Destination Unknown

‘But you suspect?’

‘It is possible,’ said Jessop cautiously, ‘that the thing follows a certain pattern … There have been occurrences of this kind before.’

‘I know.’ Rapidly the visitor cited a half-dozen cases. ‘All scientists,’ he said, with significance.

‘Yes.’

‘They have gone beyond the Iron Curtain?’

‘It is a possibility, but we do not know.’

‘But they have gone of their own free will?’

‘Even that,’ said Jessop, ‘is difficult to say.’

‘It is not my business, you think?’

‘Oh, please.’

‘But you are right. It is of interest to me only because of Betterton.’

‘You’ll forgive me,’ said Jessop, ‘if I don’t quite understand your interest. After all, Betterton is only a relation by marriage. You didn’t even know him.’

‘That is true. But for us Poles, the family is very important. There are obligations.’ He stood up and bowed stiffly. ‘I regret that I have trespassed upon your time, and I thank you for your courtesy.’

Jessop rose also.

‘I’m sorry we cannot help you,’ he said, ‘but I assure you we are completely in the dark. If I do hear of anything can I reach you?’

‘Care of the US Embassy will find me. I thank you.’ Again he bowed formally.

Jessop touched the buzzer. Major Glydr went out. Jessop lifted the receiver.

‘Ask Colonel Wharton to come to my room.’

When Wharton entered the room Jessop said:

‘Things are moving—at last.’

‘How?’

‘Mrs Betterton wants to go abroad.’

Wharton whistled.

‘Going to join hubby?’

‘I’m hopeful. She came provided with a convenient letter from her medical adviser. Complete need of rest and change of scene.’

‘Looks good!’

‘Though, of course, it may be true,’ Jessop warned him. ‘A simple statement of fact.’

‘We never take that view here,’ said Wharton.

‘No. I must say she does her stuff very convincingly. Never slips up for a moment.’

‘You got nothing further from her, I suppose?’

‘One faint lead. The Speeder woman with whom Betterton lunched at the Dorset.’

‘Yes?’

‘He didn’t tell his wife about the lunch.’

‘Oh.’ Wharton considered. ‘You think that’s relevant?’

‘It might be. Carol Speeder was had up before the Committee of Investigation of un-American Activities. She cleared herself, but all the same … yes, all the same she was, or they thought she was, tarred with that brush. It may be a possible contact. The only one we’ve found for Betterton so far.’

‘What about Mrs Betterton’s contacts—any possible contact lately who could have instigated the going abroad business?’

‘No personal contact. She had a letter yesterday from a Pole. A cousin of Betterton’s first wife. I had him here just now asking for details, etc.’

‘What’s he like?’

‘Not real,’ said Jessop. ‘All very foreign and correct, got all the “gen”, curiously unreal as a personality.’

‘Think he’s been the contact to tip her off?’

‘It could be. I don’t know. He puzzles me.’

‘Going to keep tabs on him?’

Jessop smiled.

‘Yes. I pressed the buzzer twice.’

‘You old spider—with your tricks.’ Wharton became businesslike again. ‘Well, what’s the form?’

‘Janet, I think, and the usual. Spain, or Morocco.’

‘Not Switzerland?’

‘Not this time.’

‘I should have thought Spain or Morocco would have been difficult for them.’

‘We mustn’t underestimate our adversaries.’