She didn’t much fancy that idea. Jules’s father had inculcated in her a deep distrust of the authorities, because of how difficult they made it for him to separate gullible characters from their hard-earned quids without legal consequence. On general principle, she did everything she could to avoid dealing with agents of the state. In this case, however, she could discern a clear and present danger in Henry Cesky. As she’d been reminded, down in Shah’s wine cellar the night before, he was a bum chum of the US President; she was a smuggler, a thief, a killer in her own right. And, never to be forgotten in this part of the world, Jules was the woman who had hosed the sticky remains of Greg Norman off the poop deck of his yacht, before sailing away on her without so much as a by-your-leave.

Pappas picked up on her discomfort immediately. ‘I know you have issues, and I’m not saying we’re about to pop into the local wallopers and file a formal complaint.’

‘Oh Jesus, no,’ said Jules, remembering the trip to Bagot Road with Shah and Downing. ‘I wouldn’t trust those slick bastards as far as I could throw them.’

‘All I’m saying, Julianne, is you have to accept that this guy, if he is responsible, may well be beyond your power.’

‘What power?’

‘Exactly. But this is real, not a trashy movie. Guys like James Kipper, they don’t want shit like this blowing back on them. If Cesky is your guy, they’ll cut him loose. It’s just a question of how we get that information to them.’

‘I’m open to suggestions,’ she replied, with not a little bit of sarcasm in her tone.

He smiled. ‘You leave that to me. You have other things to worry about. If you want to go see your mate, it’d be best if you didn’t just roll in with a six-pack and a get-well-soon card. Somebody tried to blow him up, and a couple of other punters died because of that. Wherever they’ve got Rhino now, the police will be keeping an eye on him, and everybody who comes to visit. If you’re going to go calling on Mr Ross, you might want to give Piers a bell. He can send you along on official business, so to speak. Let him set it up, and just present yourself as one of his junior lawyers when you get there.’

She nodded. It would mean having to pick up some office clothes, but that wouldn’t take more than an hour or so in the city.

‘And my other little problem?’