Prince shook his head. He had nothing, not even any papers. Otto took out some notes and pressed them into his hand.

‘The inspection will start when we dock. We’ll start unloading after that.’

He managed to get off the boat just before eleven, and leaving the dock was straightforward enough. He kept walking, following the signs to Christianshavn. But it didn’t take long for him to feel utterly exhausted, his fever rising and falling, every step now an effort. He crossed over on Langebro bridge, and just when he felt he could go no further, he spotted a tram to Vesterbro.

He knew he was ill and beyond exhausted, but the thought of a hot bath and a proper bed, and most of all of Hanne, kept him going.

‘We need to think about some kind of warning system for when you return. This mission could take weeks, even longer, and it’s always possible something could happen to me during that time.’

‘Don’t say that. I—’

‘No, we need to be realistic.’

The conversation had taken place the day before he’d left Copenhagen at the beginning of January. Hanne said that when he returned, he should go first to the alley at the rear of her apartment.

‘My bedroom window overlooks the alley. I have a tall porcelain statue of a black cat; you can’t miss it, it’s nearly two feet high. When I’m in my apartment and I consider there’s no danger, I’ll place the cat on the window ledge. When I’m out, I’ll remove it. So you should only go to your apartment if you see the cat in my apartment. Understand?’

Prince nodded. ‘Black cats for luck, eh?’

‘Let’s hope so. It may mean you waiting for quite a while – I could be at work and back late. There’s an outhouse in the alley where the rubbish bins are kept. You can see the window quite easily from there. There are half a dozen bins there, big ones – you’ll just have to hide there. If and when you see the cat, go to your apartment and the key will be taped to the top frame. Once you’re in, put that blue vase over there – the one on the side table – in the window. Then I’ll know you’re back.’

‘And what about if I wait and the black cat doesn’t appear?’

She shrugged in a matter-of-fact manner. ‘Then you must assume something has happened to me and it’s not safe. We can’t plan for every eventuality, Peter. I’m afraid you’ll be on your own then. I’d suggest you try and make your way to Sweden.’