Raymond Doyle and the Most Popular Man in the World

[longstrt]

Raymond Doyle and the Most Popular Man in the World, Part 2

Ray Doyle stood staring at the departing private jet. The two agents had escorted Jeremy Townshend to Heathrow where he had boarded the well-protected plane to return to his home in Switzerland. Bodie and Doyle watched the magnificent jet lift into the air before they turned and headed towards the Bentley that they were once again using to transport Townshend. Townshend would not return for a week or so which allowed the government the opportunity to explore his very preliminary testimony and prepare further questions for interrogation.

For the moment, Bodie and Doyle returned to the more mundane work of CI5, but something was not right and both men knew it. Although the danger of Townshend being killed on British soil had passed, for the moment, their nerves were still uptight and it was primarily in their own relationship that the tension seemed to lay.

Bodie had returned from seeing Cowley quite late. Townshend had gone to his room to prepare for an early departure, and Ray Doyle went to his room to wait for his partner to return. Lying on his bed, Doyle had fallen asleep and did not hear his partner quietly enter his own room. The next morning, there wasn’t time to inquire as to the reason Cowley had wanted to see 3.7 so that issue laid waiting for further discussion.

“Sorry, I fell asleep, mate. Was just laying there thinking and next thing I knew it was morning. Hate to fall asleep in me clothes.”

Bodie felt as if his nerves had been hot-wired. He needed to talk to his partner, and being reticent with Ray had not been a problem for the last few years, but this was different. Cowley had offered to take Bodie off the streets, train him, and make him head of a brand new branch of CI5 which would deal with the practical side of terrorism. He would be head of a mobile unit which would go where it was needed in Britain to teach and aid in fighting terrorism. He would be off the streets as such but very much in the thick of the action. It was something he was truly interested in, but the obstacle was, of course, Ray Doyle. Not that Ray wouldn’t be great in the unit, but would Ray want to “take orders” from his former partner? Bodie knew that this could strain their friendship and partnership to the breaking point. He needed to discuss it with Ray.

Having fallen into this reverie, Bodie failed to respond to Doyle’s apology about being asleep so he almost jumped when Doyle halted, grabbed Bodie’s arm, and asked, “Where are you, this morning, sunshine?”

Almost shaking himself in order to focus, Bodie’s blue eyes focussed on the puzzled face of his friend. Bodie knew it wasn’t time to tell Doyle about Cowley’s offer, but the time would have to come very soon. “Sorry, Ray. I have a lot on my mind. Let’s go back to headquarters and complete our report. If you have time, I’d like to talk to you about something?”

Doyle nodded; he had been intending to broach the subject of Townshend’s offer as soon as possible. He wanted Bodie to know that he wasn’t making any plans that didn’t include Bodie. “Sure, mate. Let’s wrap up at CI5 then I’ll make you some Bolognese and we’ll have that discussion. There’s something I want to talk to you about as well.”

Their plans made the two men got in the car, enjoying the luxury of the Bentley. They had become so used to their own Capri that this was a real treat, but the enjoyment did not last as traffic became heavier when approaching the capital.

Doyle sat slouched then upright with one leg perched on the seat, looking very much at ease. Bodie, on the other hand, squirmed around as if he were uneasy. Doyle kept looking over at the man he had known for several years. He thought he could read Bodie like a book, but the last few days had seen cracks develop in their working and personal relationship. They were as close as partners could be, but they had not carried it beyond that. Not since the day when coming home from a party for Alf Cole’s retirement, the two men had fallen into each other’s arms, groping and snogging for several minutes. Then both men sobered up and it never happened again. It had never been mentioned again. It was as if a hot-wired fence lay on the edge of their relationship which confined the two men within certain modes of behaviour. To think about it, was not to do it.

Doyle sighed loudly as he thought about those few minutes so long ago. Bodie’s blue eyes briefly wandered towards the body that he hungered for. He knew something was wrong between them, and he knew what it was - - his own jealousy. He despised Townshend because Doyle seemed to get a long with him so well. Bodie could read in Townshend’s blue-grey eyes the hunger for that gorgeous, scrawny body. Bodie knew that look so well because he saw it in his own blue eyes when he looked in the mirror.

