by Faye Brann
‘No, Vics. My answer is no.’
She felt a bit cross. ‘I’m not asking for your permission,’ she retorted.
‘Then what do you want? My blessing? Because you’re not going to get it.’
‘Are you saying you won’t come?’
‘Possibly. I don’t know.’
‘But it’s Christmas!’
There was another knock at the door. Chris waved at his assistant, who was waiting outside.
‘I have to get back to work. We’ll talk about this later.’
‘But I have to see Jonathan, I have to tell him if we’re going—’
‘You’ve obviously decided that we are. You decided that before you even came here. You made it clear you don’t need my permission for anything, Vicky. So who am I to stop you?’
Chapter Twenty
‘You did what?’
Vicky watched Jonathan’s face turned a nasty shade of puce for a few seconds before he recovered himself and picked up the nearest phone.
‘Judith, in here now please.’ He slammed down the phone. His secretary appeared at the door. ‘Judith, I need you to get me five economy-class tickets to Dubai,’ he snapped. ‘Our brand-new employee here just decided to take a family holiday courtesy of Her Majesty’s Secret Service.’
Judith gave Vicky a withering glance before turning her attention back to Jonathan. ‘When for?’
‘We need her in situ before the twenty-first. Maybe the sixteenth or seventeenth, that will give her time to meet with our JOPS officer on the ground there and get plans in place.’
‘Actually, sir, I’ll need to make it after the kids break up from school.’
Jonathan growled. Vicky took a deep breath and tried to look him in the eye. ‘We’ll need a hotel, too. Matisse said they are on the Palm, not the mainland. I did a bit of research and it’s quite a trek, so it would be better if we were in the vicini—’
‘Oh, for God’s sake. Get them a hotel on the Palm, Judith, but nothing too fancy. Find out what’s available that isn’t going to bankrupt us.’
Judith nodded, and closed the door behind her.
‘Next time you get a bright idea like this one, you might want to check it’s not going to blow a planet-sized hole in my budget first,’ Jonathan said.
‘Sorry, Jonathan. But I thought it was important to take the opportunity by the balls.’
‘Well you’ve certainly got me by them.’
‘Oh, come on, you know this is the right thing to do,’ Vicky said, a little put out that Jonathan wasn’t warming to the idea. She’d already been through the ringer with Chris and really needed someone on her side.
‘It isn’t up to you to decide though, is it?’ He buzzed Judith on the intercom. ‘Judith, you got a price on those flights yet?’
‘Four thousand five hundred and seventeen pounds, sir. And a minimum stay of seven nights in the hotels.’
Vicky felt all the colour drain from her face. ‘Sorry, I didn’t realise—’
Jonathan screwed his face up and banged his fists on the desk. ‘For fuck’s sake, Turnbull. Five thousand pounds! And that’s just the flights. Judith, make it room only.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Jonathan disconnected so hard Vicky thought the phone might sue for damages.
‘I’ll pay for everything. You can take it out of my salary.’
‘You’re absolutely right I can. Turnbull, if you’re coming back to work here, you should know you can’t just go around pulling stunts like this in future. Things have got more complicated since you were here before – we’re answerable to a lot more people about what we do and how we spend our budgets.’
‘I am sorry. I acted on impulse, and I shouldn’t have.’
‘No, you shouldn’t.’
Vicky thought about Chris, and the row they’d had. Maybe it would be easier just to stay at home and tell everyone the competition had been a hoax, hope that Chris would forgive her and Jonathan would forget. But Matisse and Dmitri … she didn’t want them getting hurt because she’d put herself and her feelings first. She had seen how Sacha treated her, seen the bruises and heard the way he spoke to her. And she’d seen how much Matisse cared for Dmitri. If she was forced into a situation, if Dmitri was threatened in any way … Vicky knew the power that a mother’s love wielded. Sometimes it could be the most dangerous of all.
‘Jonathan …’
‘What?’
‘Something Matisse said, or nearly said to me. I’m convinced there’s more to this trip to Dubai than meets the eye.’
