Knox reasoned that Holland had been as much of a patron to Williams as he’d been to himself, so he deserved to know that he was still alive as quickly as possible. He also wanted to warn Holland about what Hoffman was planning, and make sure that it would be him who was put in charge of bringing Williams back into the fold.

Knox hadn’t expected Holland to rave and cry at the news that one of his missing agents had finally been found, or announce that he was going straight to Grosvenor Square to lodge a formal complaint with the CIA about their treatment of an MI5 officer. But he was surprised by just how cool the director general was being.

‘And you have no idea where he’d go?’ Holland asked.

‘Under normal circumstances I’d expect him to go to Rabley Heath, but these aren’t normal. He could have gone to ground anywhere.’

Holland’s reply to that was a sceptical, ‘Hmm.’

He was right to not be entirely convinced by what Knox was telling him, because Knox actually knew exactly where Williams had gone. At least, he hoped he did.

And that wasn’t the only thing he was keeping from Holland. He’d neglected to repeat Williams’s warning that some horrible event was about to befall the city. Williams had said himself that he couldn’t trust his memory, and Knox needed to have a longer conversation with him in less dramatic circumstances to establish if the threat was real before he gave Holland something else to worry about.

‘Well,’ Holland continued, ‘I don’t have any issue with Hoffman’s little spectacle being snuffed out. But we need to bring Williams in. He’s not safe alone and neither might be anyone who he comes into contact with.’

‘He’s confused, but I don’t think he’s a threat to the public,’ Knox said.

‘I’m sure you don’t. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t one.’

Knox was about to protest again, but a look that Holland very rarely gave him stopped him before he could speak.

‘You know I’ve never given the theory of the Wolf much credence—it’s too convenient, too easy—and I’m not about to start,’ Holland said. ‘But Williams is still a highly trained and, by your own admission, unstable agent who needs to be contained.’

Knox winced internally at Holland’s choice of words. Williams wasn’t an animal to be caged, he was a colleague and a friend who needed protecting.

‘This isn’t the time to let anyone make a fool out of us, or for us to make a scene of our own,’ Holland continued. ‘I’ll celebrate Williams’s return once he’s in our care. Now find him. Before the Americans do.’