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“So the truth this time?”
She stuffed her hands in her pockets “Riley Weaver and Sir Jaether” She took a breath and said, “God, I can’t believe I’ you this I’ve broken just about every professional rule MI6 has”
“That’s all right Most agencies have too many rules”
“Bloody easy for you to say,” she replied irritably
“Why are they working together? To what purpose?”
“It wasn’t Sir James’s idea, that I know”
“So he was persuaded?”
“As Sir Ja rather well And America is the superpower Everyone else just follows its lead”
“So why keep it from me?”
“Weaver is afraid of you That’s quite clear from what I’ve seen and heard”
Stone thought, If he knohat I did to his predecessor, I would be afraid of me too
“What exactly is your role in all of this?”
“I’ve been tasked to investigate and solve this crime”
“Even though your priet? Does MI6 have that ents to stay over here and assist us in our criations?”
She said nothing, just studied the pavement
Stone turned away “Don’t bother following me this time”
She grabbed his arht”
He turned back, looked at her expectantly
“I’ve also been tasked to watch you”
“MI6 tasked by the Aovernment to watch me?” he said skeptically
“The world has gotten a lot more complicated, Oliver Assets are not what they used to be, even for you Americans Global cooperation, that’s the ticket these days We do favors for the Yanks and they reciprocate It’s not well-known of course, all hush-hush, but it does happen”
He cocked his head “Watch me why? Do they think I’m involved in what happened?”
“No But Weaver has soenda in mind”
“Has he shared it with McElroy?”
“I don’t believe so, at least not completely But Sir James’s hands are tied” She stared at hiround that could have prompted this level of attention?”
“I have three decades’ worth of answers and not nearly enough time to explain them even if I were so inclined, which I’m not”
“If you tellon, maybe I can help”
“You? The person who’s been tasked to spy on me?”
“I thought ere partners on this thing”
“We are, but only on this thing Nothing else”
“So who’s withholding information now?” she said sharply
“You ithholding things related to the here and now I’ve never asked about your past missions And I expect the same courtesy from you”
“So where does that leave us?” asked Chapman quietly
“Back where we started,” Stone said sharply “And let’s leave it that way”
CHAPTER 58