‘I know. Mr Ashton’s not in?’
‘No, he’s out, too.’
‘What about Benson?’
‘I haven’t seen him all morning.’
I said, ‘Mind if we come in? I’d like to use the telephone.’
In response she opened the door wider. Larry and I walked into the hall, and I said, ‘You’re Mary Cope, aren’t you?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Have you seen either Mr Ashton or Benson at all today?’
‘No, sir.’
‘When was the last time you saw them?’
‘Well, not really to see,’ she said. ‘But they were in the study last night; I heard them talking. That would be about nine o’clock. Just before, really, because I was going up to my room to catch the nine o’clock news and I switched on five minutes early.’ She paused, wondering if she was right in talking of the doings of the family. After all, I hadn’t been around all that long. She said nervously, ‘Is this anything to do with what happened to Miss Gillian?’
‘It could be.’
‘Mr Ashton’s bed wasn’t slept in,’ she volunteered.
I glanced at Larry who raised his eyebrows. ‘What about Benson’s bed?’
‘I haven’t looked—but he always makes up his own bed.’
‘I see. I’ll use the telephone if I may.’
I rang the hospital, asking for Penny, and told the operator she’d be in or near the intensive care unit. It was a long time before she came on the line. ‘I hope you haven’t waited long,’ she said. ‘I slipped away for a cup of tea. Gillian’s much better, Malcolm; she’s talking to Honnister now, and she doesn’t mind a bit.’
I said, ‘Did you tell your father about us last night?’
‘No. He’d gone to bed when I got in.’
‘Did you tell him this morning?’
‘No. I slept late and he’d gone out when I got up. I expect Mary made breakfast for him.’
I didn’t comment on that. ‘When did you last see Benson?’
Her voice was suddenly wary. ‘What’s the matter, Malcolm? What’s going on?’
I said, ‘Look, Penny, I’m at your house. I’d like you to come home because I want to talk to you about something. I expect Honnister will be at the hospital for quite some time, and there’s nothing you can do there.’
‘There’s something wrong, isn’t there?’ she said.
‘Not really. I’ll tell you when I see you.’
‘I’m coming now.’ She rang off.
I put down the receiver and looked around, to see Mary Cope regarding me curiously from the other end of the hall. I jerked my head at Larry and gave him my keys. ‘In the special compartment of my car you’ll find a file on Ashton. There’s a list of the cars he owns—on page five, I think. Nipround to the garage and see what’s missing. Then go down to the gate and ask Willis what time Ashton and Benson left here.’
He went quickly and I walked into Ashton’s study. On his desk were two envelopes; one addressed to Penny and the other to me. I picked up mine and broke the seal.
The note might have been enigmatic to anyone else, but
to me it was as clear as crystal. It read:
My dear Malcolm,
You are far too intelligent a man not to have seen what I was driving at in our more recent conversations. You may be acquainted with the French proverb: Celui qui a trouvé un bon gendre a gagné un fils; mais celui qui en a recontré un mauvais a perdu une fille.
Marry Penny with my blessing and make her happy—but, for her sake, be a bad son-in-law.
Yours,
George Ashton.
I sat down heavily and had a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach because I knew we’d botched the job. I picked up the telephone to ring Ogilivie.
ELEVEN
I didn’t wrap it up for him. ‘Our pigeons have flown the coop,’ I said baldly.
He was incredulous. ‘What! All of them?’
‘Just the two cock birds.’
He was silent for a moment, then said slowly, ‘My fault, I’m afraid. I ought to have given you your team yesterday. How certain are you?’
‘He left me a note.’ I read it out.
Ogilvie put the French into English. ‘“He who has found a good son-in-law has gained a son, but he who has picked up a bad one has lost a daughter.” What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
I said, ‘It may be my fault that he’s cut and run. He tackled me again last evening about marrying Penny, and I gave him another refusal. I think that since he couldn’t get her to cut loose from him, he has cut loose from her. If you read the note in that context you’ll see what I mean.’
