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e ferry； but not the more expensive hovercraft； and he didn't want to leave a paper trail behind。 It was only two and a quarter hours in any case。 Once in France； he could catch a train to Paris； then start flying。 He started to feel secure for the first time in hours； but was able to suppress it easily enough。 Cooley had never known this sort of fear before； and it left a considerable aftertaste。 The quiet hatred that had festered for years now ate at him like an acid。 They had made him run。 They had spied on him！ Because of all his training； all the precautions that he'd followed assiduously； and all the professional skill that he'd employed； Cooley had never seriously considered the possibility that he would be turned。 He had thought himself too skillful for that。 That he was wrong enraged him； and for the first time in his life； he wanted to lash out himself。 He'd lost his bookshop and with it all the books he loved； and this； too； had been taken from him by the bloody Brits！ He folded the paper neatly and set it down in his lap while the ferry pulled into the English Channel； placid with the summer sun overhead。 His bland face stared out at the water with a gaze as calm as a man in contemplation of his garden while he fantasized images of blood and death。
Owens was as furious as anyone had ever seen him。 The surveillance of Cooley had been so easy； so routine but that was no excuse； he told his men。 That harmless…looking little poof； as Ashley had called him； had slipped away from his shadowers as adroitly as someone trained at Moscow Center itself。 There were men at every international airport in Britain clutching pictures of Cooley； and if he used his credit card to purchase any kind of ticket； the puters would notify Scotland Yard at once； but Owens had a sickening feeling that the man was already out of the country。 The mander of C…13 dismissed his people。
Ashley was in the room； too； and his people had been caught equally off guard。 He and Owens shared a look of anger mixed with despair。
A detective had left the tape of a phone call to Geoffrey Watkins made less than an hour after Cooley disappeared。 Ashley played it。 It lasted all of twenty seconds。 And it wasn't Cooley's voice。 If it had been； they would have arrested Watkins then and there。 For all their effort； they still did not have a single usable piece of evidence on Geoffrey Watkins。
〃There is a Mr。 Titus in the building。 The voice even gave the correct number。 By all rights it could have been a simple wrong number。〃
〃But it wasn't； of course。〃
〃That is how it's done； you know。 You have pre…set messages that are constructed to sound entirely harmless。 Whoever trained these chaps knew what they were about。 What about the shop？〃
〃The girl Beatrix knows absolutely nothing。 We have people searching the shop at this moment； but so far they've found nothing but old bloody books。 Same story at his flat。〃 Owens stood and spoke in a voice full of perverse wonder。 〃An electrician 。 。 。 Months of work； gone because he yanks the wrong wire。〃
〃He'll turn up。 He could not have had a great deal of cash。 He must use his credit card。〃
〃He's out of the country already。 Don't say he isn't。 If he's clever enough for what we know he's done 〃
〃Yes。〃 Ashley nodded reluctant agreement。 〃One doesn't always win； James。〃
〃It is so nice to hear that！〃 Owens snapped out his reply。 〃These bastards have outguessed us every step of the way。 The missioner is going to ask me how it is that we couldn't get our thumbs out in time； and there is no answer to that question。〃
〃So what's the next step； then？〃
〃At least we know what he looks like。 We 。 。 。 we share what we know with the Americans； all of it。 I have a meeting scheduled with Murray this evening。 He's hinted that they have something operating that he's not able to talk about； doubtless some sort of CIA op。〃
〃Agreed。 Is it here or there？〃
〃There。〃 Owens paused。 〃I am getting sick of this place。〃
〃mander； you should measure your successes against your failures；〃 Ashley said。 〃You're the best man we've had in this office in some years。〃
Owens only grunted at that remark。 He knew it was true。 Under his leadership； C…13 had scored major coups against the Provisionals。 But in this job； as in so many others； the question one's superiors always asked was； What have you acplished today？ Yesterday was ancient history。
〃Watkins' suspected contact has flown；〃 he announced three hours later。
〃What happened？〃 Murray closed his eyes halfway through the explanation and shook his head sadly。 〃We had the same sort of thing happen to us；〃 he said after Owens finished。 〃A renegade CIA officer。 We were watching his place； and let things settle into a fortable routine； and then zip！ He snookered the surveillance team。 He turned up in Moscow a week later。 It happens； Jimmy。〃
〃Not to me；〃 Owens almost snarled。 〃Not until now； that is。〃
〃What's he look like？〃 Owens handed a collection of photographs across the desk。 Murray flipped through them。 〃Mousy little bastard； isn't he？ Almost bald。〃 The FBI man considered this for a moment； then lifted his phone and punched in four numbers。 〃Fred？ Dan。 You want to e down to my office for a minute？〃
The man arrived a minute later。 Murray didn't identify him as a member of the CIA and Owens didn't ask。 He didn't have to。 He'd given over two copies of each photo。
Fred one of the men from 〃down the hall〃 took his photos and looked at them。 〃Who's he supposed to be？〃
Owens explained briefly； ending； 〃He's probably out of the country by now。〃
〃Well； if he turns up in any of our nets； we'll let you know；〃 Fred promised； and left。
〃Do you know what they're up to？〃 Owens asked Murray。
〃No。 I know something is happening。 The Bureau and the Agency have a joint task force set up； but it's partmented； and I don't need to know all of it yet。〃
〃Did your chaps have a part in the raid on Action…Directe？〃
〃I don't know what you're talking about；〃 Murray said piously。 How the hell did you hear about that； Jimmy？
〃I thought as much；〃 Owens replied。 Bloody security！ 〃Dan； we are concerned here with the personal safety of 〃
Murray held his hands up like a man at bay。 〃I know； I know。 And you're right； too。 We ought to cut your people in on this。 I'll call the Director myself。〃
The phone rang。 It was for Owens。
〃Yes？〃 The mander of C…13 listened for a minute before hanging up。 〃Thank you。〃 A sigh。 〃Dan； he's definitely on the continent。 He used a credit card to purchase a railway ticket。 Dunkerque to Paris； three hours ago。〃
〃Have the French pick him up？〃
〃Too late。 The train arrived twenty minutes ago。 He's pletely gone now。 Besides； we have nothing to arrest him for； do we？〃
〃And Watkins has been warned off。〃
〃Unless that was a genuinely wrong number； which I rather doubt； but try to prove that in a court of law！〃
〃Yeah。〃 Judges didn't understand any instinct but their own。
〃And don't tell me that you can't win them all！ That's what they pay me to do。〃 Owens looked down at the rug； then back up。 〃Please excuse me for that。〃
〃Aah！〃 Murray waved it off。 〃You've had bad days before。 So have I。 It's part of the business we're in。 What we both need at a time like this is a beer。 e on downstairs； and I'll treat you to a burger。〃
〃When will you call your Director？〃
〃It's lunchtime over there。 He always has a meeting going over lunch。 We'll let it wait a few hours。〃
Ryan had lunch with Cantor that day in the CIA cafeteria。 It could have been the eating place in any other government building。 The food was just as unexciting。 Ryan decided to try the lasagna； but Marty stuck with fruit salad and cake。 It seemed an odd diet until Jack watched him take a tablet before eating。 He washed it down with milk。
〃Ulcers； Marty？〃
〃What makes you say that？〃
〃I'm married to a doc； remember？ You just took a Tagamet。 That's for ulcers。〃
〃This place gets to you after a while；〃 Cantor explained。 〃My stomach started acting up last year and didn't get any better。 Everyone in my family es down with it sooner or later。 Ba