‘My father’s insatiable greed for power leaves me with no alternative. I’m meeting a high-level contact in Kopassus to arrange a secret alliance. It will be a complex and delicate negotiation which must be handled face to face.’

‘But surely Kopassus is under his command?’

‘I’ve explained this to you before. Our defence force is like a corporation – different arms compete for available resources. My father may be CEO, but Kopassus is a rival department, and believe me, they hate each other.’

‘But Jayapura is a shithole.’ He spread his big hands in consternation. ‘At least let me come and protect you.’

‘Negative. I will be quite safe, and you would stand out like a white elephant.’

Boerman’s reflection was sullen. ‘I don’t like it. We should stay together.’

Sura irritably checked her lipstick and mascara. Boerman’s possessiveness was setting her teeth on edge. She picked up her ivory comb and ran it through her glossy black hair.

‘I don’t like it either, but unless you prefer a world where you have to hide in my house, you must grow up.’

Boerman capitulated and sat down on the bed. ‘When will you be back?’

‘Tomorrow.’

There was a brief silence as he digested this.

‘How do you know you can trust this contact?’

Sura smiled knowingly. ‘We are old friends, and no, Jaap, I am not attracted to him. She went over and he pressed his face against the naked skin of her belly. His beard tickled and she felt his tongue creep out. With a groan he slid his hand up her inner thigh. Gently she pushed it away. ‘I’m trying to set us up for life, don’t you understand that? It’s the only way we can ever be free.’

He broke into an uncertain smile. ‘Do you really mean that?’

Sura kissed the top of his head.

‘Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get me my kebaya. The delivery van leaves in ten minutes and I must be inside it.’