Eight

by James R. Vance

  The group consisted of men, immaculately dressed in suits. They turned in unison as she stepped through the doorway, placed their aperitifs on adjacent tables and applauded.

  Jean-Marie touched her arm. “They explain. It is big surprise for you, n'est-ce pas?”

  She recognised most of the faces…some with difficulty. Their dress and their unexpected presence confused her. Besides Rob, there was Alexis, the two detectives who had arrested him that very morning, the security guard Tom Cathcart, Capitaine Thoury the chief of the Marseille police, Capitaine Lafarge from Limoges, three others whose faces she recognised and most surprisingly, Bobo…in a suit.

  Rob came across, passed her a glass of bubbly and proposed a toast. “To Petra Rebovka who performed her role as Louise Charrière to the highest professional standards…well, almost.” Everyone raised their glasses.

  Tears welled in Petra's eyes. “I don't understand,” she whispered. “What's going on?”

  “Join us at the tables,” Rob replied. “Welcome back to reality.”

  The group gathered round, ensuring that Petra took centre stage. She was unable to take her eyes off Alexis. Several hours previously, he had looked tired and drawn, had acted like a fugitive on the run and was arrested as such. Now he faced her, immaculately dressed in a suit, shirt and tie, similar to the trainee accountant Alexis, who had wined and dined her the previous week.

  She leaned over and touched Rob's hand. “It was an exercise…a total fabrication?” she asked.

  “Not entirely. The mission was for real. It was the culmination of months of surveillance and analysis of intel data. I'll give you the background and the others can fill in the gaps by describing their involvement, especially where it concerned you. Your initial objective was quite clear; infiltrate the football club, gather intel and leave. Because it was your first mission, we decided to add the odd safeguard. Jean-Marie was one such example, an associate whose subsidiary role as your minder seemed adequate and appropriate for your specific goal.”

  “I ‘ave suspicion,” added Jean-Marie, “that Roche send boys with false documents, but there is no proof. You come with good chance to find proof if you find friend in football club to ‘elp you.”

  “We had Alexis as a contact,” Rob explained, “so we asked him to make himself known to you. In addition to his covert role, he was able to provide back up for Jean-Marie with regard to your surveillance. In his case, there was the added advantage of him speaking your language.”

  “So why not ask Alexis for the inside info on Roche?” Petra asked. “You didn't really need me.”

  “We had already tried that route,” Rob replied. “He was unable to find anything incriminating with regard to this specific investigation. It was thought that, through him, you could acquaint yourself with Roche and his clique to discover relevant information that was inaccessible to others.”

  Alexis joined the conversation. “Previously, I had merely found some evidence of drug dealing…nothing more. This current situation focussed on the immediate concern about the possible trafficking of suicide bombers. I was unable to find anything linking Roche to the operation. Fortunately, you discovered the secret cellar, something that had escaped our notice and came as a complete surprise to me. The contents of his desk and the tape that you lifted were sufficient to issue a warrant for his arrest, if we decided to take that option. Rather than charging him, we were toying with the idea of allowing him to warn Dumas, which he did…eventually.”

  “So, is that why he was released from custody after they had interrogated him at the gendarmerie?”

  “At that time, there was insufficient evidence to convince an investigative judge, anyway. We held him merely on suspicion before our visit to his house, as we only had the false I.D. cards. If you remember, the cellar was located at the time of his release. You also held onto the tapes and withheld info regarding the cellar. By the time that you returned with Jean-Marie, he had made a run for it. You know the outcome. You were there.”

  “But I don't understand your involvement with Michel Dumas if you were gunning for Roche, an ex-criminal who was part of the same set-up.” Petra was becoming annoyed with Alexis for duping her. “Are you saying that Dumas was also a fictional character in this contrived game of ‘let's take the piss out of Petra’?”

  Rob interrupted. “Alexis, at this point, I think that you should explain the background to your story.”

