If it happened again this morning, Fielding idly thought, Harriet Armstrong, Director General of MI5, would do her best to prostrate herself next to Spiro. She glanced tersely at Fielding, as if reading his mind. They had never liked each other, their relationship chilling even further when she had enlisted Spiros support to remove Stephen Marchant.
What we do now know, however, thanks to Harriet here, is that Dhar was behind Sundays foiled bombing of the London Marathon, an attack that I dont need to remind you was targeted at our Ambassador to London.
What we do now know, however, thanks to Harriet here, is that Dhar was behind Sundays foiled bombing of the London Marathon, an attack that I dont need to remind you was targeted at our Ambassador to London.
Fielding looked up. This had not been in the transcript he had read in the car coming over from Vauxhall. He glanced across at Armstrong, who was studiously avoiding his eye. It was a stitch-up. Until now, any connection between Dhar and the London Marathon had been purely circumstantial, based on the nature of the target and Dhars historical predilection for attacking Americans. If his involvement could now be proved, as Spiro claimed, it would cast Stephen Marchant and his son in a new and far more compromising light.
Ill leave the domestic implications of this to the second half of your meeting, but clearly Dhar has just become a priority one target, and Id be grateful if, on this occasion, the Service leaves him to us.
Marcus? asked Chadwick, sounding as if Spiro had raised a mere technicality, rather than made it considerably more likely that the former Chief of MI6 had betrayed Queen and country. His clandestine meeting with Dhar had taken place two weeks before the attack on the American Embassy in Delhi.
Dhar is of great interest to the UK, too, Fielding said, buying time. Given his apparent role in the attempted London Marathon attack, I would expect a joint operation at the very least.
Im sorry, Marcus, but this one just got personal, Spiro said. Dhars problem is clearly with us: the embassy attacks last year, now our Ambassador to London.
An attack which was foiled by one of our agents, Fielding replied.
With a little help from Colorado Springs, I gather, Spiro continued, turning to Chadwick. Which brings me to my next point. Can we have a little chat with your suspended superhero?
Daniel Marchant? That shouldnt be a problem, Chadwick said. Harriet?
Marcus? Armstrong deflected the question.
Is he not with you? Chadwick asked.
Right now, were taking care of him, Fielding interrupted. Given hes still on our payroll.
Well, Marcus, Ill repeat my question to you, said Spiro. Can we have a talk with Marchant Junior? Preferably when hes not been on the sauce.
If were working together on Dhar, Im sure we can cooperate on Daniel Marchant, Fielding replied coolly.
Spiro turned towards Armstrong for support.
Wed clearly like to talk to Marchant again, too, in the light of Dhars role in the marathon, Armstrong obliged. Perhaps we could take care of him?
Our own debrief is still ongoing, Fielding said.
Shouldnt that read detox? Spiro said, smiling around the table. Only Armstrong smiled back.
We will, of course, circulate our findings once were finished with him, Fielding said. He had always known that there was little he could do about Stephen Marchant, whose reputation was ultimately in other peoples hands, but he had hoped he could do something for his son. MI6 had fished Daniel Marchant out of the international pool of inebriated hacks, and turned him into one of the Services best officers. Fielding wasnt going to let him go lightly, if only for his fathers sake. Marchants presence at the marathon, however, was beginning to look too much of a coincidence. He doubted whether Armstrong had any hard evidence it was too soon but the link with Dhar had been made, and would be duly recorded in the JICs minutes. In the light of his fathers meeting with Dhar, Daniel Marchants role looked less heroic by the minute.
After further curt exchanges and an offer from Chadwick to square Fielding and Spiros differences, the foreign contingent left the room, leaving the British to assess Spiros weapons-grade HUMINT.
Well gentlemen, Harriet, do we believe him? Chadwick began, looking around the room, still sounding unruffled.
Theres no reason for them to lie about Stephen Marchant, Armstrong said.
Unless they want to go after Dhar themselves, Fielding replied. Until we see the evidence, we have no way of knowing whether Stephen Marchant did or did not meet Dhar.
Lets be quite clear about this, Chadwick said. If they do hand over the evidence, hard proof that Marchant met Salim Dhar, we would have to pass it on to Bancroft. His report would then become an investigation into whether the former head of MI6 should be posthumously investigated for treason.
The PM wouldnt buy it, said Bruce Lockhart, the Prime Ministers foreign adviser. Fielding got on with Lockhart, liked his bullish Fife manner. I thought Bancroft was given this job to quieten things down, not stir them up.
