Double Agent

Tom Bradby

Double Agent

Also by Tom Bradby

Shadow Dancer

The Sleep of the Dead

The Master of Rain

The White Russian

The God of Chaos

Blood Money

Secret Service

Double Agent

Tom Bradby

Atlantic Monthly Press

New York

Jacket design by Alex Camlin

Jacket photographs: Venice © Lasse Ansaharju/Alamy; woman © Kristina Hruska/Millennium Images, UK

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First published in Great Britain in 2020 by Bantam Press
an imprint of Transworld Publishers

First Grove Atlantic edition: November 2020

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data available for this title.

Typeset in 11.5/16pt Palatino LT Std by Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd, Pondicherry.

ISBN 978-0-8021-5764-5

eISBN 978-0-8021-5766-9

Atlantic Monthly Press

an imprint of Grove Atlantic

154 West 14th Street

New York, NY 10011

Distributed by Publishers Group West

groveatlantic.com

To Claudia, Jack, Louisa and Sam.

Prologue

KATE COULD NOT decide whether the woman before her had a keen sense of humour, a deep-seated social autism or both. ‘Why do you think you’d be a good fit?’ she’d asked, after a long explanation of the critical role her former deputy and friend, Rav, had played in the day-to-day work of MI6’s Russia desk.

‘Like for like diversity replacement,’ Suzy had replied, without the slightest hint of a smile.

Suzy Spencer was slim, pretty, northern, state-educated and half Vietnamese. ‘The smart half,’ as she’d put it. She didn’t take prisoners, but that was perhaps no bad thing. ‘I’m keen to spread my wings,’ she said, ‘I really am. The Security Service has been good to me and I love working there, but I’ve always had half an eye on a life across the river here – the chance to expand my horizons, play on a wider field. I’m sure you understand.’

Kate supposed she did, though it was harder to recall, these days, as that wider playing field seemed ever more threatening.

‘I’d be grateful, though,’ Suzy went on, tucking a half-curl of neat black hair tidily behind her ear, ‘if you could tell me a little more of what really happened to your deputy, Rav.’