‘I have heard it said that a little Pastis is sovereign in these cases. Drives away the evil humours.’

My better judgement rebelled but, as ever, my better judgement received what Jock calls a ‘root up the sump’ and soon the Pastis was smoothing out the wrinkles in my spleen in cavalry style. When the door-bell rang, two drinks later, I hardly jumped at all. George and Sam entered, snuffing the air curiously.

‘Takin’ up chemistry?’ asked George.

‘I have been gargling,’ I said stiffly. ‘I have a sore throat.’

‘To name but a few, I’d say,’ said Sam.

‘Shall we go?’ I said. ‘Eric, you’ll be able to amuse yourself, won’t you? Jock will show you where everything is. Ask for a map if you want to go for a stroll; a man can get lost for months in these Jersey lanes.’

We drove towards St Helier. Where we were going was to the Headquarters of the Paid Police, situated in a street called, bafflingly, Rouge Bouillon. Our purpose was to do a delicate deal with a senior officer recommended for his discretion by our sturdy Centenier.

My conscience had been clear for nearly eighteen months, but still I felt a certain unease at entering this cop-shop; an unease, I must say, soon dispelled by the friendly courtesy extended to us on every hand, with scarcely a chink from a hip-pocketed handcuff. Courteously refusing many an offer of cups of tea, we found ourselves presently in the office of the senior officer in question. I knew him at once for an honest man: my trained eye priced his suit at £40 and dated it as five years old. Bent policemen the world over may hide their guilty gains in the very vaults of Zurich itself, but they cannot resist the mohair suitings, the hand-made shoes. Experto crede.

His nostrils twitched delicately.

‘My friend has been gargling,’ said Sam. ‘He has a sore throat.’

‘Bad luck,’ he said to George.

‘Not me; him,’ said George, pointing rudely.

‘Oh. Well. Now, what can I do to help? It’s about these rapes, I understand.’

With a glance at the others, I took it upon myself to be spokesman. He quite liked our reasoning about the rapist’s motivation and selectiveness and made a few notes. He explained how his activities were curtailed by the protocol between the Paid and Honorary police – whom he seemed rather to approve of.