He started the engine without speaking.

‘She works out of that kiosk,’ I told him, pointing at it as we drove past.

He didn’t reply but all his agitation flowed into his driving and his hand repeatedly hit the horn at all those who strayed into his path and were too slow in getting out of his way. For some reason he had driven us to Le Cercle Sportif and when he did speak the tenor of his voice had changed. Instead of that mocking humour he liked to employ, there was a quieter, more resigned tone and for the first time since we’d met he called me Michael.

‘So, Michael, this is how it is. The war is lost – you don’t need to have any doubts about that. And what remains now is for us, all of us, and that includes those Vietnamese who have done good work for us, to get out of here in one piece. And I don’t know how long we’ve got but we have to be ready. You understand?’

I said I did and he nodded as if he was pleased.

‘But we have a problem, and that problem is Martin and maybe even Polgar, and I’m talking to you man to man now – no bullshit. Martin still believes that a negotiated settlement is possible and part of Polgar wants to believe that too. They want to believe that, when everything out there says the very opposite and that Charlie’s not going to stop until his flag’s flowing over the presidential palace and his tanks are parked outside on the lawn. And the longer they go on believing that, the less time we have to get out of here with as many of our people as possible.’

‘So how does this relate to the French documents you want?’

‘I need everything I can find about the North’s intentions. I just need any insight from as many credible sources as I can get my hands on that Charlie’s not going to accept anything less than a military victory. Now I didn’t need to tell you any of this but I have. So respect that.’

He asked me again if I understood and perhaps it was my concerns for the people who worked with me that made me tell him I’d get him what he wanted.

‘So tomorrow mid-afternoon Greenberg will get a call that’ll tell him he’s needed to attend a meeting in the Embassy. That’s when you’ll do it.’

‘He’ll lock his office.’

‘Yes he will and that’s why I’m giving you this key,’ he said as he handed it to me. ‘These are the code numbers you’re looking for. Make the copies in the room, take nothing original out. So you think you’re ready to step off your desk and into the field? That’s good, Mikey, and no need to thank me for saving your life.’

‘Saving my life?’

‘From the exploding flowers,’ he said and then he laughed. ‘Now I’m going for a swim. You can join me or have a drink and wait.’