Chapter 45

Jane Doe was maybe five ten and lithe. She looked like the comedian Sarah Silverman, but without a lifetime of laughter. Her hair had been military-short the last time Koenig had seen her, but she'd grown it out. It had a few more grey strands but still looked healthy. Same with her eyes. A few more lines. Made her look wiser rather than older. Koenig thought she'd done a better job of living off the grid than he had.

‘You're a little outside of your jurisdiction, aren't you, Mr Koenig?' she said.

‘I'm not a marshal any more,' Koenig said.

‘And your friend? Although if my hands were free, I'd wrap "friend" with air quotes. I was listening as you hid in the gorse bush like Br'er Rabbit. I don't think you like each other very much.'

‘You've got that right,' Draper muttered.

‘Who is she, Mr Koenig?' Jane Doe said.

‘Jen Draper,' Koenig said. ‘Ex-CIA, current private intelligence company CEO. Due to a hilarious twist of fate, we're both at the whim of the kind of people I imagine you used to work for.'

‘And now you're both here. May I ask why?'

‘The Speakers' Corner . . . incident set off a chain of instructions that culminated in a safe in Langley being opened. There was a single sheet of paper inside. On it was a list of names and a message: "The Acacia Avenue Protocol has been initiated." My name was on the list as I was the person who faked your death. I was asked to track you down. Find out what the hell is going on.'

‘And how did you track me down?'

Koenig didn't immediately respond. He thought he was being tested. He ran through the sequence of events – everything from the meeting at This Is My Hollywood to this remote cottage in the Scottish Highlands.

‘You know how,' he said eventually.