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| ISBN-13: | 9781504904810 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 04/15/2015 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 390 |
| File size: | 277 KB |
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The Cambridge Papers
A Novel About Love, Romance and Deceit
By L. A. Wiggins
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2015 L. A. WigginsAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5049-0480-3
CHAPTER 1
London CIA Briefing
Arriving in London on the day of my discharge from the Army, I felt excited and was in a euphoric frame of mind. I found there was a message at my girlfriend Nicola's house in Harrow from General Thibodeau. There were instructions for me to show up at the American Embassy the following Friday for a 10 a.m. meeting. Nicola's parents thought this was strange since the message was left the day before I was to be picked up by them at Heathrow Airport, and I was supposed to be a free man from the United States Army.
It was fortunate the message was rather vague. However, that added to her parents feeling that there was much more left unsaid. The need to call back was not mentioned, which was again suspicious and added to their confusion of who William Wright really was. The expressions on their faces were of the big question: How did the embassy staff know their house was where I would be staying?
The feeling after spending a few wonderful days with Nicola walking around Harrow on the Hill a free man, and not needing to report back to the barracks in Mannheim, was hard to describe. The next step of reporting to the embassy was of my own choosing. When I arrived at the London Embassy on Friday morning, General Thibodeau was waiting downstairs. He escorted me to his office, where another agent by the name of Joe West was also waiting to brief me.
Joe West and I didn't exactly hit it off as he seemed to think he was the cat's meow. When they divulged that they knew of me moving into a bedsit in West Harrow the following week, it was disconcerting to say the least. The need to listen and not act surprised was a way of telling them I knew they would find out eventually. That seemed a big deal to Joe and spoke volumes. They were certainly keeping tabs on me and my girlfriend.
"Wright, I am being transferred back to Washington. Joe here will take my place and subsequently be your contact now in Europe. You will be available for any ASA assignments when needed, answering to general Neuhofer when you are assigned to them. Agent West will now ask you a few questions. Is there anything you want to say?" Thibodeau said.
"Yes sir. I would like to start by asking for a commission since I will be unofficially still in the Army. My request is for a rank of captain and the pay to go with it."
"I do not see a commission being granted Wright, a captain's rank is out of the question. How about second lieutenant to be offered in June?"
"I will compromise down to a first lieutenant, sir."
"Okay Wright, I do not see a problem with your request."
Evidently agent West did not agree by the look on his face.
"Joe, do you have any questions for agent Wright?"
"Yes sir, Mr. Thibodeau. Thank you for the chance to interview this agent. Billy, can I call you Billy?"
His question was meant to be condescending so as to get a negative reaction from me in front of a high-ranking CIA operative. I wanted to play his game since I was put on defense, I would run with it. That would clear the air so to speak. I did not like Joe West because of his behavior in the past in Prague. I thought that I had better answer quickly before he had a chance to pile it on.
"Yes sir, I am honored that you would like to call me by my first name, Joe."
"Billy, I would have kept you a non-commissioned officer until you have proved yourself to me."
"Thank you, Joe, for your bluntness and being honest. I like a person who is forthright. It was good that I asked agent Thibodeau instead of you for my commission. Joe, you know all about my assignments in Prague and Leipzig. If those successful actions didn't impress you, then I don't have a hope in hell to ever please you. We can call it quits and I will walk away from the ASA and the CIA."
Joe said, "You will stay and listen for now, your reputation precedes you Wright as a protagonist with no regard for your superiors."
I responded in a low, controlled voice, "You sort of fancy yourself, Joe, with your lack of respect towards a fellow agent, especially when he is the one being sarcastically assaulted in a confined area."
Thibodeau with a smile interrupted the prickly exchange between West and me by saying, "No one is going to leave or quit as long as I am in charge. I would like to see you Wright by yourself and you West, wait outside until I call you; your behavior is unacceptable in front of another agent."
We waited until West left the room for our private conference. Joe was fuming as he slammed the door behind him, probably to show his dissatisfaction with the CIA director keeping me on the payroll.
Thibodeau started with a lecture that sounded a little like a high school dean would give to an offending boy, "Wright I would like for you to show more respect towards West. He is going to be in charge, with me giving guidance to him from our Langley Headquarters."
"Sir, may I speak truthfully about my past experiences with agent West."
"Wright, it would be unfair to disparage West without him being here to defend himself."
"I understand, sir. What I have to say can be said in front of him if you would like to call him in."
"Wright, I know West to be an arrogant so and so, and what you have to say would fall on deaf ears. I will send you my office and personal phone numbers when I am settled in my new post in the States. You will answer to me through West. I will tell him about our conversations. Now before you go, one last request. I want you to tell me everything that happens here in London, be careful of other agents, especially West."
"Thank you again Mr. Thibodeau for my promotion, and I will do as you say and communicate with you at least once a month."
