Lebel sighed. "Is it somethingthat'll get me killed or just mutilated?"

"Both. And it has to do withMoscow."

A nervous look flickered on Lebel's face,emphasizing his wrinkles. He became serious.

"Explain."

Massey put down his glass. "A mannamed Max Simon and his daughter were murdered in Switzerland two months ago.Both of them were shot through the head. Moscow sanctioned the killings."

Lebel put up a pudgy hand. "Jake, ifit's politics, you know I don't get involved."

"Hear me out, The man responsible isan East German killer named Borovik. Gregori Borovik. That's not his real name.He uses a whole lot of aliases. He's crazy, Henri, and I want to findhim."

Lebel sighed and shook his head."Jake, the contacts I have don't talk about such things."

"All I'm asking is that you make afew discreet inquiries. You know everyone in the Soviet Embassy in Paris.You're personal friends with the Ambassador."

"It's not a friendship that extendsto discussing the nastier side of intelligence life."

"Max Simon was a personal friend ofmine. His daughter was only ten years old."

Lebel's face paled slightly with distastebefore he shook his head firmly. "Jake, I'm sorry to hear that, but you'rewasting your time."

Massey sighed and stood up. "OK,let's put that aside. Right now you're the biggest dealer in Russian fur inEurope. Apart from diplomatic staff and a handful of Western businessmen inoil, tobacco and diamonds, you're one of the few people allowed to visit Moscowalmost at will. And seeing as Moscow's pretty much a closed city right now, Iguess that makes you kind of special."

Lebel nodded thoughtfully before sippinghis cognac. "That's true. But to use an American expression, cut the crap,Jake. Get to the point."

Massey smiled back and his face didn'tflinch when he said, "I need you to take some people out of Moscow for meon one of your private goods trains."

Lebel's mouth opened and before the cigarcould fall from his mouth he pinched it hard between his thumb and forefingerand frowned in disbelief.

"Let me get this right, Jake. Youwant me to smuggle people out of Russia?"

Massey nodded. "Three people, to beexact."

Lebel laughed, a derisory snort."Jake, have you lost your mind?"

" I'm not asking you to do it fornothing. It's a business arrangement, pure and simple. You'll be wellrewarded."

"Correction, mon ami. It would besuicide, pure and simple. Besides, money I don't need."

Lebel looked down at the square below.The rain had finally come, lashing down on the shiny cobbles, pigeonsscattering to the rooftops. He looked back at Massey.

"Jake, please understand, I'm a furdealer, not a travel agent. I make a good life out of my trade with theRussians. You know what would happen if they found out I was smuggling peopleout'? I'd be making snowballs in some godforsaken camp in Siberia for the restof my life,"

"Hear me out first, Henri."

Lebel shook his head. "Jake, it'spointless. God himself wouldn't convince me to take such a risk." Masseystood. "I said hear me out. How many trainloads of furs do you take out ofRussia each year?"

Lebel shrugged his shoulders and sighed."Four, maybe six in a good year. It depends on demand."

"in sealed carriages?"

"Yes, in Sealed carriages. Sixcarriages a train."

"And you're always there toaccompany the goods?"

Lebel nodded. "Of course. With sucha valuable cargo, I can't take a risk. Even with Stalin in command there arebandits near the border with Finland. I lease a train privately from theRussians that travels from Moscow to Helsinki."

"Do the Russians check you bothsides of the border, going in and coming out?"

Lebel smiled. "The border guardscheck all the carriages with sniffer dogs, Jake. Believe me, nothing goes in orout of that country without Moscow knowing about it."

"You mean almost nothing."

Massey took an envelope from his insidejacket. He handed it across to Lebel.

"if that's money, Jake, I told you,forget it."

"It's not money. It's a confidentialreport. I want you to read it."

Lebel took the unsealed envelope andopened it. Inside was a single page. He read the page and his face dropped. Ashe looked back at Massey the Frenchman had the startled look of a fox caughtwith a chicken in his mouth.

"What's the meaning of this?"Lebel said almost angrily.

"As you can see, it's a report onthe last three consignments you exported from Russia. You've been a naughtyboy, haven't you, Henri? You had a hundred and twenty more sable pelts than youclaimed in the customs declaration, all hidden in a secret compartment underthe train."

Massey held out his hand and Lebelreturned the report, white-faced. He slumped into his chair and stared up atMassey. "How did you know?"

"The Finnish customs found thecompartment under the carriage's floorboards. They had a discreet look at yourtrain in Helsinki Station after it came back.from Moscow two months ago.Naturally, they reported it to us, just in case our friends in Moscow were upto something. But now I know they're not. It's your operation, isn't it,Henri'? Who else knows about this'?

Anyone in Russia?"

"The train driver," admittedLebel. "In fact, the method was his idea. He saw it done during the war bycertain criminals in Moscow, when food was being smuggled in from the countryfor the black market."

"Can he be trusted?"

Lebel shrugged. "As much as anycrook can be trusted. He has a weakness for a certain ravishing young Finnishlady who lives near the border in Russian-occupied Karelia. A big girl whosetastes run to expensive French champagne and naughty silk underwear which Iprovide him with. I guess he'll do anything for sex and money, but then won'tmost men?"

"But it is your operation, isn't it,Henri?"

An anxious smile flickered on Lebel'spale face. "Jake, you've no idea. what the Finns charge me in importtaxes. Their inland revenue would put a highwayman to shame."

"So naturally, when your friendfound a way around it, you jumped in."

Lebel gestured with his cigar at thereport in Massey's hand. "Until you showed me that I thought I'd done theclever thing, but now I know I was foolish. OK, Jake, what's the story? You getthe gendarmes to slap the bracelets on me and haul me away?"

"The American Embassy in Helsinkiadvised the Finns to hold their report for the moment." Massey smiledbriefly. "But I've a feeling things might get pretty difficult for yourcompany if the Finns prosecute. And after that I think you'd find America was aclosed door for your business. You'd be ruined, Henri."

"Don't tell me, but you can save mefrom all that?"

Massey smiled. "if you were willingto cooperate."

Lebel sat back with a sigh. "I waswaiting for this."

"First tell me how you got aroundthe Russians. Don't they check your train?"

"Of course, but only coming in overthe Finnish border, not coming out. The carriages are examined by the Finnsafter we cross the Russian border into their territory."

"Who else is in on this?"

Lebel hesitated. "Certain greedyassociates I deal with in Russia. Bureaucrats and railway officials. In fact,it was they who put the train driver up to it. For a small consideration theymake sure the Russian guards turn a blind eye when the train passes through theborder checkpoint."