'No, they won't. But you'd be removed from your job and discredited. If they cleared you afterwards you wouldn't be rehabilitated and reinstated.'

'If I thought this was all a KGB plot to discredit me, I'd kill you now, Stinnes.'

'That would make matters worse for you. If I was killed, you would immediately be suspected. Your position would be worse than having me slander you. With me alive you could argue against me, but London Central would see my dead body as convincing proof of your guilt.'

'Is that how it looks to you?'

'It's how it is,' said Stinnes. 'Is there anything else?'

'Did my wife arrange the death of the boy at Bosham?'

'Why?'

'I have to know.'

'He recognized her.'

'But did she kill him?'

'Your wife? Of course not.'

'Did she authorize it?'

'No, it was a local decision. Your wife was not consulted.'

I looked at him, trying to see into his brain. 'You'd say that anyway,' I said.

I could see by his face that he could not be bothered to discuss the matter. But then he seemed to realize that from now onwards he might have to get used to doing things our way. 'Pavel Moskvin, one of my people, was trying to make himself famous.'

'By murdering one of our junior staff?'

'Moskvin was using my name; he was in England impersonating me. He got the idea that MacKenzie was you.'

'What?'

'He knows nothing about you, except your name and that you wanted to get into contact with me. He was in England on a routine task; he was no more than a back-up for your wife's team. But, when MacKenzie arrived, Moskvin couldn't resist it. He pretended he was me.'

'What a fiasco,' I said.

'Moskvin is a meddling fool. He thinks it's all so easy. Finally he killed your man rather than have to report what a mess he'd made of everything. No, your wife was not involved. Your wife is furious about it.' A workman wheeled a trailer pump from the shop and started the motor. It made a loud thumping sound until the pressure built up. Then the man began to spray a car door. The spray gun hissed loudly as clouds of pink paint came rolling across the yard.

'You came here after the Volkmanns arrived, didn't you?'

'I told her you'd guess that. Chronology is always the first element of deduction.'

'The Volkmanns arrived here, and then you came and let them discover you here.'

'Your wife was sure her scheme would make you run.'

'Was she?' I had my doubts about whether she'd discuss such things with Stinnes, or with anyone else. It was not Fiona's style.

'She thought London Central would be flaying you alive by now. Instead you seem to have talked your way out of trouble there. And instead of you fleeing East I am coming West. It will be a double defeat for her, and there are people in Moscow who'll not allow her to escape without blame. She will have within her an anger that only women know. She will take revenge upon you, Samson. I would not like to be in your shoes when she seeks retribution.'

'You win some; you lose some.' I could smell the paint now. It had that acrid taste of cheap boiled sweets that all such quick-drying paints have.

'You say that because you are a man,' said Stinnes.

'I say it because I'm a pro. Just as you are one, and just as my wife is. Professionals don't take revenge; they have enough trouble doing their job.'

'You may be a good agent,' said Stinnes. 'But you have a lot to learn about women.'

'The only thing a man has to know about women is that he'll never know anything about them. Now let me back up the car before the radiator goes pink.'

I started up the car and moved it out of the way of the mad spray-man. Stinnes said, 'Are you still in love with your wife?'

'No,' I said. I was getting fed up with everyone concerning themselves about how much I loved Fiona. 'Are you still in love with Mrs Volkmann?' I retorted.

Stinnes was startled. His head moved as if I'd given him a slap in the face.

'You'd better tell me,' I said. 'It could have a bearing on the enrolment.'

'How?'

'Have you arranged to go to England with Mrs Volkmann?'

'She arranged it. Your people approved.'

'Did they, by God.'

'She told them it must be a condition. I am in love with her. And she's in love with me.'

'Are you serious, Erich?'

'I love her. Have you never been in love?'

'Not with Zena Volkmann.'

'Don't try to change anything. It's too late now. We're going to start a new life together in England. If you tell her husband or try to interfere I will not go ahead.'

'You must be a bloody fool,' I said. 'A man like you, listening to the sweet talk of a little chiseller like Zena Volkmann. She wants to get her hands on the money. Can't you see that?'

'It's my business,' he said peevishly.

'Your fight with your wife… her bruised face. Was that something to do with Zena Volkmann? You didn't punch her in the face just to make it all look right, did you?'

'When I told Inge there was another woman she became hysterical. I didn't want to hurt her but she tried to kill me. She had a metal poker.' He sighed. 'Zena said I must tell her. Zena insisted upon a clean break. Otherwise, she said, Inge might keep trying to find me. This way, perhaps she'll forget me and marry again.'

'You didn't tell your wife that you were going to defect?'

'I am in love, but I am not insane. No, of course I didn't tell her.'

'Then stay sane about Zena too,' I said. 'I'll give Zena a ticket to London, for the flight after yours. You make sure you arrive alone on Friday. Or I'll have to get rid of Zena the hard way.'

Stinnes seemed not to take my threat seriously. He said, 'I suppose every tourist going to London wants to see 221B Baker Street.'

'What's in Baker Street?' I said. But even before I'd finished saying it I recognized it as the fictitious address of Sherlock Holmes. 'Oh, yes, of course. We'll go along there together,' I promised.

'It's something I've always wanted to see,' said Stinnes. But before he could get started about Holmes, Werner arrived in Stinnes's car. He got out, leaving the door open, and walked over to us.

'Are you finished?' said Werner. 'Or do you want me to give you a little more time?'

Stinnes looked at me. I said, 'We're all through, Werner.'

As Stinnes got out of the car he touched his forehead in a salutation. 'Auf Wiedersehen,' he said, with a more than a trace of mockery in his voice. I noticed the way he abruptly introduced the subject of Sherlock Holmes; he hadn't promised not to bring Zena with him.

'Sayonara,' I said. I still didn't know what to make of him.

'What's biting you?' said Werner as he got into the car alongside me. I looked in the mirror until Stinnes had got into his car and driven away. Then I gave Werner the Russian passport to look at. 'Holy Christ,' said Werner.

'Yes, they were going to snatch me.'

'And Stinnes prevented it?'

'He's bound to want the credit,' I said. 'They might just have dropped it in favour of other plans.'

'London would have thought you'd gone voluntarily,' said Werner. 'It's a smart idea.'

'Yes, Moscow are having a lot of smart ideas about me lately.'

'Fiona, you mean?'

'It's tempting to think it's all coming from her,' I said. 'But I don't want to become obsessed about it.'

'Did he say anything about Zena?' said Werner.

'We've been all through that, Werner. You make sure Zena is kept busy on Friday. You tell her nothing is planned and you're flying her to Acapulco for a long weekend and swim and get a tan. Send her off on her own on Friday morning so you can be my back-up at the airport on Friday night. Then fly out on the late plane to join her.'

'She won't fall for that, Bernie. She knows it's getting close.'