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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

Jansen’s gaze followed him all the way to the door. But he didn’t speak until Bannerman opened it. ‘Of course you realize that everything I have said here tonight was off the record.’

‘Then you should have made that clear before you said it.’

‘I’ll sue.’ There was an edge to Jansen’s voice now.

Bannerman held the door half-open. ‘I doubt it. It’s amazing how much unsubstantiated shit can get flung around in open court. And I doubt if you would risk all your splendid isolation to refute it.’

*

Outside the night was a little colder and the glitter of stars seemed a little harder. The frost glistened on the snow as the taxi’s headlights swept through the tunnel of trees. Bannerman glanced back and the receding house remained in darkness. The gates were open when they reached the end of the drive, and when they had passed through them, shut again with a soft electronic hum.

Inside Jansen’s vast mansion the billionaire climbed stiffly to the second floor and walked around the landing to his study without looking down. The room glowed faintly in the moonlight and he crossed to his desk to switch on a small reading lamp. It threw a bright pool of light on the desk, plunging the room beyond its halo into obscurity. Jansen lifted the phone.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Platt was waiting in Slater’s car outside the apartment block in the Rue de Commerce. He had been sitting with the engine running for nearly half an hour, his stomach aflutter with nerves and excitement. And a strange, gnawing fear.

He saw Bannerman’s taxi draw up in the rearview mirror. He switched off the engine and jumped out on the pavement.

‘Well, did you see him?’ He hurried up the stairs after the younger man. But Bannerman said nothing. ‘I’ve been waiting for ages.’

In the apartment, Bannerman drew a bottle of whisky from his pocket and threw his coat over the settee. He screwed off the top, got two glasses and poured stiff measures into each. Platt watched him apprehensively and snatched the proffered glass. He didn’t drink it immediately, but watched as Bannerman knocked his own back in one then poured himself another.

‘Well?’

‘I saw him.’

‘And?’ Platt felt the dull ache of his ulcer and sipped gingerly at his whisky.

‘First the company stuff.’

Platt laid his glass on the table and took out a folded Manila envelope which he thrust at Bannerman. Bannerman opened it and glanced over the photocopies of clumsily typed sheets inside. He dropped them on the table and poured the second whisky over his throat.

‘He wouldn’t say anything.’

‘What do you mean?’ Platt glared at him suspiciously. ‘He must have said something.’