‘We’re not missing anything that I can see.’
‘Matisse knows more than she’s letting on. If she didn’t before, she does now.’
‘We haven’t picked up anything from surveillance. Please don’t let your friendship with Matisse cloud your judgement on this.’
‘I’m not. She opened a package meant for Sacha when I was there on Saturday, and it was a Christmas card, but I think there was something in it that caused a reaction. And then, afterwards, at the fair, she tried to talk to me about Sacha, but we got interrupted. Something has changed, I’m sure of it.’
Jonathan sighed. ‘Fine. Get me something useful to help me figure out why the bloody hell everyone except me is going to be spending Christmas in Dubai. I want facts, dates, times and places. I want to know what that scumbag is going to be doing every single second of his swanky beach holiday.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Jonathan got up and jammed a pod into the coffee maker. ‘Want one?’
‘Actually, I was just about to leave …’
‘Sit down, Turnbull. There’s one more thing we need to discuss.’
Vicky sat and Jonathan set a coffee on the desk in front of her. He took his seat opposite and opened the bottom drawer. Vicky heard the clink of glass and watched as he pulled out a bottle of vodka and two small shot glasses. She raised her eyebrow.
‘God knows you’ve driven me to it this morning.’ He poured the vodka and handed the drink to her across the table. Vicky was about to protest, but Jonathan didn’t look like he was in the mood to be refused.
‘Victoria, we need to talk about you and—’
‘If this is about my ability to represent JOPS, I can assure you, I’ll do everything I can to make sure I’m fit to be on the team. I’ll liaise with the lead officer in Dubai and we’ll coordinate with Special Forces to make sure that whatever Sacha is planning we’re there, ready to take him and the terrorists down. I—’
‘First of all, I can tell you right now that there will be no “we”. You’ll be there in an assist capacity only.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘You’re going to have to be careful over there. You’ve put yourself in a precarious position. If Sacha gets even the slightest whiff of what you’re up to, the whole thing could blow up.’
‘I’ll stay well clear of any possible problems. I’ve got Chris and the kids to think of too, remember.’
‘How’s he taken it?’
‘About as well as you.’ She fished into her bag. ‘That reminds me – he’s signed the form. Your secrets are safe with him.’
Jonathan paused and fiddled with his shot glass.
‘There’s one more thing we haven’t talked about.’
‘What?’
‘Anatoli Ivanov.’
‘I know. You said he’s in Dubai, working for Sacha.’
‘Anatoli is making the land transfer of the guns for Sacha, from Jebel Ali Port to the Saudi border. But he’s not working for Sacha. He’s on our side. He’s our eyes and ears, and he’s getting us the proof we need that Sacha is cutting a deal with terrorists. It’s his last big job for us before MI6 get him out.’
Vicky took a moment and let the information sink in. ‘He’s our informant?’
‘Technically, he’s MI6’s, but, when the case got transferred to us, we got him on loan. He’s been working with them for years, feeding them information on Sacha,’ Jonathan said. ‘He must have got
spooked enough about something to do it, but, what, I don’t have a clue. I do know he’s getting a new passport for his efforts. American, I believe.’ Jonathan gestured to her shot of vodka. Vicky pushed it away.
‘I’ve got to pick the kids up at three,’ she said.
‘He’s a major part of the operation,’ Jonathan said. ‘And none of us can afford for you, or him, to be distracted by old … feelings …’
Vicky stood up from her chair. ‘I can’t believe you didn’t tell me all this sooner.’ She glared at her boss, trying to sort through her feelings on the subject. ‘I can’t speak for Anatoli, but I’m guessing he probably feels the same as I do. I’m all grown up now, with a husband and a family. I’m not about to go all doe-eyed and gooey about a target I fell for fifteen years ago. Give me – and him – a little more credit.’ Anatoli was an informant. She of all people knew that would not have been an easy decision for him to make. So, what prompted it? ‘Does Sacha have any inkling of what Anatoli’s up to?’
‘It’s unlikely; Anatoli would be dead by now if he did.’
