‘Thank you,’ Kelly said. ‘And thank you for the coffee.’ She asked where the head of primates might be located and left.

She already knew from inquiries that the company’s CEO, Philip Tooting, was in Bermuda on holiday. Three employees killed and one missing should have brought him home, but apparently he was seeing out the remaining five days. Kelly thought it odd, callous even.

Tooting’s offices were, of course, on the top floor, overlooking the Docklands. The view from the vast reception area was breath-taking. It was a megalomaniac’s paradise, and Kelly imagined that the CEO must stand up here and find it difficult not to congratulate himself frequently on his astounding success. She chatted to some of the reception staff and left with the feeling that the semblance of respect she had detected was in fact more accurately fear. It was in the body language, the fake laughs, the furtive eyes, as well as the fact that they had little knowledge of Tooting the man, but an encyclopaedic understanding of his expectations. They logged on to computers to tell her his mission statement, they paused when asked if they found him easy to work for, and they peered around before sharing even minor details. It was disturbing, to say the least.

Her visit to the primate lab was equally unconvincing. The technicians not only seemed harassed by the noise of the place, with monkeys screaming from their cages and metal rattling and echoing around the sterile room; they also appeared to be overworked.

‘They sound distressed,’ Kelly said, nodding at the animals, and it was true. It was like a zoo.

‘Not at all. Monkeys are noisy creatures. They’re well cared for; we have strict guidelines and inspections. They’re not keen on new faces, that’s all. They have amazing senses and can probably perceive your unease.’

‘I’m not uneasy.’

‘Let’s take you somewhere quieter.’

Kelly asked three staff about the neurocellular lab and the answers were all the same: George, Emily, Mike and Alexandros were well liked, and there was no one who might want to hurt them.

‘They weren’t the most high-profile section in the complex at the moment, but they played a very prominent role in the company’s success.’

‘So which section is high profile?’

‘Malaria is hot right now, but asthma and cancer are the big earners. It’s all political.’

Kelly appreciated their candour, but when she asked where Professor Cooper was, a perceptible iciness crept into their demeanour. Apparently the professor left her lab whenever she pleased for as long as she fancied. Kelly was getting the distinct impression that neither the CEO nor the head of primates was particularly well liked.