Free Charlie M by Brian Freemantle Page A

leaving …’ agreed Cuthbertson. He paused, looking carefully from one to the other. ‘… You’ll have to be bloody careful. Let Kalenin make the running all the time.’
    â€˜And if he doesn’t?’
    The hope in Snare’s voice was evident to everyone in the room.
    â€˜Then you’ll stay in Moscow for a few months until we can withdraw you without it being too obvious. And Harrison can come out when the Fair is over.’
    â€˜If nothing happens,’ enthused Harrison, later, as the two operatives sat in the office formerly occupied by Charlie Muffin, ‘think of all the wonderful ballet you’ll be able to see. I hear the Bolshoi are marvellous.’
    Snare stayed gazing out of the window into Whitehall. At least those killed in the war had a public monument, he thought, looking at the Cenotaph.
    â€˜I don’t like ballet,’ he said, bitterly.
    Back in Cuthbertson’s office, Janet carried in the carefully brewed Earl Grey tea, placing the transparent bone china cups gently alongside the Director and Wilberforce, then returned within minutes with two plates, each containing four chocolate digestive biscuits.
    She stood, waiting.
    â€˜What is it?’ demanded Cuthbertson, impatiently.
    â€˜I thought you might have forgotten,’ offered Janet. ‘Mr Muffin returned this morning. He’s been in the office, all day.’
    â€˜Oh Christ!’ said Cuthbertson. He stared at Wilberforce, deciding to delegate. Muffin wasn’t important any more.
    â€˜You see him,’ he ordered the second man.
    â€˜What shall I tell him to do?’
    Cuthbertson shrugged, dismissively, taking care to break his biscuits so that no crumbs fell away from the plate.
    â€˜Oh, I don’t know,’ he said, consumed by the Kalenin development. ‘Let him see Berenkov again.’
    â€˜So Muffin isn’t to be demoted?’ probed Wilberforce, anxious to avoid being blamed for another mistake.
    The Director paused, tea-cup to his lips.
    â€˜Of course he is,’ he snapped, definitely. Even though the man had been right, showing them the way to uncover three other members of Berenkov’s system, Cuthbertson didn’t intend admitting the error.
    â€˜But for God’s sake, man, consider the priority,’ he insisted. ‘The last thing that matters is somebody as unimportant as Muffin. Kalenin is the only consideration now.’
    Charlie lay exhausted in the darkness, feeling the sweat dry coldly upon him. He hooked his feet under the slippery sheet, trying to drag it over him, finally unclasping his hands from behind his head to complete the task. He didn’t like silk bed-linen, he decided.
    â€˜So he won’t even see me?’ he said.
    â€˜He’s very busy,’ defended Janet, loyally, intrigued by the self-pity in Charlie’s voice. She hoped he wasn’t going to become a bore: she’d almost decided to take him to a party the coming Saturday, to show him to her friends.
    â€˜What’s happening?’ asked Charlie turning to her. In the darkness, she wouldn’t detect his attention.
    â€˜There’s a hell of a flap,’ reported the girl. ‘We’re trying to get Snare a visa for Moscow. And Harrison into East Germany under Department of Trade cover for the Leipzig Fair.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜Cuthbertson thinks some General or Colonel or something wants to defect from Russia.’
    â€˜Who?’
    â€˜He won’t identify him. Even the memorandum to the Prime Minister refers to the man by code.’
    Charlie smiled in the darkness. The bloody fools.
    â€˜You’ll be annoyed tomorrow, Charlie,’ predicted the girl, suddenly.
    He waited.
    â€˜Remember the last time you saw Berenkov … the day your shoes leaked …?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Cuthbertson has cut the taxi fare off your expenses. He dictated a memo today, saying you’d obviously