‘Ollie has both mine and hers for comparison purposes. He says most of the sites referenced have been closed down. We still have some images, short videos et cetera, but how to identify the people in them will take time, if it’s even possible. It’ll be like identifying paedophiles from just their hands. Which gives Go Wild time to close down and get rid of any of the weak links in their supply chain.’

‘Like Steven Willis?’ Janice said.

‘If he thinks he’s in danger of being dispensed with, he might agree to work with us.’

‘So we give it a try?’ Janice said.

McNab’s attempt at a response was halted by a call to his mobile.

‘How late?’ McNab listened to the answer with mounting concern. ‘You’ve tried her phone? Okay, park up and look for them inside. If they do appear they’ll wait at the patrol car. I’ll arrange for more officers to meet you there.’

‘What is it?’ Janice said as he rang off.

‘Ava and Nadia are late showing up at the police car. The officer’s tried Ava’s mobile but it appears to be switched off.’

‘How late is late?’ Janice said.

‘Half an hour.’

Janice didn’t look as perturbed as he felt. ‘Where did she drop them?’

‘The Buchanan Galleries. She saw them go inside. I should have ordered her to stick with them.’

‘The plan was to buy Nadia clothes. She’ll be trying stuff on. Time can run away with you when you’re doing that,’ Janice said.

What Janice was saying was possible, even probable. The trouble was, his gut was telling a different story.

He was suddenly reliving his walk towards Cleverly, only to find himself being thrust into the back of the black van. All in broad daylight on a busy London street.

It had been that easy.

If someone had been watching them in Orkney, they would know they’d flown to Glasgow. Go Wild had folk here in the city. Steven Willis had made that plain. They could have been followed from the heliport to the police station. From the station to the shopping mall.

‘You’re right,’ Janice said when he voiced his thoughts.

‘We’ll get some feet on the ground at the Galleries,’ McNab said. ‘If they turn up before that, all well and good. If not, the place has plenty of cameras. They’re bound to have been picked up on some of them.’

‘What about Willis?’ Janice said.

‘You organize the search party. I’ll deal with Willis.’

75

Willis was staring at him as though he’d just heard an announcement of his own death.

Which, in fact, he had.