when confronted with smiley's evidence, elsa confesses to smiley that her husband was an east german spy, that she was his unwilling accomplice in passing secret documents in the music cases, and that fennan was killed by mundt after frey saw him talking to smiley. however, guillam learns that during the last six months, fennan had been taking home insignificant, unclassified documents. smiley realises that elsa herself is the east german spy and that fennan had accused himself to meet someone with whom he could discuss his suspicions about his wife. smiley sets a trap, using his knowledge of frey's tradecraft from the war to inspire a rendezvous between frey and elsa. when frey utilises the meeting to kill elsa, he is trailed by mendel and killed by smiley while attempting to escape.