‘Um. What was his attitude last evening?’
‘He was a walking disaster,’ I said flatly.
‘How much start have they had?’
I sorted through the details I had picked up, then checked the time. ‘I don’t know about Benson, but for Ashton say fifteen hours maximum. I might get to know a bit more in the next few minutes.’
‘We don’t know that he went,’ said Ogilvie objectively. ‘He might have been taken. That note to you may be a fraud. Either case is serious, of course.’
‘I don’t think he was taken. The note is too accurately pointed, and this house is well protected.’
‘Yes, it would be.’ Ogilvie knew enough of the background to make a statement like that. ‘How’s the girl taking it?’
‘She doesn’t know yet. Ashton left her a note, too. I haven’t opened it—I’ll let her do that. I’ll let you know anything that’s relevant.’
‘Think she’ll tell you?’
‘Yes. It’s a funny thing, sir, but I did ask her to marry me last night and she accepted. She was going to tell Ashton when she got home but she said he’d gone to bed. I think he’d already left. If he’d waited another couple of hours he might have decided not to go.’
‘Yes,’ said Ogilvie meditatively. ‘But don’t blame yourself for that.’ I looked up as Larry came into the study. Ogilvie said, ‘Did you disclose yourself to her?’
‘No.’
There was a pause. ‘You take your duties very seriously, don’t you, Malcolm?’
‘I try to. Hang on a minute.’ I looked up at Larry. ‘Well?’
‘There’s an Aston Martin short, and both Benson and Ashton left last night at about half past nine, and didn’t come back.’
The Aston Martin was Penny’s car. I said to Ogilvie, ‘We’ve got a pretty firm time. They left together at nine-thirty last night, probably in a hired car.’ He seemed to be a long time digesting that, so I said, ‘What’s the next step?’
‘There’s going to be a row, of course,’ he said, not sounding too perturbed. ‘But I’ll handle that. What you do is to go through that house like a dose of salts. See if you can find anything to indicate where Ashton has gone. Anything you don’t understand bring here for evaluation.’
I said, ‘That will blow my cover with Penny. I can’t search the house without giving her an explanation.’
‘I know.’
‘Hold on.’ I turned to Larry. ‘Get on the radio—I want everyone here as soon as possible.’
‘Off-shift boys included?’
‘Yes. And go to the gate to make sure they can get in.’
Before speaking to Ogilvie again I glumly contemplated the explanation I’d have to give Penny. It was a hell of a thing to tell a girl you’ve just proposed to, and I had the feeling that our relationship was about to alter for the worse.
I pushed it out of my mind, and said, ‘Do we bring the police in on this?’
I could almost hear Ogilvie’s brains creaking as he thought that one out. At last he said, ‘Not at this stage. I’ll have to push it upstairs for a ruling. Police security is not too good on this sort of thing—they have too many reporters watching them. How long do you think you’ll be there?’
‘I don’t know. It’s a big house and I can see at least one safe from here. If we can’t find key
s we may have to take extreme measures. I’ll give you a ring in an hour. I’ll have a better idea by then.’
‘I can’t hold this for an hour. If you look towards London in fifteen minutes you’ll see flames rising from Whitehall. Do your best.’ He rang off.
I put down the telephone and looked thoughtfully at the letter addressed to Penny, then crossed to the safe. It had a combination lock and the door didn’t open when I turned the handle. I went back to the desk and gave it a quick once-over lightly in the hope of finding something useful immediately. There was nothing. Five minutes later I heard a car draw up outside and, thinking it might be Penny, I went outside.
It was Peter Michaelis, one of the team. He came over with an enquiring look on his face, and I said, ‘Stick around.’ He had given Larry a lift from the gate, so I called him over. ‘Take Ashton’s file and start ringing around—his office, factories, every address you find in there. If Ashton is seen he’s to ring his home immediately.’ I shrugged. ‘It won’t work but we must cover it.’
