‘I understand, sir. Annemarie, my dear, would you mind for a few minutes—I’m sure George will give you something.’ She blew a long puff of smoke, smiled and tottered from the room.
‘Annemarie, my dear.’ De Graaf sounded and looked appalled. ‘Annemarie, my dear. You in your Kraker uniform and that—that creature, what a couple you would make. Level headed, I’d always thought you, eminently sensible—this must be some kind of joke. Where on earth did you pick up that hussy, that harlot, that harridan, that ghastly spectacle? God, that make-up, that bordello perfume!’
‘It’s not like you, sir, to go by appearances. Snap judgments—’
‘Snap judgments! Those preposterous shoes. That filthy jersey that was built for—for a gorilla—’
‘A very practical jersey, sir. That way no one would suspect the existence of the Biretta automatic she carries strapped beneath her waist.’
‘A Biretta! That creature, that spectacle—she carries an automatic? That—that caricature of a human being carries a gun? You must be mad.’ He drew deeply on his cheroot. ‘No, you’re not mad. I’m not complaining, Peter, but it’s been a shock to my system.’
‘I can see that, sir. Should have warned you, I suppose. She does have rather an effect on people who make her acquaintance for the first time. That awful harridan is in fact a rather lovely young lady, or would be if she soaked in a bath for about an hour. She’s very nice, charming really, intelligent, speaks four languages, is a university graduate and is also a lady policewoman from Rotterdam. Don’t you see, sir, I’m making a point. If she can fool the Chief of Police, who has become Chief of Police by, among other things, being fooled by fewer people than anyone else around, she can fool anyone.’
‘How did you come by this paragon?’
‘Exchange basis. Not a very fair exchange, really. I knew she’d spent six months underground in Rotterdam, and we had no one comparable up here. It wasn’t easy but my opposite number down there is a friend of mine.’
‘Why wasn’t I informed of this?’
‘Because you gave me a free hand, remember. I would have informed you if there had been anything to report. So far there has been nothing. Didn’t want to bother you with trifles.’
De Graaf smiled. ‘I doubt whether the young lady would care to be called a trifle. Have her in, would you?’
Van Effen did so and de Graaf waved her courteously to a seat. ‘Sorry you were kept waiting. You know who I am?’
‘Of course. Colonel van de Graaf. My boss.’ The slightly husky voice was low and pleasant, at complete variation with her appearance.
‘Lieutenant van Effen told you?’
‘He didn’t have to, sir. I work for him and I know he works for you. And I’ve seen your picture dozens of times.’
‘That outfit you’re wearing, Annemarie. Don’t you feel it makes you look rather conspicuous?’
‘Among the people I’m supposed to be investigating? I can assure you, sir, that compared to some of the clothes worn there, mine are low key, positively understated. Isn’t that so, Peter?’
‘Ah! Peter, is it? A lowly ranker addresses my senior Lieutenant by his given name?’
‘On orders, sir. We’ve been out a couple of times together—’
‘Among your—ah—friends?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘I wish I had seen that.’
‘We do form rather a striking couple. I told Annemarie that it would be unwise to call me Lieutenant in such company but to call me Peter and always think of me as Peter. That way you don’t make mistakes. Someone drummed this into me years ago.’
‘I was the drummer. I understand that you carry a gun, young lady. You can use it?’
‘I was trained at the police range.’
‘Ever used it?’
‘No. And I must admit I hope I never have to.’
‘Would you use it?’
‘I don’t know. If it was to stop someone from killing a person, well, perhaps, yes. But I couldn’t kill a person. I don’t like guns. I’m afraid I’m not very brave, sir.’
‘Nonsense. Your sentiments do you credit. Feel exactly the same way myself. And it takes a brave girl to venture into Krakerland.’
She half-smiled. ‘That’s where the roll-neck comes in so useful. They can’t see the pulse in my neck.’
‘Rubbish. How are things among your friends? Anything untoward or exciting afoot.’
‘They’re not a very exciting lot, sir. Rather dull, really. Most of them are not the social rebels and anti-authority storm troopers they would like to be thought to be. Of course, there are the drug-pushers and drug-users, and there is a hard core that trade in armaments, selling Russian small-arms to the Irish Republican Army and other disaffected elements. But Peter has told me not to bother about the arms-running side.’
‘Disaffected elements? I rather like that. So, Peter, the young lady does not concern herself with gun-running. Why?’
‘You ask me, sir? America, Russia, Britain, France trade in arms—legally—to the tune of billions of dollars yearly. The Israelis do it, as do the Iranians, Libyans and God knows how many other countries. All with their government’s blessings. Who are we to become all God-fearing, moralistic and holier-than-thou when private enterprise move in on a tiny scale? Anyway, I know you’re not really interested in that side, and that the only things you really are interested in are drugs and those mysterious and increasing threats to the Royal family and members of the Government.’
‘Yes, yes, of course. Anything interesting to report on any of these fronts?’
Annemarie shook her head. ‘Vasco—you’ve heard of Vasco?’
‘Yes. Never met him, though. Supposed to meet him today. In fact I thought I was meeting him with you.’
‘I thought so, too. We’d arranged to meet in a café close by here almost an hour ago. No signs, which is most unlike Vasco.’
‘This friend of yours—he’s a dyed-in-the-wool true-blue Kraker?’
‘Well, he seems to be but he can’t be, can he? They have some kind of leaders, nobody with any personality or charisma, a kind of loose council, and Vasco appears to be a member or close to it. But he says he’s basically against them and I believe him. After all, he works for you. Sort of.’
‘But you’re in two minds about him?’
‘My intelligence, if I have any, says that—well, I’m ambivalent about him. My instincts trust him.’
‘Peter?’
‘Her instincts are right. He’s a cop. Detective sergeant.’
‘A policeman.’ Annemarie’s lips were compressed, her eyes angry. ‘Thank you. Thank you very much.’
‘Don’t be childish,’ van Effen said. ‘You told him you were a policewoman?’
She didn’t answer and de Graaf said hastily: ‘It’s the need-to-know principle, my dear. He didn’t even tell me. I take it he thinks I didn’t need to know. You were about to say something about Vasco?’
‘Yes. Could be important. I don’t know. He told me late last night that he thought he had a lead. He said he had been approached by one of the council, a person who knew that