  “There was a game plan,” Alexis said, “but it became fluid, partly because of the events in Manchester and partly because of how your arrival affected the situation. We had to make tactical changes on a regular basis, sometimes hourly.

  “I became involved with Dumas about twelve months ago. It happened just as I explained to you in the log cabin. Roche had told him that I was a whiz on computers and worked in accountancy. He offered me a role as an I.T. and accountancy advisor. He asked me to set up companies with off-shore accounts, a facility that eventually I realised was a dodgy method of concealing the income from his illicit deals. He paid me good money, together with generous expenses, always in cash. How do you think that I afforded grand'maman’s new kitchen?

  “When I told her how I had financed it, she persuaded me to speak to the authorities. After they heard my story, they recruited me as an informant on the inside. I was to continue my role. Because of my connections with the football club, the security service suggested that I make contact with you, the eventual outcome being to expose the alleged trafficking through Limoges. It was going to plan. After discovering the cellar, we were in a position to produce some concrete evidence. Your role was almost at an end. Unfortunately, Roche put a spanner in the works by attacking you. My priority following that incident was to get you medical assistance and remove Roche from the scene. Don't forget, he believed that he and I were on the same side. I still had to maintain that guise.”

  “But why did he threaten you with a knife?”

  “That was just a ploy to disarm and overpower you.”

  “So, you helped him to escape and disappear?” Petra asked. “What was the point? You had him where you wanted him.”

  Rob intervened. “Roche was not our number one priority. We needed to follow the trail to Dumas. To arrest Roche for his involvement in trafficking at that point would have set alarm bells ringing in Marseille. We instructed Alexis to contact Dimitri to deal with Roche who was already on borrowed time with Dumas.”

  “Unfortunately,” Alexis added, “we were unaware of the explosive charges at his house. He must have activated them after leaving Limoges.”

  Petra remained confused over her participation. “I still don't understand why you couldn't have achieved all this without me.”

  Rob intervened once more. “I must take responsibility for that. Knowing your previous history, I was quite prepared to allow you take the initiative as you saw fit, to let you run almost as an independent undercover agent. There was every chance that you may, as you did, uncover some aspect that we had missed or had overlooked. Don't forget there were still minders looking out for you. In any case, I knew that you had the moral fibre to kill, if necessary. Reflect on it, Petra. Apart from our people, no-one suspected you until the occasion presented itself to show your hand, as when faced by Roche and later by Dumas.”

  Petra looked across at Alexis. “So, was Katherine party to what was going on?”

  “Grand'maman is grand'maman.” Alexis smiled. “She knew nothing about you, apart from what you told her.”

  “What about her story? Is that also a load of fiction?”

  “Oh, she believes passionately in her family history. Who knows how much truth there is in her reminiscences? What is certain is that she enjoyed your company. Let's face it, we all found you to be an extremely personable, charming and attractive young lady.”

  Petra's thoughts suddenly conjured up their night together in her apartment. “You bastard…you took advantage of me.”

  Rob coughed. “Moving on. Tom, could y
ou briefly explain your role in all this?”

  “Just a moment,” Petra said, still mad with Alexis. “Why didn't you tell me about your true role when we were in the sauna?”

  “Think about it,” said Alexis. “The plan fell apart in the library. Dumas should have been marched off by the security forces but, because of D.C.I. Harcourt's lapse in concentration, the re-emergence of the guards changed everything.”

  “You took our guns,” Petra exclaimed. “Why didn't you use them to threaten Dumas and the guards?”

  “We could have ended up in a gun battle, with innocent people dead. It was too unpredictable, apart from the fact that I knew nothing about guns. I decided to await a suitable opportunity, which, as you know, presented itself later. Rob advised me to disappear afterwards. He said that he would deal with you.”

  Petra scowled in Rob's direction. “You told him to hide in that secret room?”

  “Secret room?” Rob asked, puzzled.

  “There was no room,” Alexis admitted. “I invented that story to cover my immediate disappearance.”

  “Bastard,” Petra said, glaring at Alexis. “Do you ever tell the truth?”

