He pushed aside his distaste and moved on.

‘And why is he not dead already? How the hell did our friends fail to kill a baggage handler?’

‘Turns out the baggage handler can fight,’ Romeo replied, his tone as nonchalant as ever. ‘He took out a couple of the people sent in to do the job.’

‘A couple? You relied on just two men for something this important?’

‘No, sir. I relied on four. And it almost worked.’

‘ALMOST?’ Cunningham’s temper finally erupted, set off by Romeo’s casual delivery. ‘ALMOST? AND YOU SAY THAT LIKE IT’S FINE? LIKE YOU WANT CREDIT FOR FUCKING ALMOST?’

‘Well, I—’

‘SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH, BOY! SHUT IT BEFORE I HAVE SOMEONE SEW IT SHUT.’

Cunningham did not even glance towards Hodge. Whatever emotional restraint the agent’s presence had provided was long gone.

‘I WANT THIS DEALT WITH AND I WANT IT DEALT WITH TONIGHT. FUCK THE COP WHO’S WITH HIM. HE CAN DIE TOO! I’LL DEAL WITH THE FALLOUT.’

‘Sir, that is absolutely impossible. The cop isn’t the only problem.’

Cunningham was taken aback by the answer. It was as if his verbal explosion had not affected Romeo Meyer at all. The momentary surprise allowed Cunningham to regain control. Though inwardly it only stoked the fire of his hatred.

When he spoke again he was no longer shouting, but his voice seethed with rage.

‘Another problem? And what is that, exactly?’

‘Our friends in Europe can’t help us any further. At least not straightaway. Not after what happened to the prisoner who went after Mansour.’

‘What do you mean “can’t help us further”? Just when the hell did this become a partnership? We say jump, they jump. It’s not a fucking discussion.’

‘But they don’t have anyone left with access to the Secure Unit at Belmarsh. They had to contract this one out. To an old associate. He won’t help again. Not after his man was killed.’

‘Are you seriously telling me there’s no one else to do this?’

‘That’s right, sir. No one else is willing to cross the Muslims.’

‘And what the hell does that mean?’

‘It was a Muslim gang in the unit that saved Mansour. By the sound of it they beat one of the guys to death. They’re not screwing around.’

‘Shit.’

Cunningham took a few moments to consider what he had been told. He was beginning to calm, which was in turn allowing him to think more clearly. A few seconds more and he could see a way forward.

‘OK. OK. He’s due in court tomorrow, correct?’

‘Yeah. But I can’t see him making it. Not in his state.’

‘Exactly what I was going to ask. And exactly what I wanted to hear.’

‘Why, sir?’

‘Because if we can’t get to him in Belmarsh, and clearly we can’t get to him in the court itself, then we have to get him on his journey to court.’

‘OK, no problem, my team can do that.’

‘Really? Because from the report I saw today, he was due to go to Woolwich Crown Court.’