‘Okay.’
An Aston Martin was coming up the drive so I braced myself. ‘Use the telephone in the hall. I want to use the study.’
Larry walked towards the house as Penny’s car came to a fast halt, braked hard. She tumbled out, looking uncertainly at Michaelis, then ran towards me. ‘I’m being followed,’ she said, and whirled around, pointing at the car coming up the drive. ‘He followed me into the grounds.’
‘It’s all right,’ I said, as Brent’s car stopped. ‘I know who he is.’
‘What’s happening?’ she demanded. ‘Who are these men?’ Her voice caught. ‘What’s happened to Daddy?’
‘As far as I know he’s all right.’ I took her elbow. ‘I want you to come with me.’
I took her into the house and she paused in the hall as she saw Larry at the telephone, then quickened her pace again. We went into the study and I picked up the letter from the desk. ‘You’d better read this.’
She looked at me uncertainly before glancing at the superscription. ‘It’s from Daddy,’ she said, and ripped open the envelope. As she read the note she frowned and her face paled. ‘But I don’t…I don’t understand. I don’t…’
‘What does he say?’
Wordlessly she handed the letter to me, then walked over to the window and looked out. I watched her for a moment, then bent my head and read:
My dearest Penny,
For reasons I cannot disclose I must go away for a while. The reasons are not disreputable, nor am I a criminal, although that imputation may be made. My affairs are all in order and my absence should not cause you any trouble financially. I have made all the necessary arrangements: for legal advice consult Mr Veasey of Michelmore, Veasey and Templeton; for financial advice go to Mr Howard of Howard and Page. They have been well briefed for this eventuality.
I do not know for how long I shall have to be away. You will be doing me a great service if you make no attempt at all to find me and, above all, I do not wish the police to be brought into this matter if that can be avoided. I assure you again that my reasons for leaving in this manner are purely private and personal. I will come to no harm because my old friend, Benson, will be looking after me.
It would give me the greatest peace of mind if you would marry your Malcolm as soon as is practically possible. I know that you love him and I know that he wants to marry you very much, and I have a great respect for the intelligence and character of the man you have chosen. Please do not let the matter of poor Gillian impede your plans to marry and, on the occasion, please put a notice in The Times.
I have the greatest confidence that the two of you will be very happy together, and I am equally sure that you will both look after Gillian. Forgive me for the abrupt manner of my departure but it is in the best interests of all of us.
Your loving father,
George.
I looked up. ‘I’m sorry, Penny.’
‘But I don’t understand,’ she cried desolately. ‘Oh, Malcolm, what’s happened to him?’
She came into my arms and I held her close. ‘I don’t know—but we’ll find out.’
She was still for a while, but pushed herself away as two cars arrived in quick succession. She stared from the window at the gathering knot of men. ‘Malcolm, who are all those men? Have you told the police? Daddy said not to.’
‘No, I haven’t told the police,’ I said quietly. ‘Sit down, Penny; I have a lot to tell you.’ She looked at me wonderingly, and hesitated, but sat in the chair behind the desk. I hesitated, too, not knowing where to begin, then thought it best to give it to her straight and fast.
‘I work for the firm of McCulloch and Ross, and I’ve told no lies about what the firm does. It does everything I’ve said it does, and does it very well, too. Our clients are most satisfied, and they ought to be because of the amount of public money going into their service.’
‘What are you getting at?’
‘McCulloch and Ross is a cover for a sort of discreet government department dealing mainly with economic and industrial affairs in so far as they impinge on state security.’
‘State security! You mean you’re some sort of secret agent. A spy?’
I laughed and held up my hands. ‘Not a spy. We’re not romantic types with double-o numbers and a licence to kill—no nonsense like that.’
‘But you were watching and investigating my father like a common spy.’ Anger flamed in her. ‘And was I just a means to an end? Did you snuggle up to me just to get to know him better?’
