That morning Rafe had called Frank three times and every call had gone to voicemail. He didn’t think it was unreasonable for him to be told what was happening with Stavro. Unless Stavro was being tortured, of course. He didn’t need to know that. But hadn’t he helped bring him down? Wasn’t he a part of the team?

He had gone to his little office in the embassy, because the phones there were secure so it was possible that Frank would call him there. Sykes’s office was down the hall, but he didn’t even bother. He was sure she wouldn’t give him the time of day. Literally.

In his office there was nothing to do except look at reports of possible money launderers afoot in Europe. Which seemed pretty pedestrian to him now. He picked up some papers and put them down again. He realized he would have to file a report on the outcome of the Pleski situation. Armstrong at the bank had told him it would be resolved soon, possibly today. Rafe’s report to DC would have to be very carefully worded.

The phone on Rafe’s desk rang. It was Frank. He sounded surprised, and a little disappointed, that Rafe picked up. As if he had done the decent thing by calling, and if Rafe hadn’t answered, well, he’d tried. But Rafe had answered, so Frank gave it to him. In brief, anyway. Stavro was in good health except for a bad headache. He had caved fast. If there was one thing the guy knew, it was how to size up his options in any given situation, especially one in which Guantanamo was mentioned. The information he was prepared to provide would be useful. Action would be taken. Rafe did not need to know. Stavro was about to be dispatched to another location for more extensive debriefing. But first they had to deal with the money they’d sent in his name to the Holborn Bank. It was going to become the property of the United States government, but, for that to happen, Stavro had to sign it over. Swiss banking rules had to be followed. They could kidnap a man and threaten to send him to Guantanamo but they couldn’t make a withdrawal from his bank account unless he signed the proper papers. So would Rafe please call his girlfriend at the bank and tell her to get them ready?

After he hung up on Rafe, Frank had made another call. A man answered and Frank said, “I’ve got someone I want you to eyeball.” The man said something. Frank said, “That means have a look at him. Tell me if you’ve seen him before. Tell me anything you know about him. You know, the kind of stuff we’ve been paying you for.”

Rue de Hesse

RUE DE HESSE