The flight landed at Helsinki in a hailstorm, the plane buffeted so violently on the approach that Julie’s knuckles went white as she gripped the armrests. But the sun had broken through dark clouds by the time they had hired the car. Leaving the airport, they drove east beneath a spectacular rainbow. ‘It’s a sign,’ Julie said, smiling.

But the risks inherent in what Kate was about to do weighed heavily on them and they passed most of the rest of the journey in silence.

They stopped at the coffee shop in Kotka where they had parted company when Kate had made her fateful journey to Sergei’s dacha on the Gulf of Finland six months before. It was not a place with comfortable associations. They ordered sandwiches and coffee and looked out at the tall ship still berthed on the quay. The clouds had almost cleared now and the sun glinted off the water. ‘I can’t shake the feeling that this journey does not lead to happy outcomes,’ Julie said.

‘Me neither.’

‘You think we should turn back?’

‘I can’t.’

‘I’d still rather come with you.’

‘I know you would and I love you for it.’ Kate smiled at her friend. ‘What are you going to do about Ian?’

‘Does it matter?’

‘I’m trying to take my mind off what lies in wait the other side of that border.’

‘Well, I’ll definitely report him to HR if he even thinks about firing me for this, or you.’

Kate smiled. She swirled the milky remains of her coffee in the bottom of the cup. ‘How about a last fag?’ They stepped outside, where a chill wind was blowing in off the water. Julie took a packet of Marlboro from her pocket and offered it to Kate. ‘How’s your sleep?’

‘Chemically induced and not at all restful.’

‘You’re really not in a fit state to go. You know that? In fact, you look like you should be checking into a health farm for the rest of the year.’

‘I tell myself I’m doing it for Rav and that makes me feel better.’

Julie drew deeply on her cigarette and turned away to blow the smoke up towards the clear blue sky. ‘You ever think Suzy might have a point about Stuart not being Viper?’ she asked.

‘Stuart was Viper, I’m sure of that. She might have a point that he’s not the only person who’s been betraying us.’

‘You, me, C, Danny or Ian: it’s not the most encouraging collection of fucking suspects, is it?’

‘It’s also possible, as C says, that there is no one else and the questions are no more than conjecture, coincidence and paranoia.’