‘So, how’re things going, Mr Hoffer?’
‘I get it, another fan, huh? No autographs today, Bud, okay?’
‘You seem nervous, Mr Hoffer.’
‘As of right now I’m about nervous enough to bust you in the chops.’
‘But you’re also curious. You wonder who I am really. On the surface you affect disdain, but beneath your mind is always working.’
‘And right now it’s telling my fists to do the talking.’
‘That would be unwise.’ There were long regular spaces between the words.
‘Persuade me.’
The man looked at the cold food still left on Hoffer’s plate. ‘The food here is appalling, isn’t it? I was disappointed when you booked into this hotel. I was thinking more the Connaught or the Savoy. Have you ever eaten at the Grill Room?’
‘What are you, a food critic?’
‘My hobby,’ the man said. ‘How’s your mission going?’
‘Mission?’
‘Locating the Demolition Man.’
‘It’s going swell, he’s upstairs in my room watching the Disney Channel. Who are you?’
‘I work for the Company.’
Hoffer laughed. ‘You don’t get any points for subtlety, pal. The Company? What makes any of my business the CIA’s business?’
‘You’re looking for an assassin. He has murdered United States citizens. Plus, when he kills, he often kills politicians.’
‘Yeah, scumbags from sweatshop republics.’ Hoffer nodded. ‘Maybe they’re all friends of yours, huh? How come you haven’t introduced yourself before?’
‘Well, let’s say we’re more interested now.’
‘You mean now he’s almost started World War Three? Or now he’s killed a journalist? Let’s see some ID, pal.’
‘I don’t have any on me.’
‘Don’t tell me, you left it in your other burgundy jacket? Get out of my face.’
The man didn’t look inclined to leave. ‘I’m very good at reading upside down,’ he said.
Hoffer didn’t understand, then saw that Barney’s sheet of paper was still spread open by the side of his plate. He folded it and put it away.
‘Arms dealers?’ the man guessed. When Hoffer didn’t say anything, his smile widened. ‘We know all about them, we had that information days ago.’
‘Ooh, I’m impressed.’
‘We even know what you told Chief Inspector Broome yesterday.’
‘If you know everything, what do you want with me?’
‘We want to warn you. You’ve managed to get close to the Demolition Man, but you need to be aware that we’re close to him too. If there should come a confrontation... well, we need to know about you, and you need to know about us. It wouldn’t help if we ended up shooting at one another while the assassin escaped.’
‘If you’re after him, why not just let me tag along?’
‘I don’t think so, Mr Hoffer.’
‘You don’t, huh? Know what I don’t think? I don’t think you’re from the Company. I’ve met Company guys before, they’re not a bit like you. You smell of something worse.’
‘I can produce ID given time.’
‘Yeah, somebody can run you up a fake. There used to be this nifty operator in Tottenham, only he’s not at home.’
‘All I’m trying to do here is be courteous.’
‘Leave courtesy to the Brits. Since when have we ever been courteous?’ Hoffer thought he’d placed the man. ‘You’re armed forces, right?’
‘I was in the armed forces for a while.’
Hoffer didn’t want to think what he was thinking. He was thinking Special Operations Executive. He was thinking National Security Council. The CIA was a law unto itself, but the NSC had political clout, friends in the highest and lowest places, which made it infinitely more dangerous.
‘Maybe we’re beginning to see eye to eye,’ the man said at last.
‘Give me a name, doesn’t matter if it’s made up.’
‘My name’s Don Kline, Mr Hoffer.’
‘Want to hear something funny, Don Kline? When I first saw you I thought, Gestapo-style glasses. Which is strange, because normally I’d think John Lennon. Just shows how prescient you can be sometimes, huh?’
‘This doesn’t get us very far, Mr Hoffer.’ Kline stood up. ‘Maybe you should lay off the narcotics, they seem to be affecting your judgement.’
‘They couldn’t affect my judgement of you. Ciao, baby.’
For something to do, Hoffer lit a cigarette. He didn’t watch Kline leave. He couldn’t even hear him make a noise on the tiled floor. Hoffer didn’t know who Kline was exactly, but he knew the species. He’d never had any dealings with the species before, it was alien to him. So how come that species was suddenly interested in the D-Man? Kline hadn’t answered Hoffer’s question about that. Did it have to do with the journalist? What was it she’d been investigating again? Cults? Yes, religious cults. Maybe he better find out what that was all about. Wouldn’t that be what the D-Man was doing? Of course it would.
He foresaw a triangular shoot-out with the D-Man and Kline. Just for a moment, he didn’t know which one of them he’d be aiming at first.
His waitress was back.
‘No smoking in this section.’
‘You’re an angel straight from heaven, do you know that?’ he told her, stubbing out his cigarette underfoot. She stared at him blankly. ‘I mean it, I didn’t think they made them like you any more. You’re gorgeous.’ These words were obviously new to the waitress, who softened her pose a little. The brittle beginning of a smile formed at the corners of her mouth.
‘So what are you doing this evening?’ Hoffer went on, rising to his feet. ‘I mean, apart from scaring small children?’
It was a low blow, but no lower than the one she gave him.
Part Two
14
We took a train from Euston to Glasgow.
I’d decided against renting a car in London. Rentals could always be checked or traced. By now, I reckoned there was a chance the police — or even Hoffer — would be finding out about DI West and DC Harris. Plus they had the evidence of my phone call to the radio station. They knew I was still around. They’d be checking things like hotels and car hire.
So I paid cash for our train fares, and paid cash to our hotel when we booked out. I even slipped the receptionist £20, and asked if she could keep a secret. I then told her that Ms Harrison and I weren’t supposed to be together, so if anyone should come asking... She nodded acceptance in the conspiracy. I added that even if she mentioned my name to anyone, I’d appreciate it if she left Bel’s name out.
Bel had phoned Max and told him of her plan to go north with me. He hadn’t been too thrilled, especially when she said we’d be passing him without stopping. She handed the phone to me eventually.
‘Max,’ I said, ‛if you tell me not to take her, you know I’ll accept that.’
‘If she knows where you’re headed and she’s got it in her head to go, she’d probably only follow you anyway.’
I smiled at that. ‘You know her so well.’
‘I should do, she gets it all from me. No trouble so far?’
‘No, but we’re not a great deal further forward either.’
‘You think this trip north will do the trick?’
‘I don’t know. There should be less danger though.’
‘Well, bring her back without a scratch.’
‘That’s a promise. Goodbye, Max.’
I put Bel back on and went to my room to pack.