‘Welcome, Mr Davies. It’s good to see you again, and looking so well I might add.’
Davies pulled down on the lapels of his Savile Row pinstriped suit and made his way further into the red-lit room and over to the wheelchair and the old man slumped on it.
‘Thank you, Mr Winters. You look well yourself.’
‘Rubbish. Still, I appreciate the thought.’ Jacob Winters smiled through cracked lips and pulled the thin tartan blanket closer to his chest. ‘So to what do I owe this welcome, if not unexpected, visit? I trust everything is proceeding to your satisfaction?’
Davies looked troubled as he sat down in the cushioned armchair placed next to the old man and squinted due to the lack of lighting. ‘The plan is bearing fruit but the group has some issues with regard to outside interference.’
‘Ah yes,’ Winters replied with an understanding nod. ‘This Harker individual and his friend?’
‘Exactly,’ Davies agreed with a frown. ‘Many of us are feeling rather exposed at having these rogue elements interfering in our business.’
Winters reached over and placed his shaky and crusty hand on Davies’s forearm. ‘I assure you they are nothing more than a couple of flies in the ointment, and we will get them swatted soon enough.’
Winters’s answer did little to alleviate his guest’s concern. ‘That may be so, but secrecy and anonymity is our greatest protection and, considering Harker’s uncanny ability to know where we are meeting on two separate occasions now, we assume he is getting information from someone on the inside.’
Winters didn’t look concerned at the possibility but his cheeks flared, creating thick wrinkles around his eyes. ‘The thought had occurred to me but I can state unequivocally that it did not come from my side of the fence. The only men involved are but a chosen few and above reproach, which can only mean one thing.’
Winters pulled back his hand and placed it on his lap, with his index finger tapping upon the blanket.
‘And that is?’ Davies replied awkwardly and already suspecting what the answer was.
‘That there is an informer somewhere on your side.’
Davies glared at the old man, looking deeply offended. ‘Impossible. That would make no sense whatsoever.’
‘Really, and with what reasoning do you reach such a conclusion?’
‘Because every one of our families has been chasing this knowledge for generations, and to think that with it finally in our grasp any of us would sabotage it…well, it’s unthinkable.’
Winters was already wavering his quivering hand in a dismissive manner. ‘Calm yourself, Mr Davies, I am certainly not accusing you. Far from it – your family has been at the spear tip of this endeavour, but don’t forget it was we who approached you with the offer of this gift, and not the other way around.’
‘For a price,’ Davies stated coldly.
‘Yes, for a price – which is the very reason that I know it is not from my end that these problems stem.’
Winters took a pause to sip from his water glass as Davies considered the point just being made and then, with a cough, he wiped his lips and with a pained grunt shifted closer. ‘You said yourself that your group has been searching for the answer we offer you for generations – with what it would be fair to call an obsession. With that in mind, is it so hard to entertain the possibility that one of them has decided they now want it just for themselves?’
The idea of betrayal appeared to gain some traction in Davies’s thoughts, and he sat back in his seat thoughtfully and mulled over the prospect.
‘Is there anyone you can think of that might have had the audacity to seize upon such an endeavour?’
Davies remained quiet until finally he crossed his arms and then pursed his lips tightly. ‘Maybe.’
It was the answer Winters had been wanting to hear and he rubbed his hands together menacingly. ‘Then it appears we now have a place to start. In the meantime I think it would be prudent to have a meeting of all of us to allay any fears this meddling may have caused. How long would it take to gather everyone?’
‘Our members from Spreepark are already back in the country, preparing, and the rest from Cervete cemetery can be with us within hours,’ Davies replied, getting to his feet.
‘Good. Then please arrange it all as quickly as possible,’ Winters instructed politely. ‘And if you could give me the name of the potential traitor you have in mind, I will have him or her looked into for any…irregularities.’
‘Of course,’ Davies replied. ‘But we need to be sure before any accusations ae made.’
‘I understand and, rest assured, I will settle for nothing less than concrete evidence before any accusations begin to fly.’
‘Thank you. I will be in touch.’
With that Davies began to head for the door, then paused as Winters called after him with a quavering voice.
‘Would you be so kind as to send Albert in, once you have spoken with him?’
‘Of course,’ Davies replied as he left the room.
After a few minutes a man with dark hair and a loose-fitting grey suit appeared and strode over to stand by Winters.
‘Did you get all that?’ the old man asked with a sneer, revealing brown-stained teeth.
‘I heard everything and I will therefore begin the checks. I’m sure we can dig up something on the person Mr Davies mentioned,’ Albert confirmed. He moved closer and bent down on one knee. ‘This is a dangerous game you’re playing, sir. If anyone discovers that you’re the one informing Harker, then it will be all our heads on the chopping block.’
Albert’s warning was met with a grimace and Winters patted the man on his chest. ‘Dangerous games are the only ones worth playing and, besides, no one is ever going to find out. Not after the meeting that Mr Davies is about to arrange.’
Winters’s response was of little comfort to the younger man and he sighed heavily. ‘This cat-and-mouse game may seem fun, but wouldn’t it just be better to have done with them all, including Dr Stanton? I could arrange that immediately.’
‘No.’ Winters waved a spindly finger. ‘We may need her as leverage and, anyway, this isn’t about fun; it’s about atonement. Alex Harker will get what’s coming to him, but not yet. His troubles are only just beginning.’