‘Did Matisse know Anatoli? They must have met, surely?’
‘They probably knew each other.’ Jonathan drank his shot and poured another. ‘But my primary concern now is you. I tried to keep you out of this because I didn’t want you getting involved with Anatoli again – it was just too risky that something would go wrong. But you need to be prepared now, so that you don’t screw up.’
‘There’s nothing to screw up, Jonathan. Whatever happened in the past, stayed there. You know that as well as anyone.’
After each date with Anatoli, Vicky had filed a report to keep Jonathan up to speed with developments. She was getting plenty of good intel about Anatoli’s clients – many of whom were crooks on various watchlists, and some who were more specifically JOPS targets – and Anatoli didn’t suspect a thing. It was perfect. Jonathan had been concerned to hear she’d begun a relationship, but she assured him she was in control of the situation. As time passed, though, Vicky found it more and more difficult to tell the difference between what was work and what was real life. She tried to remain focused by making sure that she asked the right questions, got the right information to report back and didn’t reveal too much about herself. But the chemistry, the closeness …
She became convinced that their bond would be strong enough to withstand the truth and decided to ask Jonathan for permission to tell Anatoli who she really was and bring him on board as an agent working for JOPS.
‘If you’re sure he’ll say yes, Victoria,’ Jonathan said. ‘Being an agent, betraying the people around you … it’s not always straightforward.’
‘He won’t say no. Our relationship – he’s invested – he’ll help us, I know it.’ She was sure she was right, and they needed him. Anatoli was close to the people they were after, with access to their homes and offices. It would make all the difference to be able to use him as a source once he knew what she needed rather than her gaining intel through a series of surreptitious questions and rushed glances at his phone.
They were at his rented apartment when she decided the time was right to approach him. It was late; they’d been out drinking and now they were lying on the sofa, their lips locked. A chillout soundtrack played from hidden speakers.
‘We shouldn’t be doing this,’ she murmured. ‘We’ve both got work in the morning.’
‘To hell with work, Vika. Let’s take the day off tomorrow and enjoy the time together before I go back to Moscow.’
Vicky sighed and gave in to the melting feeling inside her. They began to strip each other’s clothes away. Vicky ran her hands across his smooth chest and across his back and eased her fingers down to the button of his jeans as he worked his own way down her body.
She felt the nagging guilt of her duplicity. She liked Anatoli, she felt bad betraying him, but the job was important … if this was how she would secure him, win his trust … she opened her legs slightly to accommodate his hand as it moved further up her inner thigh.
‘Wait. Stop.’ She sat up. ‘We can’t do this, it’s not right.’
‘What do you mean? We’ve done it plenty of times before.’
This wasn’t her; it wasn’t who she wanted to be. She had to come clean with Anatoli, had to ask him right there and then to join her. He would say yes, she knew it. She could trust him.
‘I have something I need to tell you.’
She told him about her job, about how and why they met and what she needed him to do. When she finished talking, he moved his hand from where it lay on her, got up, and began to dress.
‘Anatoli? What’s wrong?’
‘You have seduced me into this – this relationship – to convince me to spy on my own countrymen, to double-cross my clients, to dance with death if I am found out?’
‘It’s not like that, Anatoli, I didn’t seduce you, it just happened that way—’
‘All this time, you’ve been using me. You’ve taken advantage, made me have feelings for you … I suppose you’ve been getting information from me this whole time without me even realising?’
Vicky blushed. ‘Nothing that could lead back to you, I promise—’
‘How much of this was real? Is anything between us private, or do you tell everything to your bosses, and laugh at me behind my back about how simple and stupid I am to trust you?’ He looked around the room. ‘Are there people watching us now? Have they been watching us this entire time?’
‘Anatoli, please—’
‘My answer is no, Vika. I am not this person. I cannot do this for you. We are finished.’ He threw her the dress he had cast on the floor only ten minutes before, a disappointed and angry look on his face.
‘Anatoli, no, look, you don’t have to – we don’t have to – I’ll go back to them and say you won’t do it, but please, I don’t want this to end—’
‘I think you had better go.’
