‘Mrs Takenaga told me. She listened to a message on Marty’s phone yesterday, apparently. From Baroness Cushing, no less.’

‘Really? Is Mrs Takenaga here?’

‘’Fraid not. She’s gone missing as well, actually. Discharged herself from the hospital early this morning. Well, walked out, more accurately.’

‘Hospital? Why was she in hospital?’

‘Long story.’

‘I’ve got time to hear it.’

‘And I’ve got time to tell it. It’s a strange thing, but …’ Holgate peered at Nick. ‘You remind me of someone.’

‘My mother, maybe. She lived here as well back then. Caroline Miller.’

Holgate shook his head. ‘No, not her. It’s … What year were you born?’

‘1978.’

‘Ahah.’

‘Maybe it’s my father I remind you of. Geoff Nolan.’ Nick had never seen much of a resemblance in the photograph he had of his father, but maybe there was something he’d missed.

‘Geoff Nolan?’ Holgate rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ‘That’s interesting.’

‘Not very.’ But the expression on Holgate’s face suggested otherwise. ‘What?’

‘Nothing. Look, why don’t you come inside? I’ll take you up to the Stapletons’ flat. They can explain better than me what happened here yesterday. And maybe you can do a bit of explaining yourself. There’s a lot to take in.’

‘There is?’

Holgate nodded emphatically. ‘Oh yes. A hell of a lot.’

The hotel manager was summoned to deal with Wada’s report that her room safe had been opened in her absence. He expended a lot of charm and effort in trying to persuade her that she must somehow be mistaken. Perhaps she’d programmed it wrongly. Perhaps she hadn’t programmed it at all. He then reminded her of the notice in the room denying responsibility for the loss of valuables not deposited in the hotel’s own safe at reception. Finally, he put it to her plainly. Did she wish to contact the police and report a theft?

Wada pondered the question for several seconds and decided against it. ‘Perhaps I was mistaken,’ she said through gritted teeth. Which pleased the manager. But left her in several quandaries. The contents of the laptop would actually tell whoever had taken it nothing about Wada’s current activities. It was, nevertheless, clear they knew where she was staying, which she’d hoped they didn’t. She was more vulnerable than ever. And in greater danger than ever. Somehow, she had to protect herself.

Her first inclination was to book out of the hotel straight away. But she couldn’t do that before the parcel arrived from Dobachi. Her head was swimming as she left the manager’s office.