It also told her that he had finally done it. She’d love to see his work. She’d searched the inventories of all the labs, and anything signed by George, and was piecing together a loose picture of what he’d achieved. What she couldn’t understand was why Ravensword wasn’t biting his arm off. Surely a drug like that would sell for billions. Maybe it was unsafe. But they were scientists: if something was unsafe, you made it safe. Perhaps he was trying to sell it abroad, though that theory didn’t really hold either, because he wasn’t doing it for the money, and Ravensword was global anyway.

She wondered if he had shared his findings with someone and they’d betrayed him, but it was well known that the neurocellular lab were a close-knit bunch, and besides, Emily and Mike had lost their lives too. That just left Alexandros bumping everyone off to steal the data, but that was ludicrous. She’d come on to him at an office party once, and he’d turned her down then spent six months apologising. His decency was as authentic as his moussaka.

No, Philip was behind it. She knew it.

The password worked and she let out a tiny squeak. She opened documents and scanned information, her photographic memory picking out words and phrases of significance. After ten minutes, she knew she would have to take the whole file. She downloaded it onto a USB stick, then shut down the computer and looked round the room one last time. It had crossed her mind that Philip might go so far as to shut her up as well, but that would be downright dumb, given the amount of police attention around the building lately. She’d flag it up when she called the detective, because it was a concern, even if not an immediate one.

She returned briefly to her own office, then left her large bunch of keys at the main desk with her badge. The car park was deserted, and she looked around her, trying to calm her paranoia. She laughed to herself when she started the engine and her car didn’t explode. Steadying her nerves, she locked all the doors. It would only take half an hour to get to her flat, and then she’d call the detective. As she pulled out of her parking place, she changed her mind, unable to contain her excitement, and dialled the number she’d been given on hands-free.

The main gate was open and manned by night staff.

‘Fucking good riddance,’ she muttered under her breath, smiling sweetly at the guard.