"You are excused lieutenant; expect to hear from us in the next two months."
Everything was out in the open now as I shook the general's hand before leaving. As I was about to leave Thibodeau stopped me at the door to tell me that he would like me in Washington in June for a two-week training course.
"Let me know the date sir, and if you could give me a couple weeks notice it would be helpful. I would like to give the commissary warehouse at least that amount of time, so they could find a replacement."
West did not like the rapport Thibodeau and I seemed to have. I finally left with the thought that working with West was not going to be a lot of fun. I waited at a small park around the corner for Nicola to join me for lunch at a local pub.
Nicola showed up and saw other Americans sitting on benches eating their lunch. She wanted to know how the meeting went.
"It was a good, informative sharing of ideas. Let's try the pub on the corner. I am starving, how about you darling."
"Absolutely famished Billy, you seemed to be on edge, is something wrong?"
There was no need to tell her about the dust up at the meeting and while we waited for our meal it was unfortunate that Joe West happened to come through the door with a rather suspicious-looking character.
I asked Nicola, "Please don't say anything right now. Watch those two men who just walked in and let me know your opinion on how they look and more importantly how they handle themselves."
After she finished her wine I said, "Please get us another drink Nicola and have the barman put it on my tab. I would go if it wasn't for those two men; one of them might recognize me. The dark hair gentleman is a bit of a skirt chaser and I don't want him to follow you with his eyes over here. He knows me and I would like to study him for a few minutes."
After 10 minutes Nicola was back and said "Here is your drink Billy; now you must tell me what this is all about."
I said, "One of those men will be my new contact. In this morning's meeting we were at odds with each other. I know some things about his past that I find unpalatable, and he finds it uncomfortable that I seem to know."
"Nicola, tell me your opinion on the appearances of the two gentlemen and the way they are conducting themselves."
"I feel like a spy darling, isn't it exciting that we are so close to the American Embassy, those two could be spies. Is this what you do when you are in other countries?"
"Yes, now study those men for a few minutes and let me know, as the English would say, about their deportment."
I waited a few minutes while finishing my lunch for her summation of agent West.
"Darling, the dark-haired American looks a little shifty by the way he cannot relax. The heavy gentleman is definitely not British, maybe Russian, with his ruddy and large pitted face. His hair is oily along with the worst cut imaginable as his hair bristles out from the side of his head."
"Great observation Nicola, now remember what those two guys are wearing. One suit is from Mayfair and the larger man's suit looks as if it was bought from the second hand market. With your major being in art could you make a sketch of the larger man? I am quite sure we will see those two again before the year is out."
"Now think of this very carefully over a few days. Would you like to join the intelligence community? You could help me or be my assistant; we will be able to spend a lot of time together."
"I will think about it darling, but I do not believe so. I'd rather be a school teacher."
"Wise decision. When they get up to go, I want to follow the Russian and see where he's headed. Wait a minute! The two men are getting ready to settle their bill. Let's see who pays. The Russian is paying, that is not a good sign for the Americans. Russians do not do something for nothing; I have learned that in my briefs with the ASA. Follow him outside to see if he is walking or riding."
Nicola came back in to tell me the Russian was waiting for the bus.
"Please go back outside and ask the taxi on the curb to wait for us. I will be out as soon as I settle up the bar tab."
The bus had just stopped as I went outside. Nicola was already in the large black London Taxi, wondering what I wanted to do. With the bus slowly pulling away I asked her if she was sure the man got on the bus.
"Yes he is on the bus." She assured me.
The taxi driver opened his little sliding window and asked, "Where to Guv?"
"Follow that bus please and stay back far enough so the person on the bus doesn't get suspicious we are following him."
"Yes Guv."
Nicola was staring at me with a look of disbelief. She probably thought she really picked a right one this time. Of all the prospects she could be engaged to, why did she have to pick me. I had to think of something to say pretty quickly.
"I am sorry about this Nicola, but there may not be another opportunity like this again, to gather needed information. This may be a wild goose chase, but I don't think so. Please let me do this, and I will try not to involve you again darling."
I caught a glimpse of the taxi driver watching me in his rear view mirror. He quickly turned back to watch the road.
Nicola was looking uneasy and said, "Billy, I am a little scared with you doing this. Everything will be alright, won't it?"
"Yes, Nicola, don't you worry. I need to see where he is going for my own well-being in the future."
The driver was still occasionally studying me through his rear mirror. Now it was time to assure the driver I was not a bloody crackpot.
I had seen the name of the driver on his registration pasted on the glass of the partition separating the front compartment from the passengers.
I asked him, "Kenny, if you would let this play out I will make it worth your time. Take this 20 pound note to go towards your fare."
He said in his heavy Cockney accent, "That's a lot of dosh me old cock. It won't be as much as20 quid, Guv."