When the two agents first met, Bodie had told Doyle to keep cool - - that’s how you survived the world and CI5. Well, it was Bodie, the cool ex-merc, who had not taken his own advice. When he first saw the slender body of Ray Doyle with his left hip canted in a seductive stance while waiting for his new partner, Bodie knew that he was lost. Since that time, he had only lost his “cool” once when they had returned to Doyle’s flat after Alf Cole’s party, he had stopped himself, but frankly he didn’t think that he could command that much control over his hunger ever again.

As if reading Bodie’s thoughts, Doyle suddenly broke the silence with, “Can I ask you a question, mate?”

“Can’t it wait ‘til tonight? I’m drivin’ here, and even though I’m world class, there are some morons on the road who don’t know nothin’ about drivin’.”

Doyle took that remark for the diversion it was and continued, “How come you didn’t ask Sir Jeremy to call you Bodie and not Mr. Bodie?”

Bodie felt as if he had just been kicked in the goolies; he just narrowly missed slamming his foot on the brake and hitting the vehicle in front of him. **Now where had that come from? I didn’t think Doyle had even noticed.**

Trying to stall for time, Bodie yelled at the driver in front of him, “You’re a moron! Who gave you a license?” Since the windows were closed, the ‘moronic’ driver could hardly hear the less than admiring declaration, but Ray Doyle understood perfectly.

Grinning widely, his chipped tooth which showed in all its glory as Doyle reminded Bodie of his question. “You usually can’t stand to hear anybody call you Mr. Bodie, but you permitted Townshend to do so more times than I can count.”

Endeavouring once again to avoid Doyle’s perspicacity, Bodie mumbled, “Not surprisin’ considerin’ your marks in math.”

Once again, Doyle sidestepped this obvious diversion and got to the point, “Come on, Bodie, why didn’t you promptly inform Sir Jeremy that you prefer to be called Bodie?”

Bodie knew that he couldn’t stall any longer without making Doyle more suspicious than ever, but he wasn’t going down without a fight. “Me mum taught me to always be polite to me elders, that’s why I am so gracious to you.”

As soon as he said it, Bodie knew that it was somehow the wrong thing to say. He had made the remark about Doyle being older or something similar hundreds of times, but this time it hit Doyle like a tonne of bricks. Bodie knew that Doyle was soon going to be forty, but it didn’t bother him. They had even talked about getting off the streets together when Doyle reached forty and now Ray seemed to be unusually upset by the remark. In addition, suddenly remembering that later that evening he was planning to broach the idea of Ray working as an employee in the newly-forming unit, Bodie realized his gaffe.

“Sorry, sunshine, was just thinkin’ that maybe it’s time we both think about our futures.”

Bodie could feel the green eyes staring at him for a long time, but Doyle merely nodded. Fortunately, the traffic seemed to magically speed up and the rest of the trip was made in a tense silence. As Bodie pulled into a parking place, he sighed loudly, knowing that tonight’s discussion was not going to be easy.

The rest of the day proceeded as its usual pace with neither partner seeing much of the other. They even travelled home in separate cars since Bodie wanted to go to his flat before going to Ray’s for dinner. The tension, therefore, between the two men had not been dealt with, and if anything it had increased so that by the time Bodie pushed the buzzer to be let into Ray’s flat, the atmosphere was so heavy that it was almost dripping with tension.

As Bodie neared Doyle’s front door, he noticed that Ray had left the door on the latch. Sighing Bodie felt a faint shiver of anxiety, a feeling that he had had ever since finding Ray on the floor with May Li’s bullets in his slender body. Bodie knew that there were many ways to be traumatized by an event. In many ways, Doyle had dealt better with his shooting than Bodie had. Discovering the violation done to that well-loved body had been the ultimate trauma for Bodie. Ever since George Cowley had given Ray Doyle over to his protection, Bodie had taken his responsibility very seriously, and in those few seconds when he discovered Doyle’s body laying crumpled in that peculiar position, he knew he had failed in the most important duty of his life - - protecting his partner’s back.

