Of course, the real mystery is why the floor – as well as the carpet throughout his hallway – was so wet in the first place. “Saturated” was, I believe, the word used by the chief CSO. There was no sign of a water leak, no natural explanation found for its presence.’
‘Indeed not,’ agreed King. ‘It is most curious.’
‘But hardly due cause to go running to Section 37,’ said Sir Robin, back-pedalling slightly when he saw the look on King’s face, ‘with all due respect.’
‘But then,’ continued Shining, ‘there is also the matter of Sir James’s personal assistant. Dead under the wheels of the 5.12 Northern Line train to High Barnet. I believe the platform was also unaccountably wet?’
Toby smiled. He enjoyed watching his superior dance his little dance, so polite, so charming, so completely ahead of the game.
‘The video footage shows something even more strange,’ said Fratfield, reaching into his briefcase to pull out a data tablet.
‘All in good time,’ said King staring at Shining. ‘I really must ask how you came by this information so quickly.’
‘With respect, sir, we intelligence officers must be allowed to keep the sources of our information secret. If it helps, that’s all I know. I was meaning to investigate further when my colleague and I were called here.’
‘Then at least you haven’t heard about Leonard Holley,’ said King. ‘He died last night, too. Run over by his own car.’
‘Clumsy,’ said Shining. ‘Where have I heard that name before?’
‘He was part of the trade delegation run by Sir James,’ explained King, ‘working to improve business ties with South Korea.’
‘Ah,’ replied Shining, ‘that must be it.’ He looked to Toby who was always more well informed on matters of current politics. Toby was quick to jump in and prove his credentials.
‘Of course,’ he said, ‘the much-vaunted new deals after President Geun-hye’s visit. I believe the plan is to double both foreign trade and direct investment between the UK and South Korea by 2020?’
‘It is,’ King agreed. ‘The UK will take all the business opportunities it can get right now and our South Korean friends are only too happy to establish stronger ties.’
‘Lovely people,’ said Shining. ‘Such a shame about their neighbours.’
Fratfield smiled. ‘Exactly. I confess that’s why I’m here. We have no evidence linking North Korea to any of this but, well … it would seem that someone’s trying to damage the negotiations and …’
‘Occam’s Razor,’ agreed Shining. ‘The North are the most likely candidates.’
‘At this stage,’ said King, ‘the who is not so much the question as the how, that’s why I asked to meet with you. From what I can tell you have considerable experience with matters that fall outside the … ah … conventional.’
‘Indeed we do,’ Shining agreed. ‘When it comes to the impossible, we’re the department to call.’
Sir Robin made a scoffing sound. ‘Improbable more like.’
‘I’m afraid,’ continued Shining, ‘this has marked us out for a quantity of cynicism amongst the more traditional offices of Whitehall.’
‘To say the very least,’ Sir Robin said, ‘the man’s a bloody menace.’
‘A menace that is sitting right next to you, Sir Robin,’ said Fratfield and Toby found himself warming to the man. He had no doubt the SIS officer had his own doubts about Section 37 but at least he had the sense of departmental honour not to express them to their faces.
‘With respect, Sir Robin,’ said King, ‘the decision isn’t yours. It is clear to the Secretary of State, and indeed myself, that the circumstances surrounding these deaths fall under Section 37’s purview and they will be added to the ongoing investigation. They will also advise on security moving forward. The new head of the delegation is quite insistent on that fact.’
‘And who would that be?’ Shining asked.
‘Me,’ King replied with a
‘Indeed not,’ agreed King. ‘It is most curious.’
‘But hardly due cause to go running to Section 37,’ said Sir Robin, back-pedalling slightly when he saw the look on King’s face, ‘with all due respect.’
‘But then,’ continued Shining, ‘there is also the matter of Sir James’s personal assistant. Dead under the wheels of the 5.12 Northern Line train to High Barnet. I believe the platform was also unaccountably wet?’
Toby smiled. He enjoyed watching his superior dance his little dance, so polite, so charming, so completely ahead of the game.
‘The video footage shows something even more strange,’ said Fratfield, reaching into his briefcase to pull out a data tablet.
‘All in good time,’ said King staring at Shining. ‘I really must ask how you came by this information so quickly.’
‘With respect, sir, we intelligence officers must be allowed to keep the sources of our information secret. If it helps, that’s all I know. I was meaning to investigate further when my colleague and I were called here.’
‘Then at least you haven’t heard about Leonard Holley,’ said King. ‘He died last night, too. Run over by his own car.’
‘Clumsy,’ said Shining. ‘Where have I heard that name before?’
‘He was part of the trade delegation run by Sir James,’ explained King, ‘working to improve business ties with South Korea.’
‘Ah,’ replied Shining, ‘that must be it.’ He looked to Toby who was always more well informed on matters of current politics. Toby was quick to jump in and prove his credentials.
‘Of course,’ he said, ‘the much-vaunted new deals after President Geun-hye’s visit. I believe the plan is to double both foreign trade and direct investment between the UK and South Korea by 2020?’
‘It is,’ King agreed. ‘The UK will take all the business opportunities it can get right now and our South Korean friends are only too happy to establish stronger ties.’
‘Lovely people,’ said Shining. ‘Such a shame about their neighbours.’
Fratfield smiled. ‘Exactly. I confess that’s why I’m here. We have no evidence linking North Korea to any of this but, well … it would seem that someone’s trying to damage the negotiations and …’
‘Occam’s Razor,’ agreed Shining. ‘The North are the most likely candidates.’
‘At this stage,’ said King, ‘the who is not so much the question as the how, that’s why I asked to meet with you. From what I can tell you have considerable experience with matters that fall outside the … ah … conventional.’
‘Indeed we do,’ Shining agreed. ‘When it comes to the impossible, we’re the department to call.’
Sir Robin made a scoffing sound. ‘Improbable more like.’
‘I’m afraid,’ continued Shining, ‘this has marked us out for a quantity of cynicism amongst the more traditional offices of Whitehall.’
‘To say the very least,’ Sir Robin said, ‘the man’s a bloody menace.’
‘A menace that is sitting right next to you, Sir Robin,’ said Fratfield and Toby found himself warming to the man. He had no doubt the SIS officer had his own doubts about Section 37 but at least he had the sense of departmental honour not to express them to their faces.
‘With respect, Sir Robin,’ said King, ‘the decision isn’t yours. It is clear to the Secretary of State, and indeed myself, that the circumstances surrounding these deaths fall under Section 37’s purview and they will be added to the ongoing investigation. They will also advise on security moving forward. The new head of the delegation is quite insistent on that fact.’
‘And who would that be?’ Shining asked.
‘Me,’ King replied with a
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