Libby frantically shook her head. ‘We should stay together.’

‘My ankle is trashed – remember? If you need to scarper, I’ll distract him, hold on to him or something, and I want you to leg it. Run and don’t look back. Promise?’

Reluctantly, Libby nodded. I stared at the back of Jarvis Burton’s head. Even if he was who he said he was, this man was hiding something. For now, Libby and I had no choice but to wait. I turned to look out of the window, trying to figure out where we were and where we were going. A glance at Libby showed that she was doing the same. I was sick and tired of being treated like a lowly pawn on a chessboard. If Jarvis wasn’t who he said he was, he was going to regret not taking us to the police or to my sister.

forty-eight. Tobey

Ditching my protection officers had been the easy part. Getting Callie to sit this one out? Not so much. As I drove, a huge part of me wished I’d been more insistent about her staying in my apartment until all this was over. Rain pattered and splattered on the car roof, its arrhythmic pulse strangely soothing. What had started a while ago as drizzle was now a downpour. Rain usually calmed me, but not today.

‘Tell me about Jarvis,’ said Callie unexpectedly.

I glanced at her. She was watching me, her expression set.

‘Jarvis is part fixer, part enforcer and all barracuda. When Dan was giving the orders, Jarvis was the second in command who made sure those orders were carried out. His real value is in what he knows. Nothing happens in the capital or any major city in this country without his knowledge, and what he doesn’t know he makes it his business to find out.’

‘Why didn’t he step up to fill Dan’s shoes then? Why take orders from Eva instead?’

‘Jarvis maintains that he is strictly lieutenant, not captain, material. He had no interest in taking over from Dan and that’s why Dan trusted him. He knew Jarvis wasn’t going to … stab him in the back to get to the top. Besides, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. But, like I said, I could be wrong. Dan was my friend. Jarvis isn’t.’

Callie looked at me curiously. ‘You’re not a Jarvis fan then?’

‘It’s mutual. He’s not exactly my number-one admirer either,’ I said with a wry smile, adding, ‘probably due to the fact that I once threatened to put him in the ground.’

‘When?’

‘Years ago.’

‘Why?’

‘Business.’ I shrugged. No way was I going to expand on the reasons.

‘Did you mean it when you said it?’ asked Callie.

‘I did.’

‘Did Jarvis believe you meant it?’

‘Oh, he knew I did. I don’t make idle threats, Callie, or false promises.’

Silence.