“That’s part of the area the Tadićs operated in. Their paths could have crossed. Maybe when she saw the picture of Petar Tadić with Keane she told Hawkins you were interested in Keane for reasons of your own. I don’t know. That may have set him on a dangerous path. But look on the bright side. She’s got you to protect her. Her knight in shining armor.”

“Come on,” said Banks. “I’m being serious here. I like the woman. And I like that she and Ray make each other happy. If you’re going to take the piss out of me, fair enough, but try to be serious when it comes to her safety.”

“I don’t know what you expect me to do. Put her under protection? You know as well as I do that we don’t have the resources to provide guard duty.”

Banks ran his hand over his hair. “I know,” he said. “I only hope you’re wrong about all this.”

“Take hope, then. I often am.” Burgess downed the rest of his lager and glanced at his watch. “Sorry, I have to love you and leave you,” he said, groaning as he got to his feet. “I’ve got an early morning meeting in Newcastle and a room waiting for me at the Mal.”

WHEN ZELDA got back to her hotel, she knew there was no hope of sleep. She undressed, showered again, hot and long, then fell back on the bed trembling, eyes wide open.

Why did Tadić have to open his eyes? If he had just fallen unconscious, as he was supposed to do, she wouldn’t have gone through with it. It had been different with Darius; she had been fighting for her freedom, for her life, and he had been the last thing standing in her way. But this time was different. This time it had been premeditated, cold-blooded murder.

She was a long way from Modesty Blaise now.

Zelda got up, took a vodka from the minibar, downed it in one, then poured herself another, which she set down on the bedside table. She picked up the TV remote and turned it on. There was a talk show on with an idiotic host and even more idiotic guests trying to sell their latest movies or shows. But she needed background noise; in the silence she would go mad.