At least she would be safely at home, where she ought to be.
‘Hello.’
‘Hello, Elizabeth , it’s Mark Andrews. I’m really
sorry about not making it tonight. Something happenned that got way out of my control.’
The tension in his voice was apparent.
‘Don’t worry,’ she said lightly. ‘You
warned me you were unreliable.’
‘I hope you’ll let me take a raincheck . Hopefully, in the morning, I can sort things
out. I’ll probably see you then.’
‘In the morning?’ she said. ‘If you’re
thinking of the hospital, I’m off duty tomorrow.’
Mark hesitated, thinking quickly of what he
could prudently say. ‘Well, that may be best. I am afraid it’s not good news. Casefikis and the other man in his room were brutally
murdered tonight. The Met is following it up, but we have nothing to go on.’
‘Murdered? Both of them? Why? Who? Casefikis wasn’t killed without reason, was he?’ The words
came out in a torrent. ‘What’s going on, for heaven’s sake? No, don’t answer
that. You wouldn’t tell me the truth in any case.’
‘I wouldn’t waste my time lying to you,
Elizabeth. Look, I’ve had it for tonight, and I owe you a big steak for messing
up your evening. Can I call you some time soon?’
‘I’d like that. Murder isn’t food for the
appetite though. I hope you catch the men responsible. We see the results of a
great deal of violence at Woodrow Wilson, but it isn’t usually inflicted within
our walls.’
‘I know. I’m sorry it involves you. Good
night, Elizabeth
anything else arises tonight, you call me here or at home. Don’t hesitate. If
it’s after 11:30, I’ll be home. If you call me on the phone, use a code name -
now let me think - Julius - let’s hope it’s not prophetic, and give me your
number. Make sure you use a pay phone and I’ll call you back immediately. Don’t
bother me before 7:15 til the morning, unless it’s
really important. Have you understood all that?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Right. I think I’ll get back to dinner.’
Mark stood up, ready to leave. The Director
put a hand on his shoulder.
‘Don’t worry, young man. These things
happen from time to time and you made the right decision. You showed a lot of
self-possession in a lousy situation. Now get on with the job.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Mark was relieved that someone else knew
what he was going through; someone else with far biggest shoulders was there to
share it.
On his way back to the FBI office, he
picked up the car microphone. ‘WFO 180 in service. Any word from Mr Stames ?’
‘Nothing yet, WFO 180, but I’ll keep
trying,’
Aspirin was still there when he arrived,
unaware that Mark had just been talking with the Director of the FBI. Aspirin
had met all four directors at cocktail parties, though none of them would have
remembered his name.
‘Emergency over, son?’
‘Yes,’ Mark said, lying. ‘Have we heard
from Stames or Calvert?’ He tried not to sound
anxious.
‘No, must have dropped in somewhere on the
way home. Never you worry. The little sheep will find their way back without
you to hold their tails.’
Mark did worry. He went to his office and
picket up the phone. Polly had still heard nothing. Just a buzz that continued
on Channel One. He called Norma Stames , still no
news. Mrs Stames asked if there might be anything to
worry about.
‘Nothing at all.’ Another lie. Was he
sounding too unconcerned? ‘We just can’t find out which bar he’s ended up in.’
She laughed, but she knew Nick never
frequented bars.
Mark tried Calvert; still no reply from the
bachelor apartment. He knew in his bones something was wrong. He just didn’t
know what. At least the Director was there, and the Director knew everything
now. He glanced at his watch: 11:15. Where had the night gone? And where was it
going? 11:15. What was he supposed to have done tonight? Hell. He had persuaded
a beautiful girl to have dinner with him. Yet again, he picked up the
telephone. At least she would be safely at home, where she ought to be.
‘Hello.’
‘Hello, Elizabeth , it’s Mark Andrews. I’m really
sorry about not making it tonight. Something happenned that got way out of my control.’
The tension in his voice was apparent.
‘Don’t worry,’ she said lightly. ‘You
warned me you were unreliable.’
‘I hope you’ll let me take a raincheck . Hopefully, in the morning, I can sort things
out. I’ll probably see you then.’
‘In the morning?’ she said. ‘If you’re
thinking of the hospital, I’m off duty tomorrow.’
Mark hesitated, thinking quickly of what he
could prudently say. ‘Well, that may be best. I am afraid it’s not good news. Casefikis and the other man in his room were brutally
murdered tonight. The Met is following it up, but we have nothing to go on.’
‘Murdered? Both of them? Why? Who? Casefikis wasn’t killed without reason, was he?’ The words
came out in a torrent. ‘What’s going on, for heaven’s sake? No, don’t answer
that. You wouldn’t tell me the truth in any case.’
‘I wouldn’t waste my time lying to you,
Elizabeth. Look, I’ve had it for tonight, and I owe you a big steak for messing
up your evening. Can I call you some time soon?’
‘I’d like that. Murder isn’t food for the
appetite though. I hope you catch the men responsible. We see the results of a
great deal of violence at Woodrow Wilson, but it isn’t usually inflicted within
our walls.’
‘I know. I’m sorry it involves you. Good
night, Elizabeth
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