'He would!' I said bitterly. 'And because I was supposed to be a pushover they gave Kennikin a scratch team. He was complaining about that.' I looked up. 'And what about Jack Case?' I demanded.
Taggart didn't bat an eyelid. 'He had my orders to steer you to the Russians - that's why he didn't help you at Geysir. But when he talked to Slade you had already filled him up with your suspicions. He must have tried to pump Slade, but Slade is a clever man and realized it. That was the end of Case. Slade was doing everything to make sure his cover wasn't blown and in the end you were more important to him than that damned package.'
'Write off Jack Case,' I said sourly. 'He was a good man. When did you catch on to Slade?'
'I was slow there,' said Taggart. 'When you telephoned me I thought you'd done your nut, but after I sent Case here I found I couldn't get hold of Slade. He'd made himself unobtainable. That's against all procedure so I began to look into his record. When I found he'd been in Finland as a boy and that his parents were killed during the war I remembered that you'd mentioned Lonsdale and I wondered if the same trick hadn't been played.' He grimaced. 'But when Case's body was discovered with your pet knife in it, I didn't know what the hell to think.' He nudged Ryan. The knife.'
'What! Oh, yes - the knife.' Ryan put his hand into his breast pocket and produced the sgian dubh. 'We managed to get it from the police. I guess you'd like to have it back.'
Chapter I
He held it out. 'It's a real cute knife; I like that jewel in the hilt.'
I took it. A Polynesian would have said it had mana; my own distant ancestors would have named it and called it Weazand Slitter or Blood Drinker, but to me it was just my grandfather's knife and his grandfather's before him. I laid it gently on the bedside table.
I said to Ryan. 'Your people shot at me. What was the idea of that?'
'Hell!' he said. 'You'd gone crazy and the whole operation was in danger. We were floating about in a chopper above that goddamn wilderness and we saw you, and we saw the Russians chasing you, and we reckoned you had a good chance of getting clear away. So we dropped a guy to stop you in your tracks. And we couldn't be too obvious about it because it had to look good to the Russians. We didn't know then that the whole operation was a bust, anyway.' , Neither Taggart nor Ryan had a grain of morality, but I didn't expect it. I said, 'You're lucky to be alive. The last time I saw you was through the sights of Fleet's rifle.'
'Jesus!' he said. 'I'm glad I didn't know it at the time. Talking about Fleet; you busted him up but good - but he'll survive.' He rubbed his nose. 'Fleet is sort of married to that rifle of his. He'd like to have it back.'
I shook my head. 'I've got to get something out of this deal. If Fleet is man enough let him come and get it.'
Ryan scowled. 'I doubt if he will. We've all had a bellyful of you.'
There was just one more thing. I said, 'So Slade is still alive.'
'Yes,' said Ryan. 'You shot him through the pelvis. If he ever walks again he'll need steel pins through his hips.'
'The only walking Slade will do for the next forty years is in the exercise yard of a prison,' said Taggart. He stood up. 'All this comes under the Official Secrets Act, Stewart. Everything has to be hushed. Slade is in England already; he was flown across yesterday in an American aircraft.
He'll stand trial as soon as he comes out of hospital but the proceedings will be in camera. You'll keep quiet, and so will that girl-friend of yours. The sooner you turn her into a British subject the better I'll be pleased. I'd like to have some control over her.'
'Christ Almighty!' I said wearily. 'You can't even act as Cupid without an ulterior motive.'
Ryan joined Taggart at the door. He turned, and said, 'I think Sir David owes you a lot, Mr Stewart; a lot more than thanks, anyway - which I notice he hasn't proffered.' He looked at Taggart from the corner of his eye, and I thought there was no love lost between them.
Taggart was impervious; he didn't turn a hair. 'Oh, yes,' he said casually. 'I dare say something can be arranged. A medal, perhaps - if you like such trinkets.'
I found that my voice was shaking. 'All I want is your permanent absence,' I said. 'I'll keep quiet for just as long as you stay away from us, but if you, or any of the boys from the Department, come within shouting distance, I'll blow the gaff.'
'You won't be disturbed again,' he said, and they went out. A moment later he popped his head around the door. 'I'll send in some grapes.'
Chapter II
Elin and I were flown to Scotland by courtesy of the CIA and the US Navy in a plane laid on by Ryan, and we were married in Glasgow by a special licence provided by Taggart. Both of us were still in bandages.
I took Elin back to the glen under Sgurr Dearg. She liked the scenery, especially the trees - the marvellous un-Icelandic trees - but she didn't think much of the cottage. It was small and it depressed her and I wasn't at all surprised; what suits a bachelor is not good for a married man.
'I'm not going to live in the big house,' I said. 'We'd rattle around in there and, anyway, I usually tent it to Americans who come for the shooting. We'll let a gillie have the cottage and we'll build our own house a little farther up the glen, by the river.'
So we did.
I still have Fleet's rifle. I don't keep it over the fireplace as a trophy but decently in the gun cabinet along with all the other working tools. I use it sometimes when the deer herd needs culling, but not often. It doesn't give the deer much of a chance.
The end.
Bagley, Desmond - Running Blind Page 25