CHERUB: The Fall - Robert Muchamore Page 0,55

conducting separate inquiries and is talking about sending in an independent investigator. But it’s not like some failing secondary school or the Post Office, you can’t just give an outsider open access to the intelligence services.’

‘The thing is, Ewart, there are all these rumours going around on campus that I’m going to cop the blame for the two MI5 agents being killed. Which means I’ll either be booted out of CHERUB, or spend the rest of my time here doing recruitment missions and crappy little security checks.’

Ewart shrugged. ‘You’ll just have to develop a tough skin where gossip is concerned, James. You know how it is, you start off with two plus two and by the time it’s spent a few days in the campus rumour mill, kids are making it add up to four hundred and fifty.’

‘But even Kerry believes it; or at least half believes it.’

‘I told you at the start, James, this investigation is probably going to take months. Any rumours that you hear are completely baseless. Our problem is that we have nothing to go on, apart from Boris and Isla’s dead bodies and your testimony.’

‘How do you rate your chances of getting the video from the CIA?’

‘We’re trying our best,’ Ewart said. ‘But it could take weeks and there’s always a chance that we won’t get it at all.’

James smiled awkwardly. ‘Do you believe me, Ewart?’

‘I’ve no reason to think that you’re lying,’ Ewart said. ‘You’ve had a few discipline problems, but your record as a CHERUB agent is rock solid. The trouble is, MI5 are saying the same thing about Boris and Isla. They’d put in more than forty years’ loyal service for MI5 between the two of them and their personnel records are unblemished – not that they’re allowing me to see them.

‘Basically James, MI5 are saying that their agents are clean. They’re trying to tell the intelligence minister that you’re to blame for everything that went wrong in Aero City. I’m trying to tell the intelligence minister that we’ve got no reason to distrust you and that MI5 are holding back information and refusing to cooperate with my investigation.’

‘Nightmare,’ James said.

‘You’re telling me,’ Ewart nodded. ‘It’s like the old question: What happens when an irresistible force hits an immovable object? We’re completely stuffed unless we get some solid evidence.’

‘What about if I went through your files on the investigation?’ James asked. ‘You never know, a fresh pair of eyes might make a difference.’

Ewart shook his head. ‘Sorry James, that’s a big no. I’m already getting flak from the MI5 bods saying that I’m unfit to investigate because I was involved in the operation and I’m the chairwoman’s husband. Letting MI5’s prime suspect sift through all my investigative work wouldn’t go down well at all.’

‘I guess I’ll leave you to it then,’ James said, as he stood up. ‘I’ve got a fitness session in the gym at eleven.’

‘I’ll try and keep you informed,’ Ewart said. ‘And don’t let rumours get under your skin. They’re baseless; nothing but flights of fancy.’

‘Just one other thing.’ James stood in the doorway. ‘Suppose that there’s no more evidence two or three months down the line when the investigation finishes. What happens to me?’

Ewart looked uncomfortable. ‘We have to be whiter than white, James. You know that.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Two people are dead and MI5 are doing their best to lay the blame at our door. If we can’t prove that you’re innocent, Zara won’t have much option but to ask you to leave CHERUB.’

‘So the rumours aren’t so far from the truth after all,’ James said dejectedly.

23. CONFESSION

Lauren was lying on her bunk reading a problem page when Anna came in from school. She stood on the bottom rung of the ladder and waved a Toblerone.

‘For you,’ Anna smiled.

‘Cheers,’ Lauren said, as she grabbed the bar. ‘What’s this in aid of?’

‘Last night, with the telephone …’ Anna tailed off.

‘Don’t worry,’ Lauren said, as she offered Anna two bits of Toblerone. ‘You’ve never had your own phone. To be honest, I’d forgotten all about it.’

This wasn’t true. Lauren had spent half an hour trying to find a good place to put her replacement phone. She wanted it where Anna would be able to find it, but not somewhere so obvious that it made Anna suspicious of a trap.

‘Last night, I lied,’ Anna said. ‘I took your phone to call a friend in Russia.’

‘Why didn’t you use the phone in the hallway downstairs?’ Lauren asked, secure in the knowledge that this was