End of Spies, Alex Gerlis [important of reading books txt] 📗

‘May I ask about the London end of things – this art gallery: is that still of interest?’ Hugh Harper gave the impression he was hoping he’d be told the services of MI5 would no longer be required.

Gilbey turned to his two agents at the end of the table. ‘We’ve not got anywhere on that, have we, Prince?’

‘No, sir, we haven’t. With the help of Mr Harper and Bartholomew, we’ve been watching the gallery and keeping an eye on Bourne and Ridgeway, but so far nothing.’

‘And nor did a thorough look at their various bank accounts turn anything up, other than evidence of a higher-than-normal incidence of cash transactions’ said Harper. ‘We’ve got telephone-tapping and mail-opening warrants, but no joy there either.’

‘Well perhaps it was a long shot anyway,’ said Gilbey. ‘Let’s concentrate on Austria, eh?’

‘I think that would be a mistake.’

‘I beg your pardon, Roly?’

‘I think it would be a mistake to concentrate on Austria and forget about this end of things. Remember, I’m the one who went into the gallery: I’ve met both Bourne and Ridgeway, and the woman too. There’s little doubt in my mind that there’s something fishy going on there, and we know for a fact that they were the ones who sent Charles Falmer over to Frankfurt with all that money, which was almost certainly for the Kestrel Line. We simply cannot afford to ignore that.’

‘So your point is…’

‘My point is we should still watch the gallery: it may give us a lead to the Kestrel Line and thus to Bormann. Do remember, the woman in Bourne’s office admitted they were providing funds and said that there are people in this country they wish to send on the same route too – that was the phrase she used, if I recall correctly.’

Hugh Harper said he could still have Bartholomew watch the gallery, but Prince said he foresaw a problem with that.

‘From everything Sir Roland has said, I’m sure the woman at the gallery was the same one I saw in Gerrards Cross and at the pub. My instinct is she’s probably more important than Bourne and Ridgeway. But I’m the only one who can identify her.’

‘And you can hardly be both here and in Austria.’

‘Not at the same time Mr Gilbey, no.’

‘In that case’ said Gilbey ‘perhaps the best thing would be for Hanne to go over to Austria and Prince to stay here? That way we could cover both bases.’

Chapter 19

Austria, November 1945

‘This really isn’t a matter for discussion, Wilf – it’s an order. It came from the War Office in London to Eighth Army headquarters, and from there to me, and now I’m passing it on to you. I would add that as orders from London go, this one is notably unambiguous. Is there any part of it you’re unclear about?’

Wilf Hart rolled his eyes and replied in a resigned manner. ‘The woman flies into Klagenfurt later this afternoon and I’m to escort her back to Villach, where I’m to afford her every assistance in an operation I’ve yet to be told about.’

Major Laurie Stewart leaned back in his chair, contemplating not for the first time whether he should replace the man sitting in front of him. Stewart commanded the British Army’s Field Security Sections in Carinthia in southern Austria, and Captain Wilf Hart ran the FSS unit in Villach. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was actually very efficient and spoke good German, he’d certainly move him elsewhere. Hart was somewhat older than his commanding officer, and Stewart had long detected a degree of resentment from him. He was now detecting that resentment over the orders he’d just been given.

‘That is not quite true, though, is it, Wilf? I told you the woman is an MI6 agent with what I’m told is an outstanding record of service during the war. Her mission is to be regarded as your priority and you’re to do as she requests. She’s on the trail of escaping Nazis and is acting on information that some may be in or passing through Villach.’

‘I’ve not picked up so much as a hint of that.’

‘Which doesn’t mean it’s not happening, does it? In my experience, MI6 aren’t in the habit of dispatching agents around Europe on a whim.’

‘Oh, I don’t know…’

‘What is the problem, Wilf? Is it that I’m asking you to take orders from a woman?’

Captain Hart appeared uncomfortable and avoided looking at his commanding officer.

‘Not in so many words, sir. You said she isn’t English – one wonders…’

‘I’m not English, Hart.’

‘I meant British: I would have thought that was self-evident.’

‘I can move you back here to Klagenfurt if you prefer: you’d no longer be running your own little unit, but we do have a building full of captured documents here, and going through them would keep you more than busy.’

Captain Hart apologised and said no, of course not, he was sorry for any misunderstanding, and maybe the exhaustion was getting to him. ‘Not stopped since Italy, have we, sir?’

Hanne Jakobsen was met at Klagenfurt airbase by both Major Stewart and Captain Hart, the former assuring her of the full cooperation of the Field Security Section. When he finished shaking her hand, he introduced her to Hart, who was very polite and said it would take a little over an hour to get to Villach.

Hanne said in that case they’d better get a move on, and thank you very much but she could carry her own case.

The Field Security Section had taken over a building on Hauptplatz in the centre of Villach, halfway between the Drava river and St Jakob’s church. It served as their base and their living quarters, and when Captain Hart came down for breakfast the following morning, the Danish woman was waiting for him, clearly impatient to get started.

She asked him what the Field Security Section actually did. Captain Hart explained that their primary function was to run the denazification process, to interview people