Bodie gently pushed the door open, shaking off the memories of what had occurred. Doyle could be heard in the kitchen, obviously busy with dinner. Heading towards the sounds, Bodie called out, “Oi, mate,” but stopped there. Looking at his partner, he could see concern and something else on the beautiful face. Bodie knew he had behaved thoughtlessly in the words he had used, but something far deeper was going on with his partner of eight years. He decided to find out what was going on with Ray before he dropped his bombshell on their partnership.

Neither man did justice to the meal, so that its completion and the wash-up took less than half an hour. Bringing coffee into the lounge, Doyle sat in a large comfy chair across from the settee on which Bodie resided. For a moment, neither man said a word then both began their explanation at the same time. Since both men were reluctant, but Bodie even more so, Doyle unhappily won the contest and went first.

“You remember when the Cow asked to see you?”

Bodie nodded, fearing Doyle’s next words, but he was surprised when he heard news that he had not expected.

“I had a talk with Sir Jeremy, and he offered me a job in Switzerland with a healthy pay rise.”

Bodie suddenly felt as if the bottom had dropped out of his world. Here he had been desperate and apprehensive about having to explain to Doyle that he had been offered a different job by the Cow, and Doyle had dropped this bombshell. He sat there staring in stunned silence.

Unfortunately, Doyle read this silence and the obvious amazement on Bodie’s face in a different context - - an emotion that Bodie, having known Ray Doyle for over eight years, was well acquainted with - - guilt.

Quickly Doyle tried to fill his gaffe with a quickly uttered, but not really thought out, “I asked him about a job for you too, mate.”

This remark went over like the legendary lead balloon with the ex-merc who had come to Doyle’s flat that night prepared to grovel and beg Doyle to be willing to fit into the new scheme of things by actually working for Bodie in the new unit, and now, here was Ray saying that he had begged Townsend to give Bodie a job! If Bodie had been honest, he would have been admitted that the hurt he was feeling coloured his perception of what occurred the rest of the evening, but at the moment, reality and veracity were camouflaged in humiliation and anger.

“I don’t need you beggin’ for me, sunshine. As a matter of fact, the Cow . . . Mr. Cowley has offered me the position of head of the new, mobile unit that is to deal with counterterrorism all over this island. So you see I don’t need you or Townsend’s measly leavings.”

For a second, Doyle was so relieved that the situation had worked itself out that he was prepared to be magnanimous and ignore the obvious slur on his goodwill and very thoughtful gesture toward his partner; then Doyle took the time to rerun the words through his mind once again, and to put it mildly - - not only was Doyle’s pilot light lit, but it was rapidly turning into an immense conflagration. Raymond Doyle, well-known for his hair trigger temper flared forth, “What do you mean the Cow has offered you control over a new unit? When did he tell you this? Why you been hidin’ it from me? I’m over the hill ‘cause I’m goin’ to be forty so you go behind my back and make plans without me?”

Bodie sat in stunned amazement. He felt like he was standing braced against a hurricane force wind, being battered into submission. The only thing to do was counterattack and so he did, “That’s rich. Talk about goin’ behind a person’s back. You’ve been cosying up with Townsend all week and he just happens to offer you a job. What’s it going to be, something in the horizontal position?”

Bodie’s fury and hurt made his body almost quiver and certainly destroyed his caution, but it was the look on Doyle’s face that truly fanned the flames.

Doyle’s auburn hair almost seemed aflame as he replied in a deadly cold voice, “Just what do you mean by that?”

For a moment, Bodie saw the danger then he threw caution to the wind and blurted out with a snort, “Don’t tell me you’re going to deny it. I’ve seen the way Sir Jeremy has been perusin’ your arse all week. He took one look at you and decided that he wanted you.” The fact that basically the same thing had happened to William Bodie eight years before was, of course, totally overlooked.

Doyle raised his shoulders in a gesture of not understanding; his green eyes troubled with the accusation, but not about to admit any validity to the words. “I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. You’ve been rude to Sir Jeremy since Day 1; I don’t know what you think has been goin’ on, but you are one dumb crud, if you think a man like Jeremy Townshend is interested in me . . . that way. He offered me a job as assistant and bodyguard, and I intend to . . . well think about it.”

