The Snape Ring

Chapter 1

1 MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, WHITEHALL, LONDON, MARCH 2021

As instructed, Jake Conley made his way to the northern portico entrance of the Ministry of Defence building at Whitehall. ‘A monument to tiredness’, an eminent architect had called it and as he looked over the two statues of Earth and Water flanking the doorway – familiarly known as ‘the two fat ladies’ to employees, Jake would have empathised with the weariness if his overriding emotion hadn’t been trepidation. He had been dreading the call from the Head of Secret Services, Double-A, since beginning his six-month sabbatical four months ago. A reluctant recruit to the organisation, Jake had come close to premature death on several occasions whilst helping to dismantle Woden’s Brethren, the white supremacist movement, in Yorkshire. The return to his staid life as Development Manager of a theme park in Warwickshire was what he craved but even this was not allowed to him until his year’s leave had been completed.

He had filled his time pursuing his long-term interests in isolated country churches, Old English literature and the Anglo-Saxon period in general. When not thus occupied, he had taken Ms Harrop, the attractive receptionist in this Defence building out to dinner twice and once to the theatre to see a musical in the West End. He smiled at the thought since their relationship was growing more intimate and, therefore, from his point of view, more promising. He had discovered unexpected depths to the pretty Alice. Depths, because she adored subaquatic exploration of the seabed, and whether in tropical climes or the nearby Atlantic, was a matter of indifference to her. He teased her by calling her his ‘little frogperson’ but secretly admired her fortitude and bravery. He listened fascinated and with patience to her explanation of how to obtain one’s sub’s licence and her experiences of archaeological finds off the Isles of Scilly where an entire English fleet had foundered in severe weather in 1707 with the loss of two thousand lives. After the ending of his relationship with Liffi Wyther, he hadn’t imagined anyone else being able to pull at his heartstrings, but Alice was succeeding.

He took a deep breath and entered the austere ambience of the Ministry. The way he felt at that moment, it would take more than Alice’s grace and charm to restore his good humour.

She met his gaze with her usual self-contained professionalism, “Good morning, Mr Conley, to what do we owe this honour?”

He leant over the reception desk in an over-familiar manner careless of the eyes of the muscular security man boring into his back.

“I was hoping you’d tell me that, Alice,” he hissed rather than whispered. “The Big Chief’s called me in. Do you have any idea why?”

“Oh, sure, as if he shares all of his innermost thoughts with me.”

He recoiled at her sarcastic reply and adopted a seemlier more upright pose since not sprawling over her personal space might restore him to her good graces.

“Not even an inkling, Alice?” He tried what he supposed was a winning smile but she dismissed it as wheedling.

“You’d better go on up,” she indicated the lift, “if you want to be punctual.”

He glanced at his watch; she had a point as the minute hand was vertical.

“I’ll catch you afterwards if I survive the meeting. If he doesn’t induce a heart attack.”

She grinned at him and nodded, made sure nobody was observing her before putting two fingers to her lips and blowing him a kiss.

The lift whisked him up two floors and he forced his reluctant feet to approach the door of AA’s office. He formulated ways of telling the awesome superspy that he wanted no part in whatever it was he had excogitated for him. In spite of his negative thoughts and racing heart, he knocked and entered the room.

“Ah, my dear fellow,” the predatory smile in the familiar pinched face hardly quelled his nerves, “how’s life treating you? Is your sabbatical all that you would desire?”

“I’m enjoying the peaceful nature of it, thank you, sir.”

“Good, good. Not bored then? An active chappie like yourself?”

Jake didn’t trust or like this forced bonhomie, I’d better be careful how I answer this.

“It’s good to catch up on a few of my interests.”

“Yes, I’m sure.” The genial tone changed to one of brisk efficiency more suited to the hard pale-grey eyes that had not wavered in their coldness. “It’s the very reason for my calling you. I have something right up your street, old boy.”

He felt a sudden dryness in his throat and tried not to betray his nervousness by controlling the otherwise involuntary movement of his Adam’s apple.

“Oh yes?” he croaked.

“When were you last in the British Museum, Conley?”

The question caught him off balance. What was AA getting at? Was he checking up on his cultural preparedness?

“A few weeks ago, the last time I was in the city. It must have been at the end of January.”

“When you took Ms Harrop to the Prince of Wales Theatre?”

Jake gazed balefully at him. “Are you having me followed, sir?”

“Good Lord, no! I was there myself that evening. But you know, discretion and all that.”

“Oh, indeed, yes.” I should bloody well hope so! Jake decided to leave it at that but impulsively asked, “Did you enjoy the play?”

“Ha-ha! Very much. One of the funniest I can remember. Now then, as I was saying, about the British Museum?”

“I remember I went earlier in the day on that visit. I was also thinking of calling in there after our meeting today. I might take a couple of snaps of some artefacts from the Saxon period that interest me.”

“Splendid, splendid! You see, I’ve fixed an appointment for you with Catherine Bartlett. She’s the Curator of … let me see,” he glanced at a small black notepad open on the desk in front of him, “ah, yes, her exact title…Curator of the Early Medieval European Insular Collections. I’ve made it for one o’clock, that’s her lunch hour. Here,” he pushed a small white envelope across the plush green leather, “that should make life more pleasant.”

