Free Black Pearl by Peter Tonkin

as a short fact-finding mission into the full guided tour with the relentlessness of a used-car salesman. Perhaps fortunately for Patience Aganga, her Benincom cell phone began to ring even as the Russian was shepherding her off the bridge towards the high-temperature gas turbine engines, already launching into an explanation of how they powered two sets of fans, one set of which kept the skirts inflated while another provided the propulsion.
    â€˜I have to take this,’ the minister said. ‘It’s Colonel Kebila.’ She turned away, talking rapidly. Then she stopped and turned back. ‘I know it’s a long shot,’ she said, ‘but do any of you know a Russian by the name of Yagula?’
    â€˜We both do,’ said Richard. ‘He’s the chief prosecutor of the Moscow law enforcement system – of the whole of the Russian Federation, in fact. Lavrenty Mikhailovich Yagula. What does Kebila want to know about him?’
    â€˜No,’ said Patience, her dark brow furrowed. ‘This one’s called Ivan. Ivan Yagula. And he’s not in Moscow. Or even in Russia. He’s in detention at the airport for trying to smuggle a sizeable arsenal of weapons into the country.’
    There was a stunned silence. Richard looked at the minister, who was looking at him. They both ended up looking at Felix.
    â€˜Ah,’ said Felix, with the closest Richard had ever seen him come to a blush. ‘I think I might know what’s happening …’
    In one of life’s irritating little inevitabilities, Max had just left the airport and was caught in traffic on his way back to the hotel when Felix got through to him. There was no chance that he could get back and sort out matters between Ivan Yagula and the airport authorities. Though, from the tone of what Richard could hear coming out of Felix’s cell phone, Max wasn’t too happy about the situation either.
    â€˜I’ll have to go myself,’ the Russian announced to Patience Aganga. ‘I’m sorry. I’m afraid your tour of the vessel may have to wait, minister.’
    â€˜I believe I will survive the disappointment,’ she answered with every evidence of relief. ‘But if Captain Zhukov will supply paper I will write a letter of authority for you to take with you, and I will call the airport formally myself when I get back to my office.’
    Richard, who had never seen Felix wrong-footed, let alone flustered, found his interest piqued. ‘Mind if I ride along, Felix? Robin’s taken my car anyway, and I’d love to know more about this chap.’
    Probably because he was still a little off balance, Felix agreed and did not even seem to regret his decision until their saloon was snaking out on one of President Chaka’s new highways towards the airport. ‘So,’ said Richard in the cheery tone he knew irritated Felix most. A tone he usually reserved for when he thought Felix had stepped over one of the lines that defined their relationship. ‘Another Yagula? Father? Uncle? Cousin? Brother?’
    â€˜Son,’ answered Felix grudgingly, the way he tapped the minister’s envelope against his immaculately tailored knee betraying his irritation.
    â€˜Really? I never knew. Though I do realize the federal prosecutor has a reputation with the ladies that almost rivals Max’s …’
    â€˜Son and heir. Acknowledged and legitimate. Mother dead,’ said Felix.
    â€˜I never even knew Yagula had been married,’ said Richard more soberly.
    â€˜One marriage, one christening, one funeral. Old story.’
    â€˜OK,’ temporized Richard as he watched the inbound A380 from Paris begin to settle on to its short finals, swooping lazily towards their own destination. ‘So why is he here?’
    â€˜We asked him to come,’ said Felix. ‘We and Lavrenty Mikhailovich.’
    That gave Richard pause. His mind raced. Whole new vistas of Muscovite