  Tom Cathcart leaned forward to relieve the tension. “My background is S.A.S., followed by an attachment to Special Forces in Canada. Some mercenary experience followed before opting for a quieter lifestyle. Dumas recruited me through an agency for security staff. Obviously, he would have researched my background, but probably thought that my mercenary activities placed me in that category of individuals where money, not moral or political issues was the motivation.”

  “What was missing from his C.V.,” Rob added, “was the fact that he was already involved in undercover work with Interpol.”

  “Dumas was never aware of my real status,” Cathcart said. “Alexis and I were in a position to report back every key move by Dumas. Other intel helped to fill in the gaps.”

  Rob explained in more detail. “The investigation was open-ended. We were still gathering info, when the Manchester incidents brought about a new urgency. The proposed meeting between Dumas and some top Al Qaeda associates, using his daughter's engagement party as cover, provided a realistic opportunity for prompt action. You were caught up in the thick of it, partly by Alexis and of course, by the irresponsible interference of the two Manchester detectives.”

  Petra was not happy. “I see…at least, I think that I see. I was merely an actor in your well-rehearsed play, who was expected to ad-lib her way through without any bloody script.”

  Alexis laughed. “If we use that analogy, our scripts were discarded as soon as you arrived on the scene. It was our turn to ad-lib after that.”

  Petra looked at another smiling face opposite. “You are Bobo, aren't you? I didn't recognise you in a suit.” She turned to Rob. “He's just a youngster.”

  Rob shook his head. “I'd like to introduce you to Louis Batiste Sylvestre, one of our youngest field operatives, now twenty two years old. However, in shorts and tee shirt, unwashed and constantly smiling, he could pass for a fifteen year old street urchin.”

  Bobo grinned at her. “I was asked to keep an eye on you at the villa. Man, you're some cool cookie. I think that you can look after yourself pretty well without my help. I was impressed by your smart move with the guns.”

  “Yes, you bastard,” Petra said. “You made me work hard for that. Why didn't you just hand them over?”

  “I was asked to push you to the limit. I was just about to pass them to you, when you came up with the ruse of the spare parts assembly…most ingenious.”

  “And you speak perfect English…damn you.” She shook her head in mock disgust. “How did you happen to work for Dumas?”

  “I've lived in Marseille since I came over with my parents on a boat from Morocco. As a kid, I was always in trouble with the law, but found favour with the local gendarmerie when I started giving them tit-bits of info from the street. I became what you call a snitch or a snout. I was careful what I passed on. They thought it was good info, but they could have found it themselves if they hadn't been so lazy.

  “One day, a few of us hung about kicking around a football near Dumas's villa. We often spent time messing in that area where the rich people live. They think they're safe out there away from the centre. Some of the security guards were okay with us and would occasionally give us drinks. We also gathered info for some of the gangs in town. They knew that there were rich pickings in those affluent areas.

  “Well, as I said, we were playing footie and the ball went over the wall. I asked a guard if I could have my ball back. He took the piss and pushed me through the gate, expecting the dogs to have me, but they never came. I found the ball and, as I was coming out of the bushes, Dumas appeared with a bloody Doberman on a leash. I almost shit myself. Fortunately, he was okay with me, liked my nerve, my brashness and told me to come back the next day, as he might have some work for me. I obviously looked in need.

  “To cut a long story, he offered me a job as a pool cleaner. He said the previous guy had died. I found out later that he had drowned…in the bloody pool. Imagine it…a pool cleaner drowning in his own pool! They reckoned that he had messed up and Dumas had lost his temper. Anyway, Tom had made some enquiries about me. He found out that I had been a police informant. He promised to keep it quiet, if I could pass info to him.”

  “But when did you join the security services team?” Petra asked.

  Bobo grinned. “When I found out that your lot paid much more than Dumas.”

  Petra smiled. “Well, you certainly fooled me. However, thanks for your care and protection, especially the return of the mini gun. That was a smart move.” She turned to Rob. “Were Harcourt and Massey party to this charade?”

