Pet suddenly wrenched the steering wheel violently, turning left onto a side street and pulling the car over at the side of the road.

She looked directly at Tom, her eyes alight with alarm. ‘Tom I’ve been doing this work for a while. I’ve worked with CIA wet-work specialists, Special Forces soldiers and rogue agents. I’ve never met anyone as cold as you. Just who or what the fuck are you?

‘Pet, we don’t have time for this. A big bullet has just gone through a floor and there is a dead man and an unconscious man in a flat I’ve just come out of. We need to get the hell out of here. Now can you stop pissing about and drive?’

The momentary silence was fractured by the distant wail of sirens that seemed to be getting stronger.

‘Pet, seriously. We can talk about this later if you like, but not now. We need to get the fuck out of here.’ Tom spoke urgently as strobing blue lights flashed along the road behind them in the direction of Ivan’s flat.

Pet wordlessly turned away, engaged the gears and drove off.

*

They travelled back to the hotel in Ruislip in near-silence, a palpable atmosphere of mistrust between them.

Back in the room, Pet sat on the bed and asked, ‘What happened in there?’

Tom sat next to her, pretending not to notice as she edged slightly away. ‘I went in the back door, which was open, and found Ivan there in an armchair, his throat cut. I heard a creak behind me, and Filip walked in. We had a fight. He came off worse.’ His voice was flat and empty, as if describing a poor-quality snooker match.

‘I heard you speaking in that room. You have ice in your veins, Tom. I heard no panic, not even a little fear. What are you?’ she said looking directly at him.

‘I’m just a cop, nothing else.’

‘Did he only have five bullets in that revolver?’

‘Nope. I lied.’

She breathed out heavily. ‘You are a weapon, Tom. A deadly, emotionless weapon.’

‘I’m just a cop, that’s all, Pet.’

She stared right into his eyes, clearly evaluating him.

‘You scare me, Tom. I don’t frighten easily but you frighten the fucking life out of me.’

‘Pet, I don’t understand. I encountered a situation and did what I had to do. What do you want from me?’

‘I need to understand if I’m safe. If I’m to help you I don’t want to be frightened, but you’re the coldest, most emotionless man I have ever encountered. How? Why?’ Tom was surprised to see genuine concern on Pet’s face. He was genuinely perplexed as to what could have caused such a reaction.

‘I really don’t want to talk about it,’ Tom said, coldly.