I lost the smile fast—this was where the crunch came. ‘Christ, no! I didn’t know a damned thing about him until yesterday, and I don’t know much more now. Believe me when I say it was something I stumbled into by accident.’
She was disbelieving and contemptuous. ‘And just what did you stumble into?’
‘I can’t tell you that because I don’t know myself.’
She shook her head as though momentarily dizzy. ‘That man in the hall—those men outside: are they in your department, too?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then I’d like to talk to the man in charge.’ She stood up. ‘I’d like to tell him just what I think of all this. I knew Daddy was under pressure. Now I know where it was coming from.’
I said deliberately, ‘You’re talking to the man in charge, and you’re dead wrong.’
That stopped her. She sat down with a bump. ‘You are in charge?’
‘That’s right.’
‘And you don’t know what you’re doing?’ she laughed hysterically.
‘I know what I’m doing, but I don’t know why. There’s a hierarchy of levels. Penny—wheels within wheels. Let me tell you how I got into this.’
So I told her. I told her everything, holding nothing back. I told her about Nellie and the colour codes; I told her about Ogilvie and Lord Cregar. I told her a damned sight more than I ought to have done, and to hell with the Official Secrets Act.
She heard me out, then said thoughtfully, ‘Your people aren’t very trusting, are they?’
‘They’re not in the trust business.’ I lit a cigarette. ‘The pressure didn’t come from us, Penny. We threw no acid. We came into it after that, and my brief was to watch over your father and protect him—your father, you and Gillian, and Benson, too, if I thought it necessary.’ I walked over to the window and looked at the cars. The gang had all arrived. ‘I’ve not done a very good job so far.’
‘It’s not your fault that Daddy went away.’ Her words hung heavily in the air, and she seemed to take another look at her father. ‘That he ran away.’
I turned to her. ‘Don’t start blaming him without knowing what you’re blaming him for.’
She said pensively, ‘I wonder if he’d still want me to marry you, if he knew what I know now?’
‘I’ll ask him as soon as I catch up with him,’ I said grimly.
‘You’re not going after him?’ She picked up her letter. ‘He said…’
�
��I know what he said. I also know he’s regarded by my people as a very important man, and he may be going into danger without knowing it. I still have my job to do.’
‘But he doesn’t want…’
I said impatiently, ‘What he wants or doesn’t want is immaterial.’ I plucked the letter from her fingers and scanned it. ‘He says he doesn’t want you to go looking for him. Well, you won’t—I will. He says not to involve the police. Right; they haven’t been told. He says, “I will come to no harm because my old friend, Benson, will be looking after me.” Good God, Penny, how old is Benson? He must be pushing sixty-five. He’s in no position to protect himself, let alone anyone else.’
She started to weep. She didn’t sob or make an outcry, but the tears welled in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. She cried silently and helplessly, and she was shivering as though suddenly very cold. I put my arm around her and she clung to me with a fierce grip. One of the worst things that can happen is when a hitherto cosy and secure world falls apart. An icy wind seemed to be blowing through that pleasant panelled study from the greater and more vicious world outside.
‘Oh, Malcolm, what am I to do?’
I said very quietly, ‘You must do what you think is best. If you trust me you will help me find him, but I wouldn’t—I couldn’t—blame you if you refuse. I haven’t been open with you—I should have told you about this yesterday.’
‘But you were under orders.’
‘A common plea,’ I said. ‘All the Nazis made it.’
‘Malcolm, don’t make it harder for yourself than you have to.’ She put my arm aside, stood up, and went to the window. ‘What are your men waiting for?’
I took a deep breath. ‘For your decision. I want to search the house, and I can’t do that without your permission.’
She came back to the desk and read her father’s letter again. I said, ‘He wrote to me, too,’ and produced the letter. ‘You can read it if you like.’
She read it, then gave it back to me. ‘Bring in your men,’ she said tonelessly.
The Tightrope Men / The Enemy Page 35