‘What’s wrong?’ I asked.

‘Nothing’s wrong. I hope. We’ll be approaching the bridge shortly, and I don’t want to wake him yet. I don’t suppose he’s had a decent night’s sleep since – ’

‘Stop it, Feisal.’

‘There’s just one little point I want to emphasize. When he agreed to Blenkiron’s proposal, his own survival wasn’t part of the deal. It wasn’t even mentioned. He was bargaining for your life, not his, and he was willing to let you go on thinking the worst of him if that would help to ensure your safety. I don’t entirely blame you for doubting him, but if I understand the hints I’ve heard from various people he’s put his neck in a noose for you before. Didn’t it oocur to you, even once, to give him the benefit of the doubt?’

Feisal’s tactics had been as effective as a battering ram. The walls were down, and I was flat on my face in the rubble. I had a feeling that if I ever managed to hold my head up again I’d see something that would make that devastating experience worthwhile, but all I could think of at the moment was how much I hated Feisal. When you are crawling on your belly like a snake you like to have another snake along for company.

‘So what have you done for your old schoolmate lately?’ I demanded. ‘You’d still be cooperating with Blenkiron if Jean-Louis’s murder hadn’t cast some doubts on your own survival. The poor devil didn’t tell me a damn thing; they killed him solely as a precaution, the way you’d get rid of a wasps’ nest on your porch.’

‘Johnny was quick to point that out,’ Feisal said wryly. ‘And I admit it wasn’t until then that I agreed to get you to a safe place. There was no way he could do it himself, they were watching him like a pack of vultures, and he was getting desperate. I don’t claim to be any nobler than the next man, Vicky. Johnny did talk me into supplying you with a weapon some days ago. Hamid was one of us, I had no difficulty in getting at his keys. However – ’

‘However,’ said a remote voice, ‘you are going to be in great difficulty if you don’t get moving again. What did you stop for?’

Feisal slammed the car into gear and pulled onto the road. ‘I thought you needed – ’

‘I could do with something to drink. And an end to idle gossip about things that are none of your damned business.’

‘How much did you hear?’ I demanded, grateful for the darkness that hid my face.

‘Quite a lot,’ John said.

‘Are you lying?’

‘I always do, don’t I?’