“Yeah, I bet that nice pay rise and whatever else he’s got lurkin’ in those eyes of his will really add to your benefits. Well, count me out; I want nothing to do with the whole sordid affair.”

Doyle stood immediately; his damaged face enraged to the point that the colour had risen to bright red. “Sure and I’ll just bet you and the Cow had a nice place set up for me too. I can feel the knife in me back now. Where were you goin’ to put poor ole’ Raymond? Watching all them terrorists in the old folks’ home, I bet. If anybody should be ashamed, it’s you. Didn’t expect such disloyalty from you, Bodie. Now get out of here. I’m sure Cowley will find some other jobs for you when Sir Jeremy returns, since his presence seems to offend your sensibilities.”

As Doyle muttered something to himself about his doubt that ex-merc’s had any sensibilities, Bodie took the opportunity to head for the door. Turning around at the last moment, he dredged up all the hurt he was feeling at the moment and flung his feelings into a parting shot, “Mercs might not have many sensibilities, but we don’t betray our partners.” With those parting words, Bodie opened the door and slammed it shut behind him.

For the next week, neither man saw the other, but the rumour mill that was CI5 managed to keep both men well-informed about the activities of the other. Murphy replaced Bodie on the Townshend op, and Bodie was kept busy with varying ops that needed his “special attention”. It was noted by one and all, but especially Ray Doyle, that Bodie seemed to be working “very closely” with the Cow - - so much so that their actions topped the number one spot on the rumour mill list.

At the end of the week, Sir Jeremy returned for the second round of testimony. His safe house had been changed and even his protection had been rotated. Every agent had been moved on to other jobs except Ray Doyle and, of course, Colin Murphy who moved from the evening shift to serve with Doyle.

When Sir Jeremy disembarked from a different private jet, he immediately, of course, noted that Bodie was not among his escorts, but he said nothing. He was tired and quite frankly wanted to get the testimony over so that he could return to the haven that was Switzerland, hopefully with Ray Doyle in tow.

That evening the two men sat in the comfortable study, relaxing after a delicious meal. Murphy had already excused himself so the two men felt free to talk. Doyle was still boiling from the injustice hurled at him by his former partner, but being a man who recognized that he could be blinded by many things (look at how he had been fooled by Bodie) had to know the truth before he took another step about his future.

“Sir Jeremy, I wanted you to know that I’ve been thinking about your offer of a position.”

“Excellent, excellent, but I’m not asking you to give me your answer now. I’m hoping that you’ll come and visit me for a few days in Switzerland when I finish this round of testimony. Let’s plan on discussing this again when I return for the last round which should be later this month. What do you think of that?”

Doyle nodded, but knew that he could not put off asking two questions. He had been thinking a lot about the questions since Bodie’s accusations and behaviour had been weighing heavily on him.

“Fine, sir, but I feel that I need to ask you two questions and get them cleared up before I do any further thinking.”

“Good, I like a man who doesn’t take everything at face value. What are your questions?”

“My former partner has been offered a position in the new counterterrorism squad; did you and Mr. Cowley plan this together to solve the problem of employing me?”

Townsend smiled, “I have known George Cowley for a very long time. As I previously told you, I told him that I planned to approach you with a job offer. He mentioned that your partnership with Mr. Bodie might be a problem, but nothing more than that. George Cowley makes his own decisions, and I assure you I interfered in no other way.”

Doyle nodded, feeling a sigh of relief that Bodie’s new position was not being used as a pawn in an effort to get Doyle to work for Townshend. Now for the much more difficult question. “Sir Jeremy, is it going to be part of my new position that I have sex with you?” Doyle deliberately phrased the question as coarsely as possible. Now was the time to know what was going to be expected of him.

Jeremy Townshend stared at the slender man for several seconds, no hint of outrage or embarrassment showed. He seemed to be measuring the man that he was seeking to employ. “A very valid question. That will be your choice. As of now, I am seeking your employ for one reason - - I need an assistant and bodyguard. I expect nothing else of you, but I will not lie to you. I am attracted to you, and if you one day choose to give me the pleasure of your company in my bed, I will be happy to do so. It is your choosing for any intimate activities between us. Does that satisfy you?”

