He regarded her quizzically, perhaps not fully understanding what she’d said, but recognizing the self-deprecating tone. Fry immediately felt embarrassed. She didn’t know what had made her say that about her old university. She had no reason to denigrate it. At the time, UCE had been exactly what she needed – a route to escape into a different world, where opportunities were available for the grasping. She was sure it had been a lifeline for many who’d gone there before her, and since. Some said that institutions like UCE served a more useful purpose in society than any number of Oxbridge colleges, with their dreaming spires and drunken hoorays throwing themselves off bridges.

‘It’s kind of you to escort me,’ said Kotsev. ‘You must be very busy, I’m sure. A shooting enquiry for you to pursue. Connections to organized crime. Worrying complications for a small police department.’

‘Yes, it is a bit hectic.’

He fell silent until they were out of Glossop and travelling southwards along the ridge through Hayfield and past Chapel-en-le-Frith.

‘So this is the county of Derbyshire,’ he said. ‘Very pretty.’

Fry didn’t respond. She generally tried to avert her gaze from the view whenever there was a steep drop away from the road.

‘What are these hills called?’ asked Kotsev.

‘Er . . . I’m not sure.’

‘And this valley? The river?’

‘I forget. But if you really want to know, I’ll introduce you to one of my colleagues when we get to Edendale. He knows everything about the area.’

His eyes were on her again, she could feel it. It was making her tense. Watch the countryside going by, why don’t you?

‘So what sort of place is Pleven?’ she said, trying to sound as though she was interested in the answer.

‘Pleven is located in the agricultural region of Miziya, in the north of Bulgaria. It’s surrounded by limestone hills. You might feel at home if you visited there.’

‘Might I? Why?’

‘Those are limestone quarries I can see ahead of us, if I’m not mistaken.’

‘Oh. Probably.’

‘So the hills are very much like these. But the city of Pleven has a population of a hundred and forty-three thousand persons. Not like this.’

‘That’s all right, I’m used to big cities,’ said Fry. ‘I don’t really belong in this area.’

‘I see. Myself, I’m a city person too – though I was born in a village in a rural district. My family moved to Sofia, where I received my education. Later, as a police officer, I was assigned by the ministry to Pleven.’

‘And you developed an expertise in organized crime?’

‘Yes, indeed. Recently I have been working in co-operation with the Organized Crime Groups Unit at Europol. We formed a Joint Investigation Team – Europol officers and Bulgarian law enforcement. It’s very interesting work. We have had some great successes, of which we are very proud.’