‘Being well cared for and doing just fine,’ Roth said. ‘She kept asking about the good-looking blond hero dude who saved her. Guess she must have imagined it. Shock does funny things to the brain.’

‘Then there’s Michel Yassa. Wherever he is now, I need to know they won’t pursue him for the murder of Romy Juneau.’

‘That won’t happen. You have my word. Next?’

‘Next, there’s the matter of Axel Roux, his cousin and the three farm brothers who I wouldn’t like to think were in any trouble either.’

‘Won’t be easy getting past the skipped bail issue. Axel might pull a little jail time there. But I’ll see what I can do.’

‘You do that.’

Roth looked amused. ‘This is what I always admired about you, Ben. You’re such a goddamn saint. Always looking out for the little guy. Is there more?’

‘No, I think that concludes our business.’

‘Don’t forget the job offer. Still on the table, anytime you feel like reconsidering.’

Ben turned to leave. ‘See you in hell, Tyler.’

Roth laughed. ‘If I get there first, I’ll be waiting for you, bro. Otherwise, you keep a seat for me.’

The guards were waiting for Ben outside. They led him to another room where he was given back the rest of his things. Then he was shown out of an exit, and found himself standing alone outside the grand Police Prefecture building on Place Louis Lépine, smack in the middle of Paris, opposite the roofless remains of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Not quite alone.

Jeff and Tuesday had been magically released from police custody a little sooner than him, and were waiting on a nearby bench, enjoying what little sunshine the October day had to offer. As they spotted him coming out they stood and came over with big smiles.

Ben hugged them both. He said he was sorry for what he’d had to put them through.

‘We’ve been through worse,’ Jeff said. Which was pretty much the kind of thing Jeff always said.

‘So what just happened in there?’ Tuesday asked. ‘It’s not every day you’re handed a “get out of jail free” card.’

‘Roth,’ Ben replied, lighting a Gauloise.

Jeff grunted. ‘I knew there was something funny about that bloke.’

‘I could tell you,’ Ben said.

‘But you’d have to kill us,’ Tuesday finished for him, with a face-splitting megawatt smile you couldn’t look at directly without sunglasses.

‘Who gives a shit anyway?’ Jeff said. ‘Let’s go home, eh?’

Ben smiled, too. ‘Yeah. Let’s go home.’

If you enjoyed House of War, you’ll love The Pretender’s Gold. Buy the next gripping Ben Hope thriller here!

The Ben Hope series

1. The Alchemist’s Secret

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2. The Mozart Conspiracy

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3. The Doomsday Prophecy

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