condensed master
Will Bonner was driving home. Dorothy and the children were in the garden when he arrived and after spending some time with them he went inside and looked up Margaret's phone number. The phone had now been installed and he sat by the extension in the bedroom, hesitating at the thought of once again being involved. She answered immediately, something he had not expected. "Tony left me a message." "How are you Will?" "I'm fine." "Can you call in and see me one evening?" "Yes, I suppose so." "Anytime during the course of the week will do, you know where to come. I'll be there most evenings." "It isn't urgent then?" "No, not this time." Will could hear her laughing quietly, no doubt recalling the last time she phoned Ivan's house. Will replaced the phone, at least it wasn't urgent and he felt relieved about that, but as he sat watching the family he knew that it always started like this, and ended up with some sort of violence or anxiety. He used the service vehicle to go to Margaret's on the following evening, and slowed down to let another car pass as he approached the entrance on the bend. The turn in was so abrupt it would be easy to create an accident. Parking the vehicle so as to hide the company markings, he climbed the stairs to the house. The door was open and he could see Margaret engaged on the telephone. He stepped into view and she beckoned for him to take a seat. By the time he had settled down he heard the receiver click back into place and she came and sat opposite him. "You look fit Will." "You don't look too bad yourself, how is the job shaping up?" "It's going like clockwork, it couldn't be better." "We'll have to change that, won't we?" They both laughed. "Violent changes do seem to occur when you're around." "You sent for me, so you're bringing it on yourself. Have you got yourself another husband yet?" "No, but you've got yourself a couple of children." 266
The Reluctant Agent A Compelling Story of Espionage Will took her last statement as a veiled threat and he launched a verbal barrage against her. "I'm glad to see that you're still in good form Will, but there was no need for that. We always promised to be straight with each other. If I know everything that's going on, I'm surely in a better position to act in the best interest, regarding your welfare." "I'm sorry Margaret I went off at half cock, why am I here?" "There's some new surveillance equipment being evaluated and I'd like your advice." "Have you got the equipment here?" "No, just the information, I don't want it around until I know that it's going to be satisfactory. The general consensus of opinion is that it's what we want." She went over to her briefcase and taking out a bunch of papers dropped them next to Will. "Look at those and tell me what you think, in the meantime, would you like a cup of coffee?" "No, no thanks." "I make a shocking cup of coffee don't I?" Will hesitated. "You can be frank." "Yes." "In that case I'll get you a lemonade." Will slowly looked over the information and Margaret sat and waited. He discarded the last paper and looked up. "Well?" "None of them will be any good for you." "Not any?" "No." "I can't just tell them it's no good. I have to give a reason." "There's nothing I've seen that you can't already do with your existing equipment. To be perfectly blunt, some of it is far less efficient. Furthermore, it's already outdated, and before you get it into full service, it will have been superseded." "By what?" "Transistors are taking the place of valves. They will revolutionize the electronics industry, especially in the area of surveillance, because the overall size of the electronics will be reduced drastically, including the battery supplies. I would 267
- Page 216 and 217: Will Bonner That didn't sound too b
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- Page 224 and 225: Will Bonner "It's simple logic. The
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Will Bonner<br />
was driving home.<br />
Dorothy and the children were in the garden when he arrived and after<br />
spending some time with them he went inside and looked up Margaret's phone<br />
number. The phone had now been installed and he sat by the extension in the<br />
bedroom, hesitating at the thought of once again being involved. She answered<br />
immediately, something he had not expected.<br />
"Tony left me a message."<br />
"How are you Will?"<br />
"I'm fine."<br />
"Can you call in and see me one evening?"<br />
"Yes, I suppose so."<br />
"Anytime during the course of the week will do, you know where to come.<br />
I'll be there most evenings."<br />
"It isn't urgent then?"<br />
"No, not this time." Will could hear her laughing quietly, no doubt recalling the<br />
last time she phoned Ivan's house. Will replaced the phone, at least it wasn't urgent<br />
and he felt relieved about that, but as he sat watching the family he knew that it<br />
always started like this, and ended up with some sort of violence or anxiety.<br />
He used the service vehicle to go to Margaret's on the following evening, and<br />
slowed down to let another car pass as he approached the entrance on the bend.<br />
The turn in was so abrupt it would be easy to create an accident. Parking the<br />
vehicle so as to hide the company markings, he climbed the stairs to the house.<br />
The door was open and he could see Margaret engaged on the telephone. He<br />
stepped into view and she beckoned for him to take a seat. By the time he had<br />
settled down he heard the receiver click back into place and she came and sat<br />
opposite him.<br />
"You look fit Will."<br />
"You don't look too bad yourself, how is the job shaping up?"<br />
"It's going like clockwork, it couldn't be better."<br />
"We'll have to change that, won't we?" They both laughed.<br />
"Violent changes do seem to occur when you're around."<br />
"You sent for me, so you're bringing it on yourself. Have you got yourself<br />
another husband yet?"<br />
"No, but you've got yourself a couple of children."<br />
266