Free Bearpit by Brian Freemantle Page A

possibility of Agayans being aware of any security men gathering outside his home?’
    â€˜None whatsoever,’ assured Panchenko. He thought the other man’s disability made him appear ominous and threatening.
    â€˜Continue.’
    â€˜The Comrade Director answered the door himself. He was a bachelor, as I have said in the report. He lived alone.’
    â€˜The door opened at once?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    Malik inferred the colonel’s impatience at being taken entirely through an episode he believed already properly accounted for. Further to irritate the impatience, Malik said: ‘You haven’t set out in the report what his attitude was at being confronted by you.’
    Panchenko hesitated, then said: ‘Surprise.’
    â€˜Surprise would have been obvious,’ said Malik. ‘What about fear?’
    â€˜Not until after we entered the apartment.’
    â€˜Before which there was some conversation?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Who spoke first?’
    Again there was a pause, as if for recall. Panchenko said: ‘We practically spoke together. The Comrade Director asked what we were there for as I announced I had orders for his arrest.’
    â€˜What was Agayans’ reply to that?’
    â€˜He asked for what offence. I told him I did not know.’
    Malik isolated Panchenko’s mistake and decided to wait to use it to undermine the stiff-backed attitude later. Hurrying on to prevent Panchenko realizing it, Malik said: ‘What then?’
    â€˜He asked upon whose authority – I said yours,’ recounted the security chief. ‘He said he had done nothing wrong and asked if he could get dressed: that’s how he got to the bedroom.’
    â€˜Dressed?’ queried Malik.
    â€˜When we got to the apartment Agayans was in bed,’ reminded Panchenko. ‘It’s in the report.’
    â€˜What time was this?’
    â€˜Approximately nine.’
    â€˜He was wearing nightclothes at nine o’clock at night?’
    â€˜And a robe.’
    â€˜At once,’ prompted Malik.
    â€˜I do not understand,’ complained Panchenko.
    â€˜You told me earlier that when you knocked the door was opened at once by Agayans,’ said Malik. ‘If he had been in bed – and before answering the door had to put on a robe – there should have been a delay.’
    â€˜I …’ started Panchenko and stopped. Then he resumed: ‘It appeared to me that the door opened at once: I agree now there would have been some slight delay.’
    â€˜So that part of your report is wrong?’
    â€˜Yes,’ conceded the colonel tightly.
    â€˜You agreed to his getting dressed?’
    â€˜Although he was under arrest upon your orders I did not think I should detain a Comrade Director in his nightclothes.’
    â€˜You said Agayans showed fear, after his initial surprise,’ prompted Malik. ‘So far I don’t get any impression of fear. It seems almost a normal conversation.’
    â€˜The request to get dressed was made very subserviently,’ insisted Panchenko. ‘It was anything but a normal conversation.’
    â€˜Tell me about going into the bedroom.’
    Panchenko swallowed and said: ‘He walked directly from the main room into the bedroom. With my squad I remained in the living area. After a while it occurred to me that Agayans was taking a long time to get ready. I hurried into the bedroom. He was on the far side with the bed between us. The gun was already against his head. The moment I entered, he fired.’
    Malik intentionally let the silence build up between them, all the time staring fixedly at the colonel. Panchenko remained rigidly to attention: Malik supposed the man would have learned to remain immobile like that on a hundred parade grounds. He said: ‘Does the main living room lead directly into the bedroom?’
    â€˜No,’ conceded Panchenko.
    â€˜You said he walked directly