“The young man got through the procedure at his boyfriend’s country cottage and left her there overnight alone. When he returned the following morning she had contracted an infection and was very ill. He got her to a hospital, but she died later the same day. Mike Freeman knew nothing of any of this at the time.

“The boy was arrested, charged with performing an illegal abortion, and did a plea bargain for six months in prison. His medical career was ruined. While in prison he was raped and murdered by another prisoner, leaving two angry and powerful fathers to mourn the two young people.

“Time passed, the two MPs rose in the political world, and when their party won the next election, the girl’s father joined the cabinet as foreign secretary and the boy’s father as home secretary. Thus empowered, they set out to avenge their unlucky children and destroy Stanley Whitestone.

“By this time, under pressure created by the two fathers, Whitestone, fearing for his life, had left MI6, changed his name to Michael Freeman, and vanished. Eventually, he acquired an altered face, a Canadian passport, and a slight Montreal accent. Then he met Jim Hackett, went to work for him, and rose to number two in Strategic Services. With me so far?”

Stone shrugged noncommittally.

“Then your friend Felicity Devonshire, head of MI6, at the behest of the two fathers, employed you to find Mr. Whitestone. Felicity did not know the backstory, and the fathers had fabricated charges of treason, or worse, against Whitestone. The rest you know, am I right? In fact, you were with Jim Hackett when the sniper got him. I am prepared to believe that you knew nothing of that.”

“I won’t confirm or deny any of your story,” Stone said.

“You are so stubborn, Stone,” Lance said, laughing and shaking his head. “But I respect your loyalty and your rectitude, which is why I am now formulating a new approach to Mike Freeman and Strategic Services.”

“I’m sure he’ll be interested in hearing what you have to say,” Stone said, “as will I.”

“Properly noncommittal,” Lance said. “I’m going to make Mike an offer he can’t refuse, as the Godfather used to say.”

“I hope the content of your offer will be different from those of the Godfather,” Stone said.

“Don’t you worry, Stone; it will all be legal, proper, and aboveboard. Well, perhaps not entirely aboveboard, given the business we have chosen. Aboveboard is not really what we do, is it?”

“Finally, something we can agree on,” Stone said.

There was a sharp rap on the door of the study.

“Come in!” Lance commanded.

The door opened and a large man in hunting clothes filled the doorway. “The gentleman has said he is ready to speak to you now, sir.”

“Tell him I’ll be right with him,” Lance said, and the man closed the door.

“Did someone make him an offer he can’t refuse?” Stone asked.

“Well, yes,” Lance replied.

“I suppose that involved what you people like to call ‘enhanced interrogation’?”