“What do you suppose they’re up to?” she asked.
“Our Russian friends? The same thing they’ve been up to for the past two decades. Subversion, sabotage, election interference, and sophisticated information operations, all designed to sow discord and undermine the West. Once upon a time, the KGB referred to such tactics as active measures, and they were incredibly good at it. The new Russians call it hybrid warfare. And they’re rather good at it too.”
“But why drones?” asked Peel.
“It’s not the first time a European airport has been shut down by drones. Remember, the airport in Copenhagen closed for severalhours not long ago because of a drone sighting. So did Oslo Airport and Berlin Brandenburg. Imagine for a moment if those drones had been armed with high explosives.”
“The Russians would never dare.”
“Whyever not?”
“Because the West would retaliate.”
“How?”
“With economic and political sanctions, at the very least.”
“We’ve sanctioned the Russians repeatedly over the invasion of Ukraine. And what good has it done? There’s nothing left in the West’s quiver other than a military response.”
“War with Russia? That will never happen.”
“I agree. But if the Russians were to carry out an attack on a NATO country without triggering a response, it might well spell the end of the alliance. The Kremlin would like nothing more.”
The talk of Russia had set Ingrid on edge, and she appeared relieved, at least temporarily, when Gabriel explained that he was now working for a certain DCI Douglas Chapel of the Metropolitan Police. Hearing this news, she smiled coolly and in German said, “That would explain why you brought a policeman into my home.”
Gabriel, in the same language, replied, “I’m afraid it couldn’t be helped.”
“Really?”
“DCI Chapel insisted on placing a police officer at my side. Timothy was the solution. By the way, DCI Chapel would like a word with you.”
“About what?”
“He seems to think you might have pocketed the five hundred million.”
Ingrid reverted to English for Peel’s benefit. “The money was long gone by the time I was able to hack into that bank.”
“I don’t suppose you were able to determine where it went?”
“It was moved from the original account into twenty-five other accounts and then transferred to twenty-five new accounts and cryptocurrency wallets around the world. You can be certain the money has been transferred many times since then and is now hidden in anonymous shell companies and layered trusts. It would take months for the US Treasury Department to track it down. For someone like me it would be next to impossible.”
“How about something a bit less demanding?”
“What did you have in mind?”
“An organization in The Hague that facilitates anonymous philanthropic activity.”
“Not the Secret Sharer?”
“You know it?”
“I’m a client. A secret client, of course. My banker in Andorra acts as my go-between.”
“I’d like to know the source of several large donations to Oxfam, Save the Children, and Global Relief UK, to name a few.”
“Your wish is my command.” She directed her gaze toward Peel. In German she asked, “But did you really have to bring him here?”
“He saved your life once, as I recall.”
