‘No,’ said Zoltan. ‘I don’t want her to die. Which is why I need your help, James. You are the only one who knows where she is. That palazzo is a rabbit warren. I would never find her in time.’

James rubbed his temples with his fingers. He couldn’t deliver Amy back into the hands of this pirate.

‘I can’t help you,’ he said.

‘It seems there are three of us who want her,’ said Zoltan. ‘And as you say – when men fight over something it usually gets broken.’ He stood up and stamped on his cigarette with his heel. ‘Think about it, James. I am the only hope of getting Amy out. If you don’t tell me, then Stefano will.’

Zoltan walked away, leaving James alone with his thoughts. Everything had changed now. He didn’t have time to get to Victor’s. He needed a new plan. He opened the suitcase and looked inside.

There was the jumble of things he’d grabbed and thrown in without thinking as he’d hurriedly left Casa Polipo after the robbery. His wash bag, a clean shirt, his underwear, and there, tucked in one end, were the schnorkel, goggles and fins that Victor had given him. With a pang he remembered the time he’d spent with Mauro on the beach.

Mauro, who he would never see again.

He was suddenly overcome with a terrible sadness. All the emotions he had held back since hearing of Mauro’s death bubbled to the surface and he wept silently.

A few minutes later he heard a footfall and saw Stefano bringing him something to eat. He quickly dried his face, wiped his eyes and kept his head down, pretending to sort the items in his suitcase.

‘I have been talking to Zoltan,’ said Stefano, giving James some bread and cheese. ‘He wants me to take him back, and show him where Amy is. If I don’t tell him, I don’t know what he will do. This is bad, James. I think you must forget about the girl.’

‘No,’ said James. ‘I promised her. I can’t leave her there.’

‘There is not time to go to your cousin’s now,’ said Stefano.

‘I know,’ said James. ‘I need to go back to the palazzo instead, and try and get her out myself.’

‘You cannot,’ said Stefano. ‘It is too dangerous.’

‘Not necessarily. One person can sometimes do more than a whole army. I know where she is –’

‘But there is no way inside the palazzo,’ said Stefano. ‘Unless you come down from the dam, up from the valley in the railway, or through the mining tunnels. But all those routes are heavily guarded.’

‘What about the aqueduct?’ said James. ‘I could go across there.’

‘They would see you.’

‘Not if it was dark and I was swimming.’

‘Even then –’