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She leaned forward and Stone saw the Walther PPK pistol hanging froap between her jacket and shirt

He inclined his head at the pistol “Tough trigger pull, isn’t it?”

“You get used to it” She paused, swirling her re coffee with a wooden stirrer “Let’s face it, this has been a cock-up froencies I can’t get a straight answer from any of them My boss feels the same way However, A to disrupt that relationship, of course But it was our PM put at risk and we have an obligation to see it through”

“And you’ve come to me? Why?”

“Jao, I trust you And you were there last night That makes you valuable”

“Maybe But Iran was a long tient Chapman”

“Soe McElroy said you were one of them”

“That’s assu that I really am John Carr”

“Oh, you are, I have no doubt of that”

“How can you be so sure?”

“When I was here earlier I lifted a set of your prints frolass in your loo when I went to take a pee With et a priority search on NIC’s database Still, it took passing through eight levels of security, a few burned-out coh-level authorizations before the hit came back” She hiked her eyebrows “John Carr Of the CIA’s late and lamented Triple Six Division”

“Which officially never existed,” he said quietly

“No ger, official or not” She stood “Ready to go see the man whose life you saved? He really does want to buy you that pint, Mr Carr”

CHAPTER 11

JAMES MCELROY WAS SITTING in his suite at the Willard Hotel when Stone and Chapman were ushered in The Brit spyray and bowed His substantial belly poked through the front of his jacket When he rose from the chair, his arthritic knees quivered a bit, yet the ent eyes clearly showed that while age had deciility reravity and infirmity had shaved a couple of inches fro lines of pink flesh underneath Flecks of dandruff clung to the shoulders of his blue jacket

When he saw Stone, his eyes lit up “You haven’t changed a jot,” said McElroy “Except your hair is white” He lightly s his hand and then gripping Stone in a bear hug “And I’m fat and you’re not”

When they separated, McElroy waved them both into chairs “How the hell have you been, John?”

“I’ve been,” said Stone simply

The Brit nodded in understanding, his expression growing soe of what youfor you”

“One way to describe it”

McElroy’s eyes narrowed “I heard about… you know And I’m sorry”

“More than I got from my own side But thank you”

Chapman looked at Stone and McElroy and said, “Care to share, sir?”

“No,” said Stone “He wouldn’t”

McElroy didn’t take his gaze off Stone but said to her, “John and I are of a generation that will carry our professional secrets to the grave Understood?”

“Yes sir,” she replied quickly

“John, will you join me for a drink?”

“Little early for me”

“But it’s already quite late in London, so let’s pretend, shall we? Special occasion and all? Two old friends”

An attendant brought drinks for all three Stone had a beer, Chaper of scotch He looked at Stone over the ri ood scotch can kill them dead At least I believe I heard that solass “Cheers”

They all drank and McElroy dabbed his mouth with his pocket kerchief

“The PM?” prohter in her chair as she bit into a fat olive from her drink

McElroy looked pained, rubbed his side and nodded in a perfunctory manner “Yes, the PM Solid chap I actually voted for his, but what politician isn’t?”

“Dodgy enough to be blown up?” asked Stone

“Don’t think so, no Not horown, in other words”