Kyle shook his head. ‘He’s a busy guy. Ain’t got no time for stuff like that. If Beth’s what it takes to keep Skip amused and on the job all day, then all well and good. How she stands it . . .’

‘And what keeps Stutz busy?’

Kyle looked at him. ‘Who’s asking?’

For a second Tom thought he had zoned out. Far from it. He fixed him with an unexpectedly cold stare, as if reassessing him.

‘What I’m saying is – is that Tom Buckingham, ex-SAS sergeant, or Tom Buckingham, associate of Invicta?’

‘What’s the difference?’

Kyle just gave him a look.

‘Well, is Stutz a good guy?’

‘He threw me a lifeline.’

‘How come?’

‘After Gabrielle left it was a bad time. I didn’t do too well on my own, and I craved excitement. I got into some arms trading, working cartels across the border: AR-15s, AKs, FN semiautomatics, M4s, M203 grenade launchers. I made a lot of money. But I knew that sooner or later the ATF were gonna catch up with me – it was just a matter of time. Stutz got me out of it.’

‘How did he do that?’

‘He has his connections.’

‘And in return?’

Kyle laughed to himself. ‘He says I was his inspiration.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Me and my kind. Our kind. Who did what we did but don’t like the outcome. Who trained and fought to protect this country, to secure our borders, to remove the threat. No one’s facing up to the fact that we failed. They sent us off to fight unwinnable wars. All the guys who were in Fallujah, the ones who got out. Now they see Al Qaeda back in town like it’s ’04 all over again. All that blood spilled – and for what? They’re mad as hell and they want something back for their sacrifice. Stutz wants to channel that anger, put it behind some proper action to protect the country. And know what? It goes all the way up the food chain. You saw the crowd tonight. Pentagon people, private operators, all players who want a better outcome.’

He reached across and gripped Tom’s shoulder, just as Stutz had done. ‘See? You’re far from alone, man. Help is at hand.’

Tom didn’t feel that he was in need of any help, but he went along with it. Kyle was on a roll: no point in distracting him.

‘In 2005, more people from Islamic countries became US residents than in any previous year: ninety-six thousand. 2009, the figure’s up to a hundred fifteen. We got a time bomb ticking.’ He crushed the can and helped himself to another.

Tom made sure he was drinking only half as fast. ‘How does Stutz plan to achieve his “outcome”?’