"Trevor, Elleston as Hall, Adam - Quiller 01 - The 9th Directive 1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hall Adam)

'Room 6?'

'Yes.'

'That will be Miss Maine, won't it?'

'Will it?'

'If you'll just take a seat.'

I watched him making tentative hops toward the next office. He hadn't even asked for my name.

If Loman was in Room 6 I would tell him I knew why he'd roped in the Bureau and why he'd roped me in, then watch his face.

The Harrow type came back and took me along the passage into another room. The door said 'Cultural Attache.' I was alone five minutes and a girl came in, a woman, I never know their ages.

'Can I help you?'

'Do you know where I find Room 6?'

She looked at me a long time. I didn't mind. The staffs of Embassies always need a few days to put one thought after another. It's almost relaxing.

There's nobody there at the moment. Perhaps I can help you.'

'Are you the Cultural Attache?'

'His secretary.'

'Well that schoolboy hasn't got his sums right. I want Room 6. If that doesn't mean anything I want to see a man named Loman.'

'Mr Loman isn't here.'

'Oh for the Lord's sake. Well if you ever see him just tell him I've tried contacting him all the afternoon and now I'm taking the night plane on the London run.'

Undisciplined behavior. Tell it to the Lowry.

'Just a moment, please.'

She walked well and had a calm clear voice. I found it mollifying. Maybe that's what she was here for, to stop people blowing up about the malorganization.

A man came in next and she wasn't with him. He shut the door and offered his hand. 'Have a chair?'

'All right,' I said, 'they're all yours.' I dropped my papers onto the desk. With the flap on about the 29th they were probably security-checking the Ambassador himself every time he came back from the lavatory.

Now I knew why no one had asked for my name. Names don't mean a thing.

He gave the papers a quick run-through. 'You're based in where . . . exactly?' He peered at page 2 as if he couldn't read the writing. I said:

'Whitehall 9. Liaison Group. Lovett sees to me.'