Liz Carlyle - 07 - The Geneva Trap Read Free Page B

voice. ‘It’s Molly here from Geoffrey Fane’s office. He’s coming across to Thames House for another appointment in an hour and would like to look in on you, if that’s convenient.’
    Liz groaned to herself. The last person she wanted to see right now was Geoffrey Fane. ‘What’s it about? I’m rather snowed under today.’
    ‘He didn’t say,’ replied Molly, ‘but he did say it was urgent. I think it’s something to do with a message that came in from Geneva this morning. But don’t tell him I told you,’ she added cheerfully. ‘You know how he likes to play things close to his chest. ’Bye now.’
    Liz smiled as she put the receiver down. Molly’s got the measure of him all right, she thought. Poor old Geoffrey. But Liz was also intrigued. What could a message from Geneva have to do with her?
    An hour later she was still working her way through emails when Peggy Kinsolving stuck her head round the door.
    ‘Hi, Liz. Good holiday? Can I come and brief you on a few things when you’ve got a moment?’
    Liz liked the young researcher and was always pleased to see her. ‘I’d say come in now but I’m threatened with an imminent visit from G. Fane. I’ll give you a buzz when he’s gone.’
    ‘Lucky you.’ And Peggy’s head disappeared, to be replaced after a short time by another.
    ‘Good afternoon, Elizabeth. Sorry to disturb you on your first day back. I’m here to see DG but wanted to tell you about something rather intriguing that’s just come in.’
    How typically Geoffrey, thought Liz, to remind me that he’s a big fish accustomed to swimming with other big fish, and that he’s doing me a favour by letting me into his pond.
    ‘How was France?’ he went on. ‘I hope our friend Seurat was in good form.’
    A second Fane ploy: he loved to show that he knew everything about everyone’s private life – particularly hers.
    Ignoring this, Liz said sharply, ‘Molly said something urgent had come up.’
    ‘Have you had much to do with the Russian Services in recent years?’
    She’d worked on a Russian case a few years ago, in which Fane had also been involved. He knew about that, especially as it had ended disastrously for him. She didn’t want to remind him of it.
    As though he was reading her thoughts he said, ‘I don’t mean the oligarch. I was wondering about other cases.’
    ‘I helped uncover a British scientist who was selling secrets to the Russians a few years ago. I had to give evidence in court. He got ten years.’
    ‘What about earlier on in your career? Weren’t you in counter-espionage in your first years here?’
    What on earth is this about? thought Liz. But she knew Geoffrey Fane too well to try to hurry him. He would tell her in his own good time.
    ‘Yes. In my first three years. Then I moved to counter-terrorism,’ she replied.
    ‘You didn’t deal with an approach from any Russian intelligence officer? Or run anyone here who’d been recruited?’
    ‘No. I was far too junior. I didn’t do agent running until I went to counter-terrorism.’
    ‘Hmm,’ said Fane. Then he went on, ‘Some people thought the end of the Cold War would mean the end of espionage. How naïve. Motives change, allegiances change, but spying goes on …’ Liz listened impatiently as Geoffrey droned on, expounding his familiar theme about the perennial need for intelligence work. I don’t know why he’s telling me all this, she thought. I agree with him. Perhaps sensing her impatience, he said suddenly, ‘Anyway, this chap Sorsky says he wants to speak to you. In fact, he won’t talk to anyone else.’
    ‘I don’t know anyone called Sorsky. Are you sure he really meant me?’
    ‘He’s reported to have said “Lees Carlisle”. There is only one Lees in either Service, and the only other Carlyle, Rex, has been our man in Uruguay for the last sixteen years. And in any case, Sorsky clearly indicated his Lees Carlisle was a woman. So yes, I rather think he does mean