Tuesday shook his head. ‘Hard to be sure. Say we’re looking conservatively at two inside the Rover, plus three in the van, at least five. One of them is probably the guy who was taking a cigarette break on one of the park benches, first time we passed. Green jacket, crew cut. Talking on a phone, sitting facing the house. He’s got the look. By the time the old guy with the dog got there, he was gone. Either slipped back inside the van, or maybe into that empty building for let. If they’re using that as an additional stakeout base, then there could be two or three more men inside, relaying each other on watch. They’d most likely be on the upper floor, where the windows aren’t boarded and they’d get an elevated view of the street. I couldn’t make out anything, but doesn’t mean they’re not in there. My spidey sense tells me they are.’

Jeff’s own assessment of the situation was about the same. ‘Could be looking at seven or eight men, maybe even more. I’ve seen better covert setups, back in the day, but I’ve seen worse ones, too. Got the house covered from all angles, with at least one mobile surveillance vehicle to track her when she leaves home. All in contact via phones or radios.’

‘Still think it’s a government op?’ Tuesday asked, frowning.

‘Fuck knows, mate. Whoever they are, it’s a hell of a number, just to keep tabs on one woman.’

‘Unless they’re expecting trouble,’ Tuesday said. ‘As in, if Ben turned up here. If they know who he is, then they’d know to bring extra manpower. Which means you can be sure they’re armed.’

‘Got it stitched up nice and tight and taking no chances, that’s for sure,’ Jeff growled. All trace of his earlier joviality was gone. His eyes were hard and the muscles of his face were all angles and straight lines as he slipped into full-on combat readiness mode.

‘What’s our best move here?’

‘Sit tight and watch the watchers,’ Jeff said.

Darkness fell. The street remained still and silent. Jeff and Tuesday took turns on watch through the night, two hours each, Jeff going first. They’d both been on plenty of missions in their separate roles in the military, Jeff on Special Forces commando raids and Tuesday often spending days on end hunkered down in his sniper’s nest waiting for the perfect shot. The rules were simple. Once you were dug into position, you didn’t break cover. If you needed to pee, you used a convenient receptacle like the two large empty Coke bottles left over from their meal en route. If you needed the other, you held it in or did it in a bag.

And some people thought the warrior lifestyle was all about glamour and excitement.