“Not mine to let, really. Just looking after it. See how you get on. If it’s just tonight, I wouldn’t worry about it.” He handed the key to Kane and departed as if he didn’t want to spend too long in the place. The woman took a final look around.

“Well, it’s a roof over your head.”

“I appreciate it. I was planning to hire a car from the hotel,” Kane said. “Know of anywhere else I could get one?”

“Ask at the museum tomorrow. They should be able to sort you out.”

“The museum. Okay.”

“I have no doubt I’ll see you around. Welcome. I’m Linda. I’m sorry about all this.”

“Edward.” He shook her hand. “You’ve been a great help.”

When she was gone, Kane returned to the teenager’s bedroom and stared. He watched the dreamcatcher turning on its string, reached up and touched a feather.

In the kitchen, he lifted his case to the table, found the phone with its hidden satellite function, and tried to send confirmation of his arrival. He was supposed to get immediate notification of the message’s delivery, but none came. Kane checked Taylor’s bespoke file-sharing system, fitted with the intelligence service’s own end-to-end encryption. He looked for an updated report, but there was nothing.

He unpacked his torch, compass, maps, first-aid kit. There were lockpicks, a pair of binoculars, a wireless mini-camera that could fit several external cases, two listening devices, the phone with digital and analog radio scanner, the laptop loaded with software for accessing local networks and intercepting data packets, all buried deep beneath Edward Pearce’s research notes. But Kane anticipated an analog environment. He arranged some files of historical research on the table, then notes on the island, then opened the map beside them.

The island was roughly an equilateral triangle with each side about seven miles long. He was currently on the west coast. Most of the island’s facilities were around here: the runway and airbase and GCHQ-NSA. Rory Bannatyne had been staying a couple of miles north of here, at the tip of the island. Kane’s visit to his home would have to wait until tomorrow.