“Thank you for being honest. You’ve given me a great deal to think about.”

“Thank you. Now, I must get ready for tomorrow’s testimony so I will say good evening.”

Doyle stood and stared at the back of the remarkable man who had just left the room.

The next week’s testimony went well. The only mishap occurred on the trip from the safe house to the City. A young man, trying to break the sound barrier failed to negotiate a curve safely sideswiping the heavily protected Bentley. When the dust settled, the young man’s car was badly mauled, but the Bentley took the brief hit to the body like the champion it was. Sir Jeremy was not even ruffled, but both Doyle and Murphy breathed a sigh of relief that the cause of the run-in was nothing more sinister than a heavy-footed young man rather than the danger that was always in the back of their minds.

George Cowley was coming to dinner. Originally, Doyle planned to be absent so that the two friends could have some privacy, but Sir Jeremy insisted that both Murphy and Doyle join them for some of the evening. The conversation was convivial, the food extraordinary, and the atmosphere was relaxed, but soon after dinner, the two agents attempted to excuse themselves, but this time George Cowley insisted upon their attendance in the library while coffee and tea were being served.

The air of relaxation was gone as the coffee appeared. It was clear that this was not to be a totally social evening. George Cowley never truly put off the mantle of Controller completely. He had information to convey.

Speaking primarily to his friend, Cowley clearly wanted his agents to hear his words as well. “Jeremy, you’ve been lucky so far. There have been no real attempts against you. We checked that negligent young man out thoroughly and he seems to be exactly what he appears, but we are going to keep an eye on him. You are leaving tomorrow. I understand that you have requested that Doyle be allowed to visit your corporation in Switzerland for a few days. I have managed to re-arrange Doyle’s schedule so that he can accompany you, but don’t abuse this permission, Doyle or you will find yourself bound to these shores for the rest of your natural life.”

Sir Jeremy smiled at Cowley’s hyperbole, having heard it many times before, but the image that Doyle had in his mind told him that George Cowley would not put up with losing one of his best agents for too long and even more important Cowley would not stand for Doyle hurting his friend in any way. Doyle began to wonder just how much George Cowley knew about his friend’s desires when it came to employing Doyle.

Playing the meek, submissive agent to the hilt, Doyle merely murmured, “Yes sir, will do me best to belt out a few yodels and then return to the lavender and roses of this fair land.”

Cowley’s blue eyes gave the GLARE once again while Townshend laughed loudly and Murphy smiled behind his hand. Cowley cleared his throat and then everyone in the room knew that they had returned to business.

“I know Jeremy that the true heart of your evidence and your testimony to back it up is planned for your next visit. If they are to truly stop you, it must be done then. We’ve arranged for you to be interrogated in a special area in Whitehall where all materials are under the tightest security. Each day’s testimony will be immediately put on computer so that there will be back up. You will be given extra protection and anyone coming into contact with you will have the highest security clearance. It is strictly need-to-know.”

“That sounds excellent, George. Sounds like you’ve prepared with military precision, just as I’ve seen you do so many times.”

“Yes, laddie (the familiarity slipping through unconsciously), but we are both old soldiers and know that something can always go wrong. There are rumours, just rumours, mind you that there might be a mole in one of the government offices so that’s why we’ve switched to this special preparation in White Hall. There is no proof, but now that you are so close, we do not want anyone to slip through our fingers.” Turning to Murphy and Doyle, Cowley said, “Gentleman, I have brought some additional files with me for you to go over. They are our most recent analysis of who could be vulnerable in the area of selling information about Jeremy’s itinerary and other pertinent information. Why don’t you take it with you to your rooms and familiarize yourself with it. I’m assuming you will both escort Jeremy to Heathrow tomorrow, so I’ll say good-bye Doyle for THREE days.”

Clearly the two agents were dismissed so they left rapidly with folders in hand. They each headed towards their own rooms, but not before Murphy managed to blurt out, “Ta, wish I was in such good with the boss that I rated three days in Switzerland.”

