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He nodded in Gabriel’s general direction, and one of the men ripped the duct tape from his mouth. The pain was like a hard slap in the face. For the moment, at least, it made him forget the incessant pounding in his head.
“How about that drink now?” asked Robinson. “You look as though you could use one.”
Gabriel glanced around the room. “You’ve done very well for yourself, Trevor. Taking early retirement from MI5 was obviously the right career move.”
“The property belongs to a client of the firm. He allows us to borrow it for special occasions.”
“Is that what this is?”
“Most definitely.” Robinson tossed the Faraday pouch onto an oversize coffee table. It landed with a thud. “After all, it’s not often that one gets to entertain a legend.”
“Your hospitality leaves something to be desired.”
“The bump on your head, you mean? Sorry, Allon, but I’m afraid there was no other way.” Robinson indicated one of the two men seated silently in the wing chairs. “It was Sam who did it, if you must know. Sometimes he doesn’t know his own strength.”
“Why don’t you cut the duct tape from my wrists so I can thank him properly?”
“I wouldn’t, if I were you. Sam is a veteran of the Regiment. So are the two men standing next to you. They now work for a private security firm based in London. The firm’s clients are all extremely wealthy and demand nothing but the best.”
Gabriel looked at the fourth man. “And him?”
“Three Para. He spent a great deal of time in Afghanistan.”
“That leaves Ingrid,” said Gabriel.
“Ms. Johansen is resting at the moment and can’t be disturbed.”
“You didn’t do something stupid, did you, Trevor?”
“Not me,” replied Robinson. “But I’m afraid Sam was forced to apply a bit of pressure to loosen her tongue. After that she was very cooperative. In fact, with her help, I was able to recover the documents you stole from our office in Monaco and BVI Bank in Road Town. You now have no evidence to support any claim of financial misconduct by Harris Weber & Company or its clients.”
“How did you know?” asked Gabriel.
“About your theft of our confidential files? I didn’t,” admitted Robinson. “But I surmised as much after having a word with one of my paid assets in the Swiss government. I met with him in Bern the morning after your little heist.”
“That would explain your late-night withdrawal of cash from the safe.”
“It was money well spent, as it turns out. My source told me that you were the one who discovered Edmond Ricard’s body at his gallery in the Freeport. He also said that you were working with Swiss intelligence to track down Ricard’s killer and recover the Picasso. Needless to say, I was alarmed by the news, as were the founding partners of my firm. You are a worthy opponent.”
“I’m flattered.”
“Don’t be, Allon. The ice beneath your feet is very thin, indeed. Fortunately for you and your associate, I’ve been authorized to offer you a settlement package. As your representative in this matter, I strongly advise you to accept it.”
“The terms?”
“You will receive ten million pounds, payable to a limited liability shell company that Harris Weber & Company will create on your behalf. In return, you will sign a nondisclosure agreement which will prohibit you from ever discussing this affair. Ms. Johansen will also receive ten million pounds. And then, of course, there’s the small matter of the Picasso, which OOC Group, Limited, will return to the heirs of Bernard Lévy at a date to be determined. With no admission of wrongdoing, I might add.”
“Tempting,” said Gabriel. “But I’m afraid I have a few demands of my own, beginning with the financial aspects. Instead of paying my associate and me twenty million pounds, Harris Weber & Company will donate one billion pounds to the British charities of our choice in order to undo some of the damage your firm has done by helping the wealthy evade taxes. And then, of course, there’s the small matter of Hugh Graves, who must drop out of the leadership contest so that Stephen Frasier can become prime minister.” Gabriel managed a smile. “With no admission of wrongdoing, I might add.”
Trevor Robinson displayed a smile of his own. “Haven’t you heard the news, Allon? The foreign secretary threw in the towel earlier this evening. Hugh Graves is scheduled to meet with the King at Buckingham Palace tomorrow morning. Once His Majesty asks him to form a government—”
“Harris Weber will own a prime minister,” interjected Gabriel. “Which is why Lucinda Graves phoned you a few minutes after she met with Charlotte Blake at the Courtauld. She was understandably concerned that her ties to your firm would be exposed during any litigation over that Picasso. Therefore, the firm decided to take appropriate measures to protect its multimillion-pound investment in her husband’s political future.”
“The best-laid plans of mice and men,” said Robinson. “And they were nearly destroyed because an art historian from Oxford found a sales receipt at Christie’s.”
“I’m glad we cleared that up.”
“Rest assured, there’s a great deal about this affair that you don’t know.”
