I don't do business over the phone.'
'Sure, I understand. All I'm looking for is a character reference. Somebody has applied to work with us, and Kramer seems to think you know her.'
'I know a lot of people.' The voice was cautious again.
'Her name is Caroline Jackson.'
A long pause. 'I know Caroline. What do you want to know?'
'Whatever you can tell me.'
'Fucking hell, you don't want much, do you? Look, if you're thinking about working with Caroline, all you need to know is that she's a serious player. But she's a loner. She doesn't trust anybody with her business. She's smart, she knows how to keep stumm, and she's very fucking good at what she does. She wants to work with you, you should bite her fucking hand off, because you're getting the opportunity to work with the best. OK?'
'OK.'
'Now you got what you wanted. Good night.' The call ended abruptly, leaving Tadeusz feeling less uneasy than he had ten minutes previously. What he didn't know was that he'd just been talking to one of Morgan's undercover operatives, briefed to give Caroline Jackson as vivid a reality as possible.
Tadeusz had sat through the third act, brooding over his course of action. As The Cunning Little Vixen drew to a close, he came to a decision. He had to see the virtual reappearance of Katerina as a good omen. He'd go with his gut reaction and see what she had to offer him.
In the cold light of morning, the decision still felt like a good one. He wished he'd been able to talk it over with Darko, but his right-hand man wasn't due back from Belgrade until that afternoon. And this was too important to entrust to telephones. He'd have to rely on his own intuition. He reached for the phone and dialled the number on the card she'd given him.
'Hello?' Her voice was already familiar.
'Good morning, Caroline. It's Tadeusz here.'
'Good to hear from you.'
She sounded determined not to show any enthusiasm that might not be matched on his side. 'I wondered if you might be free for lunch?'he asked.
'That rather depends.'
'On what?'
'Whether it's business or pleasure on the agenda,' she said coolly.
'I suspect that, with you, business would always be one f sort of pleasure or another,' he said, an undertone of amuse- " ment in his voice. He was surprised by how at ease he felt ?flirting gently with her.
'You didn't answer my question.'
'I think we may be able to do business," he said. 'But first, we have to get to know each other a little better. You see, I only deal with people when my instincts tell me they're reli- able.'
'Really?' she asked, sounding incredulous. 'And you still chose Colin?'
His source had been right. She was smart. 'If that was such 1 a bad decision, then by your own admission, the condemna- i tion falls equally on your shoulders, Caroline,' he pointed out.
'ToucheY she said.
'So, will we have lunch?'
'If you can make it earlier rather than later. I have some important calls to make this afternoon.'
'How is noon for you?'
'I can do that.'
Til send the car for you at eleven forty-five. I look forward to it'
'Thanks, but I've got to go out this morning. I don't know where I'll be at eleven forty-five. Just tell me where to be, and I'll get there for noon.'
He named the restaurant and gave her the address. 'I look forward to seeing you,' he added.
'The feeling is mutual. See you later.' The line went dead. So. To smart and discreet, add independent and wary. Caroline Jackson was beginning to intrigue him. And not just professionally. He found himself looking forward to lunch with an appetite that had nothing to do with food.
Tony stared at the screen. Petra had been as good as her word. The investigation reports from Bremen had been waiting for him when he'd arrived at her apartment, and he'd forced himself to put his feelings for Margarethe to one side and read them as objectively as he could. The fact that the killer had been interrupted had provided a few nuggets of information that might help as he went along, but the most telling details had come from Margarethe's boyfriend, and these could be incorporated right away in his draft profile.
At this stage, it could only be a rough outline. There were things he still needed to do and see. He wanted to go to Bremen, partly to make his peace with Margarethe, but mostly to see the house where