The Americans arent trying to make trouble, Armstrong said. Quite reasonably, they want to stop Dhar attacking their assets and to establish why the Marchant family seem to be helping him.
Helping him? Fielding interjected. Lets not get carried away here. Bancroft has so far found nothing to substantiate any suspicion that my predecessor was anything other than complacent. For the record, I happen to think the Americans are right: Stephen Marchant probably did meet up with Dhar. Im just not sure why. Until we find out, it remains idle conjecture, and Bancroft shouldnt touch it.
So we leave Dhar to the Americans? asked Armstrong.
We need to find him, too, given that he was behind the attempted attack on the marathon, Fielding said, turning to Armstrong and adding quietly, Nice of you to pool that one.
Id forgotten how much you liked to share information, Armstrong replied.
I think Marcus is right, Chadwick said. We need to find Dhar. He had always found that steadfastly ignoring tension between departments seemed to reduce it. Dhar targeted the London Marathon, Tower bloody Bridge, for Gods sake. If thats not an attack on the fabric of this country I dont know what is. And its also the only way well ever draw a line under Stephen Marchant. If the two of them did meet, which seems likely, we need to find out why, and what was actually said.
Were sure theres no record anywhere of Stephen Marchant or anyone else recruiting Dhar? Lockhart asked. At this meeting or before? The PM wants specific reassurance on this point.
Weve been through all Marchants files many times, Fielding said. Cross-referenced every database we have. Nothing. No one else in MI6 or MI5 has ever approached Dhar. We think the Indians once tried a deniable approach, but failed.
Armstrong nodded her head in agreement, glancing at Fielding.
And what about his son? asked Chadwick. Do we let the Americans talk to him? You can see it from their point of view: Stephen Marchant meets Dhar, Dhar bombs US embassies; Daniel Marchant meets Dhars running friend; Dhars friend tries to kill US Ambassador.
And Marchant stops him, said Marcus. Thats the point here.
But he knew the point was lost.
9
Later that day, Fielding accepted Chadwicks offer of a sharpener at the Travellers on Pall Mall. He was not a natural clubman, but in the past few years, as Stephen Marchant had begun to waver at the top, Fielding had been wined and dined by various senior Whitehall hands, including Chadwick, while his own suitability as Chief was assessed. He knew there was unease amongst the old guard that he was not married, but times were changing, and the general view was that the Vicar was celibate rather than gay. Fielding could live with that.
The Travellers used to double up as MI6s staff bar, in the days when the Service was situated in Century House, its drab premises in Southwark. Since the move to Legoland, with its plush second-floor bar and terrace overlooking the Thames, where people could drink outside in the summer, the Travellers had become less of a draw for junior staff. But old habits died hard for senior officers, and Fielding acknowledged a couple of familiar faces as he took his seat in the panelled library.
Im offering you a deal, Chadwick said, swirling his Talisker around the glass. He was one of the safest pairs of hands in Whitehall, brought in at the end of a successful but unstartling career to steady the intelligence ship after the fiasco of Marchants departure. Evidence, Fielding concluded, that mediocrity can take you surprisingly far in big organisations like the Civil Service.
The Americans have agreed to drop their investigation of any meeting between Dhar and Stephen, providing they can have access to Daniel Marchant and we leave Dhar to them.
Access?
They want to sweat him.
Why?
Come on, Marcus. I know he was one of your best, but its bloody odd he was there at the marathon. They think he might be able to tell them something about Dhar. And, to be honest, the idea of someone taking Marchant off our hands is quite appealing. We all know hes been drinking too much. The last thing the PM needs right now is another renegade spy on the loose.
Fielding thought about defending Daniel Marchant again. Perhaps it was the effect of his gin and lime, but he was no longer as troubled by Chadwicks proposal as he might have been. A part of him resented having to protect Marchant any longer, given the headache his suspension had caused. Chadwick was right: Marchant had been the most promising case officer of his generation, just the sort of young blood the Service was trying to attract. But Fielding knew, too, that his suspension was entirely because of the accusations swirling around his father. And he needed those accusations to go away: they were continuing to cause too much damage to the Service. The sooner the Americans forgot about any meeting between the former Chief and Dhar, the better for everyone.
There was only one concern, and that was the enhanced interrogation techniques favoured by the CIA. The new President might have banned torture, but old habits die hard in Langley. Despite everything, Marchant was still one of his own, and right now he was fragile.