I didn’t ask who by and I was pretty certain that the ‘how’ was Deputy Assistant Commissioner Folsom, he of the unfortunate eyebrows and midlife opera crisis. He was one of Tyburn’s circle and, while he didn’t have any direct influence over Belgravia MIT, he’d know a man who did – probably the Assistant Commissioner.

The AC would be asking whether this particular suspicious death was worth the resources, what with the current government cutting budgets and the sudden proliferation of expensive historical abuse investigations.

And you couldn’t argue, because deciding on resource allocation is what ACPO officers are all about – and, let’s face it, there’s always more crime than budget. So Seawoll and Stephanopoulos had pulled most of their team off Operation Marigold, but left Guleed. Because, while those two liked a result as much as the next copper, they preferred it when it corresponded with your actual truth – they were very modern that way.

So, actions were still being actioned and me and Guleed were actioning them, and the wheels of justice ground on. Albeit in first gear.

So the low ratio wheels had taken Guleed to a civilian employee at Serious Fraud who was a friend of her brother’s who had helped her untangle the – deliberately complex – web of fronts and shell companies that surrounded the flat at One Hyde Park.

‘And then one name tripped a flag to a certain Operation Wentworth.’ She smiled brightly. ‘Sound familiar?’

Wentworth was the investigation into the illegal demolition of Skygarden Tower, with me on it I might add, and the activities of County Gard Ltd which, along with County Finance Management and The County System Company, was a known front organisation for the Faceless Man.

‘Which ties Christina Chorley and Reynard Fossman to the Faceless Man,’ I said. ‘Serious Fraud have been banging their heads against that for a year – this could be their way in.’

‘And it was at County Gard’s offices,’ said Guleed, ‘where you first met the Right Honourable Caroline Linden-Limmer.’

‘Yes.’

‘Who’s linked to Reynard Fossman, who is linked to Christina Chorley, who is linked back to County Gard.’

Unless Reynard was the link to County Gard, I thought. And we knew the Faceless Man loved his hybrids, his tiger-men and cat-girls. So why not a fox?

‘So the Right Honourable Caroline has conveniently turned up at both ends of that trail,’ said Guleed. ‘What I’m asking is, do you really think it’s a good idea to invite her into your secret hideout?’

But invited in they were, and at the appointed time I was in the entrance foyer in my second best suit, waiting for them to knock on the door. They were fifteen minutes late.