Suppose Woolf was right, that there was a more sinister element to Invicta and Rolt. Could that element be Stutz? For better or worse, Tom had got himself this far under the wire. He was being given a chance to go deeper. In the interests of getting to that next level, of penetrating Stutz’s operation, of finding out more about their plans, it had to be worth it.

Kyle finished his call.

Tom stood up and grinned. ‘Okay.’ He held out his hands. ‘I’m in.’

Chapter 48

48

Victoria, London

How could he sleep? The adrenalin that had been coursing round him seemed to intensify until he thought he might have a stroke. Then she was shaking him awake.

‘They are ready for you. Turn left out of the front door and go to the corner. You will see a black people-carrier.’

‘Is there a name?’

‘They’ll make themselves known to you. Go.’

He pulled on his jacket and shoes. He hadn’t undressed.

She followed him to the door and closed it behind him.

Close to the junction the people-carrier, an old Toyota Previa, was parked with no lights on. As he came towards it the side door slid open. ‘Sahim?’

‘Yes.’

He couldn’t see who was speaking. The voice came from deep inside the vehicle.

‘Come to the door.’ A small sharp beam of light was pointed at his face. ‘Get in.’

He hesitated.

‘Now, please.’

The engine started. He climbed in. It was very warm inside. There were four of them. He saw a phone, its screen glowing with an image. They thrust it in front of him.

‘Watch.’

It was a video of a man lying on a mattress. Whoever was recording him moved closer and pulled back the sheet covering him. The figure on the bed shrank away as if he was about to be hit.

Something was shouted that Sam didn’t understand. A hand grabbed the man’s head and turned it to face the camera.

‘Is that him?’

For a second he wasn’t sure. The eyes were completely bloodshot. The face had several weeks’ growth of beard and was shrunken and emaciated, but when the camera was pointed at him the eyes lit up. He whispered, ‘Help me, brother.’

A wave of shock and relief came over him. ‘That’s him.’

He felt something sting his arm, then everything went black.

Sometime later, he had no idea how many hours had passed, he came to. His head was resting against the glass. He could see road rushing by. Three lanes. A motorway. He tried to lift his head to see who else was in the vehicle but he couldn’t move. Then he felt a pain in his upper arm and was out again.

When he woke the next time his hands were tied and some fabric covered his face. A voice he hadn’t heard before addressed him. ‘Sahim?’