Two days later, Sir Roland Pearson was sitting in Tom Gilbey’s office with the Wright landscape propped up on a chair next to him. Roland Bentley was also present, as were Hanne and Prince, summoned back from Lincoln.

Pearson gave a lengthy account of his two visits to Bourne and Sons. When he had finished, he rubbed his hands together and pointed to the painting, as if its purchase had been the purpose of the exercise.

‘The objective of Sir Roland’s mission was to establish whether there is a link between this art gallery and the Kestrel Line. Is that not correct, Tom?’

Gilbey told Bentley that it was.

‘And it would seem that such a link has been established through this visit?’

‘To an extent, yes.’

‘What do you mean, Tom?’

‘Don’t get me wrong, it was a successful visit, but the evidence gained from it is circumstantial rather than direct. I’m sure our police officer friends here appreciate the difference – I assume Danish law is similar in this respect?’

Prince and Hanne both nodded.

‘Without in any way seeking to diminish what you achieved Roly, we only have what Mr Bourne and Mr Ridgeway have said, along with the more explicit statement of the unnamed woman.’

Pearson had opened his notebook and now read out loud, as if giving dictation: ‘“…a number of them are seeking to assume new identities and leave Europe, so that they are in a position to resume their cause… We are assisting one particular group in a practical manner, specifically by providing funds to enable their passage.” I ought to add that I made these notes more or less contemporaneously: I pride myself on my recall.’

‘And you gave them a cheque for twenty-five pounds, I believe it was. To whom was it made out Tom?’ Roland Bentley’s fountain pen was poised as he waited for an answer.

‘To Bourne and Sons, sir: we’ve already been through this. Obviously it’s a pity it wasn’t made out to another account, as then it would have been easier to trace.’

‘They were hardly going to ask me to make out a cheque to the Nazi Escape Fund, were they?’ Pearson looked pleased with his remark.

Hanne looked up, shocked, unsure whether this was a joke.

‘I think there is undoubtedly something to this – a possible link between Bourne and Sons and the Kestrel Line has now become a probable one. Nonetheless, we need more evidence. Prince, you had a decent relationship with Hugh Harper at MI5 when you worked with him on that last mission, didn’t you?’

‘Yes, Mr Gilbey, sir.’

‘I’ve asked him to help; this end of things is really their game. They’ve already got someone looking at the Bourne and Sons bank account to see if we can spot any interesting transactions. I suggest you and Hanne try to see what you can find out too.’

‘There is something else.’ Pearson hauled himself into a more upright position in his chair. ‘This may be nothing, but nonetheless I made a note of it, and I see I put an asterisk alongside it. After the woman talked about the funds, she said… where are we… ah, here… “There are also people in this country we wish to send on the same route.” Then she mentioned having already sent out one courier…’