Vicky could feel herself shaking. She’d blown it. Jonathan was going to be so angry with her.
‘I will be leaving tomorrow,’ Anatoli continued. ‘I think it best if we do not have any more contact. I have a family – brothers, a mother – in Moscow. If anyone found out who you are, that I was … they cannot find out, do you understand? I will be killed. Please, Vika. Leave me now and don’t contact me again.’
Vicky knew she was beaten. She put on her dress and shoes and headed for the door. ‘For what it’s worth, I’m sorry,’ she said.
Getting annoyed with Jonathan years after the fact wouldn’t help anything. But she wanted to be clear.
‘Any feelings of a romantic nature – any – that I had for Anatoli, are dead and buried. Of course I reserve a fondness for him; he’s part of my history, and I failed him, I failed Adam, and I failed at my job. But my priority is the objective now, to nail Sacha, eliminate the buyers and keep Matisse and Dmitri out of harm’s way.’ She stood up. ‘And to be honest, I’m a bit fed up with people questioning my motives today. Between you and Chris—’
Jonathan prodded the paper she’d given him. ‘I thought he was alright about you coming back to JOPS?’
‘Well he’s not. The Dubai trip – it’s caused an almighty row.’
‘If he needs reassurance that he’s not the only one who’s really pissed off about that, I’m happy to give him a call.’
‘You’re probably the second last person he wants to speak to right now,’ she said, standing. They were done here. ‘I’d like to see Mike before I leave. I need to ask him about a few things I need for the trip – and I need Ops to create the paperwork for the competition.’
‘We’ll have it couriered over to you later today.’ He paused. ‘Victoria, I had to ask. Letting feelings get in the way of your work – it cost us before.’
She looked at Jonathan. ‘We all need to be very, very careful. But let me assure you and Anatoli that if, or when, we meet, I will be far more professional the second time around than I was the first. I failed you both last time; i
t won’t happen again.’
Chapter Twenty-One
There was a short silence around the dinner table.
‘Dubai?’ Evie said.
‘Cool,’ Ollie said.
‘What’s Dubai?’ James said.
Chris offered a glimmer of a smile in Vicky’s direction. There had been another row and several days of cooling off before they’d finally agreed the trip was on, for everyone. With Jonathan’s permission, Vicky had shared the details of her side of the operation with Chris, and, seeing that she wouldn’t be directly involved with the takedown, he had agreed to a truce. She wouldn’t say he’d completely come around to the idea, but they were telling the kids, which Vicky took as a good sign.
‘We’re staying at the Sofitel on the Palm,’ she said. ‘It’s two interconnecting rooms, so you kids will be in one room and we’ll be in the other.’
‘Are we near the waterpark?’ Evie asked.
‘It’s about five minutes away by taxi,’ Chris said. ‘I’ve booked a family pass to go there on Christmas Eve.’
Gasps of excitement escaped from the mouths of both Evie and Ollie.
‘Is that the one where you go on a slide through the shark tank?’ Ollie said.
‘Yep.’
‘Awesome.’
‘We can’t do dune bashing because James is too small, but we’re going for Christmas Day lunch at a hotel in the desert and there’ll be camel rides there,’ Vicky said. She was going to be paying this trip off until next Christmas at this rate.
‘Can Dad and I go quad biking?’ Ollie said. ‘And can we do that indoor ski slope? Joel went there last year and said it was really cool.’
‘Maybe.’ Chris threw a look in Vicky’s direction. ‘Let’s see how much time we have to fit everything in. Your mum has some things she wants to do, too.’
‘There’s always the kids’ club for Evie and James if you want to do something with Dad,’ Vicky said, keen to keep both Chris and Ollie happy.
‘Mum, I’m not a baby; I’m not going with James to a kids’ club,’ Evie said.
‘There’s a separate area for the little ones, Evie; you’d be with the older kids. There’s loads to do and see while we’re there,’ she continued. ‘Everyone will get their turn. Maybe one of the days we’ll go and see Dmitri and hang out with them on the beach—’