‘Fine.’ He sat back in the chair and met her gaze. ‘I only have one more question for you.’

‘Which is?’

‘Why bring me back here? If you can’t identify the box, why not tell me that out front?’

‘Mr Jameson—’

‘I’ll tell you why. Because you are able to identify where the key is from but you wanted to know if I’m worthy of being told. So, tell me, what do you need to know?’

92

The deck was blustery and cold, but when the wind dropped Bloom could feel the summer sun burning her pale skin.

They were all frozen in position, waiting for George to be given the go-ahead. They’d heard Harry shouting, offering George a bribe. But the man didn’t seem the type to deviate from his mission. And then the line had fallen quiet. George pressed the phone to his ear and concentrated.

Bloom reviewed their positions. Sophie lay on the floor, face down with her left arm extended. George knelt by her feet, the phone to his right ear and his left hand on his lap holding the knife. Bloom was kneeling by Sophie’s head, holding her arm down with one hand and stroking the girl’s hair with her other. Karene and Jake sat side by side and in front of them stood the foot soldier and his gun.

Everyone was looking at George, except for Sophie, her cheek flat to the deck.

Bloom heard the distant beat of a helicopter.

This was it. This was the moment.

Bloom scratched her nose with her left hand. No one reacted so she slid her hand down her side and put it in her pocket. Her fingers curled around the syringe and she prised the cap off with her thumb.

Her eyes met Karene’s and she knew that her instruction had been received.

‘I feel sick,’ said Karene to the foot soldier. ‘I think I’m going to throw up.’

George nodded to his colleague.

‘The lower deck,’ said the foot soldier. Karene stood up, stepping past Sophie and Bloom and then climbing down the ladder. The foot soldier followed and ushered Karene along the outer deck behind Jake. Karene leaned over the side and retched.

George watched, his phone still pressed against his ear. His sleeves were rolled up and the skin on his arms was exposed.

Karene retched again. She was a good actress but she wouldn’t be able to keep it up for long.

The helicopter was getting nearer now. George raised his eyes to the sky and Bloom seized the moment. She removed the syringe from her pocket, rocked forward on her knees and plunged it into George’s arm.