‘He told me if I looked at you or said anything, he’d unclip the rope and let me fall for real.’

That explained her quiet bravery.

‘It was all mind games.’

‘But I did look at you and I did speak.’

‘So when you fell, you thought that’s what he’d done? I’m sorry.’

‘It wasn’t your fault,’ she replied.

‘No, but if I’d got here sooner, or stayed away from you in the first place, like Augusta said—’

Sarah stepped back. ‘She told you to stay away from me?’

‘Until this was over. She said they’d come after the people I cared about.’

Her eyes studied him. ‘You told her you care about me?’

‘I didn’t need to. She’s pretty good at reading people.’

Sarah held his gaze until he felt the tension building between them like electricity at the tips of his fingers.

‘What the hell are you two idiots doing?’ said a loud male voice from behind them. Jameson and Sarah turned and saw a furious-looking car-park attendant heading their way. He was big, in his mid-to-late fifties with an impressive Magnum-style moustache. ‘You can’t play silly buggers with your ropes in here. I’ve called the police.’

‘Good,’ said Jameson. ‘Because this wasn’t us.’

The guy looked at the rope and harness on the floor beside them and then raised his eyebrows.

‘Honestly,’ said Sarah. ‘We didn’t do this. This was done to us.’

‘We’ll see what the police say.’ He wouldn’t be letting them go anywhere until the police had arrived.

‘We’re happy to speak to the police.’ Jameson took his phone from his pocket. ‘I just need to make a few calls while we wait.’ He gave the car-park attendant his Don’t mess with me look and it seemed to work.

‘I’ve got Sarah and she’s fine,’ Jameson said when Bloom answered.

‘Were they at Sovereign Square?’

‘Yes. Bloody Rose-Butler had her. We’re waiting for the police now. If I’d not walked away earlier—’

‘They’d have used someone else,’ said Bloom.

She was right. This had taken planning and a good deal of preparation. You can’t abseil off a building on a whim. It needed equipment and accurate measurements.

‘And Jane’s OK?’ he asked.

‘I spoke to her. I said you or Claire would be in touch soon. Do you want me to call Claire?’

‘I’ll do it. And send me Lake’s number. I want to talk to Jane. How did she sound?’

‘She’s an impressive young woman,’ said Bloom. ‘She took it in her stride.’

‘And you? Have you gone off your suicide theory?’

Sarah watched him with intelligent eyes. The shock was beginning to dissipate and she was clearly full of questions.

‘I’m trying to work out how sophisticated this thing is.’