‘The same flight as you,’ Hawthorne said. Without asking, he sat down at Marc’s table. ‘You enjoying that?’

‘There’s nothing to beat the full English,’ Marc exclaimed. ‘And don’t you give me any of that continental rubbish. Yoghurt and croissant and that horrible concoction they call muesli. If you ask me, that’s the best thing about getting out of the EU, and there’s a long list where that’s concerned. Bring back the great British breakfast!’ He poked his sausage with his fork. ‘Mind you, this is a poor excuse for a decent banger. The skin’s synthetic and it’s got way too much rusk and water. You can tell from the way it’s shrunk.’ He was enjoying himself, playing to invisible cameras.

‘There was something I wanted to ask you,’ Hawthorne said.

‘Ask away. But you don’t mind if I eat while we talk, do you? I’ve got a car coming at ten and I don’t want this to get cold.’

‘I was wondering if you’d let me have the pen back.’

‘What pen is that?’

‘The pen that was taken from Anne Cleary’s room. She said it was a Sakura, made in Japan.’

Marc had just pronged a piece of bacon, but he didn’t lift it off the plate. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said, without looking up.

‘I’m talking about the pen that you stole.’

‘I didn’t steal anything. And I think you should watch what you say to me, Mr Hawthorne. I’ve been threatened by experts.’

‘I’m not threatening you,’ Hawthorne said, reasonably. ‘And we can do this two ways. You can give me what I want or I can call Deputy Chief Torode and he’ll arrest you and take a look in your luggage. What else will we find in there, I wonder? My guess is that there’ll be a gold Rolex watch and also a fifty-euro note.’

‘Did he also take my £5?’ I asked.

Hawthorne nodded. ‘Probably.’

‘I didn’t take anything!’ Marc exploded, his face darkening. ‘And I’m warning you—’