The day before Anna dies
The day before Maria is due to meet David at the airport, she takes a short walk from her hotel to Regent’s Park. She already knows from her Google searches what to expect as she approaches the stretch of Nash buildings behind her, along the path that curves towards the bench where she had insisted they meet. She recognises his face from the photographs online, the unnaturally blue eyes the computer screen had failed to do justice.
‘Harry?’
He looks up, his eyes narrowing sharply as they meet hers before looking around, instinctively, for signs of company.
She could not be sure that he would come, after her call from the phone box the day after Felicity ‘let her go’. She had stolen his number from Anna’s phone with such ease that she wondered how Anna had ever thought she was fooling anyone.
Taking a seat, Maria holds out her hand.
‘My name is Maria. Like I said on the phone, I’m a friend of Anna’s. I also believe we have another person in common.’
‘Another person in common, you say?’ His accent is soft and she can instantly see from the way he holds his face, the intensity of the eyes, what had drawn Anna in; though she will not be making that mistake.
Harry raises his cigarette to his lips and inhales, the paper burning at the edges.
‘Yes. I think until now, you and I have been working from different angles, towards the same common goal. And I think we could help each other, if we joined forces.’
Something clicks, a look of intent forming at the corners of his mouth.
‘Is that right?’
Unnerved by the depth of his stare, she looks down for a moment and then lifts her head.
‘If you’re anything like me, you’re not going to want to see him get away with it. After everything we’ve given to bringing them to justice?’
‘We?’
‘Yes, we …’
‘What are we talking about here?’
Harry keeps his expression cool, taking another drag of his cigarette as he looks out across sculpted hedges circling an ornamental fountain.
‘I assume you’ve heard about David.’
Harry raises an eyebrow, his voice measured. ‘I read something about it. The funeral was a few days ago, wasn’t it?’
‘David’s not dead.’
She watches his face turn towards her, and she smiles.
‘Now you’re listening? David is alive and is fleeing to the Maldives – tomorrow evening – where, as I’m sure you know, there is no extradition treaty, so once he is there, he’s free. MI6, they’re no longer interested. The African authorities, from what I gather, because of Nguema’s involvement and how much influence he has there, they aren’t in a hurry to prosecute. If anyone does try to fit him up for it, there is a plan to lay the blame on Anna. So the way I see it, there are only two people left on this earth who care about bringing Clive to justice. And one of us has been asked to accompany David to the Maldives, as his mistress.’
Harry cocks his head, exhaling a long line of smoke, his face breaking into a smile.
‘Well, I certainly didn’t get the memo. OK, now I’m listening.’
‘Anna is due to meet with Clive’s solicitors about the will. David and I are meeting at the airport, tomorrow afternoon. He wanted to be sure everything went smoothly in terms of Anna’s reaction to the meeting she is due to have with his father’s solicitors, tomorrow morning, so he has been lying low at his father’s flat, “getting his ducks in order”, that’s what you say. Right?’
‘I definitely don’t say that.’
Maria pauses then, unable to stop herself. ‘Why did you do it?’
‘Do what?’ His expression is one of genuine bemusement.
‘All of it. I mean, there must have been easier ways to make money …’
Harry raises a hand at this, as if the idea of being in it for the money offends him.
‘Seriously, I’m intrigued. I know why I did it, but I can’t work out …’
Harry smiles then, as if considering something for the first time.
‘But life’s not like that, is it? It’s not that straightforward. You must know that as well as I do. You make decisions as and when situations arise; you take steps and you never really know where they will take you. You just do what you think is right in that moment; sometimes you’re right, and sometimes—’ His voice stopped abruptly. ‘Well, maybe I was right, maybe I was wrong. Maybe we all were. It just depends what angle you’re looking at it from.’
Maria looks away, taking a moment to let his words sink in. He’s right, about this point at least. Sometimes you’re already so far into something that there’s no other way out. Sometimes the ‘right thing’ in its purest form is no longer an option.
‘Should one of us try to warn her?’ Harry says, after a moment.
‘I’ll do it,’ Maria replies. ‘It will be better coming from me.’
* * *
That is part of what the meeting had been about, of course – as well as finding herself an ally who will help her get David arrested. But as much as that, she needs to ensure Harry doesn’t go directly to Anna himself, to warn her of what Clive and David have planned, before the fact. In order for Maria’s plan to work, Harry has to believe that Maria will do this herself – and Maria is nothing if not persuasive.
But she isn’t as clever as she thinks, she realises much later. Because saving Anna had never been Harry’s intention at all – she knows that now. Harry knew exactly what Clive had planned, and he wouldn’t have warned Anna off, whether Maria had intercepted or not. Saving Anna had been the furthest thing from his mind.
She had completely underestimated what Harry was capable of – but then he had underestimated her, too.