When she repeated these thoughts to Bill, he said, ‘None of that changes what we or the Met do. We pursue the criminals, regardless of what those in power say or do. Meanwhile, we have a suspect in custody for our fire death. Plus we have proof of who killed two of the victims on the Orlova. And a key witness to Go Wild’s activities on board that ship.’

It sounded impressive, but would it be enough?

Back at Bill’s office now, they found McNab and Janice waiting for them.

‘You were watching, sir?’ McNab said.

‘We were. Nadia will make a credible witness once we catch the perpetrator.’

‘That’s what we wanted to talk to you about, sir,’ McNab said. ‘In view of the likelihood of Nadia being taken south, DS Clark and I have a proposal.’

Rhona looked from one of them to the other, wondering whether McNab was talking for himself or both of them. A quick glance from Janice told Rhona that she was fully on board.

‘Go ahead, DS Clark,’ Bill said.

‘We know that Hugo Radcliff was in the habit of visiting Glasgow for the bare-knuckle fights. The man McNab spoke to there indicated he’d seen him before. We believe Olivia Newton Richardson may have accompanied him, perhaps even on that occasion, hence the discovery of her handbag with the fire victim.’

McNab came in at that point.

‘I pissed him off that night, sir. So when he discovered that I was nosing about in London, he had me picked up. I only got away because Jack Winters, who was one of his bodyguards, risked his cover to save me. The fact that I was involved in Jack’s rescue will only have made matters worse.’

He paused there, until Bill said, ‘So what are you proposing, Sergeant?’

‘We could try and lure him back here, sir.’

‘And how exactly would you do that, Sergeant?’

74

Fear had its own particular scent, McNab thought. It was also infectious. It could permeate a crowd like a rapidly replicating virus, making them all turn and flee. Or it could be swallowed up by courage, seemingly against all the odds.

Some men felt no fear. The posh fucker was definitely one of that breed. Those not wholly psychotic in nature moved between the two states.

The man before him, McNab believed, belonged in the latter camp, because he could smell his fear from where he sat.

‘Charlotte Weiner’s parents couldn’t identify their daughter’s remains,’ McNab told him. ‘It’s impossible to recognize someone when they’ve been burned to a crisp. And the smell,’ he added. ‘You can’t rid yourself of the smell of burnt human flesh. It stays with you forever. But then you probably know that.’

He was silent for a moment.