The Old Enemy by Henry Porter (read with me .TXT) 📕

close as he could into the wind. He found himself enjoying the feel of the yacht surging forward in a force five and suddenly understood why Anastasia, a lifelong sailor, went on about it.

Fleur made them coffee and, as she handed him the mug, said, ‘I’m leaving him when we get there. I’ve had enough.’

Samson gave her an understanding nod but said nothing.

‘He was once a hero, but now he’s just a sad old drunk. Sometimes he hits me,’ she added casually.

‘Then you should probably leave.’

‘But of course I hit him back, and he always comes off worse. Have you got anyone special?’ she asked, with some interest in her eye.

He shook his head.

Later on, as they approached port and came within range of cellphone masts, his phone began to ping with messages, then it rang and Anastasia said hello for the first time in two years.

He was taken aback, and she was also unsettled, it seemed, and blurted, ‘Hi. Where are you?’ then corrected herself before Samson had time to respond. ‘I meant to say, how are you? Macy told me what happened. I was shocked. I would have called before but I was on a plane. Are you okay?’

‘It’s good to hear you, but we can’t talk on an open phone. I’ll send you a link to an encryption package, plus another number. Call me in two or three hours.’

He hung up.

Fleur gave him a knowing smile. ‘So you do have someone special. I can tell by your expression. That was her, no?’

PART TWO

Chapter 18

Leverkusen-Opladen Intersection

Anastasia tried, but in vain, to reach Samson over the next few hours, so she went to the terrace overlooking the Acropolis, drank wine and occupied herself with administrative emails for the foundation. She completed all she had to do then dialled Naji’s number. It rang out once and there was no voicemail message, but a second call was answered.

She heard a dog barking in the background and a man shouting, then an older woman’s voice close by.

‘Naji?’ she said.

‘Who is this?’

‘It’s me – Anastasia. I’m using a different phone.’

‘Hi,’ he said, rather tentatively.

‘Everyone’s been trying to get you.’

‘Not everyone – just Samson.’

‘Well, I have also. Samson is very concerned about you, and I think you know why, Naj.’

He didn’t respond.

‘I was there when they tried to kill Denis. A lot of people might have died.’

‘Yes, I saw this on the news. I saw you, and I was concerned, but then I heard you were okay.’

‘They tried to kill Samson. He desperately needs to speak to you. Will you do that for me? It’s really, really important.’

‘We have talked already. I will see him at the funeral for Mr Harland. Maybe you, too.’

‘Ah, he didn’t tell me that you’d spoken. Yes, I will be there at the funeral.’

‘It was a short conversation. I was on an airplane.’

She heard the dog barking again and a young man call out. ‘Where are you? Is that your dog?’

‘Friend’s dog,’ he said.

Then she suddenly knew. ‘That’s Moon!’ she exclaimed. ‘You’re at that farm with the family. With Ifkar! That’s where you’re hiding . . . Naji? Naji?’ He had hung up.

Having installed the encryption package, she phoned Samson. Again, she was alert to the background noise in the call. She heard people speaking around him and the French public address system. ‘Where are you?’

‘Brussels. I’m waiting for a train to take me to our favourite city. I’ve been told they’re checking airports in Europe, and this seemed more discreet. And where are you?’

‘Athens, I needed to see the team before going to the funeral.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, really! I have a job to do. Decisions that can’t be delayed.’

‘I understand.’ His tone softened. ‘It’s good to hear your voice – really good! How’s Denis?’

‘I spoke to the hospital. He’s no better, no worse. It’s just going to take a lot of time. I’m seeing the foundation people in Athens again tomorrow, then I’ll be travelling to the funeral.’ She paused and looked across the city to the illuminated Parthenon. ‘I spoke to Naji. Did you know he’d gone to the farm and is with Ifkar and the old couple?’

‘No, I had no idea.’

‘He sounded strange. He hung up on me. Is he in danger?’

‘Very much so. They are trying to eliminate anyone who might have knowledge of what Denis knew. From their point of view, that includes me, maybe you and maybe Naji.’ He told her about spotting Naji leaving the Herbert Street building, and concluded, ‘I don’t know what the hell Bobby was doing embroiling Naji in all this, but it seems irresponsible of him.’

‘What should I do?’

‘Let me think about it,’ said Samson. ‘The nearer we get to solving this, the more dangerous things are going to become for all of us. Denis was preparing to reveal something. Do you know what that was?’

‘No. And nor does Jim Tulliver.’

‘What about the calendar in his briefcase?’

‘The Bureau asked me about that. It means nothing to me. Those codewords and the scrambled numbers.’

‘Well, I can help with the codewords. They are all colours: pitch black, pearl grey, Berlin blue, saffron yellow, red aurora – the choice of an artist. Does that ring any bells? What about the bank accounts? Mean anything to you?’

‘No.’

‘You haven’t got the calendar with you?’

‘They gave me photocopies and kept everything else.’

‘Look, I think you should call Naji again and try to make him understand the danger he’s in.’

‘He won’t pick up. In any case, he’ll just ignore a warning from me.’

‘I have the sense there are a lot of young people in this thing. Denis was paying me to watch over a young woman named Zoe Freemantle who was working at an outfit called GreenState, which is important to the whole story, although only Denis and Bobby were in a position to tell us why.’

‘GreenState? Denis and I went to a fundraising evening with GreenState in LA last year. And I sat next to someone who is showing a very close interest in