undue interest in the American or the Belgian employee of the embassy.
"What is it between you two asked Drew as they walked down the hallway to their Normandie suite.
"What are you talking about?"
"You and Moreau. This morning you were like two old friends, closer than ham and cheese. The rest of the day you hardly spoke."
"I wasn't aware of it. If it appeared that way, I'm sure it's my fault. I was intensely interested in everything that happened. The Louvre operation was brilliant, wasn't it?"
"It was smart and smooth, especially the short-circuiting of Strasbourg, but then, the [email protected] has been around for a while."
"Those two agents reacted beautifully, surely you agree."
"I'd be stupid to disagree." Latham approached the door of the suite, held up his hand for them both to stop, and took out a pack of matches from his pocket.
"I thought you were drastically cutting down on cigarettes. Do you mean that you can't wait till we're inside to light one?"
"I am cutting down, and this hasn't anything to do with cigarettes." Drew struck a match and moved it back and forth around the door lock. There was a sudden tiny flare of light, swiftly extinguished.
"We're fine," said Latham, inserting his key.
"No invaders."
"What?"
"That was your real hair, not your wig."
"What?"
"I found it in the bed."
"Would you mind-"
"Very simple and damn near foolproof." Latham opened the door, admitting Karin; he followed her and closed the door.
"Harry taught me that one," he continued.
"A strand of hair, especially dark hair, is for all intents and purposes invisible to the naked eye. You stick one in a lock, protruding on the outside, and if anyone enters, the hair's gone. Yours was still where I left it, therefore no one's been inside since we left here."
"I'm impressed.",
"With Harry. So was L" Drew quickly removed his jacket, threw it on a chair, and turned to De Vries.
"Okay, lady, what's going on?"
Chapter Thirty
"Really, I don't understand you."
"Something happened between you and Claude and I'd like to know what it is. The only time you were alone with him was when he first came over early this morning to lay down the law to us and I went in to get dressed."
"Oh, that," said Karin casually, her eyes not casual at all.
"I imagine I did overstep--challenged his authority is a better way of putting it."
"Challenged his authority .. . ?"
"Yes. I told him he had no right placing such restrictions on an officer of American Consular Operations. He said he had every right to do whatever he thought best outside the embassy, and I said, how would he like it if the [email protected] or the Service d'Etranger were told they couldn't move around Washington, and then he said-2' "All right, all right," Latham broke in, "I get the picture."
"Good Lord, Drew, I was acting on your behalf!"
"Okay, I accept that. I saw how angry he was when I told him to pound sand. The French really get ticked off when their almighty authority is questioned."
"I suspect that most people with responsibility, be they French, German, English, or American, resent it when their authority is challenged."
"What about Belgians, or is it Flemish? I'll never get the two straight. ""No we're too civilized, we listen to reason," replied De Vries, smiling. They both laughed softly; the argument was over.
"I'll apologize to Claude in the morning and explain that I was simply overwrought.. .. Tell me, Drew, do you really think Strasbourg was going to kill Janine with that needle?"
"Sure. Her cover was blown, a Sonnenkind exposed the ncos have no choice. And it certainly makes Moreau's job rougher. Now he not only has to keep the surveillance in place, he has to be prepared for an outright attack on her life. What bothers you? You agreed with us an hour ago
"I don't know. It all seems so bizarre. The Louvre, the crowds of tourists. I'm sorry, I'm just exhausted."
"Are you telegraphing me something? Should I send out for a pound of Spanish fly?"
"I said exhausted, not out of my mind." They fell into each other's arms and kissed, long and arduously. The telephone rang.
"I truly believe," said Karin, "that the phone is our natural enemy."
"I'll tear it out of the wall."
"No you won't, you'll answer it."
"The lady was trained by the Inquisition." Latham crossed to the desk and picked up the phone.
"Yes?"
"It is I," said Moreau.
"Has Wesley called you?"
"No, should he?"
"He will, but at the moment he is extremely preoccupied, and our friend Witkowski is all but ready