‘The Soviet Union has at the present time forty-seven operating nuclear reactors; in five years’ time, this figure will have trebled. They’re going to have to get their uranium from somewhere. Perhaps they feel that by stirring up anti-nuclear-energy fever in the West, they will effectively cause a reduction in the nuclear construction programme, leaving more uranium available for them.

‘But really, we’re just guessing at the moment what the Russians are up to, and trying to make sense of the new facts we have. The first information we had on this whole business that was in anyway tangible was from the Arab named Ahmed that Flynn met in the lavatory of the Royal Lancaster. But before he could really tell us much of value, the unfortunate man was killed – not by Flynn, I should add, which does make a welcome change.’

There was a titter of laughter from everyone except the Home Secretary, who just glared at me. I wasn’t convinced I liked the image of me, as the Security Services’ hangman, that Fifeshire was cultivating.

‘The information this Arab gave Mr Flynn,’ Fifeshire continued, ‘was, firstly, that one of our operatives in Libya, who had penetrated a terrorist training camp, had been blown – and from the sound of it, probably captured and killed. Secondly, he mentioned the words “Operation Angel”. He said it was to do with nuclear power stations, that many countries were involved. He wasn’t terribly specific, was he, Flynn?’

‘No, sir. He said that many power stations would be blown up, presumably in many countries – but that was all he managed to get out.’

‘Couldn’t you have prevented him from being killed?’ asked Ross.

‘If I’d been sharing the same lavatory cubicle with him, I might have done,’ I said. I saw Fifeshire conceal a grin, and Ross glared at me.

‘The man who killed this Arab,’ continued Fifeshire, ‘fled in a car with three others. Due to a spot of carelessness on Flynn’s part, all four of them met an untimely death under the wheels of an articulated lorry.’

There was another titter from all except Kieran Ross. I had the distinct feeling I had not made a big hit with the Home Secretary.

‘All four men were from Libya. The Libyans are claiming that they were high-grade politicians and diplomats, but on looking into these claims, our sources suggest that they were nothing but a bunch of hit-men.’

I caught Fifeshire’s eye, and he winked at me. Sometimes, I decided, he wasn’t so bad.