‘I do indeed, as I did with his father, and I am proud to do so.’

Fabel looked up from the file. ‘But Sturchak is some kind of godfather … a sort of chief …’ He made a show of struggling for the word.

‘Pakhan,’ Maria said, her eyes not moving from Eitel.

‘Yes … some sort of top Pakhan. Isn’t that so? Someone who deals in fraud, cloning cell phones, prostitution and drugs …’

Eitel’s eyes hardened and there were now icicles in his voice. ‘That is a slur. That is an unjustified, uncorroborated, unsubstantiated and slanderous slur on a respected businessman.’

Fabel smiled. He was now where he wanted to be: under Eitel’s skin. ‘Oh come on now. John Sturchak is just another Ruskie crook, just like his father.’

Fire flushed up through Eitel’s cheeks, all the way to the temples. ‘Roman Sturchak was a brave soldier and a military genius. And, might I add, a true Ukrainian patriot. I will not listen to someone …’ Eitel sneered: the kind of face someone has when holding something noxious and malodorous from their body – ‘someone like you malign his memory.’

Fabel shrugged with as much nonchalance as he could muster. ‘Oh come off it. Roman Sturchak was a mercenary for the Nazis. He killed his own countrymen at the behest of a bunch of gangsters in Berlin.’

It was as if Eitel were clinging onto a rope, furiously trying to rein in his rising fury. ‘Roman Sturchak fought for his country. All he cared about was liberating the Ukraine from Stalin and his henchmen. He was a freedom fighter and a better man than you could ever dream of being.’

‘Really? How do you measure that quality? By the number of his own countrymen he murdered? Or by the amount of dirty money he accumulated in the States through theft and corruption? No, you’re right … I don’t think I would ever aspire to be a Roman Sturchak.’

Eitel started to rise from his seat. It was at this point that Waalkes started to earn his money. ‘Herr Fabel, you are doing nothing here but antagonising my client. I will not put up with this crude baiting one second more. Unless you have any specific questions that relate to any financial impropriety, this interview is at an end.’

‘I believe your client is laundering money for the Russian and Ukrainian Mafia, probably through phoney companies set up with John Sturchak.’ As Fabel spoke, he felt Markmann tense beside him. Fabel knew he was showing his hand. And it was not a winning hand. ‘But there are other, even more serious offences we need to discuss.’

‘Such as?’ Eitel had regained his composure. Fabel could see that he was realising just how much of a game of bluff this all was.

‘We will return to that soon. In the meantime I’m going to leave you in Herr Markmann’s capable hands.’ Fabel rose and Maria followed suit. ‘I will be back shortly, and you will remain here until I do.’