She reached the street and was about to turn right to head for the main entrance to her building when she saw a man approaching her from that direction. Like the first guy she had encountered, he wore a smart single-breasted suit. Almost exactly the same kind of suit, in fact. Same build. Same look about him.

Their eyes met.

She was in danger. She knew it. She actually felt the adrenalin inside her as though it had been administered via hospital drip.

At the same time thinking of the number of things she’d watched where she was screaming at the screen, ‘Why doesn’t she just call the police?’

So she turned, quickly, jabbing out 999 on her phone.

‘Emergency services, which service do you require? Fire, police or ambulance?’

‘Police, please.’

‘Putting you through.’

Through to force control. ‘Police, how may I help you?’

‘I think I’m being followed.’

‘OK, let’s start with your name and your location.’

She went through it. She told them who she was and what she did, and if she exaggerated the extent of her criminal work, well, that was just to ensure that they took the threat seriously. She was asked to stop and wait for a squad car.

She glanced behind. The guy still there. ‘I’d prefer not to stop right now,’ she told the call handler. ‘Can I just keep on walking? Are you able to track me using my number?’

‘Yes. We can do that. We’ve got you. We can get a squad car to whatever is your current location.’

‘Thank you, thank you.’ Something was happening on her phone. ‘I’ve got a call coming through,’ she told the call handler, and then saw who it was. ‘This might be something to do with what’s happening.’

‘OK, well, you should see a squad car soon.’

She took the incoming call. It was Alex.

‘Alex,’ she said.

‘Tess.’

And she’d never been so glad to hear his voice.

Chapter 47

CHAPTER 47

Abbott, with the phone glued to his ear, was making his way along the corridors of the Travelodge and back to his room. He needed his laptop on which he’d copied the CD just prior to giving it to the courier. And he needed his Glock.

And finally, Tess answered.

‘Alex.’ The voice like nectar in his ear.

‘Tess,’ he said, still hurrying, reaching for the key card from inside his Diesels. ‘Are you all right?’

‘No, I think I’m being followed.’

He stopped in the corridor, thinking, Oh God, what have I brought down upon her? What have I got her into?

‘Do you have any idea why?’ he asked her, even though he knew the reason. Still wanting it to be something else. An angry client maybe.

‘I was looking into the Doyles and because I was looking into the Doyles I got looking into the Nortons, and—’