‘I’m glad to hear that,’ said Booth Watson. ‘In which case it should make your task even more enjoyable. I can tell you that the Inspector and his wife are currently sailing first class to New York aboard the Alden.’

‘A holiday that must have been paid for by his father, because he certainly couldn’t afford to travel first class on a Chief Inspector’s salary.’

Booth Watson knew exactly who had paid for the trip, but satisfied himself with repeating the words, ‘Chief Inspector?’

‘Warwick was promoted following the success of the Summers trial,’ said Lamont, who immediately regretted the word ‘success’, as it produced a scowl on his paymaster’s lips.

‘Can you tell me anything about this new squad he’s heading up?’

‘Unit,’ said Lamont.

The scowl returned; Booth Watson didn’t like to be corrected, even by a judge.

Lamont ploughed on. ‘Warwick has four officers under his command. DS Paul Adaja, who isn’t one of us, DS Jackie Roycroft, she’s already on my payroll, and DC Rebecca Pankhurst, who’s still wet behind the ears. They’ll be joined by DI Ross Hogan, but not before Warwick returns from his holiday.’

‘I don’t know Hogan,’ said Booth Watson. ‘What can you tell me about him?’

‘Tough, resilient, but a bit of a maverick, who’s not averse to taking the occasional risk. He’s been working undercover for the past three years, but Hawksby must have decided to bring him in from the cold.’

‘Why?’ demanded Booth Watson.

‘Needed to bolster the team with a little sharp-end experience would be my bet. So we’ll need to keep an eye on him because maverick he may be, but his loyalty to Hawksby is not in question.’

Booth Watson took his time before asking his next question. ‘Do you think Hogan could be tempted into an indiscretion?’

‘Never. If that man found a wallet on the London Underground stuffed with fifty-pound notes, he’d hand it in to the nearest police station and not expect a reward.’

‘Money may well be the root of all evil, Superintendent, but it’s not the only sin Moses found etched on the tablet he brought down from Mount Sinai.’

Lamont thought for some time before he responded. ‘Hogan’s had on-off relationships with several female officers in the past, and even with a suspect on one occasion, for which he was temporarily suspended. His latest conquest is DS Roycroft, but I’m pretty sure that’s coming to an end.’

‘So, if we could find the right Eve,’ said Booth Watson, ‘he might be tempted to bite the apple.’

‘I’m not a pimp,’ said Lamont acidly.

‘Of course you’re not, Superintendent. But fortunately, I have a client who swims in those particular waters, so you can leave Hogan to me, while you concentrate on DS Roycroft.’

‘Is there anything in particular you want me to find out, when I next see her?’

‘The names of everyone under investigation by Warwick’s new unit.’

‘That shouldn’t prove difficult, but it won’t come cheap.’

Booth Watson opened his desk drawer, withdrew a thick brown envelope and pushed it across the table, confident in the knowledge that if the ex-Superintendent found a wallet stuffed with fifty-pound notes, he wouldn’t hand it in to the nearest police station.