The Alsatian gave a sort of strangled whimper and fell against the wall where it lay on the floor, kicking feebly. There was a hoarse cry of anger and Squires appeared at the other end of the passage to join Donner, Manton at his shoulder. As all three started forward, Garvald threw the shotgun at them, turned and ran back along the corridor.

A narrow service staircase dropped into darkness and he thundered down it and found himself in a stone-flagged passage at the bottom. He wrenched open the door at the far end and ran into the courtyard.

The light from the kitchen window falling across the cobbles showed him the ten-foot wall on the far side and a narrow door. He wrestled ineffectually for a moment with its rusted bolts, then turned to the place where the stable joined the wall. With the aid of a drainpipe, and using the sill of the stable window as a middle step, he pulled himself on to the sloping roof. He swung across the wall, hung by his hands for a moment and dropped into wet grass.

He got to one knee and an arm slid around his throat, a hand applied pressure savagely. As he moved, the pressure increased, completely cutting off the supply of air to his lungs.

A match flared and Chuck Lazer said: ‘Lay off, General. It’s Ben.’

Nick released his grip. Garvald stayed on one knee for a moment, shaking his head, a hand at his throat, then he got to his feet. ‘Where’s your car?’

‘At the end of the lane.’

‘Then let’s get moving.’

Nick grabbed his arm. ‘Not so fast, Garvald. We heard what sounded like a shotgun blast inside there a minute or so ago.’

‘You’re damned right you did. The old sod they have running this dump put his Alsatian on me. I had to finish it off. You going to arrest me for that?’

‘Could be. Depends on how you answer my questions. Let’s get moving.’

They hurried back along the lane to the main road. The Mini-Cooper was parked under some trees, lights out, and Nick opened the door. ‘Get in the back.’

Garvald obeyed without hesitation, his mind working furiously. He had already wasted a great deal of time and things seemed to be getting completely out of hand. Far better to pick up what he had come for and get out of town fast. But first he had to get rid of Miller and from the look of him that wouldn’t be easy.

‘How did you know where I was?’

The American turned in his seat to face him. ‘I remembered you saying you had a room at the Regent Hotel. The Irish bird who does the night shift there filled us in on the rest with a little persuasion.’