Circus by Alistair MacLean Page A

between my lot and yours.’
    â€˜You’re terribly certain.’
    â€˜I’m terribly certain of one thing and that’s this. There isn’t one man in my lot who wouldn’t give up his pension rather than open the door of a tiger’s cage.’
    Wrinfield nodded with an equally reluctant acceptance. ‘I suppose it’s my turn to say that I should have thought of that.’
    â€˜That’s unimportant. Point is, what are we going to do? You’re under hostile surveillance, my career’s on that.’ He paused in momentary gloom. ‘Whatever my career’s going to be worth when all this is over.’
    â€˜I thought we’d settled all that.’ The now accustomed touch of asperity was back in Wrinfield’s voice. ‘You heard what I said back in the circus. You heard what Bruno said. We go.’ The admiral regarded him thoughtfully. ‘A marked change of attitude since last night. Or, more properly, a marked hardening in attitude.’
    â€˜I don’t think you quite understand, sir.’ Wrinfield was being patient. ‘This is my life, my whole life. Touch me, touch my circus. Or vice versa. We have one major card in the hole.’
    â€˜I’ve missed it.’
    â€˜Bruno’s still in the clear.’
    â€˜I hadn’t missed it and it’s because I want him to stay that way that I’d like you to take this girl of ours into your employ. Her name is Maria Hopkins and although I don’t know her all that well Dr Harper assures me she is a very bright operative and that her loyalty is beyond question. She’s to fall in love with Bruno and he with her. Nothing more natural.’ The admiral put on his sad smile. ‘If I were twenty years younger I’d say there was nothing easier. She’s really rather beautiful. That way she can liaise with Bruno, yourself, Dr Harper – and, up to the time of your departure, with myself – without raising any eyebrows. As an equestrienne, perhaps? That was Fawcett’s idea.’
    â€˜No perhaps. She may think she’s good, she may actually be good, but there’s no place for amateurs in the circus. Besides, there’s not a man or woman on my performing staff who wouldn’t spot immediately that she’s not a trained circus equestrienne: you couldn’t devise a surer way of calling attention to her.’
    â€˜Suggestions?’
    â€˜Yes. Fawcett mentioned this possibility in this dreadful bordello place he took us to and I’ve given the matter some thought. Didn’t require much, really. My secretary is getting married in a few weeks to a very strange fellow who doesn’t like circuses: so she’s leaving. This is commonknowledge. Let Maria be my new secretary. Every reason for her to be in constant contact with me, and through me your doctor and Bruno without any questions being asked.’
    â€˜Couldn’t be better. Now, I’d like you to put a large box advert in the papers tomorrow for a doctor to accompany the circus to Europe. I know this isn’t the way one normally recruits a medical man but we’ve no time to wait to use the more professional channels. This must be made clear in the advert. Besides it will make it perfectly clear that you are seeking a doctor with no one in mind and that your choice will essentially be a random one. You may have quite a few replies – it would make a nice holiday for someone who has just, say, finished his internship – but you will, of course, choose Dr Harper.
    â€˜He hasn’t practised medicine for years, although I dare say he’d find an aspirin if you twisted his arm. That’s irrelevant. What matters is that he is an outstanding intelligence agent.’
    â€˜So, I was led to believe, was Pilgrim. And Fawcett.’
    The admiral made a quick gesture of irritation. ‘Things don’t always happen in threes. Fortunes turn. Those two men knew the