Page 79 of Spymaster

Again, the big man shook his very big head. “I knew it.”

“You knew what?”

“I always suspected the Russians had operatives here. It just makes sense. Strategically, they need Gotland. Nobody, though, has ever been able to catch them.”

“Well, they’re here,” said Harvath. “And part of the cell includes a contingent of Spetsnaz soldiers.”

“I’m not surprised,” he replied. “That’s exactly the kind of thing K4 would do. But if you know all this, why hasn’t Anders arrested them?”

“That’s why I came to see you,” said Harvath. “How do I put this appropriately? The way some of the intelligence was gathered makes it difficult for the Chief Inspector to use in court.”

Ingesson nodded knowingly. “I am assuming, based on how it was gathered, that it would be difficult for any Swedish authorities to use this intelligence as well.”

“Correct. That’s one of the reasons I was brought in. My team and I allow Sweden to keep its hands clean.”

“I think Americans call itplausible deniability.”

“Correct again,” replied Harvath.

“What do you wish to do with Dominik Gashi?”

“We just want to talk with him.”

Ingesson laughed and repeated the word “talk,” with air quotes.

“He may not want to talk with us,” said Harvath, “but he doesn’t have a choice. We believe he is part of an overall operation to weaken NATO and prepare the battlefield for an ultimate Russian invasion of the Baltic States.”

“Which is why they would need Gotland. To control the Baltic Sea.”

“Exactly,” Harvath stated, relieved to be speaking with someone who understood the big picture. “America doesn’t want to go to war and we’re certain that Sweden doesn’t want to either. In our opinion, all that matters—”

“Is stopping the Russians—no matter what it takes.”

Harvath nodded. “That is our position.”

“It is the right position,” replied Ingesson. “What can I do to help you?”

“Do you have a picture of Gashi?”

“Sure. I can pull his file from the company server. What else?”

“I have spoken with two of his associates, neither of whom has ever been to his home. Can you give me some idea of where he lives?”

“I can do better than that,” the big man replied. “I’ll take you right to him.”

CHAPTER 47

Gashi lived in a crappy, run-down cabin on a poorly maintained piece of land in the middle of nowhere. Ingesson knew it because he had driven the man home after he’d had too much to drink at the company Christmas party.

Gashi allegedly augmented his income from the processing plant by acting as a caretaker. He worked for several mainland homeowners who rented out their beach houses to the tourists who flocked to Gotland in the summer.

Off-season, he simply dropped by once a week to make sure pipes hadn’t frozen and nothing had been stolen.

It was easy money. What he did with it, though, was anyone’s guess. He definitely wasn’t putting it into where he lived.

Haney assembled the drone and got it up overhead. Harvath told him to take his time. He definitely didn’t want a repeat of Norway.

Slowly, Haney conducted a reconnaissance of the property. In addition to the cabin, there was a detached garage, a woodshed, and an old, decrepit outhouse.