A Delicate Truth A Novel

for the photographers to finish their work.
    ‘There are certain bridges that have to be negotiated,’ he announces severely to his own reflection. ‘There’s a certain green light that has to be given by some fairly crucial people up and down the road there’ – butting his bullish head in the direction of Downing Street. ‘When we get it – if we do and not until – you’ll be informed. Thereafter, and for such time as I deem appropriate, you will be my eyes and ears on the ground. No sweetening the pill, you understand? None of your Foreign Office obfuscation or persiflage. Not on my watch, thank you. You’ll give it me straight , exactly the way you see it. The cool view, through the eyes of the old pro which I am to believe you to be. Are you hearing me?’
    ‘Perfectly, Minister. I hear you and I understand exactly what you are saying’ – his own voice, speaking to him from a distant cloud.
    ‘Have you got any Pauls in your family?’
    ‘I’m sorry, Minister?’
    ‘Jesus Christ! It’s a simple enough question, isn’t it? Is anyman in your family named Paul ? Yes or no. Brother, father, what do I know?’
    ‘None. Not a Paul in sight, I’m afraid.’
    ‘And no Paulines ? The female version. Paulette , or whatever?’
    ‘Definitely none.’
    ‘How about Anderson ? No Andersons around at all? Maiden name, Anderson?’
    ‘Again, not to my knowledge, Minister.’
    ‘And you’re in reasonable nick. Physically. A stiff walk over rugged terrain isn’t going to cause you to go faint at the knees in the manner that certain others around here might be afflicted?’
    ‘I walk energetically. And I’m a keen gardener’ – from the same distant cloud.
    ‘Wait for a call from a man named Elliot. Elliot will be your first indication.’
    ‘And would Elliot be his surname or given name, I wonder?’ he hears himself enquire soothingly, as if of a maniac.
    ‘How the fuck should I know? He’s operating in total secrecy under the aegis of an organization best known as Ethical Outcomes. New boys on the block, and up there with the best in the field, I’m assured on expert advice.’
    ‘Forgive me, Minister. What field would that be, exactly?’
    ‘Private defence contractors. Where’ve you been? Name of the game these days. War’s gone corporate, in case you haven’t noticed. Standing professional armies are a bust. Top-heavy, under-equipped, one brigadier for every dozen boots on the ground, and cost a mint. Try a couple of years at Defence if you don’t believe me.’
    ‘Oh I do, Minister’ – startled by this wholesale dismissal of British arms, but anxious to humour the man nonetheless.
    ‘You’re trying to flog your house. Right? Harrow or somewhere.’
    ‘Harrow is correct’ – now past surprise – ‘North Harrow.’
    ‘Cash problems?’
    ‘Oh no, far from it, I’m thankful to say!’ he exclaims, grateful to be returned if only momentarily to earth. ‘I have a little bit of my own, and my wife has come into a modest inheritance which includes a country property. We plan to sell our present house while the market holds, and live small until we make the move.’
    ‘Elliot will say he wants to buy your house in Harrow. He won’t say he’s from Ethical or anywhere else. He’s seen the ads in the estate agent’s window or wherever, looked it over from the outside, likes it, but there are issues he needs to discuss. He’ll suggest a place and time to meet. You’re to go along with whatever he proposes. That’s the way these people work. Any further questions?’
    Has he asked any?
    ‘Meantime, you play totally normal man. Not a word to anyone. Not here in the Office, not at home. Is that clearly understood?’
    Not understood. Not from Adam. But a wholehearted, mystified ‘yes’ to all of it, and no very clear memory of how he got home that night, after a restorative Friday-evening visit to his Pall Mall club.
     
    *
     
    Bowed over his computer while wife and daughter chatter merrily in the next room, Paul Anderson elect searches for Ethical Outcomes. Do you mean Ethical Outcomes Incorporated of Houston, Texas? For want of other information, yes, he does.
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