‘Usually it does. But in my case I think Christmas has come early this year.’

Maria was still insistent about paying and Christopher overcame his natural inclination to overrule her. He walked her back home through the lamp-lit streets as light rain began to fall. Their conversation seemed more dislocated than normal. Maria knew that for some unaccountable reason his mind was elsewhere.

He kissed her politely at her front door and declined to come in for a coffee. She smiled bravely, but could not ignore the rising feeling of disappointment within her. Whatever it was that had happened in the Red Dragon, it had changed his attitude towards her. She could not imagine what it was, and Christopher, it seemed, had no urge to tell her.

The warm spell of weather went as quickly as it had come, and within twenty-four hours March had turned into a lion rather than a lamb. Squally gusts of wind bent double the stems of the newly opened daffodils and rain lashed against windowpanes. The sky turned from azure blue to threatening pewter grey, the moisture-laden clouds bowling by impatiently and shedding their chilling rain with uncalled for generosity.

Having worked late the previous night, to occupy his mind and avoid dwelling on the fact that Sarah had declined his offer of hospitality, Gary was in no rush to turn up at the office. He had a lie-in, and at eleven o’clock he was walking across Lambeth Bridge, bending forward to slice through the wind. The dull brown Thames below was being whipped into frenzied wavelets, and a lumbering barge slowly butted its way upstream. It was the sort of day that made him grateful he worked in an office.

She would be there already. Sitting at her desk. He could see her in his mind’s eye, and his heart leapt. Strange how, having lusted after her for so long, he had now become close to her. Well, closer. There was a difference in the way she affected him now. Before she had been a distraction. Now she was so much more. Sometimes he had to fight to concentrate. But when they worked together there was a new dimension to things. A new dimension to his life.

As he walked through the door she looked up and smiled at him. ‘Good morning!’

‘I wish,’ he replied.

Sarah got up and looked out of the window. ‘Not good, is it? Not to be out there.’

‘I knew it. Don’t tell me I’ve got to go out in it.’

‘Not till tomorrow.’

‘Why?’

‘Mr Tan’s on the move. Went to Winchester last night apparently. To the Red Dragon.’

‘Damn!’

‘Yes. We picked the wrong night.’

‘And…?’

‘The boss thinks it’s time we moved in.’

‘I thought I was in charge of this op?’ Gary sounded irritated.