[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

he fully intended to renovate the house and the two small fields
that had now become his. Everything in good time. Meanwhile,
he opened his newspaper with a keen and knowing smile on his
face, eager for the latest part of James Stevens s exposé of spy
shenanigans in England and Ulster, exclusive photos and all.
It was fairly obvious that much of Stevens s material had been
subjected to this and that D-Notice, but there was still enough
there to make a sizable four-part  investigation into corruption
and the misuse of power. Harry Sizewell would be standing trial
soon, and there were others, too, Miles knew, who would be
nervous about every phone call and every knock at the door for
a very long time to come.
He did not even know if he himself was safe. This part of the
257
Ian Rankin
Dordogne was isolated enough, but one could never be wholly
safe, not in his world. All one could do was enjoy the present,
and he was certainly doing that. He sloshed more wine around
his mouth, then swallowed luxuriously. Perhaps he could plant
some vines in those fields . . .
 Miles?
 I m on the terrace.
Sheila, looking tanned and fit, came around from the side of
the house. Her hands were cupped, and she was walking quietly,
as though afraid of waking a child.
 What is it? he asked, and she opened her hands to show
him.  It s a little beetle, he said, impressed.
 Yes, I just found it in the vegetable garden. Any idea what
kind it is?
 I haven t the faintest. Sheila transferred the tiny, brightly
colored creature to his own open palm.  But I can find out. I ll
just go to the study and check. And with that he was off, back
into the farmhouse, weaving between unopened packing cases,
beneath the gaping rafters of the first floor, until he reached
his study, which was in fact the bathroom. He kept a few books
there beside the toilet. Placing the beetle on the rim of the bath,
he settled himself down and opened a page.
258
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
When i started researching this book, one person whose brain
I d just been picking begged me  for God s sake make it realis-
tic. He was fed up with stories that exaggerated the  glamour
of the spy and the ingenuity of his tools of trade. However, the
following six months worth of conversation and reading left me
more than a little confused. It seemed to me that the problem
in writing a novel about the security service was that reality was
sometimes so much more unbelievable than fiction. I showed
part of the first draft of the book to my acquaintance, and he
telephoned the same night.  How the devil did you know that?
he demanded, citing one particular passage (extant).  I made it
up, I replied quite truthfully.  Oh no, you didn t . . . he began,
and then fell silent, having said too much already . . .
Some of Watchman was written while enjoying the hospital-
ity of Hawthornden Castle International Retreat for Writers,
and my grateful thanks go to the staff there.
I should also add that, really, MI5 s surveillance section is
known as the Watcher Service. But I find the terms  watch-
man and  watchmen more resonant, as fans of Alan Moore
will doubtless agree.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ian Rankin is a worldwide number one bestselling writer, and
has won an Edgar Award, a Gold Dagger for fiction, a Dia-
mond Dagger for career excellence, and the Chandler-Fulbright
Award. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with his wife and their
two sons. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]