Jack did as he was asked. But both security guards’ faces were firmly locked in his memory. At some point, he’d be back to set the record straight.

On his way to the bus stop that would take him home, Jack popped into a local newsagent where he bought copies of Vogue, Tatler and GQ. Then he went to a small, pop-up street booth that specialised in selling all of the things you never knew you needed. Jack bought a packet of cigarillos and a fake Bentley key ring. He loved how London catered so openly for those who wanted to adorn themselves with the trappings of wealth, at a fraction of the price. London was all about looking the part: you didn’t have to actually have anything of substance to back it up.

Back home, in the little box bedroom on the first floor, Jack pushed all of the boxes still to be unpacked against the wall and laid an old pasting table across the top of them, in order to make a temporary desk. This room was completely Jack’s responsibility, as it was going to be his office. Which was why everything was still in boxes.

The only thing that was unpacked and ready to be used was the leather office chair. With his makeshift desk now in place, Jack set about making the longest wall of this room into an evidence board, so that he could run this end of the Cotswolds operation from here. It was at this point that Maggie entered carrying a cup of tea and a sandwich.

‘What the hell are you doing?!’ Jack didn’t understand her dismay, as he thought he’d made quite a good job of things. ‘Why are you using a pasting table on boxes as an office desk, when the boxes contain your actual office desk?’ Maggie continued. Jack had no idea that he even owned an office desk. ‘It was one of the first things you bought when we moved in, Jack.’

Jack’s mobile phone suddenly started buzzing away to itself from on top of a copy of GQ as DI Lee called him for the fourth time that morning. Jack ignored it.

‘It’s only Lee. Look, Mags, I need your help. I need a surveillance cover so that I can—’

‘DI Lee?’ Maggie interrupted. ‘Is he the arrogant one or the prick? Never mind. But why are you ignoring him? Remember what I said about egos and working out how to deal with them. Ignoring probably isn’t the best way.’