Free Run Around by Brian Freemantle Page A

then crossing Bond Street to the next square. There the car went immediately left, to cross Oxford Street and Johnson said: ‘Wrong! It would have been quicker to have gone north up the Edgware Road.’
    â€˜Maybe the driver made a mistake,’ said Burn, who frequently did.
    â€˜Maybe Santa Claus drives a Snowmobile,’ said Johnson. He had the seniority and certainly enough reasons to depute the younger man but instead he said to Kemp: ‘If he jumps, I’ll follow.’
    â€˜What do you want me to do?’ asked the younger man.
    â€˜Stay with the car,’ ordered Johnson. ‘And don’t, for Christ’s sake, lose it!’
    â€˜What do we look for!’ asked Burn.
    â€˜Everything there is to see.’
    Koretsky made his move actually in Oxford Street and Johnson was only yards behind him. The Russian went directly into the underground system, using the ticket queue to check for pursuit. Johnson got his ticket from the dispensing machine, paying the maximum fare, and was only five people behind the Russian on the downward escalator. Koretsky went to the east bound platform and Johnson let more people come between them, to provide the buffer. He tensed at the Oxford Circus station, because of its link with the Bakerloo Line, but the Russian remained just inside the door, standing as Johnson was standing, ready for an instant departure. Koretsky darted off at the Tottenham Court Road junction, timing it practically at the moment of the doors closing, so that Johnson was only just able to get out to continue the pursuit. Koretsky pretended to check the indicator map in order to make another surveillance check, so Johnson had to go by and fumble for change for a guitar-playing busker. Koretsky overtook him and he picked up the Russian’s trail on to the northbound Northern Line. Johnson managed the adjoining carriage again, discarding his topcoat and turning it so that the colouring was hidden, the only change possible in his appearance. Johnson was ready at Euston, because of the interconnecting lines, but Koretsky didn’t move, seemingly relaxed now in a seat alongside the door. Too complacent, boyo, thought the Watcher. He actually moved ahead of Koretsky at Camden Town, alighting first and ascending to street level ahead of the man although keeping him constantly in view behind, in case he doubled back. He didn’t. Johnson got to the exit hoping that Burns had kept close to the Soviet car if this were a pick-up, feeling the jump of alarm when he failed at once to recognize their car and then relief when he couldn’t see the Russian vehicle either.
    Johnson let people intrude between them as much as he felt it safe to do so as they walked down Camden High Street but was almost caught out at the bus stop at which Koretsky stopped without warning. Fortunately the 74 bus was actually approaching, so there was no time for the Russian to make a proper search behind. Once again, with no idea how far they were going, Johnson took the maximum fare, more tense now than at any time because of their closeness. He was on the rear bench and Koretsky sat on the first cross seat next to it, close enough for Johnson to have reached out and touched him.
    Alert as he was, Johnson saw the Russian begin to move as they approached Primrose Hill, so he was able to get up and away from the bus before Koretsky actually disembarked. The Russian immediately crossed the road into Albert Terrace, striding on the side where the railings edged the grassed park. Johnson followed as far back as possible and on the opposite side of the road, where the houses were. In the last house before the terrace connected with Regent’s Park Road Johnson dropped his topcoat behind a low garden wall, once more trying to alter his appearance as much as possible. As he did so, he saw Koretsky enter the park through the corner gate.
    It had been a mistake not to bring Kemp with him, to alternate the tail to