As they drove away there was a low rumble of thunder in the distance and quite suddenly, the light rain which had been falling steadily for the past hour turned into a solid driving downpour. The main gates of Gulf Electronics stood open and Miller pulled into the side of the road and switched off.

At the same moment, the glass entrance doors opened and Duncan Craig appeared, the night guard at his side with the Alsatian.

‘That’s old George Brown,’ Brady said. ‘Sergeant in “B” Division for years. Got himself a nice touch there.’

Brown went back inside, locking the doors, and Craig stood at the top of the steps, belting his raincoat and pulling on his gloves. He turned up his collar, went down the steps and hurried into the darkness of the car park. A second later, two men moved out of the shadows at the side of the door and went after him.

‘I don’t like the look of that one little bit,’ Miller said, wrenching open the door. ‘Come on!’

He turned in through the gates, running hard, and from somewhere in the darkness of the car park there came a scream.

Duncan Craig had almost reached his car when he heard the rush of feet through the darkness behind and swung round. A fist lifted into his face as he ducked and he staggered back against the car, flinging himself to one side. One of his assailants raised an iron bar two-handed above his head and brought it down with such force that he dented the roof of the Jaguar.

A razor gleamed in the diffused light from the street lamps on the other side of the railings and he warded off the descending blow with a left block, and kicked the man sharply in the stomach so that he screamed in agony.

There was another rush of feet through the darkness and Miller and Brady arrived. The man with the iron bar started to turn and Brady delivered a beautiful right to the jaw that had all his fourteen stone behind it.

There was a sudden silence and Craig laughed. ‘Right on time. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.’

Miller snapped the cuffs on the man who was lying on the ground and hauled him to his feet. ‘Anyone you know, Jack?’

Brady held the other one against Craig’s car. ‘They’re not off our patch, that’s certain. Specially imported I shouldn’t wonder.’

Miller turned on Craig savagely. ‘Maybe you’ll listen to reason from now on.’ He sent his prisoner staggering into the darkness in front of him. ‘Come on, Jack, let’s take them in.’