Shelton sighed and paused for another gulp of beer. ‘Dave Dobbs was one of us, the Gang of Four who struck gold and got rich. He was a great pal of mine, but after we cashed in we all went our separate ways. Jimmy Padgitt stayed in the tech business and formed a new company. Alec Miller went off to lie in a hammock on some tropical island and drink rum. Me, I spent a couple of years travelling the world while trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. Meanwhile Dave, he was the really ambitious one. He wanted to go out there and parlay his millions into billions, and the world of high financial trading was the way he saw he could do it. I didn’t see him again for four years. Then one day I got a call from him. He was in a terrible state, on the brink of total psychiatric breakdown and badly needing to talk to someone. I met with him in a cheap hotel room and was utterly shocked by his appearance. He was barely recognisable. And he told me a story that changed my life.’

Ben and Wolf listened as Shelton retold it, in a voice heavy with sadness.

‘Not long after getting into the money business, Dave was approached by a hugely wealthy finance broker who dealt in currencies and assets, making trillions for giant corporations and creaming off unimaginable money for himself. He offered to take Dave on as an apprentice, show him the ropes, set him up, help him achieve his dream of unlimited riches. There were just two conditions. One, he wanted ten per cent of everything Dave made. Two, he advised Dave that if he couldn’t put his conscience in the freezer, he shouldn’t get involved.’

‘Put his conscience in the freezer.’

‘Those were his very words. It was a warning. A Faustian bargain, in effect. “Don’t get into this if you don’t want to pay the price.” But Dave was too hypnotised by the idea of all that money. Nothing could hold him back and so he jumped straight in. He was an eager pupil, and a very fast learner.’

‘What happened to him?’ Wolf asked.