‘It’s not easy getting straight answers just at the moment. You should know that, or haven’t you noticed that our dealings with the cousins have become rather frosty? We keep in contact with the hospital authorities, who pass us on to somebody else, and that somebody else tries to sell us a call-back-tomorrow or an I’ll-check-and-call-you-back.’

‘All the more reason why somebody from the embassy should be there.’

‘I’m going.’

‘Yes, but when?’

‘Maybe tomorrow.’

Gilchrist stared hard at Parfit, who didn’t flinch. ‘Is that a maybe-maybe or a maybe-definitely?’

‘It’s a maybe-probably.’

Gilchrist smiled in defeat, then took off his glasses again to rub at his nose. He had been doing this ever since Parfit had known him, and it irritated him more than he could say.

‘So,’ Parfit began, ‘is there anything I should know about the state of play on the pull-out?’

‘No. NATO’s making its usual balls-up of the whole thing. Nobody seems able to agree with anybody else. Fallings-out left and right. If only we had the right bloody government in power …’

‘But we don’t.’

‘Quite. So instead it’s complete chaos, and what are the Soviets doing? Have you noticed?’

‘I wasn’t aware they were doing anything.’

‘Exactly. They’re just sitting back enjoying the bloody show. Oh, and speaking of bears, Ben Esterhazy’s back from Bonn. Not the happiest of soldiers, by all accounts. There’s talk that he’ll be heading for Sacramento.’

‘Oh?’

‘Well, most of that shuttle crew were his men after all.’ Gilchrist sighed. ‘We really could have done without this on top of everything else.’ He pulled a newspaper from the drawer of his desk and began to read aloud. ‘“The Jonah Factor. Major Michael Dreyfuss, the Briton they did not want on the tragic shuttle mission, was still seriously ill in Sacramento General Hospital today. Ground observers report that the shuttle’s undercarriage appeared not to operate during its descent towards Edwards Air Force Base.”’ He looked up at Parfit. ‘Et cetera,’ he said, ‘until this at the end: “Whatever happened, one thing is clear. The people of the United States will long remember the dealings of the past few weeks with the British government, the British people, and one British subject in particular.”’ He threw the paper back into the drawer. ‘They’re talking about Dreyfuss, and yet you’re letting him lie there—’

‘I have a good reason.’ Parfit snapped his mouth shut, but too late. He had already said it. Gilchrist smiled again, nodding.

‘I thought there must be a reason. So come on, what is it?’

Parfit sighed. ‘Not here.’

‘Very well then, let’s stretch our legs as far as the secure room. I’m all ears, I’m sure.’

7