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Chapters (45)
  1. The Man With No Face
  2. Also by
  3. Title
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. Contents
  8. INTRODUCTION
  9. CHAPTER ONE
  10. CHAPTER TWO
  11. CHAPTER THREE
  12. CHAPTER FOUR
  13. CHAPTER FIVE
  14. CHAPTER SIX
  15. CHAPTER SEVEN
  16. CHAPTER EIGHT
  17. CHAPTER NINE
  18. CHAPTER TEN
  19. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  20. CHAPTER TWELVE
  21. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  22. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  23. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  24. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  25. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  26. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  27. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  37. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

‘Why should I? You are obviously in possession of the facts. Naturally I would prefer to avoid such a scandal, but if necessary I will ride it out. It will hurt me only a little. Heads will roll, but not mine. The burden of guilt will fall upon others, though it is I who shall accept the ultimate responsibility for the indiscretion of certain employees. In six months it will be forgotten. The government will be embarrassed, but then they need me more than I need them. As I have said, it is a storm I can weather, Mr Bannerman. Murder, however, is something else. One would not entertain murder lightly, and I not at all. Not from any moral standpoint, you understand, but simply because it is far too risky an enterprise.’

Bannerman stared thoughtfully at the man opposite. This was not what he had expected. And yet everything he said had the ring of truth about it. Men like Jansen never took the fall. They had all the advantages that money, power and influence afford. Effective buffers against retribution. Would he really need to resort to murder? But there were still too many questions left unanswered. He said, with sudden reso­lution, ‘You sent someone to recover files of cuttings from Slater’s office.’

Jansen nodded. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘But at that point it seemed as though our secret might yet remain intact. Lapointe attended to the details. Perhaps it was a mistake.’

‘And the house in Flanders?’

‘Ah, yes, it was burned down, I believe. I am told there will be problems regarding the insurance.’

Anger rose quickly in Bannerman. ‘Someone tried to kill me there, and damn nearly succeeded.’ He caught himself, and reined in his emotions. ‘I’m not at all sure I believe that you had nothing to do with the murders in the Rue de Commerce, Mr Jansen, or the attempt on my own life in Flanders.’ He drew a deep breath. ‘You set up a network of companies to sell arms to Rhodesia and South Africa in defiance of the United Nations embargo. That makes you just as responsible for the deaths of the people those guns kill as those who pull the triggers. So why would you be squeamish about killing your business partner and his blackmailer if you saw that as a threat? Morally there is no distinction.’

Jansen laughed. ‘How refreshingly naïve. Morality is not a word in my lexicon. Do you think I give a damn about UN embargoes and human rights, or Gryffe and Slater? Or you for that matter? Self, Mr Bannerman, is what life is about. Self.’

He ran a hand back through thick, steely hair.