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Did he dare risk taking another pin out? “Why don’t you ask Desmond Mellor and Alex Fisher what they’ve been up to behind your back?”
“How did you know—”
The hand grenade had exploded in Sloane’s face, but Seb couldn’t resist one more sortie. “You have a lot of enemies in the Square Mile, Sloane, and even one or two in your own office.”
“It’s time for you to leave, Clifton.”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re right. But I look forward to seeing you and your colleagues at next month’s board meeting. I have so many questions for them, particularly for Mr. Mellor, who seems quite happy to open the batting for both teams.”
Sloane didn’t move, but the flush in his cheeks showed another hand grenade had exploded.
Seb smiled for the first time, rose from his place, and turned to leave, when Sloane lobbed his own hand grenade.
“I fear I won’t be seeing you again for some time, Sebastian.”
“Why not?” demanded Seb, swinging round.
“Because at the last board meeting we passed a resolution stating that any outsider who wished to join the board in future would be required to own ten percent of the company’s stock.”
“You can’t do that,” said Seb, defiantly.
“I can and I have,” said Sloane, “and I feel sure you’ll be pleased to hear that Mr. Craig, the chief compliance officer at the Bank of England, has given our unanimous resolution his blessing. So I’ll see you in about five years’ time. But don’t hold your breath, Seb, because if you did get hold of ten percent, we would just have to pass another resolution.”
30
“HOW LONG DO YOU think you’ll be in Russia?” Giles asked Harry as he rose from the dining table and led his guests through to the drawing room for coffee.
“Just a few hours, at most overnight.”
“What takes you back there? No one visits that place a second time without a damn good reason.”
“I’m going shopping.”
“Paris, Rome, New York…” said Giles, “but no one goes shopping in Russia, other than the locals.”
“Unless there’s something they have in Russia you can’t buy in Paris, Rome, or New York?” suggested Emma, as she poured her brother a coffee.
“Ah, how slow of me. I should have remembered that Harry’s just returned from the States, and Harold Guinzburg wasn’t the only person he visited. That’s a clue Inspector Warwick wouldn’t have missed.”
“I would have put off the trip until after Emma’s trial,” said Harry, ignoring Giles’s deduction, “but my visa runs out in a couple of weeks, and the Russian Embassy’s warned me there could be a six-month delay before they issue me with a new one.”
“Just be careful,” said Giles. “The Russians may have their own Inspector Warwick, who could be sitting waiting for you.” After his own e
xperience in East Berlin, Giles doubted if Harry would get beyond customs but he accepted there was no way he could ever hope to dissuade his brother-in-law once he’d made up his mind.
“I’ll be in and out before they realize it,” said Harry, “so there’s nothing for you to be anxious about. In fact, I’m far more worried about the problems Emma’s facing.”
“What in particular?” asked Giles as he handed Harry a brandy.
“Desmond Mellor is standing for deputy chairman at next month’s board meeting,” said Emma.
“Are you telling me that charlatan’s found two directors who are willing to propose and second him?” said Giles.
“Yes, his old friend Jim Knowles, assisted by his even older friend Clive Anscott.”
“But if they fail to get him elected,” said Giles, “surely all three of them will have to resign? So this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.”
“Not much of a blessing if they do get him elected,” said Harry.