Jake took it and slipped it into his jacket pocket without looking at it, provoking the intended quizzical smile from the Head of Secret Service. “Very well,” he said with equanimity, “I’m sure you’ll have a lot in common with Ms Bartlett, she’s a most competent and admirable lady. I’ll leave it to her to explain her problem over lunch. Your job, Mr Conley is to sort it out for her. As I said earlier, right up your street, in my opinion.”

Jake tried not to show his emotions but he was feeling jubilant inside. No murderous far-right extremists this time, just a tame academic in the British Museum. What danger could be involved?

“Make your way to Room Forty-one on the first floor. The Sir Paul and Lady Ruddock Gallery.”

“I know it well, sir, the Sutton Hoo gallery.”

“Of course, you do. Catherine, er, I mean Ms Bartlett will be expecting you there.”

“Do you know the curator personally, sir?”

“A niece of a close friend of mine, Conley,” the agent said sharply, his eyes impossibly stony.

“I’ll be sure to treat her with the utmost respect.”

“I should expect no less.” Was there menace in his tone? Jake stood and almost tripped over the fringed Persian rug in his haste to take his leave. He heaved at the brass-studded leather-lined door, aware of his slowness in opening the heavy obstacle and sensed the ironical scrutiny at his awkwardness from behind the desk.

He thought it better to check out the new contents of his pocket there, in the corridor, before going down to face Alice, who he would have to disappoint by not sharing the lunch hour with her, as they’d planned. The plain white envelope contained the visiting card of an Italian restaurant in Bury Place, very close to the British museum. There was also a brief note written in immaculately neat handwriting; he would have expected nothing less than immaculate calligraphy from Double-A. He could just imagine those perfectly-manicured fingers manipulating the fountain pen. It read: table for two booked for a quarter past one. All expenses paid. Wine already ordered. Enjoy. AA.

Jake grunted, the sound a mixture of satisfaction and irritation. How typical of the man not to trust him with the wine list. How he was he to know that J. Conley Sq. was not a connoisseur of the grape? But, anyway, he was sure to receive splendid treatment and he wouldn’t have to dip into his pocket. Also, Ms Bartlett’s taste in cuisine was sure to be known to the Head of the Secret Service – was there anything he didn’t know? Just one thing bothered Jake as he took the lift down to the ground floor. Why go to the expense and trouble of calling in an outside agent and wining and dining the curator for a problem in the British Museum? What issue could justify it? And why hadn’t Double-A broached it with him? Either he felt it merited little importance or, on the contrary, it was terrifying. Had some international criminal organisation set its sights on the Sutton Hoo treasure and had there been a tipoff? The idea of squaring up to a heist mastermind didn’t appeal. Then again, he was one Englishman who deeply appreciated the beauty and priceless value of the Museum’s Anglo-Saxon artefacts, which were most certainly worth defending, preferably not with his life. The lift came smoothly to a halt. No juddering horror elevator for the Ministry of Defence! He stepped out into the hall and noticed how studied was Alice’s avoidance of looking at the elevator doors. She wanted him to think she was indifferent to his re-appearance and not that she had been waiting breathlessly for him. He smiled at his extensive knowledge of feminine wiles and walked casually over to the desk to deliver his underhand blow – but it wasn’t his fault. He must make her realise that.

“Miss Harrop,” he said formally, “I’m so sorry to inform you that contrary to my hopeful expectations, our esteemed big chief has sequestered me for lunch with a person of his choosing, who is not you. I’m afraid our appointment is put back for another occasion.”

She looked at him levelly and said, “Who then is the fortunate one to have the honour of your company today?”

“Oh, some old stick from the British Museum. A curator, no less. I might at least learn something new about the Anglo-Saxons from the old dear.”

Alice relaxed. What harm was there in Jake lunching with a grey-haired academic? She’d probably have her hair tied up in a bun and be wearing a sloppy hand-knitted cardigan of her manufacture. She told him as much and they laughed before he offered a dinner appointment for the following evening. He decided he’d most likely have to stay in London for this museum problem.

“You book it, Alice. That way it’ll be your choice of cuisine. I have blind faith in your good taste.”

“Even if it’s vegan?”

“You don’t mean that?” he panicked. He wasn’t psychologically ready for anything so radical and demanding.

“Only joking, my carnivorous friend!”

They laughed again and Jake left in a much better mood than when he had entered the building. But then he thought of lunch with a dowdy academic and his smile disappeared. Also, AA had never meant good news for him. Who knew what atrocious peril might await? Might it be the Russian mafia or the equally ferocious ’Ndrangheta? His half-Calabrian mate at university had regaled him with his tales of innocent people being dissolved in acid or served up as a pigs’ dinner. The spring went from his step and he began to trudge towards his appointment with heavy doom-laden steps. Suddenly, he cheered up, maybe the biting March air contributed to making his brain work better. He remembered that at the pagan temple in Yorkshire Liffi had seen his future in a seidhr session, with him appearing to her as an old man. In any case, his speculation had been wild and unjustified, Ms Catherine Bartlett might well have no mafia worries. He sincerely hoped not for both their sakes.