Black Wattle Creek (Charlie Berlin #2)(78)
‘That may be so, but these are dangerous times, and drastic measures are sometimes called for and sacrifices sometimes have to be made. And while you might well know what you know, it doesn’t do you any good. Outside this room the Official Secrets Act and an active D Notice mean that no one is ever going to hear about it. So you have very limited options, I’m afraid.’
Berlin took the envelope from his jacket pocket. ‘You want to take a look at this and tell me if I got anything wrong?’ He dropped the envelope on the desk. ‘It’s a second carbon copy but you should be able to make everything out. Few mistakes on the first page but I hit those keys pretty hard. I was in a bit of a bad mood. Funny thing is, I still am.’
Jessop read the letter quickly, dropping each page casually on the desk as he finished it. When he was done he put the pages back in order in a neat pile.
‘I got your name right, didn’t I?’ Berlin asked. ‘I think credit should always go where it’s deserved.’
The doctor appeared untroubled. ‘As I said, a fanciful tale. And one, I will remind you once again, that has no chance of publication. ’
‘Not locally, perhaps, or in London. Or even Washington. But I’ll bet the Russians are just busting to get their own back after all those recent headlines and nasty editorials in The Times about their messing about in the affairs of other nations. And you should be aware, Dr Jessop, that if anything were to happen to my family or to me, a copy of that letter will be on the desk of the editor of Pravda within twenty-four hours. And as much as our governments will try to downplay it as communist propaganda, the story will be out there for everyone to see.’
Jessop appeared to be considering Berlin’s statement. ‘This might of course be a bluff on your part.’
‘That’s true. But it might not. And in fact it isn’t.’
Jessop sat still at the desk, his eyes on the other man. Weighing up the options, working out if I really am bluffing, Berlin decided. He spoke again, pushing Jessop.
‘My time in the air force and the police tells me that if this ever gets out, despite how successful all the denials and secret internal investigations and cover-ups might be, there’ll be a huge amount of arse-covering at the top, and someone will have to get it in the neck for the good of the old country. The greater good, perhaps I should say. And generally that would be a middle-level functionary with some blood on his hands. Someone who might write out a full confession taking all responsibility before tying a rope round a tree branch and ending the shame. Would you be willing to go that far for the greater good, Dr Jessop?’
Berlin put the steel pipe down on the desktop and leaned in towards Jessop.
‘Of course, there is the possibility you might wind up doing it even though you were perhaps quite unwilling. You know the people you work for better than I do.’
It was that last statement that hit home. Berlin could see comprehension begin to creep across Jessop’s face. The doctor obviously did know the people he worked for and the lengths they would go to, and he suddenly seemed a little afraid. Or perhaps more than a little.
‘Supposing we were to come to some kind of agreement, DS Berlin, I assume of course there is a price for your silence?’
‘I told you already, me and mine get to move on with our lives in peace. Same goes for Beryl Moffit. But while we’re at it, perhaps Len Manning’s missus and kid could get a payout of some sort, maybe from a surprisingly generous insurance policy no one knew Len had.’
The doctor seemed surprised. That’s all you ask? You don’t expect a mea culpa then, DS Berlin? A public falling on swords in the city square?’
Berlin shrugged. ‘Mate, I don’t really know what a mea culpa is and I don’t care one way or the other about the sword business. What’s done is done and you bastards already have your bloody research project underway. If the poison’s already in us, and from what I’ve read it could take years to show up, then there’s not a lot I can do about it.’
Jessop appeared not to believe his luck. ‘Well, that would seem to be an eminently acceptable exchange, DS Berlin, and one I’m sure my superiors will find agreeable.’
Berlin had his doubts that Jessop’s superiors would ever get to hear about this deal. Whatever else he was, the man was nobody’s fool.
The doctor smiled and held out his hand. ‘For the sake of you and your family’s continued wellbeing, we agree that the things that may or may not have occurred within these walls, and in other places like this, shall remain secret.’
Berlin ignored the offered hand and Jessop struggled to read the expression on his face. After a moment it appeared that Berlin had come to a decision.
‘Sounds fair enough. There’s just one more thing before we tie this all up.’
Jessop appeared to be relieved. ‘Of course, what is it?’ ‘I looked into one of those buckets out by the furnace on my way in here, and there was a foot in it.’ Jessop stared at Berlin.
‘A baby’s foot, Dr Jessop. From a kid not even six months of age, going by the size of it. You and your bloody Ninetymen chopped up some poor bugger’s dead baby.’
Berlin saw a change in Jessop’s demeanour. Catching on now, are you, you bastard, he said to himself.
‘Now, just a minute, DS Berlin, just a minute.’ There was a note of desperation beginning to creep in to Jessop’s voice. ‘While your apparent outrage is perhaps understandable, though uninformed, you need to see the larger picture here. As I have explained, we have indeed been collecting samples of tissue from a variety of adult subjects to establish a baseline for radiation exposure, but children, infants actually, provide us with our most important data.’