Part 43 (1/2)
They pa.s.sed back through the small stone chapel. Thomas was reminded of the church in North Fenwick. The image of the marble tomb flashed before him, the Devons.h.i.+re priest entombed beneath his own likeness in iron. Thomas couldn't shake the image.
He was aware of being watched. Two old women were in the pews, one with wrinkled lips moving above a prayer book, the other silent and motionless on her thick, aged knees. The parson watched Thomas with more than transient curiosity. Thomas glanced back at him and had the distinct impression that the man's face evoked Central Europe-perhaps the Alps or the Tyrol-more than the m island of fog, d.i.c.kens, and gin.
Whiteside spoke again when they reached the wet sidewalk.
”Tell me, are you planning to pursue this affair?”
Thomas looked into Whiteside's cunning eyes.
”I've come this far, haven't I?”
Whiteside was thoughtful as they approached the Rover.
”This is just a suggestion:' he offered, 'but you might give some thought to discovering who was running him.”
”Running him?”
”Yes. Who was controlling him.” Whiteside looked to Thomas and realized he was drawing a blank.
”An agent might operate for totally self-centered reasons,” he elaborated.
”Money. s.e.x. Power.
But he doesn't operate by himself Sandler had to have had a case officer, a superior in control who was, as we say, running him. Has that occurred to you?”
Thomas shook his head.
”No, it hasn't.”
”It should have. Give it some thought' He paused, then added as the chauffeur unlocked the Rover,
”If you're able to arrive at any conclusions, do let me know. Her Majesty's Government should be most grateful.”
They reentered the car and it slowly pulled away from the chapel, moving toward Westminster. Thomas was deeply in thought. The only words on the return trip were Whiteside's after another long pause.
”I like to think of myself as a career servant with unimpaired honor, Daniels. So trust me on one further point. There's a further aspect to all this. But I'm absolutely forbidden by ethics, English law, and propriety from divulging it at this time. Terribly sorry.”
Daniels looked at Whiteside, as if to see within the man. He couldn't.
”Does it affect my ... my search?” he asked.
”Not in essence said Whiteside. He sighed, as if he wanted to say more. Thomas had a slightly disgusted look on his face. He was thinking of the graveyard as much as anything. Whiteside read him perfectly.
”This whole thing has a rather repellent smell, doesn't it?” asked Whiteside.
”Killing young girls, and all that.” His smile to Thomas Daniels was bittersweet.
”People genuinely stink. Myself included.”
Part Four t Chapter 16 At first he thought the letter was from Leslie, or rather the woman who claimed to be Leslie. Then Thomas Daniels recognized the blue personal stationery of Andrea Parker.