‘That’s a shame. We were so looking forward to seeing the children.’

‘I know. I’m really sorry.’ Rose and her husband Simon had a newly built holiday home – a temple to oak and glass – between the beaches of Polzeath and Daymer Bay, one of Kate’s favourite places. As she thought of it, she realized she was disappointed too.

‘Why don’t you let us take them?’ Rose asked. ‘If you’re going to have to work, it doesn’t sound as if they’ll have much of a weekend. And, of course, there’s your mother. She’ll never let us forget it and I’m not sure I feel saintly enough to take her on our own.’

Kate thought about this.

‘It’s settled, then,’ Rose said. ‘I’ll drop by your office in the morning to work out the arrangements.’

‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’

‘You’d be fine. But . . . have you seen Dr Wiseman yet?’

‘No.’

‘Kate—’

‘I actually have an appointment tomorrow lunchtime.’ Kate had clean forgotten about it until then. And she had fully intended to cancel.

‘Well, go. Whatever else is happening, make sure you go. Please. Or I really won’t forgive you.’

‘All right, all right . . . Oh, one more thing.’ Kate bit her lip. ‘Any news on Lena’s sister?’

‘I’m still waiting for the report from Belgrade.’

‘What’s taking them so long?’ Kate had recruited Lena Sabic to work for the Service with the clear promise that they would free her young sister Maja from terrible circumstances in Serbia and bring her to England. Kate naturally felt Lena’s death reinforced this promise rather than freed them from its implications, but it was not a universal view, with the cost and complications of an extraction in danger of triggering a major row at the top of the Service. As head of Finance, Rose was overseeing the operation, at Kate’s behest. At least she would have one ally when it came to the crunch.

‘It’s complicated, Kate, you know that. I’ll chase it up in the morning. In the meantime, get some sleep – and make sure you see Dr Wiseman.’

Kate replaced the receiver. Although she had been seeing a counsellor for months, sometimes singly, sometimes with the children, Rose had insisted the change to a psychiatrist was what she needed now.

Kate’s phone buzzed and she picked it up to see a message from Suzy, sent via the secure in-house service they used amongst colleagues: Julie just told me about the potential video. Jesus, what a fucking sleaze bucket. Am sorry, but you are absolutely right. You have to follow it up.

Kate put her phone face down and switched off her bedside light. She stared at the ceiling, thinking of the phone call with Rose. There was no way she’d see Dr Wiseman tomorrow. It felt too much like opening Pandora’s Box.

5

KATE WAS AWOKEN the next morning by another message, this time from Julie. Switch on the TV.

She glanced at her watch. It was 6.24 a.m. She pushed herself upright, reached for the remote and turned on the television.