‘Poisons. And drugs that dissipate in the body within minutes of being administered …’ He looked again directly at Charlie. ‘You know Moscow too well.’
Sometimes I wished I lived there, with Natalia again, thought Charlie. He said: ‘There was an operation once. It wasn’t successful. I managed to get out.’ That was too much to have revealed at this stage; any stage, in fact. Wanting to cover the mistake, Charlie tried to off-balance again. He said: ‘Who was Harold McFairlane?’
And this time it worked. They were actually approaching the port now, able to see the anchored, lighted vessels. Kozlov took the bridge over the Sumidagawa River but turned away from the full dock complex, going inland: Charlie remembered that a lot of the waterside area was, in fact, islands where it would have been easy to become boxed in and trapped. Kozlov’s throat was moving and there was a sudden, visible shake, in the hands that held the wheel. ‘You have been extremely busy,’ he managed finally.
‘It would seem that you were, too,’ said Charlie.
‘Has it been an American identification?’
‘You know I won’t answer that,’ said Charlie. It was a careless demand anyway: Charlie felt a stir of anticipation.
‘Tell me how close, at least?’
Charlie had no idea what the question meant. Using Kozlov’s demand as the guide, Charlie said: ‘Very close.’
‘I knew it was wrong,’ said Kozlov. More than at any time since the encounter began, Kozlov was reflective, deep inside his own mind.
What the fuck had been wrong! thought Charlie, desperately: this really was like being on the tightrope and watching the strands fray at the far end. He searched for a further way to urge the man on. Drawing upon his own experience, Charlie said: ‘They never listen to the people who have to do the job, do they?’
‘I needed more time, after London. Bonn only gave me a month: it had to be messy,’ blundered Kozlov.
Enough, Charlie decided at once. He said: There’ll be a complete amnesty, of course. For McFairlane …’ He allowed the pause. ‘And the rest.’
‘That’s the most essential guarantee,’ said Kozlov. ‘I’ll want that — so will Irena — before we’ll agree to anything.’
Charlie reckoned he had everything short of a written confession. He repeated: ‘You’ll have every guarantee.’
‘How will you get Irena out?’ demanded Kozlov.
Charlie paused. ‘Safely,’ he said. I hope, he thought.
There was another fleeting smile from Kozlov, the first for a long time. He said: ‘Yes. It is better I don’t know.’
‘But there will have to be the closest coordination,’ warned Charlie. ‘Everything calculated to the minute, to leave at the same time.’
‘I don’t need reminding of the disaster, if the timing is wrong,’ said the Russian. He paused: ‘If anything goes wrong.’
‘I need a photograph to recognize Irena,’ said Charlie.
‘I expected you would,’ said Kozlov. He reached inside his jacket and handed Charlie an envelope.
‘And to meet,’ continued Charlie. An idea was shaping in his mind; the commandos could be useful, but for something different from what the Director imagined. Duck and weave time.
‘Yes,’ said Kozlov. There needs to be a meeting.’
‘How prepared are you?’
‘Immediate. You?’
‘Immediate,’ said Charlie. Which was a slight exaggeration because he had a hell of a lot to do. He said: ‘My planning with Irena can’t be arranged through the Americans, naturally.’
‘Naturally,’ agreed Kozlov.
‘Or through you,’ added Charlie.
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ said Kozlov.
‘That’s exactly what I am not being,’ said Charlie. ‘You’re seeking protection by being separated?’
‘From your two services,’ argued Kozlov.
‘From each other,’ insisted Charlie.
Kozlov pulled the car into the side of the road and stopped, and Charlie was glad: it seemed they had been driving for hours. Why did his feet still hurt, when he’d been sitting down for so long?
Kozlov said: ‘How can things be coordinated if Irena and I don’t know when and how it’s going to happen?’
Charlie’s earlier reflection that any sort of grab would be impossible as well as stupid, here in Japan, hardened into a positive determination against the idea as the Russian talked. So now getting the woman safely out came down to a logistical exercise, to thwart the Americans attempting anything so foolish. He said: ‘You’ll know when, of course. You’ll have to. But not how. Irena comes with me, without any details. You go — however you choose — with the Americans.’
‘That’s how I want it to be,’ said Kozlov.
‘It’s still your choice, don’t forget,’ said Charlie. ‘It’s still possible to change your mind, even now; both come with me.’
‘Fredericks made one last try,’ remembered the Russian.
‘So?’
‘We stay separate,’ insisted Kozlov.
‘Then the planning is separate.’
‘All right,’ accepted Kozlov, without a choice.
Charlie looked at the dashboard clock, trying to calculate the amount of time he needed: it was fortunate the difference was so great, between Tokyo and London. A lot of potential problems still remained. He wished he’d thought it out and synchronized the possible flight schedules. Caught by a sudden doubt, Charlie said: ‘She speaks English?’
‘Perfectly,’ assured Kozlov.
‘The bookshop tonight?’ said Charlie. ‘Will just that one occasion be sufficient for her to recognize me?’
‘I hope so.’
‘It must be more than hope!’ insisted Charlie.
‘She’ll recognize you,’ guaranteed Kozlov. ‘Where?’
‘There is a tourist bus which leaves the hotel at noon tomorrow: a city tour. Tell Irena to catch it.’
‘You will be on it?’
‘I will make contact with her,’ qualified Charlie. ‘She must wait.’
‘All the arrangements will be settled then?’
Charlie did not reply at once. Then he said: ‘Everything. And at the same time you must contact Fredericks; don’t forget the necessity to coordinate.’
‘I’ve thought about this for a long time,’ said Kozlov. ‘I’m not going to forget any necessity.’
Detecting what he thought to be doubt, Charlie said: ‘Don’t worry. I’ll get her out safely.’
‘I’ve been very careful, preparing her,’ said Kozlov.
‘I’ll protect her,’ insisted Charlie.
‘It is difficult for me to believe that after so long, everything will be settled by tomorrow,’ said Kozlov, distantly.
More positively than you imagine, thought Charlie. He said: ‘That’s how close it is, now.’
‘It must be over soon,’ said Kozlov. ‘There are some difficulties at the embassy.’
‘What difficulties?’
‘There is a security officer: it is obvious there is some suspicion developing.’
‘By tomorrow everything will be fixed,’ reassured Charlie.
‘We haven’t settled the terms,’ reminded Kozlov.
‘How much?’ asked Charlie. Would the man stick with the American demand or try to hype the price?
‘I’ve asked Washington for $500,000,’ said Kozlov. ‘I’ll want the same for Irena.’
‘Agreed,’ said Charlie, at once.
‘Index-linked, to take account of your inflation,’ continued Kozlov. ‘That’s what your Civil Servants get, isn’t it?’
This was one for the lecture rooms! thought Charlie. He said: ‘I’ll insist it’s index-linked.’
‘And something else,’ went on Kozlov. ‘I want it pegged to a fixed exchange rate against the dollar.’
‘I’ll arrange that also,’ said Charlie, using the immediate response to cover his reaction. That insistence could only mean that Kozlov ultimately intended to settle with his wife in America: another important warning to pass on to London. He said: ‘Is that all?’
‘Of course not,’ said Kozlov, just as quickly. ‘I want private health care for her: your National Health Service suffers delays.’
Definitely one for the training manual, decided Charlie. ‘That’s possible,’ he said. Kozlov had made an omission which confirmed Charlie’s thoughts about their eventually living in America.