‘Your father told me much of you, my friend. “The next Yugoslav wrestling champion,” he would say. We will get you to England in his memory. Tomo, your papa was a great man. Maybe Yugoslavia won’t survive, but we will make sure you do, Tomo Novak.’

19

‘I need to speak to Ivan,’ Tom announced as he paced the floor of the hotel room.

‘Is it worth the risk?’ asked Pet.

‘I have to. I don’t know if he has any leads on where the leak came from. The Brankos had him up against a wall and the information had to come from somewhere. He may know something, even if he doesn’t know it himself.’

‘Okay. How are you gonna call him?’

‘With that sat-phone I just used. It’s untraceable, right?’

‘At least from this end, yes. But if they’re listening to him or tracking him, then it doesn’t matter if it’s untraceable, does it?’

‘I think it’s worth the risk. If he has information, then we need it.’ He picked up the chunky sat-phone and dialled Ivan’s number, which he’d retrieved from his own iPhone.

‘Hello?’ Ivan answered.

‘Ivan it’s Tomo. Can you speak safely?’

‘Man, where you been? People looking all over for you.’

‘We need to meet, now. Where can you get to?’

‘Man, I’m scared. I thought those bastards were going to kill me. And it’s late as well,’ Tom could hear the naked fear in his voice.

‘Come on, Ivan. We have to meet. I need to see you now: it’s urgent. I need to know how the Brankos found out about me. It’s important and I don’t want to talk for long on the phone.’

‘Okay, okay. I’m in Willesden Green. Can you meet me in Gladstone Park? Benches by the kids’ playground. It’s quiet there this time of night.’ He was slurring as if he’d been drinking.

‘I know where it is. It’s ten-thirty now; I’ll meet you there at midnight. Don’t let me down, Ivan,’ said Tom, hanging up. ‘Do you have a car?’ he asked Pet.

‘No. I got an Uber here,’ Pet replied.

‘Okay, how do I do that then?’

‘You don’t know about Uber?’

‘I thought it just meant something was really good in German.’

‘You really are a Luddite. You know about the internet, right?’

‘Obviously.’

‘Well you know smart phones have these things called “apps”?’

‘Are you patronising me?’ Tom affected a hurt expression.

‘No, just fucking with you, Detective. Uber is an app that means you can instantly call a cab. Where do we need to go?’ Pet smiled broadly at Tom’s mild embarrassment.

‘Target roundabout on the A40.’

Pet clicked a few times on her iPhone. ‘Done. It’ll be outside in six minutes. I’m coming with you.’