‘We hardly ate anything last night.’

‘Maybe that’s the reason.’

‘Don’t forget you had typhus not that long ago. Have you been remembering to take the tablets?’

She responded with the irritated look she always used whenever he asked her that question and told him to go back to sleep and not worry. I’ll be fine.

His head had barely hit the pillow when there was a knock at the door and a voice announcing that there was a telegram for them, marked urgent.

VERONA, SATURDAY – URGENT

PRINCE EYES ONLY

CARTER & HAMILTON LEFT TURIN LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. ROUTE UNCERTAIN BUT NOW MOVING EAST FROM VERONA. STOP.

BARTHOLOMEW, VERONA

Hanne frowned. ‘They’re moving away from Turin? But that makes no sense… Maybe they’re heading to Genoa.’

‘Wrong direction: we’ll have to stay here and wait to hear from Bartholomew. Let’s hope his men don’t lose them.’

‘What about asking the Slovenians to help us?’

‘Stewart’s not keen on them: apparently the official British line is that they’re a nuisance. And I’m told we don’t trust Tito.’

‘Tell me, Richard, if we catch Friedrich Steiner, what will happen to him?’

‘I imagine we’ll put him on trial somewhere.’

‘The Slovenians would kill him.’

‘Do you approve of that? As police officers we’re meant to believe in the rule of law.’

Hanne laughed. ‘I think those rules were suspended during the war, don’t you? I just think it would be… cleaner to let the Slovenians deal with him. They seem smarter than our lot, to be honest. They know this area. We may need their help.’

‘Let’s decide when we know where we’re heading.’

‘We need to hope Friedrich and the other man are making for the same place as Carter and Hamilton.’

The answer came on the Sunday morning.

TRIESTE, SUNDAY – MOST URGENT

CARTER & HAMILTON ARRIVED TRIESTE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. LAST SEEN ENTERING BUILDING ON VIA DELL’ISTRIA. CURRENT WHEREABOUTS UNCERTAIN. REQUEST YOU TRAVEL TO TRIESTE IMMEDIATELY. MEET FSS BASE VIA SAN LAZZARO. STOP.

BARTHOLOMEW, TRIESTE

VILLACH, SUNDAY

FOR: BARTHOLOMEW, TRIESTE ONLY

ADVISE WE ARE DEPARTING VILLACH IMMEDIATELY TO MEET YOU AS INSTRUCTED. STOP.

PRINCE

Hanne had made her way to a bombed-out building close to the banks of the Drava. The floor was covered in mud, debris and the remains of dead birds. Marija and Jožef were leaning against a wall, the glowing ends of their cigarettes moving up and down in the gloom.

‘Are you sure?’ Marija asked.

‘Yes, I’m sure. I told them I needed a few minutes to clear my head. I’m taking a big risk telling you all this, so I want you to promise you’ll be careful and make sure you’re not spotted, all right?’

The cigarettes bobbed up and down. ‘What about Steiner?’

‘You get Steiner, but whoever else we find you leave to us – even it’s Martin Bormann.’

‘Very well, but your husband – what does he make of this?’

‘I think he understands. It’s just that he doesn’t want to be told too much.’