London, the day Anna dies
Parcel Yard is almost empty but for a couple of men in kilts drinking pints in one corner of the pub, a group of office workers laughing too loudly in the other.
Harry arrives first, taking a seat at a table overlooking the train tracks, the sound of King’s Cross station rattling around him, surveying the room as he waits, his back straightening as he sees Madeleine appear at the door, teetering across the room on too-high heels.
He doesn’t blink, watching her face closely.
‘Harry,’ she says, smiling, business-like, and leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek. ‘Early for that. Shall we walk?’
He looks at his drink before downing it, ignoring her quip. If there is one thing he knows about Madeleine it is that she isn’t one to judge.
‘Sure, let’s go,’ he says, and they move outside and through the crowds gathered outside the departure boards, exiting the station and turning right towards Coal Drops Yard.
‘How have you been?’ she asks, noting the red rings around his eyes. He looks away.
‘I’ve had better days.’
She looks enquiringly at him and he shrugs. ‘It was a nice distraction to get your call. What’s up?’
‘I need you to help move someone,’ she says above the drone of the traffic. ‘An old colleague of mine … She has a family. Three young children and a partner. I need you to meet them at Plymouth tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow?’
‘I know it’s short notice but I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t urgent. I need someone I can trust …’
Harry nods. ‘I’m touched.’
‘I’ve lined up a people carrier. You’ll meet them near the ferry. There will be someone waiting to take their car and get rid of it. You’ll continue on with them. There is a house, I’ve written down the address.’
‘A family, though? Jesus, Mads, what is this about?’
Madeleine shakes her head, biting the inside of her mouth.
‘They are witnesses in a case the NCA are building.’
‘So why aren’t you keeping this in-house?’
She shoves her hands deep into her pockets.
‘OK,’ he says. ‘Obviously you’re not willing to tell me everything, but I need to know what I’m signing up to. I think you’d worry if I didn’t ask …’
Madeleine nods. ‘You can’t report this, ever. What I say now is strictly off record. It can never come out.’
Harry smiles, showing his palms. ‘You have my word. I haven’t worked for a newspaper for five years …’
She doesn’t ask why. Pausing, she clears her throat. ‘The NCA is building a case against a network of international criminals. They need Gabriela – that’s my former colleague – to help convict a woman called Irena Vasiliev. They’ve been trying to get her for years; they’ve been working with international agencies, pushing to prosecute offences from involvement in something called a VAT carousel to a number of arguably more serious crimes that are equally hard to pin to her, especially with her legal team as litigious as they are – but this is where Gabriela comes in.’
Harry listens, without reaction.
‘Gabriela has been with the same man since they were in their early twenties. A guy called Tom. As far as I knew, they were happy together …’
Harry looks at her sidelong. She doesn’t meet his eye. ‘We worked together at the FCO. Anyway, Gabriela and Tom have kids – a girl and a boy, they’re seven and five now. Then one day, almost two years ago, she met this Russian guy, Ivan Popov. Popov is Vasiliev’s main man in the UK. Vasiliev is wanted around the world but she barely leaves Russia now, other than to countries deemed safe, i.e. anywhere untouched by Europol or Interpol, or any of the other agencies braying for her blood. Popov met Gabriela at a café in town and they started a relationship. They had a baby together.’
Harry raises an eyebrow. ‘So if she’s already split up with this Tom guy, how come he’s going with her?’
Madeleine pauses. ‘She didn’t split up with him. They were still together. It seems she’s been living a double life, moving between the two families for months.’
‘Seriously?’ Harry exhales through his teeth. ‘Wow, that takes some balls. And no one noticed?’
‘Not that I’m aware of.’ Madeleine clears her throat. ‘Popov’s phone was tapped … These recordings connect Vasiliev and Popov with a number of crimes.’
‘And Gabriela is going to testify?’
‘That’s the plan. Except Vasiliev knows about Gabriela. She had her investigated, found out about the children and Tom … Still, when Vasiliev confronted Popov with the information, he chose to stay with her.’
Harry reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cigarette, offering her one.
‘Fuck me, this is really not what I expected you to say when I agreed to meet you …’
‘Well, you can be sure that it came as something of a shock to me, too.’
Harry holds out the lighter to Madeleine as she leans in. They are interrupted by the sound of Harry’s phone. As he pulls it out, he sees the name Maria flash on the screen.
Pressing reject, he slips it in his pocket.
‘Are you sure you’re up to this?’ she says. ‘I mean, if you have other stuff going on …’
‘No,’ he says firmly. ‘I’m up for it. So where am I going?’