‘I choose not to hear that,’ said Sara. ‘Then, in 2016, the game ends,’ she resumed. ‘The woman we speak of becomes her organisation’s head. Largely because of the apparent success of your and her operation. You’re signed off her books, killed by a drone strike. And you’ve achieved your ambition, of which she has never had a single inkling, so beyond her comprehension would it be. You have built your secret army for whatever plans you have in mind.’

Kareem looked again at his watch. ‘Time passes. Is your amusing story nearly over?’

‘Just the coda, as you’ve called it. Patrick and I have speculated about the identity of Morahan’s source – the man, or perhaps woman, going by the name of Sayyid. Who is in possession of the documents Sayyid provided? We ran through names. We assumed it was a good person, exposing evil. But let us turn this too on its head. One other person would have possessed these files – given to him by his handler as he needed them for the role she believed he was playing. One person only knows why the dark-haired woman in the photograph, me, might be drawn to seek out the white-robed man seated on her right.’

She retreated to her seat, needing, from some indefinable urge, to restore distance between them.

‘You, Kareem. You had those files.’

‘But why, Sara?’ The smile twisted itself into a pained puzzlement. ‘Why would I wish to do that?’

‘Boredom? Mischief-making? No, that’s not you. The Morahan Inquiry, conducted thoroughly and scrupulously – as he wished it to be – presented a threat. Concealed within its mass of evidence might have been a route to the correct destination – and your exposure. So why not sow confusion? The wilderness of mirrors, as Morahan told me you called it in that strange conversation. Provide tit-bits of enticing, secret information to the Inquiry’s chairman. And lead him to me – for whatever perverse satisfaction that’s given you.’

‘If this were so, Sara, might that not be a wonderful outcome? That you would see how I have served your country. Or should I say your “adopted” country.’