‘I’d have expected you to move Harry to a safe house,’ said Jameson.

‘It’s not wise to keep him at Stanford Hall, I agree. But this isn’t MI6, Mr Jameson. We don’t have safe houses scattered around the country at the ready.’

‘MI6 is international. It’s MI5 who hold the domestic safe houses. But I can call in a favour if you need the help?’

Bloom jumped in before the ego battle really got going. ‘We wanted to keep you informed of some progress we’ve made.’

‘Tessa has briefed me on what you found in the MRI scan. You believe this backs up your suspicions around foul play?’

‘The second attack sort of backs us up too.’

‘Well, we have no definitive evidence that those men were there for Captain Peterson. I doubt he’d have walked out of there unscathed if they had been.’

‘You think the bomb and the porter attack are a coincidence?’ said Bloom.

‘I’m not ruling it out.’

‘Which is the real reason you haven’t moved Peterson. Why spend the budget when there’s no provable business case?’ said Jameson.

‘The problem is we need Captain Peterson to receive the care he needs as well as ensuring his continued safety. These things take time, Mr Jameson.’

‘I know somewhere he can stay. There’s a house in Southampton. It’s entirely secure.’

‘A government safe house?’ said Grey.

‘No.’ Jameson glanced at Bloom. ‘It’s privately owned, bought for cash. The owner listed is a shell company, and the bills are paid through that. It’s nearly invisible.’

‘Privately owned by whom?’ said Bloom.

Jameson smiled. ‘The point is that no one knows. That’s what makes it safe.’ He focused on Grey again. ‘I’m willing to stay there. Keep an eye on him.’

Bloom stared at Jameson with wide eyes.

He shook his head at her. ‘Think about it,’ he said to Grey. ‘It’s in no way linked to the Navy and I’m perfectly capable of ensuring Peterson’s safety. And Dr Bloom is able to assist with his memory problems and the man’s ex-wife is a consultant anaesthetist. We couldn’t put a better team around him if we tried. Plus, it’s free.’

Ten minutes later Bloom climbed in Jameson’s car, shut the car door and faced him. ‘What the hell are you thinking, Marcus?’

‘It’s the best solution. They get to hide Harry. We get to interrogate him.’

‘Do you have a death wish? These people coming for him have no qualms about you becoming collateral damage. Look at the people killed and maimed by the bomb.’

‘Yes, but they’re also so damn incompetent they shoot each other in the head.’ He smiled as he started the engine.

‘This is not a joke.’