What he meant was: maybe none of this is our fault. Nor need it be anything to endanger an energy deal. I’d considered this, of course. Most of the people from those days with cause to want her dead were either dead themselves, imprisoned or doing too well to cause trouble. People don’t like stirring history up, certainly not off home ground. But it was true, we had worked together – Ukraine and Turkey. Joanna had also done stints in Serbia and Belarus. That’s not a CV to help you sleep at night.

‘There’s no specific operation for which I think someone would still be seeking revenge. Does Vectis deal with kidnappings and rescues?’

‘Not directly. We work with GL5 if we need muscle. She has full K&R cover if it comes to it.’

Fully insured for kidnap and ransom. Which could help you rustle up a holdall stuffed with used currency, or even some ex-SAS types abseiling to your rescue. It rarely happened quite like that. I thought through the various options. If she’d been killed straight off it meant she was dangerous alive, that her silence was worth the noise generated by a murder, the obliteration of whatever knowledge she contained. Alternatively, it was a message: stay away. If she was captive, it was a question of what the captors wanted: money, leverage or information. Ninety-five per cent of hostages, the public never hear about: they’re diplomatic tools, assets on the balance sheet. Companies have supposed policies on not paying ransoms and states have policies on not dealing with terrorists, but I’d never known either to be ironclad, it just means the press agree not to cover it. But situations got spun out over years. If the captors wanted money it was straightforward, although you’d expect demands sooner rather than later. If they were pressing her for information, the first you might know about it was a body dump.

‘Are you monitoring her family?’ I asked.

‘We’re keeping an ear out. There’s been no contact. No whispers internationally either. All our offices have been chasing this.’

‘I don’t think she’s dead.’

‘Nor do we.’

It was time to get a closer look at Vectis. Walker wasn’t telling me much, but I liked a challenge and wanted to know more about his set-up over here. I didn’t believe the search for Joanna was being run out of Walker’s hotel room. I was also curious about how they’d react to the video file.

‘Is the cryptonym “Catalyst” one that you’re familiar with?’

‘No.’

‘Have you come across anything connected to sophisticated technological deception?’

‘What have you got?’ Walker watched me carefully. I knew the calculation. You can’t trust anyone, but you can’t spy alone.

‘Shall we adjourn somewhere less comfortable?’ I said.

*