The room was delightful. Low, sloping ceiling with two dormer windows, traditional wooden carvings on the walls, soft discreet lighting and a richly patterned crimson rug on the floor. It was the sort of place Elise would have loved to stay and once again he felt a stab of guilt. There was then a brief, awkward moment as he and Jenny tried to move past each other to get into the room at the same time and he suddenly found himself pressed against her in the narrow space between the wall and the bathroom. Their faces were so close that, for an instant, he detected the faint waft of her scent.

‘Sorry.’ He blushed, stepping backwards. ‘You go first.’

They dumped their bags on their respective beds and Jenny immediately disappeared into the bathroom. He heard the lock turn the moment she closed the door behind her. Luke went to the nearest of the two dormer windows and looked down on to the quiet street below. He was, he realized, deeply, desperately tired – and injured. All he wanted to do right now was shower, crawl into bed and sleep for twelve hours. He knew that was out of the question: their mission in Lithuania had yet to be completed and his aching head still buzzed with troubling, unanswered questions. What was the link between Kadunov in the factory and the people in the abandoned house in Svalbard? And why had one of those thugs in the police cell last night mentioned Svalbard? Luke rubbed the palms of his hands over his face, as if trying to erase the unpleasant experience he had just been through. Maybe he had misheard him. It was possible, he supposed. And perhaps what was on the flash drive would give them the answers. Impatient now, he wished Jenny would hurry up and get out of the bathroom so they could go through what was on it and report their findings to London.

‘All yours.’ Jenny emerged, her hair pinned back, wearing a tight grey T-shirt and jeans. She smelt wonderfully clean and fresh.

‘I’m all good, thanks,’ he said. ‘Let’s get started on that flash drive. The clock is ticking.’

Jenny sat on her bed, putting on her watch as she did so, and regarded him.

‘Yes, the clock is ticking,’ she replied, ‘and I don’t know how to put this politely, Luke, so I won’t. You smell pretty rank after your night in the cells. So, please, for my sake, go in there,’ she pointed towards the bathroom, ‘have a decent wash, and I’ll have coffees ordered up by the time you come out. Deal?’

‘Deal.’ Luke gave her a smile of thanks. He could find Jenny bloody annoying at times, but he was definitely warming to her. God knew what she must think of him.