‘Fine,’ I said. ‘Leave it, then. Let your petty hatred of me get in the way of you doing your job, and watch the PM have his guts smeared all over the street. Hell, you don’t agree with his politics anyway, so perhaps you’re ecstatic about it.’

He frowned. ‘My personal feelings don’t come into it. My problem is simply that what you’re suggesting doesn’t sound plausible. What would the Russians have to gain by killing the PM?’

‘Nigeria, of course. If he were assassinated in Lagos, it would be seen as a direct result of his policy to provide arms to the Federals. Whoever succeeded him as prime minister would be under enormous pressure to end Britain’s involvement here. That would leave the Russians free to step up their arms sales, end the war and move their men into the presidential palace shortly after. And with one of the largest countries in Africa in their grip, they’d soon start exerting influence elsewhere.’

‘You didn’t like the domino theory yesterday,’ he said.

‘I’ve learned a few things since then.’

He walked around the SVD, considering the implications of what I was saying. I needed him to conclude I was right, because the authority he had with Farraday might be useful to me - and could be very dangerous if turned against me.

‘You’re assuming too much,’ he said after a minute or so, and I let my breath out slowly, trying to contain my disappointment. ‘It’s all rather circumstantial. Quite a lot of what you say is circumstantial, I find.’

I was getting sick of him. ‘Look, Henry,’ I said. ‘I know you don’t like me much. That’s fine - I can’t stand you, either. But if you would just listen—’

He put a palm up.

‘You may be onto something. I was simply noting that you have no proof of it.’

He walked over to the dresser and rang Manning, asking him to get hold of a copy of the schedule for the Prime Minister’s visit as a matter of urgency.

When he’d put the receiver down, I asked him what he thought he was doing.

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean you just said I’m onto something. So when are you going to signal London and tell them to cancel the visit?’

He gave a sharp shake of his head. ‘Can’t do that. The PM has made quite a fuss about this visit. He’d have to have a very good reason to back out now.’

‘A better reason than an attempt on his life?’