“At least it’s better than King’s thugs,” Sophie said. “Come on, let’s get you through into the secretary’s office.” She edged sideways through the door, supporting Lindsay as she staggered through behind her. “Sit down a minute,” Sophie said, easing Lindsay on to the chaise. “I’m going to call for an ambulance. I don’t know if they’ll have one, and you need to get to hospital as soon as possible.”

“Fine,” Lindsay groaned weakly as she slumped against the back rest. The initial physical blow to her system was deepening into a more profound state of shock, her mind a place where thought was as much of an effort as movement was for her body. Things were starting to look fuzzy round the edges of her vision. The focus of her world had narrowed till all she was aware of was the growing shriek of pain in her shoulder battling with the almost overwhelming desire to slide into sleep. Dimly, she heard Sophie speak. But the urgency in her voice was lost to Lindsay, as were her words. “Soph . . .” she mumbled, her voice tailing off as unconsciousness absolved her from the necessity of decision or action.

“Oh, shit,” Sophie cursed, watching helplessly as Lindsay crumpled before her eyes. “Ambulance? I’m a doctor. Two injured at . . . you’ve got the location? Fine. One just gone unconscious, GSW to the left shoulder, considerable blood loss. One unconscious, single blow to the head. How soon?” She compressed her lips at the estimate of seven to ten minutes, then realized it would probably take her that long to get Lindsay downstairs.

She replaced the phone and hoisted Lindsay over her shoulder in a fireman’s lift. It wasn’t the most sensible way to carry someone with a gunshot wound to the shoulder, but Sophie didn’t have a lot of choice. There was no way she was leaving Lindsay upstairs with Danny King, unconscious or not. Besides, she knew how important first impressions were to the police, and she wanted a clear separation in their minds right from the start between the two of them and King. It was going to be hard enough to convince them she and Lindsay were telling the truth, given the flimsiness of their evidence and the undoubted weight a corrupt system would place on the word of a rich and successful businessman. “And he probably supports the Tory Party,” Sophie complained to her unconscious burden as she staggered down the stairs one at a time.

At the bottom, she paused for breath. The loudhailer invaded her ears again. “Armed police. You are surrounded. Give up your weapons and nobody will get hurt. Throw your weapons out of the front door and show yourselves. I repeat, you are surrounded.”