over.’
‘What?’ The astonishment was plain on his face. ‘Why?’
‘It seems that Mark Fox has been working for the Russians.’
‘I got a letter from him yesterday.’ Her voice quavered a little. She took a breath. ‘He’s defected.’
‘I think you’d best tell me all about it,’ Baker said.
By the time she finished he was frowning.
‘Penny to a pound the Branch didn’t tell anyone they were here. I think I’ll wander down to Millgarth and let them know. I’m sure they’d like a chat with our colleagues from London.’ He turned to Amanda. ‘You’re certain they were Special Branch?’
‘That’s what they said.’
He stared at her face and nodded.
‘Sounds right from what they did. And they have a place in Beeston?’ He rubbed his chin. ‘Some people aren’t going to be pleased with them. Give it a few hours until they’re picked up and I daresay you’ll be safe enough.’
‘Even at home?’ There was a tremor in her voice.
‘Even there, luv.’ He smiled. ‘I daresay you’ll still have to talk to MI5 or whoever it is. But they should be fairly civilised.’
‘Thank you.’ She looked at one of them then the other. ‘I don’t know what I’d have done …’
‘We’ll put the bill in the post.’ Baker gave a broad wink, put on his mackintosh and left.
***
He was back within an hour, rubbing his hands together and smiling.
‘Wait until dinner and you should be fine,’ he announced. ‘Leeds police picked up two blokes from the Branch loitering outside your office on Woodhouse Square. They were waiting to see if you’d show up. They’re not hired for their brains.’ Baker shook his head. ‘Right now it’s just a case of making sure there are no more Branch heavies around, then they’ll pack them on the train to London later. They won’t be coming back, either.’
‘Are you certain?’ She sounded as if she didn’t believe him.
‘Positive. I spoke to the Chief Super myself.’ He sat down and lit his pipe, working on it until he was wreathed in smoke and smiling with satisfaction. ‘The question is what we do now.’
‘Nothing,’ Markham said quickly. ‘We’re in this by accident, that’s all.’
‘But we are in it,’ Baker pointed out. ‘Can’t avoid that.’
A look between them: something to discuss later, when they were alone.
‘I’ll walk you back over when you’re ready,’ Markham said to Amanda.
‘Thank you.’ She looked at Baker. ‘Are you sure I’ll be safe?’ She couldn’t keep the fright out of her voice.
‘As houses.’
‘I still can’t believe Mark did it,’ she blurted.
‘He sent you the letter,’ Markham told her.
‘I know.’ Her voice was bleak. She looked lost, baffled by life. But anyone would. In the last twenty-four hours she’d learned that the man she loved was a traitor, she’d been abducted and beaten by Special Branch, escaped and gone on the run.
Her life had experienced an earthquake. Now she had to pick her way through the rubble of it all and find a way to the future. Whatever that might be.
‘Come on,’ he said kindly. ‘You can go home and rest.’
A cup of tea first in the cafe at Schofield’s, spinning out the time. It was her suggestion, as if she was reluctant to go and pick up the traces of her life. Finally they reached Woodhouse Square. No men waiting around. Her car was still parked there, a sporty Sunbeam Alpine. As she unlocked the door she looked up at him.
‘Your partner, can I believe him?’
‘He was a copper for a long time. He knows what he’s talking about.’
‘I hope you’re right.’ A sudden thought hit her. ‘We had a couple of other small jobs. Nothing related to … would you be willing to take them on? It’s very ordinary stuff.’
‘Of course,’ Markham agreed.
‘It’s the least I can do after all your help.’ Life was falling apart but politeness had to be observed.
He watched her drive away then turned and walked back to the
‘What?’ The astonishment was plain on his face. ‘Why?’
‘It seems that Mark Fox has been working for the Russians.’
‘I got a letter from him yesterday.’ Her voice quavered a little. She took a breath. ‘He’s defected.’
‘I think you’d best tell me all about it,’ Baker said.
By the time she finished he was frowning.
‘Penny to a pound the Branch didn’t tell anyone they were here. I think I’ll wander down to Millgarth and let them know. I’m sure they’d like a chat with our colleagues from London.’ He turned to Amanda. ‘You’re certain they were Special Branch?’
‘That’s what they said.’
He stared at her face and nodded.
‘Sounds right from what they did. And they have a place in Beeston?’ He rubbed his chin. ‘Some people aren’t going to be pleased with them. Give it a few hours until they’re picked up and I daresay you’ll be safe enough.’
‘Even at home?’ There was a tremor in her voice.
‘Even there, luv.’ He smiled. ‘I daresay you’ll still have to talk to MI5 or whoever it is. But they should be fairly civilised.’
‘Thank you.’ She looked at one of them then the other. ‘I don’t know what I’d have done …’
‘We’ll put the bill in the post.’ Baker gave a broad wink, put on his mackintosh and left.
***
He was back within an hour, rubbing his hands together and smiling.
‘Wait until dinner and you should be fine,’ he announced. ‘Leeds police picked up two blokes from the Branch loitering outside your office on Woodhouse Square. They were waiting to see if you’d show up. They’re not hired for their brains.’ Baker shook his head. ‘Right now it’s just a case of making sure there are no more Branch heavies around, then they’ll pack them on the train to London later. They won’t be coming back, either.’
‘Are you certain?’ She sounded as if she didn’t believe him.
‘Positive. I spoke to the Chief Super myself.’ He sat down and lit his pipe, working on it until he was wreathed in smoke and smiling with satisfaction. ‘The question is what we do now.’
‘Nothing,’ Markham said quickly. ‘We’re in this by accident, that’s all.’
‘But we are in it,’ Baker pointed out. ‘Can’t avoid that.’
A look between them: something to discuss later, when they were alone.
‘I’ll walk you back over when you’re ready,’ Markham said to Amanda.
‘Thank you.’ She looked at Baker. ‘Are you sure I’ll be safe?’ She couldn’t keep the fright out of her voice.
‘As houses.’
‘I still can’t believe Mark did it,’ she blurted.
‘He sent you the letter,’ Markham told her.
‘I know.’ Her voice was bleak. She looked lost, baffled by life. But anyone would. In the last twenty-four hours she’d learned that the man she loved was a traitor, she’d been abducted and beaten by Special Branch, escaped and gone on the run.
Her life had experienced an earthquake. Now she had to pick her way through the rubble of it all and find a way to the future. Whatever that might be.
‘Come on,’ he said kindly. ‘You can go home and rest.’
A cup of tea first in the cafe at Schofield’s, spinning out the time. It was her suggestion, as if she was reluctant to go and pick up the traces of her life. Finally they reached Woodhouse Square. No men waiting around. Her car was still parked there, a sporty Sunbeam Alpine. As she unlocked the door she looked up at him.
‘Your partner, can I believe him?’
‘He was a copper for a long time. He knows what he’s talking about.’
‘I hope you’re right.’ A sudden thought hit her. ‘We had a couple of other small jobs. Nothing related to … would you be willing to take them on? It’s very ordinary stuff.’
‘Of course,’ Markham agreed.
‘It’s the least I can do after all your help.’ Life was falling apart but politeness had to be observed.
He watched her drive away then turned and walked back to the
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