Pet looked at him. ‘I think I got the gist of that. Arken is hitting a cell mast close to your family’s place. I’ve run him through the CIA database and he’s a nasty piece of work: ex-White Eagle, suspected of multiple murders, and an active and dangerous criminal in Scotland and Bosnia.’ A photograph of a Slavic-featured man in his fifties with dark hair and a broken nose filled the screen. Tom stared at it, committing the image to memory.

‘Right, lets pack up and get out of here, and I need Mike Brogan on the phone.’

*

Minutes later they left the basement car park in the Passat and exited onto City Road. All the equipment, including the laser-listener, were stowed in the boot.

‘What are you planning?’

‘I have no choice; I have to get to my family. There’s no way Branko is going to let them live, not a chance in hell. As soon as I hand over the card, we all get killed.’

‘But what can you do? Why not just call it in? Let the professionals handle it.’

‘I can’t. Taylor would be bound to hear about it and then they’re dead. I have to do this on my own.’ He rubbed his forehead. ‘If I leave my phone with you in London, will you be able to divert calls to me on the satellite without anyone knowing?’

‘I’m sure I can. I would need to route the call via VOIP into a sat-com. I’m sure it would be achievable. Your iPhone would hit the London cell sites and, to all intents and purposes, it would be as if you were speaking on your phone.’

‘Right. I just need to get to the Highlands sooner than they could ever expect. Can you get Mike on the line for me over speakerphone?’

When Mike answered the call, Tom brought him up to speed without preamble.

‘Jesus, Tom. This is bad. What do you need?’

‘I need to get to Inverness airport urgently. I need to be there much faster than they would expect me to get there. Can you help?’

‘Possibly. But are you sure you want to go dashing up there alone? Can’t the kidnap squad lead this?’

‘No way. Simon Taylor is corrupt and has influence; he would hear of it immediately and then my family is dead. They’re all I have left, Mike.’ Despite his even tone, there was no hiding the desperation in his voice.

‘Wait by this line and I’ll call back in ten minutes.’

Tom pulled into a side street just short of Upper Street and stopped the car.

‘What are you going to do?’ asked Pet.