‘I do.’ Grace knew the story far better than Dempsey could suspect. But she wasn’t ready to show her hand just yet. ‘What about it?’

‘There’s credible intelligence that the mission they were on was not as it’s been reported. That it was a cover. And that the team committed war crimes, including murder and rape. Led by Knowles.’

‘Bullshit.’ Grace’s voice was firm. She could not hide her anger. ‘That’s not true!’

Dempsey did not answer. Instead he studied Grace, who realised instantly that her reaction had been too forceful. When she spoke again she had driven the belligerence from her voice.

‘What I mean is, we would have heard about that. There’s no way it could have stayed secret.’

‘It didn’t stay secret, did it? I heard about it.’ Dempsey’s voice remained calm. ‘That’s why we’re in this situation. The allegation was raised by a CIA analyst named Tom Quilty. He was killed this morning, along with what was almost certainly a Secret Service assassin.’

‘What?’ Grace’s expression was a mix of shock and disbelief. ‘How . . .’

‘Think about it. Within days of Victor Dale talking about Knowles on British TV, hinting that he knew something about Knowles’ war record, he’s killed on Flight PA16. And within twenty-four hours of that explosion, Quilty – the source of the story – is dead. And now they’re after me because I went to see him yesterday.’

Grace could not quite believe what she was hearing.

‘Are you . . . are you suggesting that the president of the United States had that plane brought down? To kill one man?’

‘Can you think of a better explanation?’

Grace did not reply. How could she? She had no better explanation. She searched for a flaw in Dempsey’s logic. There was none. He was right, the series of events could not be coincidence. And yet this last allegation – the death of over five hundred civilians, to silence one man – was too much.

She would not accept it. She could not. Not of John Knowles.

But that certainty didn’t help her. Because if Dempsey was wrong about Knowles – and she was sure he was – then just what the hell was going on?

Grace had no idea. Not yet. And she saw only one way to change that fact.

She would stick with Dempsey, and they would discover the truth together.

‘So what is the plan?’

‘I go to Tootkai, Agent Grace. I find Quilty’s source and I prove what Knowles did there. I get whatever evidence there is. And once I have it, I bring this whole thing crashing down.’

Grace nodded her head. It was a good plan. Exactly what she would do, if she’d had the same aim as Dempsey. But it worked equally well for her own purposes, assuming that she was right about the president.

‘I’m coming with you.’

‘Are you sure Agent Grace? It will be dangerous. But I could use your help.’