‘The police seized his possessions from his workplace, including his laptop and phone. If they’re doing their job properly, they would be able to find that out.’

Winters’s breathing sounded laboured as he answered. ‘You’re Ava Clouston, aren’t you? You broke the story that almost got me killed.’

‘You told McNab he could trust DI Cleverly, when Mark had warned him not to. And Mark was killed. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?’

‘Does McNab know you’ve contacted me?’

She didn’t answer his question. Instead, she said, ‘Mark discovered that Cleverly has a son, who is involved with Go Wild.’

Ava could taste the thick silence that now fell between them.

‘The Met weren’t investigating Mark,’ she said. ‘DI Cleverly was, because he’d found out that Mark had something on his son.’

‘You have proof of this?’

‘It was in the material taken by the Met.’

‘Can I get back to you on this number?’

Ava told him he could, and ended the call.

Entering the cafe, they found Nadia helping Bahnam behind the counter.

‘How did it go?’ she said, her face lighting up when she saw them.

‘Okay,’ Ava told her, knowing she would have to eventually explain this part of the story to the girl, but only when it was safe to do so.

‘Are you sure she should be out here?’ she said to Firash as they went behind the curtain.

‘She’s hiding in plain sight. Plus Bahnam’s been telling everyone that she’s my current girlfriend.’ Firash smiled at that.

‘And is she?’ Ava said.

‘We’re friends, supporting one another in extremity,’ he told her with a serious expression. ‘I too know what it’s like to be a refugee, who no one will take responsibility for.’

When they reached Mark’s office, he said, ‘What do you plan to do now?’

‘I have some calls to make,’ Ava told him.

81

McNab knew that the only thing to do now was wait.

It was the aspect of the job he hated most. There were other tasks he disliked, even hated, like the endless reports always waiting to be written.

But even those paled beside the waiting game.

Everything now depended on other people, instead of him. The momentum that had swept him to this point was no more. All he had left was fear of things going wrong. Of failure in his plans. Of the wrong ending.

Having reached his destination, he looked up, seeking a light at a window and finding one.

So, she was home, but was she on her own?

There was only one way to find out, he thought, pressing the buzzer. When the door was released at the mention of his name, his heart lifted a little, hoping she was in fact alone.