‘So do I,’ said Haslam, and a couple of the others made noises of agreement.

I said, ‘You have two choices. You can stay here – that’s one choice. But how long for? The police have got more staying power than you have. They’ll be content to wait. They can starve you out.’

‘Then the people in that 707 will starve too,’ said Frank. ‘That’s our edge and we’re sticking with it.’

‘All right. Suppose you fly out in this Lear. Where are you going to go?’

‘You don’t need to know,’ said Frank. ‘That’s all arranged.’

‘It was all arranged. You don’t think any plans are going to stand up now, do you? If this had been a political hijacking you might have got away with it. There’d be some country that would take you in. But every government on the face of this earth will be against you. And every cheap crook in the world will be looking for you because they’ll know you have money and they’ll want a slice of it.’

Philips said, ‘He’s got a point.’

‘Shut up!’ said Frank. ‘Can’t you see what this guy’s trying to do? The plan still stands.’

‘With jets following you?’ I let that one hang in the silence, hoping to God nobody would challenge it. ‘There is something else you can do, though. You can stay here and wait for the troops. If you do, you’ll be very dead, the lot of you. And you’re a long time dead.’

Frank took out a gun. ‘One more word and you’ll be dead, buster.’

Haslam said, ‘Put down that gun, Frank.’ His own pistol was levelled.

Frank’s eyes blazed and the two of them held their stand-off for what seemed like an eternity. At last Frank lowered his gun. ‘You’re crazy,’ he said. ‘Any minute now he’ll be leading you down that goddamn hill one at a time.’

‘Which is just what I suggest,’ I said. ‘Okay, you’ll go to jail, but you’ll be alive and you’ll be out again one day. It may not be soon, but at least you’ll be around to see it. My advice is to cut your losses.’

‘I’m not going to jail,’ said Bruno. There was a tremulous note in his voice.

‘Listen!’ said Frank sharply, and everybody looked at him.

‘What is it?’ said Terry.

‘Just listen!’

We waited in silence. Bruno said, ‘I don’t hear anything.’

‘That’s it, you dumb son-of-a-bitch,’ said Frank. ‘There’s nothing to hear. Those jets have gone.’ He swung on Philips. ‘How much have we got off the Boeing?’

‘About half of it.’

‘That’ll have to do. We’re leaving. Now.’ He pointed at Haslam. ‘And you are flying us out.’