The sombre façade of the Ministry of Defence matched Jake’s mood on what would be his sixth attempt to get past Ms Harrop and meet with his section head, known to everyone involved with him as Double-A. Making a conscious effort to exchange his sour expression for one of carefree casualness, he strode up to the reception desk and gifted the young woman a friendly smile.
“Bad business yesterday, what? Condolences in order, I believe.”
It took Miss Harrop a moment to connect. As usual, she was inwardly flustered by the sultry good looks of the famous novelist.
“Agent ZX?” she said. “Terrible affair. Who’d have thought he was at risk? Must have been working on something frightfully dangerous.”
ZX, so that was Gration’s codename. “Absolutely. But it’s an ill wind… and so forth. Let me be c
