Jamesie wiped his chin with thick stubby fingers. ‘It’s surface-to-air missiles that are the real moneyspinners. Believe me, I know. Everyone’s arming themselves, whatever governments might say. I was in Cuba a while back, on holiday. Now there’s a country ripe for a takeover, you mark my words. As for Haiti . . . that Aristides couldn’t look after a fucking terrier, let alone a whole country. It’s a joke, I tell you. I don’t even watch the news any more. I could get myself a new sideline telling the papers what’s really going on.’

Donna listened intently, shocked at the revelations. Of all the conversations she had expected, this was not one of them.

‘Do you travel a lot?’

Jamesie looked into her face, enchanted with her good looks and bright brain.

‘All the time - South America, Africa, the Soviet Republic . . . now Moscow is the place to visit before it becomes Eastern Europe’s Benidorm. You want to see it out there. Man, I tell you, it’d knock your socks off. I deal with a lot of the new rich from there. Villains, like meself. I have a friend in London, a banker, he’s their contact. They pay out about three-quarters of a million cash for a house in, say, Knightsbridge or wherever. Then they borrow money against the property. That way the money’s clean, you see?’

He smiled at Donna. ‘From there it’s just a small step to offshore. I tell you, love, it’s becoming the laundry capital of the world. And anyone with half a brain will cash in on it. I know Georgio was going to. Last time I spoke to him he was expanding his money business, the borrowing games, pennies and halfpennies. It’s the laundering that is the main winner now.’

Donna nodded as if she knew what he was talking about. The perfectly cooked salmon was beginning to curdle in her stomach.

‘Sometimes I wonder if there are any pies left for Georgio to push his greedy little fingers into.’ Her words came out calmer than she expected.

Jamesie carried on eating, unaware of Donna’s pallor. Alan hastily took over the conversation.

‘So what do you think we’re looking at then, Jamesie? I’m rounding up the men - all handpicked, of course. But I need a good armoury. I was wondering if I could rent the guns, like - on a sale or return basis. I won’t have much need of Armalites, you know that, and I don’t much fancy selling them on. Can you imagine a blagger with an Armalite or a hand-grenade? It just don’t bear thinking about!’

Jamesie chuckled. ‘I’d already thought of that,’ he said. ‘I have a cachement coming in on the fifteenth of October. That’s four weeks away. I could sort you a few little bits from there.’