“One might say, ice cold. I know,” Kim said. “I have gathered you don’t approve. Noted.”

“It’s not what I think, it’s what you think. It’s whether you can do this and still look yourself in the face. You’ve got enough to feel guilty about already and you could get hurt here. You could hurt yourself.”

Kim looked round at that, with an almost-smile. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

Will’s stomach twisted. “Kim—”

“I understand your concerns, I truly do, but please believe I’m not acting lightly. I have to do something. I have to try, do you see?”

“Not really. I don’t like it.”

“I don’t blame you.” Kim rubbed his face. “I’ve got to go now. The flat’s been besieged by journalists all day. I left by the back way to see you but I don’t want to do that too often, or be spotted coming back in the morning.”

“Fair,” Will said, though it wasn’t fair, none of it. “What next?”

“I’ll talk to Rennick about this blackmail business. See if anything else has floated up about Fairfax while I’m there. And I need to try the Private Bureau again on whether any Zodiac remain unaccounted for, just in case. I called a couple of people today but nobody would speak to me. They’re a close-mouthed lot these days, or they live in fear of DS.”

Will considered the formidable Private Bureau chief and decided he wouldn’t talk out of school either. “Want me to do anything?”

“Just keep your head down with the Press. Down, and also level. Don’t punch any journalists, is what I mean.”

“I didn’t,” Will said with a touch of pride. “I was nice as pie.”

“Five quid says you weren’t.”

“Well, I didn’t thump anyone. Did I say, one of them tried to bribe me? Or tip me, really. You know, like a doorman or some such. Slipping me a couple of quid to talk about you.”

Kim stilled. “Oh Jesus. I’m so sorry. That’s a damned insult. Is it a consolation that if they think you’re my lackey, they don’t suspect you’re my lover?”

“Not really. Because even if they did think we were fucking, they wouldn’t believe I was anything more than your bit of rough, would they?”

“No,” Kim said. “That’s the daily drip of insult you can expect as things are now, which is why I don’t want them to get worse. Because you are everything more, and I resent to the bottom of my soul that you should feel any other way. Wait for me; I’ll call you. Be good.”

He went on that, soundless as ever, leaving Will staring at the dark and empty doorway.

Chapter Seven