In Billie’s eyes, the moment was unsettling to say the least. Emma’s story had combined with his own research to paint a picture of Peter Gris as some grotesque monster, masquerading behind a political front of charm and bluster. This was certainly not the figure he had imagined. More importantly, it was not even the right name. So who was the portly but elderly gent now beaming up at him from behind large tinted spectacles?
‘The look on your face says it all, dear boy. Please, be my guest. Pick a seat. Any seat. No conjuring tricks here!’
Billie did as he was told, grateful for an opportunity to rest legs liable to turn liquid at any moment. Jaeger glanced down at the three objects Meredith had placed on the table in front of him.
‘An interesting little group, Mr Vane. I wonder if we could have a little discussion about them in a moment or two? But as I am aware you don’t know me from Adam, it may help matters if I explain one or two things.’
Billie said nothing. His throat was still dry, his head sore, and his stomach had started to rumble. He was content for anyone else to do the talking right now, even if it was an effort to concentrate.
‘Peter Gris was my friend. We moved in the same circles, as it were. He in the front line as a Cabinet Minister, myself in the back row as a kind of supporting act. Otherwise known as a civil servant. But at the very top of the pile, you understand. We were a good team, and during our restful hours we had… similar interests.’
‘You mean sexual ones?’ Billie dared to venture.
Jaeger inclined his head slightly. ‘How indelicately put. It seems in recent times our tastes have not been universally accepted, and discretion has become the watchword. Alas, Grizzly was unusually careless. Let me digress for a moment: you are aware we have a new Prime Minister?’
Billie nodded. Following the unexpected result of the referendum in June, the former Home Secretary Bill Leonard had taken on the top job, prompting public dismay among several senior Tories. It was clear Jaeger had strong feelings about the appointment.
‘Mr Leonard has my sympathies, but very little else. As a party we are facing an unprecedented political disaster, namely casting ourselves adrift from our European partners, and we find ourselves being led by a PM with as much backbone as a jellyfish. But that’s politics for you. The man also happens to have produced an heir with morals only slightly more refined than Caligula: Andrew Leonard.’ He spoke the words as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. ‘Unfortunately, he has blue eyes and a pert little bottom, both of which were on Grizzly’s wish list. I couldn’t persuade him to see the little shit for what he was, and so two months ago came the fateful day.’
Billie hadn’t even realised the Prime Minister had a son. As he took very little interest in current political events, he did not fully understand why a friendship between Peter Gris and a younger man should be of interest to anyone else, assuming the boy was not underage. Unlikely, given Bill Leonard must easily be in his sixties. Then Antony Jaeger supplied a good reason for his interest.
‘Andrew Leonard killed my friend.’ He saw Billie’s reaction. ‘Oh, I don’t mean it was murder. It may have been during a fit of temper, but shoving a television remote up his anus didn’t happen by accident. Left him to bleed to death, little sod.’
Billie was aghast. ‘So Peter Gris really is dead?’
‘As the proverbial dodo, I’m sad to say. Does that upset you?’
He couldn’t answer immediately. ‘I’m not sure. I mean, I’m… sorry you lost your friend, but if what I’ve been told is true—’
‘Ah! But there’s the rub, is it not? Have you been told the truth? Merry, I wonder if you could fetch me some more of those delicious olives, and check what my lovely sister is up to, will you?’
Billie nearly missed it. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that the significance of what Jaeger had said only came to him as Meredith left them alone in the room.
‘Sister? Helen Vinke is your sister?’
Jaeger removed his tinted spectacles with one hand and reached into a pocket for a tissue with the other. ‘Of course. Can you not see the resemblance? Same eyes. Mine are a little cloudy now, and if it weren’t for these things… but yes. My little sister, Helen, has elected to look after her big brother in his dotage. Generous of her, don’t you think? Especially as I had to sling out dear old Eric to persuade her! Okay, that bit may not have been entirely to her liking, but he really wasn’t up to much. Poor old soul. Got a terminal dose, know what I mean?’
Having polished his glasses, Jaeger replaced them and pocketed the tissue. He looked up at Billie expectantly. ‘Meredith is my man now. We are a TEAM. I’m sure you’re familiar with the acronym? Together Each Avenges Misdemeanours.’ Billie looked away in confusion, which made his host chuckle. ‘My apologies. But while your own little band have achieved very little, Merry and I hold the winning hand. Do you play cards, Mr Vane?’
‘Not your sort.’
‘Ah. Then I would encourage you to learn the rules of the game. For example, if I were to play the national security trump card, you probably wouldn’t know what I was talking about.’
At that moment Meredith returned. ‘She’s cooking something for our guest. Here are your olives, and that’s the last of them.’ He placed a small dish next to Jaeger’s elbow. ‘Have you asked him yet?’
‘Hmmm. You’re itching to know, aren’t you? No, I haven’t popped the question, so go ahead. But treat Mr Vane gently. I have the impression he’s still a little concussed. And who’s fault is that?’
Meredith did not react to the dig, electing instead to circle the table slowly. ‘I want to know a little more about this “Titanic document” in your friend’s letter. You’ve obviously found it and read it. So have some others. Where is it now?’
Hardly able to believe it himself, Billie found some inner depths. ‘That’s for me to know and you to find out.’ But he still kept his eyes cast down to the table, and missed seeing Meredith raise his eyebrows.
‘Oh dear. Let me put things another way: Who’s Tina?’
It had taken only two words to hit a nerve. Meredith noted Billie’s shocked reaction and twisted the knife. ‘How about we give her a call?’
‘Don’t you fucking dare!’
Jaeger popped another olive and raised the palm of one hand towards Meredith. ‘Enough! You made your point, Merry. I apologise for my friend’s slight clumsiness, Mr Vane, but you see there really is no point being awkward. Er… this Titanic document. Would that be the one that a certain Patrick Faulkner used to try and blackmail Mrs Thatcher?’ Without waiting for an answer, he pressed on. ‘Because that was when I last saw it, just before Maggie put Grizzly in charge of disposal. Remember what I said earlier about national security? I think you should know it was with that specific mantra in mind that a certain agent with a codename of Parsifal went to a small town in Northern Ireland with instructions to eliminate the threat. How do you feel about resuming your duties, Merry?’ He gave a pointed look at the figure stood by his shoulder.
‘I’d be happy to do so,’ said Meredith, his eyes fixed on Billie.