“Thank you, colonel. I have no more questions,” said the prosecutor, “but my colleague may have,” he added before he sat down.

The chairman glanced in the direction of the young man who was seated at the other end of the bench. He rose and looked at the senior judge, but said nothing.

“Do you wish to cross-examine this witness?” she asked.

“That won’t be necessary, comrade chairman. I am quite content with the evidence presented by the chief of police.” He sat back down.

The chairman turned her attention back to the colonel.

“I congratulate you, comrade colonel, on a thoroughly comprehensive piece of detective work,” she said. “But is there anything you would like to add that might assist us to make our judgement?”

“Yes, comrade. I am convinced that the prisoner is merely a naïve and gullible idealist, who believes that Babakov actually worked in the Kremlin. In my opinion he should be given one more chance to sign a confession. If he does so, I will personally supervise his deportation.”

“Thank you, colonel, I will bear that in mind. Now you may return to your important duties.”

The colonel saluted. As he turned to leave the room, he glanced briefly at Harry. A moment later he was gone.

That was the moment Harry realized that this was a show trial with a difference. Its sole purpose was to convince him that Anatoly Babakov was a fraud, so that he would return to England and tell everyone the truth, as it was being played out in that courtroom. But the carefully orchestrated charade still required him to sign a confession, and he wondered just how far they would go to achieve their aim.

“Comrade prosecutor,” said the tribunal chairman, “you may now call your next witness.”

“Thank you, comrade chair,” he said, before rising once again. “I call Anatoly Babakov.”

Chapter 40

40

GILES SAT DOWN to breakfast and began to go through the morning papers. He was on his second cup of coffee by the time Sebastian joined him.

“How do they read?”

“I think a theatre critic would describe the opening day as having mixed reviews.”

“Then perhaps it’s a good thing,” said Seb, “that the judge instructed the jury not to read them.”