Hogan was on the telephone to a librarian. He was asking for a run-down of books and articles about ‘the Rat Line’. Rebus was sorting through paperwork, putting it in order, cross-referencing, laying aside anything he didn’t think useful. And Siobhan Clarke was there, too. She appeared to be on the phone to some Jewish organisation, and was asking them about lists of war criminals. Rebus nodded towards Abernethy, but kept on working.

‘What’s going on?’ Abernethy asked, taking off his raincoat.

‘Helping out. Bobby’s got so many leads to work on ...’

He nodded towards Siobhan. ‘And Crime Squad are interested, too.’

‘Since when?’

Rebus waved a piece of paper. ‘This might be bigger than we think.’

Abernethy locked around. He wanted to speak to Hogan, but Hogan was still on the phone. Rebus was the only one with time to talk.

Which was just the way Rebus had planned it.

He’d only had five minutes in which to brief Siobhan, but she was a born actress, even holding a conversation with the dialling tone. Hogan’s fantasy librarian, meantime, was asking him all the right questions. And Abernethy was looking glazed.

‘What do you mean?’

‘In fact,’ Rebus said, putting down a file, ‘you might be able to help.’

‘How?’

‘You’re Special Branch, and Special Branch has access to the secret services.’

Rebus paused. ‘Right?’

Abernethy licked his lips and shrugged.

‘See,’ Rebus went on, ‘we’re beginning to wonder something. There could be a dozen reasons why someone would want to kill Joseph Lintz, but the one we’ve been practically ignoring’ (ignoring at Abernethy’s suggestion, according to Hogan) ‘is the one that just might provide the answer. I’m talking about the Rat Line. What if Lintz’s murder had something to do with that?’

‘How could it?’

It was Rebus’s turn to shrug. ‘That’s why we need your help. We need any and all information we can get on the Rat Line.’

‘But it never existed.’

‘Funny, a lot of books seem to say it did.’

‘They’re wrong.’

‘Then there are all these survivors ... except they haven’t survived. Suicides, car crashes, a fall from a window. Lintz is just one of along line of dead men.’

Siobhan Clarke and Bobby Hogan had finished their calls and were listening.

‘You’re climbing the wrong tree,’ Abernethy said.

‘Well, you know, if you’re in a forest, climbing any tree will give you a better view.’

‘There is no Rat Line.’

‘You’re an expert?’

‘I’ve been collating ...’

‘Yes, yes, all the investigations. And how far have you got? Is any one of them going to make it to trial?’

‘It’s too early to tell.’

‘And soon it may be too late. These men aren’t getting any younger. I’ve seen the same thing all around Europe: delay the trial until the defendants are so old they snuff it or go doolally. Result’s the same: no trial.’

‘Look, this has nothing to do with ...’

‘Why are you here, Abernethy? Why did you come up that time to speak to Lintz?’