Free Undercover by Bill James Page B

asked.
    â€˜It’s tricky, perhaps, and vague, and packed with variables, but necessary,’ Rockmain said. ‘As is the sex aspect.’
    â€˜Which sex aspect?’ But, yes, he could guess.
    â€˜This is going to put massive responsibilities on handlers like Howard,’ Rockmain answered. ‘Closure responsibilities.’
    â€˜Closure of what?’ Tom said.
    â€˜Severance responsibilities. I mentioned the women earlier,’ Rockmain replied.
    â€˜Which women?’ Tom said.
    â€˜Rather late in the course of things, I fear, we have acknowledged – accepted – they have a genuine grievance which we should not ignore but try to deal considerately with.’
    â€˜Who have a genuine grievance?’ Tom said.
    â€˜This is a decision that comes from at least the Association of Chief Police Officers, and possibly from higher still – the Ministry of Justice? It will settle new, subtle duties on handlers. In these extra, demanding tasks, Howard can call on me for advice and support. So, you’ll see how the psychology element resurfaces.’
    â€˜What are we talking about, Mr Rockmain?’ Tom asked.
    â€˜I expect you know,’ Rockmain said, with a sudden, stop-pissing-around tone that seemed alien for someone in sandals.
    â€˜This will be another demonstration of Tom’s wariness,’ Lambert said. ‘He demands definitions, transparency.’
    â€˜Above all we want you to feel assured, Tom, that any untidiness involving a woman or women connected to your time undercover will be managed in a careful, humane, understanding fashion,’ Rockmain said. ‘We do not want you to be burdened – badgered – during that time with anxieties about relations with a woman, women, who believe you to be other than you are. Obviously, you will have read of complaints by young protest-group females who consider themselves deceived in that way: giving it willingly to men they thought fellow members of the group, but discovering later that they’d been sleeping with the enemy – sleeping with undercover cops, some of them married and with children.
    â€˜A woman has a right to feel piqued if she’s been putting out night after night deluded. The publicity from that kind of mix-up is not at all helpful, Tom. It makes undercover policing look unscrupulous and amoral, which, viewed from some angles, it is, of course. We don’t wish to emphasize this, though. There have consequently been some important undercover procedures added to those already in force. You’ll ask, which? A categorical ban on all undercover sex is patently impossible. The undercover officer has to establish a full and credible life in the firm, and this is almost certain to mean attachment, attachments, usually hetero.’
    â€˜You’re telling me to shag around?’ Tom said.
    â€˜I’m telling you that nothing should stop you behaving in character – in your assumed character, that is. I’m telling you, Tom, that when difficulties arise afterwards –
if
they do – they will be efficiently considered and coped with. We accept now that these women have a compensatable case. Financial grants may be made to them from a new, dedicated slush fund, referred to slangily, I’m afraid, as the “conned cunt caddy”, conditional upon their agreement not to broadcast – broadcast in the widest sense – details of the affair, affairs.’ He took a few mouthfuls of burn water. Then he said: ‘I notice you frown, and all credit to you for it.’
    â€˜I would have expected frowning from Tom at this point,’ Lambert said. ‘He would argue, I think, that emotional damage cannot be adequately repaired by money –
mere
money, as it is sometimes dubbed. This is, yes, an admirable reaction. We all know that Beatles number that states “money can’t buy me love”, I’m sure. However, it will be my mission