The cul-de-sac opened out on to a street that led to Fleming Square along the side of Government House. I peered around the corner to the left, towards the square, and saw a writhing mob of people. The noise was a solid wall of sound. A quick glance the other way showed more trouble. Several lines of police were strung across the road, the street lights gleaming off their plastic face shields. Behind them loomed an armoured car, from which projected the ugly snout of a water cannon. At least, I hoped it was a water cannon.

‘This is not a good place to be,’ I said.

‘Is that the police up there?’

‘Yes.’

‘They’re on the move,’ she said. ‘Let’s get back.’ I saw the line of policemen move forward, their batons raised.

‘Good idea.’ I was thinking of the pitched battle I had witnessed from my hotel window. If that was a sample of Campanillan police work, I didn’t want to encounter it at the sharp end. And that was a mere skirmish compared to what was brewing now.

We moved a little way back down the cul-de-sac and stood against the wall, waiting for the police to go by. When they appeared they were already moving at a trot. The first line went by and then a second, and then they must have hit the crowd in the square because a shout went up, interspersed with screams. Another line of police went past the entrance to the cul-de-sac and then a squad of six veered off and came running directly towards us.

I grabbed Leotta and pulled her into the alcove of the exit, now dark with its door closed once more. We flattened against it and they didn’t see us in the gathering gloom, their boots clattering past in the alley. They got to the blind end and paused. Two of them went into Government House through another door further down, and the other four came back more slowly. I had the sudden impression they were looking for something. Or someone.

All hell seemed to be breaking loose in the square. The armoured car rumbled past and I heard the detonations as gas canisters were discharged. But I was less interested in that than in the fact that two of the coppers had produced powerful flashlights and were giving the alley a thorough inspection.

They came closer and the nearer light settled on me. ‘Sergeant.’

I was blinded and put up a hand to my eyes as I heard the thud of boots running up. They clattered to a halt. ‘That’s him. Right!’