Peace?
Ruth was exhausted. She had barely slept since Colin had died, her dreams besieged by dreams of her friend calling out for her to help him. Yawning she sat on the bench looking out over the river Thames. She knew Harry had met with Malcolm but whether or not her friend was in any state to be involved was another matter. She pulled her coat closer to her, protecting her small frame from the cold.
"Ruth."
She smiled as she heard her name. She didn't need to look up to see who the man sitting next to her was. Instead she glanced to her left.
"I needed some air." She explained. "In there, it feels like everyone is watching."
"It's a building full of British Spies. Everyone should be watching." Harry smiled as she rolled her eyes. Ruth was still the self conscious girl that had exploded into the briefing room a couple of years earlier. Only now, after Adam's shooting, Angela Wells and their impromptu trip to Iraq he knew better than to underestimate her.
"Watching the watchers." She sighed. "Harry, is Malcolm agreeable to this? If he got hurt too."
Her eyes shone as Harry nodded. The unstated sentiment was felt by both. Malcolm Wynn-Jones was a good man, a better friend and if anything happened to him the guilt would engulf them; the same way Colin's demise had. Only it would be worse. Section D without its elder statesman was unthinkable.
"He knows. I gave him the information you found."
Ruth's head snapped towards him.
"Was that wise?"
"It's Malcolm."
"Harry, he's grieving. We all are, I know but Jo and the boys don't know." Ruth sighed. "If Malcolm reacts the way I did to Danny's death."
"Ruth - you were ill." Harry touched her hand. "Ruth."
"If we are looking to do this." Ruth looked at their hands, still linked together. "We have to look after him. We can't tell Jo and the boys. You saw how Adam was. When Fiona died. Jo is too new. She's so young."
"She knew the world she was getting into. When she signed up she knew it was like her journalism days." Harry looked over to her. "She has to accept the realities of the service at some point."
"She's lived through losing Fiona." Ruth looked away. "Adam and Zaf,"
"The terrible twosome."
"Have had enough trouble. If I am right."
"You are." Harry looked up. "You know you are."
"Colin was assassinated by the State." Ruth looked over the River as Harry watched her. "If we fail. We are going to be at best thrown out of the Service. At worse we end up the same way as Colin. These are highly influential and very dangerous men! Adam has been through enough and Zaf has to be the one to hold them together - to deal with Mace and his ilk."
Harry frowned as he listened to her rationale.
"Adam will know something is going on. He's a good officer." Harry watched her. She nodded.
"I know. He's brilliant at his job. It won't take long for Zaf and Jo to work out what's going on. Then there's Juliet."
"Do we have to bring her into this!" Harry growled. Ruth squeezed his hand.
"I'd rather not. But if Mace works out what's happening then she could be an asset." Harry nodded.
"Or a liability."
"You know her better than I do."
"Hardly these days." Harry watched as Ruth smirked. "I've a dead drop with a former asset in about an hour. I'll know more then."
Ruth nodded before getting to her feet. Harry immediately missed the feel of her skin against his. She blushed, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"Be careful."
"Go back to Thames House. If anyone asks I'm meeting with Colin's sister Marjorie. Funeral arrangements or some such. That should sound plausible enough."
"Be careful."
"I will." He smiled at her. She shoved her hands back into her pockets as he rose from the bench. Harry straightened up slightly before kissing her cheek. She watched him walk away wondering just how high up the conspiracy went.
Xxxxxxxx