‘How could he? He has nothing to do with this.’ She hesitated, floundering to find some faintly plausible explanation for her association with such a man. ‘What he was doing here is none of your business.’

‘You’d be right about that but for the fact that before she vanished Mrs Takenaga – the woman who came all the way from Japan to talk to Martin – gave the police a description of the intruder at his flat. It matched your … Irishman … to a tee.’

Miranda stubbed out her cigarette and gazed at Nick long and hard.

‘Who is he really?’ Nick pressed. ‘Who does he work for?’

‘Not me. Since you ask.’

‘Then who?’

Miranda’s gaze faltered slightly. Something seemed to give way inside her. ‘If Peter didn’t drown with Alison – if he’s still alive to this day – he’s obviously decided, for reasons of his own, to turn his back on his old life, his old identity, on everything Peter Ellery was until June 1977. It takes a lot to do that. There needs to be a good reason to make the effort, I’d say. To write off everything about yourself. To start again. To rebuild your life. With a new name, a new personality, a new you.’

‘Do you know why he might go to all that trouble, Miranda?’

‘No.’

‘I reckon it has to be about what happened at Nancekuke that night. Peter and Alison broke into the base looking for secrets about the nerve gas being produced there. Alison ended up drowned. One of the guards was shot. And Peter … disappeared.’

‘I don’t know anything about a guard being shot. Where’d you get that from?’

‘Holgate.’

‘He’s just an old hack peddling conspiracy theories.’

‘Maybe. But you said yourself there had to be a good reason – a compelling need – for Peter to run away from his former life.’

‘Yes. And I’m suggesting that means you should think twice about looking for him. If he’s alive, he either doesn’t know you exist or he knows and doesn’t want to have anything to do with you. It’s hard, I know, but maybe you should … let it go.’

‘Are you trying to warn me off?’

‘I’m trying to give you some good advice, Nick, that’s all. Think about taking it.’

‘Do you know where he is?’

‘I’m sorry.’ She lit another cigarette. ‘I can’t help you.’

‘I think you can.’

‘I’m going to have to ask you to leave if you go on like this.’