Bloom typed out a text message to Karene asking her to call as soon as possible. ‘If someone has them, who are we looking at? The people who want Harry alive or those who want him dead?’

‘Either.’

‘Who are they?’

‘Like we said before, it could be people smugglers involved in the girl’s migration. It could be some other group that she or Harry have crossed and are running from. It could be part of the British military trying to protect or silence Harry, a team of guns for hire employed to do the same, or a combination of any of the above. We still haven’t found answers to the most important questions!’

‘And in your experience, if any of those were to kidnap Karene and the children, what would be their motive?’

‘Easy. Insurance. A bargaining tool.’

‘Not to protect them?’

‘Without informing the mother?’

‘Fair point. That’s something. They’ve been taken as a bargaining tool. Presumably to keep him from talking. Where would you take them?’

Jameson raised his arms to the ceiling. ‘Somewhere like this.’

‘A safe house?’

‘A deserted building, a remote farmhouse.’

‘And that could be anywhere in the country?’

‘Or outside of it. The trick is to get as far from the point of origin as you can.’

‘They won’t have their passports.’

‘We’re likely dealing with people smugglers.’

‘They could be locked in the back of a van parked on a ferry?’

Jameson thought for a moment. ‘There’s only one thing we know for sure.’

‘And that is?’

‘They won’t be anywhere near St Albans.’ Jameson looked thoughtful as he leaned against the bedroom window. ‘You know the porter at Stanford Hall who’d been there the whole time?’

‘Freddie?’

‘What if he was there to protect Harry?’

‘Wasn’t he the one Harry said tried to shoot him in the head?’

‘While he was being held by the other porter.’

‘You think Freddie was aiming at the other porter?’

‘Two separate groups. One well funded with all the latest equipment, the other in possession of standard military-issued gear.’

‘Wouldn’t Rear Admiral Grey have told us if Freddie was protection staff?’

‘Not necessarily. Not if he didn’t know. The gun was a standard-issue Special Forces firearm.’

Bloom headed back into the kitchen and found her notes from Harry’s account of the shooting on her iPad. Jameson followed and she read the notes aloud.

‘Harry said that when he sat in the wheelchair he heard the new porter say something in French: “What is this?” or “Who is this?” And Freddie replied in English, “It’s not your concern.” Harry thought this was one team member clarifying the nature of their task with the other.’ She looked up at Jameson.

‘But what if the accented guy was asking Freddie the question?’ said Jameson. ‘Asking him who he was.’

‘Because they didn’t know each other?’