Fit For Purpose by Julian Parrott (novels for students .TXT) 📕

outfit someone would wear for a middle management job interview at a corporate headquarters. A visitor’s badge on a lanyard hung around her neck. She wasn’t sure why she had dressed as she had but wanted to project a sense of her own authority. It wasn’t working. She had already been intimidated by the establishment types that had stepped into the affray on the aqueduct and who had then controlled the aftermath. She knew they moved people, including Tom and herself, around as if they had infinite power and authority. She had already signed a copy of the Official Secrets Act at the Wrexham hospital, but an officious receptionist reminded her that she wouldn’t be able to discuss the events with anyone, ever.

An establishment type, and a young south Asian woman entered the room. Nia recognised the establishment woman who sat at the plain table across from Nia as the woman who was clearly in charge in North Wales. The south Asian woman, who didn’t introduce herself, took a seat against the wall and appeared to make notes in a file.

“Ms Williams,” the rather posh voice said. “I’m Deputy Director Davies. We met briefly at the hospital in Wrexham but I’m sure that was probably a blur for you. I’m hoping that you’re feeling better about things now.”

Nia looked at the DD and saw a hint of genuine concern in the older woman’s eyes.

“I’d like to thank you for coming in today,” the DD continued. “I know this isn’t easy but it won’t take long, just a few clarifying questions to ask.”

Nia nodded.

“Obviously, everything we discuss is covered by the Official Secrets Act and you may have realised that we issued a ‘D Notice’ denying the press the option of reporting on the events. As far as the public is concerned, some Russian tourists had perished in a terrible barge mishap. Such things are rare on our canals, but they do happen.”

“Narrowboat, not barge,” Nia corrected reflexively.

“Quite,” the DD responded.

Nia simply stared at the DD. The DD waited for Nia to say something else then proceeded to go through what seemed to Nia a perfunctory set of questions around dates and times, trip details, whats and wheres. Nia answered seemingly satisfactorily. The DD smiled and nodded to the south Asian woman who closed the file, both collected themselves as if to leave.

“How’s Major Price doing?” the DD asked.

Nia’s stomach churned. She knew that her expression couldn’t disguise her pain, which was palpable.

“I don’t know. I haven’t been in contact with him,’ Nia answered. She noticed the DD’s expression show a little surprise.

“He wasn’t the man I thought he was. He lied to me. He brought violence and death into my life,” she added defiantly.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” the DD said with a sly smile and looking Nia straight in the eye. “Actually, Ms Williams, when you think about it, it could be said that it was the other way around. Wasn’t Zalkind/Kamenev made aware of Major Price at one of your events? We believe it was a press photo of the two of you, Major Price and you together at the BFI that led to Kamenev operationalising his vendetta. And then, it was you who Kamenev followed to the Llangollen canal. Quite frankly, he used you to get to Major Price.”

Nia felt shaken.

“So,” the DD continued, smiling falsely again. “In some way, it was you who brought pain and death back into Major Price’s life. And God knows that poor man has had enough of that.”

Nia looked down, her eyes welled, and tears began to fall onto her shoes and the floor.

“What have I done?” Nia asked herself. She looked into the DD’s eyes searching for an answer, for something that would make the regret and hurt go away, something to give her hope.

“Additionally,” the DD continued. “The Russian agent we arrested in Kamenev’s narrowboat, the one Major Price wounded, was rather forthcoming during our… interrogation. His information has been vital for our national security. So, you see, Ms Williams, although this whole bloody mess has been one monumental cock-up, we actually have some positive results. You and Major Price actually helped us save the life of an innocent young woman, an incredibly brave Russian journalist, and we appear to have broken up, would you believe it, an international assassination ring.”

Nia moaned audibly. She looked over to the south Asian woman, who immediately looked down to her tablet and typed in some notes, and then to the DD. Nia thought the DD smiled matronly back at her.

“Ms Williams, perhaps, you should talk to Major Price,” the DD said softly. “You have both shared a terrible experience. It would be helpful, for you both, to talk through it. Instead of pushing you apart, it should bring you together. So, maybe, you should give him a chance Ms Williams, I know he’s a good man.”

The DD nodded to Patel and they left the small room with Nia still seated inside sobbing gently to herself. The DD asked an assistant seated outside of the room to get Nia a coffee but to first give her a few minutes to cry it out and compose herself.

The DD turned with Patel and they moved up the corridor and on to a lift.

“You didn’t mention that this all started out as Gagnon and Price’s muddleheaded revenge scheme,” Patel said after the lift doors closed.

“Well yes, but I chose not to. Why complicate things when there’s really no need for her to know more than she already does. She really was pivotal in all this you see. If Ms Williams hadn’t gone to the BFI event, Price and Kamenev wouldn’t have come into contact, Jacques Gagnon wouldn’t have gone all Rambo in the streets of London, and three Russians wouldn’t be in the morgue, and I wouldn’t have a ton