"Give me your business card and you can apply what is left over to the next time I use your taxi. Can I call you in the future when a taxi is needed?"
"Right you are, Guv."
"Billy, I have never known anyone pay a taxi fare in advance! It is not what we do in London," Nicola said.
Kenny looked at me as I winked at him. He laughed out loud and said, "Don't worry, love. Your man is different, but as far as I can see he will do you right, even if he is a Yank."
She blushed as she smiled and nodded in agreement. The driver has now stopped again 50 yards behind where the bus stopped. We saw the man get off.
I said to the driver, "Wait a minute, that's our man in the old brown suit. I need to know where he is going."
"I know, Guv. I've picked him up several times. This is my turf, I was born several streets back of those first row of flats. He really isn't a bloke you two want to be seen with, a real villain."
"Do you know his name?"
"No mate, he doesn't natter much; I reckon he's a miserable old so and so and foreign. He doesn't bloody well tip, either. One can tell e's been in a few barneys. I once seen a shooter sticking out of his vest."
"Looks like he may be going into that building on the left Kenny; he is looking around to see if he is followed. I need to get out to see if there is a name on the bell box."
"You youngsters stay put, I'll ave a look. If e cops me I'll ask if e rang for a taxi. I 'as me notepad ready in case 'e gets jumpy."
The taxi driver walked brazenly up to and through the door. I thought to myself that this man may be a godsend in the future if I needed to watch this Russian and Mr. West. Kenny seemed to have very few boundaries or he had ice water flowing through his veins.
Nicola nervously asked. "Billy, I feel this is an invasion of that poor man's privacy."
"Nicola that poor man is most likely a Russian KGB agent. You heard Kenny tell us he in his way of putting things. He is not a nice man. What in the world is a barney?"
Nicola, giggling and saying at the same time, "A barney is slang for a fight the Cockneys use. They have their own language here in London; they all seem to drop the 'h' in most words while in conversation."
CHAPTER 2My First London Contact
Kenny was back in the cab. "Right mate 'is name is Volkov, the cleaning lady says. She doesn't like 'im because 'e isn't a nice man. 'E leaves Vodka bottles on the floor every day and seems to drink often when 'ome. She's alright, that lady who does the cleaning."
"Thank you Kenny for getting his name for me. Can you take us to Baker Street Station; we are looking for a place to have dinner."
"I'll take you to my local where the food is first rate."
After a five minute drive he said, "We're 'ere now, you two 'ave a good time; it's been a pleasure, Guv, and you've been a little different clientele than normal, I'll say."
"Will you join us for a meal?"
"I'll 'ave a pint if you don't mind, and then I will 'ave to get 'ome to the missus."
The name over the door was 'Flanagan's Pub and Restaurant.' The little hotel next door was called 'The Sherlock Holmes Hotel.' It was amazing to be in this area of so much history, and we soaked it all up.
The barmaid was glad to see our driver as he asked her to take good care of us since we were his friends. I felt good that he would say we were more than just a fare.
Over the beers, I was setting Kenny up as a contact without actually asking his permission. Nicola was now getting into this cloak-and-dagger stuff. Kenny also was asking questions about why we wanted to know where Volkov lived.
Not wanting to answer his question, he turned his attention towards Nicola; he reckoned he knew some friends of one of her mother's sisters, from working in London during the war.
Nicola said, "Yes, all of mummy's family is from around the old Kensal Green area."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Cambridge Papers by L. A. Wiggins. Copyright © 2015 L. A. Wiggins. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Chapter 1 London CIA Briefing, 1,Chapter 2 My First London Contact, 16,
Chapter 3 Going Around West, 25,
Chapter 4 Shadow Agency, 37,
Chapter 5 Hooking the New Director, 49,
Chapter 6 The Cambridge Connection, 62,
Chapter 7 CIA Indoctrination, 73,
Chapter 8 Retiring the Lecturer, 78,
Chapter 9 West is Finished, 88,
Chapter 10 Cambridge Op Center, 102,
Chapter 11 Low Level Op. Center, 112,
Chapter 12 The Apostle's Creed, 123,
Chapter 13 Volkov Got in the Way, 135,
Chapter 14 The Apostles' Sting, 148,
Chapter 15 A New KGB Agent, 164,
Chapter 16 The Sting Hurts, 180,
Chapter 17 The Assignment, 203,
Chapter 18 The Long Road to Prague, 218,
Chapter 19 Foreign Exchange, 240,
Chapter 20 The Leipzig Connection, 260,
Chapter 21 Undercover With Monika, 280,
Chapter 22 The Extraction, 295,
Chapter 23 Saving Monika, 305,
Chapter 24 Another General Sent Packing, 323,
Chapter 25 The Cambridge Finals, 342,
Chapter 26 Taking on the KGB, 367,