‘You’re wrong,’ Wolf said. ‘You saved people. Hundreds of them. You were my fucking hero. You know that, don’t you?’

Ben didn’t reply. He raised the bottle back up to his lips.

Wolf said, ‘Enough. Give me that bottle.’ He made a grab for it.

Ben snatched it away. ‘Try taking it.’

‘I will take it, if I have to break your bloody arm to get it off you.’

Ben flashed him a warning look. ‘Don’t even think about it, Jaden. Back off. I’m telling you. Let it be. Let me be.’

Wolf stared at him. ‘Hey, if you happen to run into my old friend Ben Hope, tell him to give me a call. I’d like to see him again sometime soon.’

Wolf was still clutching Ben’s burner phone in his other hand. Just then, without warning, it started to ring.

Seven minutes past one in the afternoon. Things were about to turn upside down for Ben and Wolf.

Chapter 36

Fort William, Scotland

Twenty-seven minutes earlier

Jeff used his burner mobile to get the number for the Thistle pub in Fort William. When he made the call, he could hear the lively background buzz of conversation, the clink of glasses and the general bustle of a popular drinking hole in full swing. A bright, cheery voice greeted him with, ‘Thistle. Barb speaking.’

Putting on his most charming manner Jeff said, ‘Hi, Barb. I know this is a little unusual but I really need your help. At this moment there’s a particular lovely lady having lunch with a friend in your establishment. She has black hair and a blue cap and her name’s Grace, Grace Kirk. Could I ask you to get her to come to the phone?’

Barb was initially suspicious and ready to hang up, until Jeff explained: ‘Thing is, see, I’m her boyfriend. Just got back from active duty overseas and she doesn’t know I’m here. In fact I’m standing outside the pub right now with a big bunch of red roses and a diamond ring in my pocket. Today’s the day I’m gonna pop the question to the love of my life.’

The returning war hero, covered in medals, bouquet in hand and proposing marriage. How could it fail to melt a lady’s heart with visions of Richard Gere, clad in his pearly-white naval dress uniform, sweeping Debra Winger off her feet and straight off to the church to be wed? That was what Jeff was betting on, at any rate.

‘This is why I need your help, Barb. It’s got to be a big surprise. Just tell her it’s Ben calling. He’s her brother. Say he wants to meet her outside. That’s when I’ll appear from nowhere, get down on my knee and ask her to be my wife, right in front of everyone. Are you up for it?’