‘I’m not interested in what you want,’ Knox said.

Bennett stood frozen in place for a few moments, seemingly trying to decide what she should do next. Then she put her half-full cup of coffee on the table next to Knox’s and left the flat without another word.

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Bennett’s attempt to reconcile with Knox hadn’t gone to plan.

After reading up on Williams in the CIA archive and the hole he’d left in Knox’s personal and professional life, she was convinced there was no way Knox would have just let him disappear after Regent’s Park. And she’d hoped that even though they hadn’t seen each other in years he’d still think that they, no matter what the agendas of the powers they worked for might be, were still allies. But she’d underestimated just how deep the wound in the centre of Knox was, and how long it would take to heal over after she’d reopened it.

She stormed straight past the lift door across from Knox’s flat and into the staircase that spiralled around its shaft to the bottom of Kemp House. Halfway down, she paused on a landing to catch her breath and stop her body and brain from spinning in circles.

Bennett had wanted to know what plot Williams and Knox had concocted in the few minutes they’d had together, but there was no way Knox was going to tell her now. She’d also wanted to tell Knox exactly what had happened in Santo Domingo, explain that she’d thought she was helping Williams and that she felt ashamed for what he’d been through.

She’d arrived at Kemp House prepared to accept the blame she deserved, fully. But she’d fudged it. She’d got defensive, and let Knox’s anger get to her. Now, she couldn’t see a way back from what she’d done to Williams or what she’d said to Knox.

Bennett started down the stairs again, but after three more floors she came to an abrupt halt and a smile cracked the scowl her face had hardened into.

‘Nice try,’ she said.

She’d had an agenda in Knox’s flat and, of course, so had he. Their conversation was never going to be easy, but he hadn’t even given her a chance to lay the situation out calmly before they’d both let things escalate. Bennett had hoped to leave with information that would save her skin, and maybe lead her to Williams. Instead, she’d left wanting to crawl into a hole, kicking herself as she did. Which, it now occurred to her, was exactly what Knox had intended. He hadn’t just wanted her gone, he’d wanted her angry, distracted, and doubting herself.