Doyle winked as he replied coolly, “Considering your relations with the boss, I’m sure you rate three days cleanin’ the sewers.”

Murphy stuck out his tongue and mournfully said, “Wasn’t me fault, I happened to damage the Cow Mobile in me last foray into the unknowns of London.”

Ray Doyle re-packed his valise to be prepared for his “three-day vacation”; took a shower, and then threw himself on the king-size bed to read the folder and memorize it. Never hurt to be prepared. He forbade himself from thinking about Bodie and the friendship and partnership that had been torn asunder. As Doyle’s green eyes perused the words, they jumbled together and seem to run with moisture. Doyle knew that he had made his decision although the final word did not have to be given yet, but his heart ached with the knowledge that William Bodie had no place in his future.

BDBDBDBDBD

Jeremy Townshend looked across at his long time friend, noticing the question on his face. Townshend knew that Cowley never put any expression on his face that he didn’t want someone to see so obviously he wanted Townshend to question this one . . . so Townshend happily obliged. “All right, George, what’s the matter?”

Cowley gave a small smile that did not reach his blue eyes. He knew that Townshend would pick up on his facial expression, but now he was forced in confronting a most difficult topic.

“Nothing really, I just wondered how badly you really wanted Doyle . . . as an employee.”

Townshend smiled, hearing those words of concern without really saying anything. Was George Cowley more worried about his agent or his old friend?

“George, you know me better than almost anyone alive, do you really think I would offer such a lucrative position to anyone just to get them in bed?”

The very bluntness of the remark would have flustered most men, but George Cowley did indeed know his friend very well. “Jeremy, were you aware when you offered Doyle the job that Doyle and Bodie have unusual partnership? One could almost say that their friendship is even closer than ours.”

“Well, you know that that the parameters which were put on our friendship weren’t my decision, old friend, but to answer your question, ‘No, I didn’t know that.’”

“They’ve worked together for eight years. Frankly, I’m mystified that the offer of a job for Doyle could wreak such havoc between the two men.”

“Your perceptive remark has cleared up something that I couldn’t understand. It was obvious, at least to me, that Mr. Bodie had an unreasoning hostility for me, almost from the first minute I met the two agents. I should have recognized it for what it was - - jealousy.”

Normally, George Cowley would have immediately reacted to the suggestion behind those words, but Jeremy Townshend was too good a friend to pretend that the Controller of CI5 had no knowledge of what was happening in his own organization. Bodie had always been a loner and then Ray Doyle had come along and suddenly Bodie’s priorities changed. Bodie’s sole goal was to protect the man who had become so important to him - - and Townsend had come between them.

“I believe you’re right, Jeremy but what are we going to do about it?”

“Once again Townsend smiled at his old friend. “You know, George, it’s absolutely amazing how you include me in the solutions to some of your problems; reminds me of Korea. Well, let’s think about it.”

BDBDBDBDBDBD

Three days later Ray Doyle disembarked from a private jet at Heathrow. His trip to Switzerland had been interesting - - beyond interesting. Sir Jeremy had entertained him lavishly; shown him the places he would work, and introduced him to the staff that he would be working with. Townshend also interrogated him about his feelings about the job and other things in a manner that would have made George Cowley proud. Doyle began to get suspicious that Townshend had changed his mind, but the offer still seemed to be in place as he carried his valise with him, expecting to meet Murphy.

Instead, Bodie was standing there waiting for him. Extremely surprised, Doyle hesitated to say anything since it was the first time he had seen the man in over two weeks.

Bodie followed the lithe figure hungrily with his eyes, but merely said, “’Lo, sunshine. Looks like you enjoyed your trip.”

“Bodie, what you doin’ here? Realizing that this sounded a trifle harsh, Doyle tried to say something quickly, but Bodie jumped in again.

“The Cow’s got me flyin’ out tomorrow to the continent to participate in some weapons demonstration; had to come and get the plans worked out with the transport and Heathrow. Knew you were comin’ in and I thought I might not be around for awhile. Murph’s around here somewhere with that beauty of a Bentley.”

Doyle nodded. He should have known that Bodie wouldn’t make a special trip just for him, but the man surprised him as he said, “Ray, I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I had no right to say what I did.”

