‘Thanks, Larry,’ Carol said, not quite dismissing him, but clearly focused now on Petra, the woman who would be her link back into her real life from the chilly wastes of deep cover. Petra would be her first line of defence, but, paradoxically, she would also be the person who could most put her at risk. For Carol, it was vital to establish a bridgehead of respect at the very least. Liking would be a bonus. ‘I appreciate you coming up here so we can thrash things out off the territory,’ she said. ‘I’m sure you’re just as busy in Berlin as I used to be in London. It’s never easy to get away from the day-to-day caseload.’

Petra raised one corner of her mouth in a crooked smile. ‘Tadeusz Radecki has been the most significant element of my case-load for a long time now. This doesn’t feel like an escape, believe me.’

‘No, I can see that. It’s a big weight off my mind that they’ve assigned me a liaison officer who knows so much about the background to the case. I’ve come into it cold, and I’m going to need all the help I can get. What I wanted to do, if this is OK with you, is to hammer out the practicalities of how we work this, while Larry’s still here to keep us straight on what’s possible and what isn’t. Then I thought the two of us could go back to the hotel and brainstorm all I need to know about Radecki and his operation. How does that sound to you?’

Gandle looked as if he was about to protest, but Petra caught his movement out of the corner of her eye and cut across him. ‘Perfect. These official meeting places are so stifling to the soul, no?’

‘Exactly. And I need to understand Radecki with my heart as well as my head. So I’m relying on you to open him up for me.’

Petra raised her eyebrows. ‘I’ll do my best.’ She paused and cocked her head to one side, studying Carol’s face. ‘You know, they told me you looked like Basler, and it’s true, your photograph does resemble her. But in the flesh, it’s uncanny. You could be her twin sister. You are going to blow Radecki away. I swear to God, he is going to be freaked out when he sees you.’

‘Let’s hope it’s in a good way,’ Carol said, feeling self-conscious under the other woman’s appraising gaze.

‘Oh, I think so. I don’t see how he could resist.’ Petra smiled. ‘I think this is going to work.’

‘It’ll work,’ Gandle said confidently. ‘DCI Jordan is one hell of an operator.’