‘Knows as much as you do.’

‘Well, that can’t be much,’ Bish said.

‘According to him, MI6 weren’t taught to share their toys,’ Elliot said.

‘With their little brothers and sisters, you mean?’

‘MI5 would never consider themselves the younger siblings of 6.’

‘You’d know that from first-hand experience, would you?’ Bish asked.

‘Just come out and ask the question, Ortley.’

‘Okay, are you and Grazier working for MI5?’

‘Grazier and I work for the Home Secretary.’

‘And MI5 answers to the Home Secretary.’

‘You’re saying everyone who answers to the Home Secretary works for MI5?’

‘So when bombs aren’t going off on buses and vulnerable kids aren’t on the run, what is it you do for the Home Secretary?’

‘I do whatever she calls on me to do,’ Elliot said. ‘Isn’t that what an employee does for their employer?’

Bish tightened his grip on the wheel. ‘We’re done here,’ he said. ‘You can get out of my car now, Elliot.’

Morning peak hour was just about to hit and Bish found himself driving to Dover. He was curious about something he’d come across while searching for Ian Parker’s speeches about the migrant crisis in Calais. In the May newsletter of the Kent Garden Society he read that Katherine Barrett-Parker was forced to withdraw from a garden competition at the last minute because of vandalism. He had contacted one of his former detective sergeants, now working for the Folkestone police, who confirmed that no report had been made about the incident, and Bish wanted to know why. He still hadn’t received a call from Ian Parker, despite Katherine taking his number, and figured morning would be the best time to track him down at the hospital.

He reached Buckland two hours later and noticed that security had been beefed up since Saturday. There were two guards and a police officer at the front entrance, as well as at the staff entrance. A couple more policemen could be seen inside. Bish wondered if the request had come from the Home Office or whether Ian Parker had enough pull to put his own security in place.

Bish bumped into Sadia Bagchi in the cafeteria. He asked about her family and they spoke about her husband’s stall at the Spitalfields market and how a cousin of hers was helping out while Sadia was here in Dover.

‘Her father cries each time he sees Manoshi,’ Sadia said, ‘but I have stopped weeping. If she is less than what she was before Calais, it is better than what Astrid Copely’s and Michael Stanley’s people are left with.’

He insisted on paying for her tea and then went looking for Katherine, coincidentally bumping into both husband and wife exiting the lift. Parker was dressed for work in an expensive suit with all the trimmings. There was nothing welcoming in his expression.

‘Can I have a quick word?’ Bish asked.

‘We’ve already been interviewed by French Intelligence, Ortley. Not to mention the daily attempts by the Security Service. And as far as I’m concerned the Met has nothing to do with this investigation.’