A loud rapping on the door roused Harry from a troubled sleep. He was still on the sofa, one arm flung above his head, the other hanging loosely by his side. Momentary disorientation was followed by a sigh as he slid his legs to the floor and rubbed his eyes.
Harry opened the door, and seeing a determined Ruth, took a deep breath to tamp down his frustration. He knew exactly what she was here for. "We're not having this conversation, Ruth."
"Harry …"
"No, I mean it. I'm not doing this."
"You can't just shut everyone out."
"I'm not." She gave him a look. "I'm not, Ruth."
"Why didn't you say anything about the enquiry? Pretending nothing was wrong ... you didn't even tell us it was starting."
"Everyone was going to know soon enough. You're all bound to be called to answer questions."
"Exactly. That's the point. You're not the only one involved in this, Harry. Don't you think it would have been nice to -"
"Nice? Nice to what? Sit down and have a chat about what a terrible waste it is that a good officer turned bad and jumped to his death from a tall building? Or nice to discuss whether or not I'll be celebrating my next birthday at Her Majesty's pleasure?"
"Harry, you're not being fair."
"It isn't about being fair. I told you, Ruth, I'm not doing this. It will be better if you can truthfully say you haven't discussed any of it with me." He gave her an intense glare. "Now, it's late. I've had a long day, and tomorrow isn't likely to be any different. If you don't mind, I'd like to try and get some sleep."
They hadn't moved far into the hallway, and he took a few steps around her and opened the door wide. Ruth hesitated, huffing slightly, trying to decide whether she should say anything else. Common sense, or survival, or something, kicked in, and she walked outside.
When she didn't hear the door immediately close behind her, she looked back at him from the middle of path. Harry held her gaze for a moment, then his eyes flicked away and he pushed the door firmly shut. Ruth sighed and headed for her car.
On Tuesday morning, while Harry again waited in the corridor at Whitehall, Internal Affairs were taking up residence on the grid. Commandeering the meeting room, their plan for the day was to interview the officers of Section D, and their notes would inform the panel's questions for Harry.
The senior officer, who didn't even bother to introduce himself, started by pointing at Beth, "You first," and marched toward the meeting room.
Beth wasn't impressed, but followed him and took a seat. It didn't take long for her to get even more fed up with their attitude.
"I don't think you have any right come in here and -"
"We have every right. Harry Pearce is under investigation, and by implication, so are you and the whole of Section D." His face was stony as he stared her down. "Internal Affairs is authorised to do whatever is necessary to get to the bottom of this. We will ask you questions, and you will answer them. Is that clear?"
She nodded mutinously. "Am I allowed to know who you are? Your name?"
He didn't answer immediately, but finally said, "Owen Campbell." His eyes narrowed slightly. "And you are Beth Bailey. Applied for the Security Services at eighteen, and completed training. Very capable, overly so, but considered too immature and volatile, and unable to to do as you were told."
Beth sat and smouldered, but said nothing. Neither did Campbell, who was watching her closely. The second officer, who remained nameless, spoke instead.
"You were a private contractor. A very successful one. Why did you ask to return to MI5?"
"Contracting is rewarding, lucrative, and I got to see the world, but it's not the same as helping to keep your country safe. MI5 reappeared in my life and I wanted a change, so it was good timing. And I'm not the same person I was ten years ago."
"Well, perhaps Harry Pearce agrees, since he was the one who fired you the first time around, and was also the one who re-hired you. Do you think he might have had an ulterior motive in doing so?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Do you think Harry remembered your independent streak, and thought it might be useful one day?"
"That's ridiculous. You're suggesting Harry hired me because my teenage reputation might mean I would look the other way over something that might occur in the future. Harry's not like that … and neither am I."
Campbell and his colleague looked at each other with slight smirks then moved on to quizzing Beth about recent operations. Eventually, after covering the ins and outs of Lucas' betrayal, they changed subject.
"You share a house with Ruth Evershed don't you?"
"Yes."
"And how's that?"
"How is it?"
"Yes. How does it work for you? For her? Any problems?"
"No. Why should there be?"
"Do you socialise with each other?"
"We share dinner sometimes, but mostly keep to ourselves. I mean, we work together, but we have different interests and neither of us have a lot of spare time, so we usually do our own thing."
"Have you ever seen or heard anything that might indicate there's more to her relationship with Harry than just work?"
"Oh, come on." Beth pulled a face.
"Have you?"
"Look, they're colleagues. People who've worked together for a long time. Ruth is one of the smartest people I've met and her place in the team is crucial. Sometimes she and Harry get on, and sometimes they don't. As far as I'm concerned they seem to spend most of the time arguing, or glaring at each other."
"No dates or late night phone calls?"
"Are you serious?"
Clearly not serious enough, Campbell decided they were getting no further with Beth. He told her she could leave, but not to to go anywhere because they might want her later.
To be continued (plenty more to come).
Thank you again for your reviews. I'm really pleased so many of you think this is realistic, because that's what I'm aiming for. I hope you'll continue to share your thoughts with me.