For a moment green eyes stared into blue eyes then Doyle said quietly, “That’s right; you didn’t, but we both said some things we shouldn’t have.”

Bodie nodded briefly and was about to say something more when Murphy appeared behind him. “Oi, there you are. Should have known you’d find him. Just got a call from Foxworth; Townsend’s plane is due to arrive in less than an hour then we’re to take him straight to the safe house. They’ve put his testimony on the express track so he has to testify tomorrow.”

Bodie’s left eyebrow shot up into the air. “Foxworth?”

Bodie was looking at his former partner, but it was Murphy who answered, “Foxworth’s the undersecretary who’s dealing with Townshend’s testimony.”

Murphy reached for Doyle’s valise and the two men headed for the Bentley which was waiting nearby. Bodie felt like there were thousands of things that he needed to say, but all he replied was, “Good luck.”

“Murphy answered with a brief, “Thanks,” but it was Doyle’s wistful look that haunted Bodie.

As Bodie left the airport hours later, something was nagging at the back of his mind. It was Murphy’s remark about Foxworth; Bodie was sure of that, but what was it that bothered him? In the weeks since his break-up with Doyle, George Cowley had assigned Bodie to various tasks, including researching the files of the individuals who might have any contact with Jeremy Townshend. It was early morning and still Bodie couldn’t determine what bothered him so much. Suddenly, some words on the printed screen of a computer came to mind.

‘Due to severe government cut backs, the following individuals will have their salary frozen at existing levels: Summers, Treblehoff, Foxworth, Jenkins.’

Now the name leapt out at him, he had done further research and found out that Foxworth had been spending an extraordinary amount of his salary on expensive items that were not obvious, but certainly would drain his frozen salary: golf clubs, a club membership, and other items. Alarm bells went off in his head. He had to be sure. Rushing to CI5, he gained entrance to the computer room and found the damning words.

Salary frozen: Foxworth!!!!

**How could I have been so blind?**

Looking at his watch, he realized that it was much later than he thought. Perhaps, Alpha One would even be available. Racing to Cowley’s office he found the older man just entering his office. Following him in, he immediately reported his conclusions to Cowley. Bodie knew that he had no proof, but hesitation could mean Townshend’s and . . . Doyle’s life.”

Cowley nodded, “Get me safehouse 32 now.”

Unfortunately, the immediate response was that the agents were unavailable since they were accompanying Townsend at that moment to Whitehall. Bodie felt his heart freeze. Doyle could already be at risk. Cowley seemed devastated though he tried not to show it.

“Bodie, you get over to Whitehall, and institute A-3 priorities rules. I’ll make some arrangements from here, and meet you there. How could I forget that Jeremy told me that they had decided to meet very early this morning so they could get done more quickly?”

The despair in Cowley’s voice spoke volumes, but Bodie barely acknowledged them as he headed out the door to race to Whitehall.

Unfortunately, at that very moment, Sir Jeremy Townshend and Ray Doyle were getting ready to enter the specially prepared room to begin the most important testimony of Townshend’s life. The two men stared as Foxworth scurried down the corridor. Doyle briefly thought to himself that the man was either very busy or overly eager. Opening the heavily protected door, however, alarm bells went off to the trained agent - - the room had obviously been occupied before they had arrived. Doyle’s split second instinct reacted once again as he turned to stop Townshend from entering the room.

Townshend registered the concern on Doyle’s face and started to say something when the world exploded. Day became night as the ceiling caved in on the two men burying them under various building materials. Thankfully the heavy door had taken some of the blast and the room had been designed to withstand quite a bit of force so Townsend realized that though he was in a pit and probably buried, he seemed to be all right. Ray Doyle was not as lucky.

Although there was almost no light, Townshend found Doyle right away because he had basically been using his body to shield Townshend. When Doyle groaned, Townshend knew that he was alive and a quick exam told him that Doyle probably had a broken leg and a concussion was a distinct possibility. Since they could not get out of their pit, Townshend tried to make Doyle as comfortable as possible and settled down to wait.

End of part 2

Part 3