  “Not at all…just the opposite. They became an unwelcome hindrance. We were concerned that they might inadvertently drop us in the proverbial shit with some seemingly innocent remark. This became especially disconcerting on discovering that Dumas had entertained them at the Vélodrome and invited them to the villa. Luckily, they included you in their brainless escapade. Having since read the de-briefs, the only major blip occurred when Harcourt switched off momentarily in the library.”

  “I should have talked them out of going to Marseille,” Petra admitted, “but, at the time, I thought it would ease my situation in Limoges, if they were out of the way.”

  “I was furious when I found out,” Rob said, “but in retrospect, their presence wasn't a serious problem. The fact that two English detectives turned up wanting to meet Dumas caused Capitaine Thoury to assume that they were part of the overall plan. His appointment had been recent. It presented an opportunity to have a fresh start. We instructed him to continue turning a blind eye to Dumas's criminal activity like his predecessor. We needed to lull Dumas into a false sense of security.”

  Thoury nodded in agreement. “It is good for me also. Monsieur Dumas, he give me good wine and best seats at the Vélodrome. I am also guest on his yacht. Why not, I ask myself. Soon he will be prisoner.”

  They all laughed, the French as confirmation of his logic, the English believing that only the French could hold and admit to that opinion. In England, one may think ‘why not’, but would be reticent to acknowledge such sentiments publicly.

  Whilst they finished their aperitifs, Rob took Petra to one side where he attempted to put the whole affair in its true perspective. He explained that the charade, as she had described it, had been limited originally to her time in Limoges. He reprimanded her for her decision to relocate to Marseille without any discussion or authorisation. Not only could her actions have placed her own life in danger, but also the lives of other team members. He admitted that he had chosen to continue the deception only to avoid compromising the covert operation already in progress. As Alexis had explained, he and others had responded as events unfolded. He also criticised Massey and Harcourt for their stupidity and rash behaviour, as their initial brief was merely to make associated enquiries in Limoges.

/>   His remarks embarrassed and upset Petra, but before her emotions could turn to anger and resentment, he praised her for her subsequent actions with regard to the raid at the villa. She smiled and appeared grateful for his feedback. Deep inside, she seethed. She reserved most of her anger for Alexis and his blatant lies. A part of her wanted to leave, to run and hide from everyone, to lick her wounds in private. However, her confrontational nature was characteristically more dominant. She would front it out in a bid to remain in control, despite her intense feelings of humiliation. Throughout her life, she had risen to the challenges of adversity. This was not the time for weakness.

  They rejoined the group and took their places for lunch in the dining room. The meal consisted of Le homard poché à l'embeurrée de truffes, lobster poached in buttered truffles. A white wine, Gaillac les Greilles, from the Garonne region of South West France, complemented the dish. The main course consisted of a choice of Le filet de boeuf en croûte sauce Périgueux, a tender fillet of beef, wrapped in pastry with Périgeux sauce or L’épaule d'agneau à la cuillère réduit liquoreux, sweetened shoulder of lamb, washed down with Château Peyros Madiran, a well-balanced fruity wine from Gascony. A fruit sorbet followed a selection of cheeses before the inevitable café et digestifs.

  Following the meal, Rob drew Petra to one side again. “I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. I know that you take everything to heart but accept this scenario as an invaluable experience. Don't be too hard on yourself. You performed extremely well in a successful operation.”

  He walked her to the far side of the terrace, well away from the remainder of the group. “This is highly confidential and must go no further, but I think that you should know a little about the result of your actions. From intel so far, we have learned that the man that we lost in St. Petersburg was from Yemen.”

  “Is that significant?”

  “There is an Al Qaeda franchise in Yemen that is growing in numbers and becoming more dangerous by the day. The man in question is quite young; he is already a key player in a new generation of Al Qaeda specialists. After leaving Russia, he travelled to Dubai before stopping off at Beirut on his way to Marseille.”