Spook's Gold by Andrew Wood Page B

Boris’s company, especially liked his bizarre sense of humour, his eagerness to mock the stupidity and arrogance of their senior officers.  Boris also did some good imitations of them too.  In addition, he knew all of the gossip from around the departments and had numerous useful contacts across the various services. 
    “But perhaps you have some social life and secrets of your own Dieter, judging by the way that woman has been chasing you all morning.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Oh, some woman has been calling you every fifteen minutes since this morning, very keen to get hold of you,” confided Boris with a knowing nod and wink.  “Mind you, she sounded a bit agitated.  You wouldn’t have got her in the family way would you, you sly old dog?” he leered. 
    “What was her name?”
    Marner waited patiently while Boris tried to focus through the fog of lunchtime alcohol clouding his brain.  He could see that Boris was spending a lot of time out on the town and his uniform was starting to bulge over and around the belt and buttons of late. 
    Boris was still trying to form a name in his mouth.  “She only gave it the first time she called, I really don’t remember it too clearly but it was maybe Lamarr.... . Lemaire.... something like that?”
    “Lemele?”
    “Y eeeeees s, that could have been it I suppose,” responded Boris, whose focus was fading again.  “So who the hell is she and where have you been hiding this fine damsel, eh?  When are you going to bring her out on the town and let Boris take a look at her?” Boris’s voice was rising again, and Marner motioned him to be quiet, having already picked up the receiver and started dialling the number whilst Boris was rambling on. 
    Lemele answered immediately and Marner caught the excitement in her voice.  “I have three things, so listen carefully,” she stated, before he could even ask her what the urgency was.  “First, the body that you said would be found was indeed reported this morning.  So how did you know that it would be there? – No, don’t answer that, I don’t want to know.  His name is Mohamed el-Kalifa, well known to the police under a number of aliases, so he was quickly identified even though he was not carrying papers.  He is originally from Algeria and was a known member of the LNA.”
    Marner broke in to ask what the LNA was and she explained that it was the acronym for an organisation known as the Legion Nord-Africaine, made up of North African immigrants, primarily Muslims who had sympathies with the Nazi regime and thus had found plenty of opportunities to prosper in occupied France. 
    Lemele returned impatiently to her list of items.  “Secondly, I was completely unable to find any photos of Carlingue members from the records division and I have to conclude that someone has been clearing out those files.  Too many of the dossiers are missing their contents for it to be the standard sloppy administration.  Thirdly, someone is following me.  I was suspicious when I came back from the records archive in Montparnasse this morning and when I went for lunch I confirmed it.”
    Marner asked her how many were following her and who, but she did not know, other than that she was certain that at least one individual had tailed her and was still lurking outside the building.  Marner reassured her that he would leave immediately, stressing that she should remain in the building until he arrived. 
    After ringing off Marner looked at Boris, wondering whether to take him along for support, but then reconsidered.  The man was big and intimidating but was also far too inebriated and therefore more likely to be dangerous rather than useful.  He did take a moment to ask Boris what he knew about the LNA.  Boris was responsible for keeping an eye on criminal activities at street level, for which his old civilian police job had prepared him well.  He was well acquainted with them.  “Mostly low-level, low-intellect