They both knew it was true. Reporters didn’t have to reveal their sources, even to police. However, she might be able to get an impression of what had led to the headline. Rob had called the author of the story that had broken this morning and it was a dead end. The journalist had revealed nothing they didn’t already know, though he did say that he’d been trying to get his work published in the broadsheets for years and suddenly, the bigger names had contacted him over this, not the other way around. Quentin St John had called him privately.

Kelly sneezed again.

‘Why don’t you just go straight home?’ Kate asked.

Kelly raised her eyebrows in response.

‘I know, you can tell me to fuck off, but you’re no good to anyone ill. Maybe a good night’s sleep is what you need. You were on the mountainside all day yesterday and I bet you didn’t eat a good meal.’

‘You’re right. I didn’t. Laurie Fell is not far from home, I might as well kick them off to a good start; there are certain things I want them to look for.’

‘Whips and chains, according to this article,’ Kate said.

‘Let’s have a look, then,’ Kelly said. She shivered again and took Kate’s phone. The article was written by a freelance journalist, like they all were these days. It reported that Bartholomew Kennedy-Craig was known for his gatherings in exclusively private residences, and the soliciting of dozens of women and girls to provide the entertainment.

‘As far as I can see, there’s no solid evidence, just lots of soundbites in speech marks to avoid libel litigation,’ Kelly said.

‘This says it’s been going on for years, so why the leak now, I wonder. Who stands to gain from rubbishing Kennedy-Craig? Not the government. Not their families surely. Political enemies?’ Kelly asked.

‘I’ll call her,’ Kate said. Kelly finished her coffee and walked to the lift. She’d be back for morning brief nice and early.

Chapter 40

Laurie Fell Estate was almost four hundred years old. Its consummate anonymity was what had obviously attracted Kennedy-Craig in the first place, and Kelly wondered what it must be like to have that much money. They knew that it cost him fifteen grand per month to secure on a retainer. It was a different world and one she needed to understand to get to the bottom of the relationship between Lord Reilly and Bartholomew Kennedy-Craig. After all, it struck her that if the crash was caused by sabotage, then they had no idea who the target was, or if it was both of them.

What was bugging her was exactly how it was done, which was why she’d asked Zoe and Lance to meet her there, with the technical plans of an AW139 hydraulic system.