‘Quite likely. I told him to win if he can, but that doesn’t mean he will. All the others will be trying to win too.’

‘So are we off to this Hexham place?’

I shook my head. ‘Too far. It’s right up in Northumberland. Almost in Scotland. We’d never get there in time. Anyway, I’m more interested in knowing where Valance is going.’

‘Well, we can find that out, can’t we? Provided he takes his overcoat with him.’

Yes, I thought, we could, but beforehand I’d need to switch back on the NeverLoseIt tag, and that would involve changing my phone’s personal ID once again from mine to Marina’s, something that would also show up on her phone.

I could hardly tell her that I was still looking for the Skoda keys, now could I?

As I was pondering this dilemma, my phone rang and it was her once more.

‘Hello, my love,’ I said, answering it with concern. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘Yes, fine,’ she said. ‘I thought I’d better tell you that I’ve just booked us on the British Airways flight from Amsterdam to Heathrow on Friday afternoon. It gets in at five to six London time, Terminal Five. The earlier one is fully booked already. Is that okay?’

‘Yes, my darling. Perfect. I’ll be there.’

‘Good. I’ll see you then.’

‘Oh, Marina,’ I said quickly. ‘Just before you go, I might need to use your phone ID again. Is that all right?’

‘You can’t have lost the Skoda keys again.’

‘No, I haven’t.’ I would have to tell her. ‘I am actually using your tracking tag to follow someone’s movements.’

There was a long pause from her end.

‘Whose movements?’ she asked.

‘Someone over here. I need to know where he goes so Chico slipped the tag into his coat. Not the key ring, just the tag.’

There was another long pause.

‘Don’t worry,’ I said. ‘I’ll get you another one.’

‘It’s not the damn tag that I’m worried about.’ She sighed audibly. ‘Charles always says that I couldn’t change you so I shouldn’t even try. You are what you are. That’s what he said to me very early on, when you and I first got together. Do you remember that time we went to Aynsford after someone had punched me in the face? That’s when he said it to me. Take him or leave him, he said, but just the way he is—and I took you then, and eventually I took you as my lawful wedded husband, so I shouldn’t really complain.’

Another pause.

‘So is that all right then?’ I asked again into the silence. ‘About using your phone ID?’

‘I suppose so. Just don’t tell me what you’re doing, I don’t want to know.’