The Scarlet Papers: The Times Thriller of the Year 2023

But counterfactuals were useless. History was just hindsight after the facts. What was that Alan Bennett line? History is just one bloody thing after another. It was often hard to disagree.

the days in captivity seemed to lengthen every time he dreamed of freedom.

‘Check the statute book, Professor. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009.’ ‘Refresh my memory.’ ‘Clearly prohibits any monetary gain by the description of a crime. Little thing called an “exploitative proceeds order”. Mainly ex-cons looking to cash in. But it comes in handy for us spooks now and then.’

‘A hot war’s better than a cold one. At least everyone knows the score.’

‘Just nothing. One whiff of my arrival to the DGSE or DGSI and you’ll be posted to outer Mongolia with drone attacks as mood music. Do we understand each other?’

‘History, my child, is the most powerful motive of all.’ Aunt Maria rested her hand gently on Scarlet’s shoulder. ‘Now, I’m afraid, we must leave.’

But it was immaterial now. She would say nice things and mean them, too, and he wasn’t sure he could face that sort of kindness.

It was always the first question a handler asked an asset, the practical realities of spying so much more mundane than the movie version. Assets didn’t usually get caught by grand, heroic gestures. It was the small things that undid them: unexplained absences from work, erratic behaviour at home, seemingly pointless travel or diversions.

Max maintained eye contact. For the first time in years, he felt fully alive. There was something magnetic about trying to outwit an opponent, using every ounce of intelligence to create a real-world effect.