‘And why is that?’ Lorne asked Garth as he became thoughtful a moment.
The look Garth turned on Lorne said eloquently, “I would be very sorry to be in your shoes right now.” ‘Have you not considered the reason these “gentlemen” would deliberately provoke an investigation?’
Lorne had in fact wondered just that but found himself confronted with the convoluted reasoning of the political animal: it was the sort of thing from which his mind instinctively recoiled in distaste. That fact in itself disturbed him: it made him feel manipulated, as though he had been selected because of his particular mind-set.
‘My guess,’ he said slowly, ‘is that they wish to drag this matter into the open so that they can deal with it- in the political sense. The point for them, I think, is to be seen discrediting the sort of people who will not tolerate such behaviour. This in turn would take the teeth out of any further investigation as in the public mind we would be perceived thereafter not as investigators of crime but rather as purveyors of rumour and speculation. They would then be in a position to lobby certain people to have all further investigation terminated. What would follow, and of this I am certain though I have no proof to offer, is that they would then go head-hunting, which, as I am sure you’ve already guessed, is the reason I tried to drop this matter in your laps.’