‘I’m not sure …’ Carol stared at the wall opposite her, trying to put into words the idea that was lurking at the corner of her mind. ‘If he sees himself as an instrument of vengeance, couldn’t it be that he chooses to humiliate them further, using the tools of their trade? What if he’s written to academic journals denouncing them or criticizing their work? It might be an idea to do an on-line trawl as well, given that he’s apparently posing as an e-zine journalist.’

Tony nodded. ‘It’s possible. Worth looking at, anyway.’

‘Or maybe writing to their departments complaining about their academic failings?’ Carol had a faraway look in her eyes now. ‘Maybe he sees their final encounter as a sort of therapeutic session?’

‘You mean, he thinks they’re the patients and he’s the one with the cure?’

‘Exactly. What do you think?’

‘It’s possible. And?’ Tony added, pushing to see where Carol might take this idea.

She slid along the sofa and leaned into him. ‘And nothing. Sorry, that’s my lot.’

‘Never mind. Inspiration doesn’t always arrive on cue. I’ll suggest to Petra and Marijke that they have a look for public or professional criticism of the victims’ work.’ He put his arm round her.

‘Oh, this is so comfortable,’ Carol sighed. ‘I wish I didn’t have to drag myself back upstairs.’

Tony swallowed hard. ‘You don’t have to.’

‘I think I do. We’ve waited so long to get here. I don’t want our first time to have the shadow of Radecki hanging over it. I want it to be just you and me, to be special.’ She turned her face up to his. ‘I can wait a little bit longer.’

He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. ‘You’re determined to give me no excuse for failure, huh?’ he said, hiding his anxiety behind a jokey smile.

‘Stop right there,’ she said, putting a warning finger to his lips. ‘I’m not worried, and neither should you be.’ She disentangled herself. ‘And now I’m going to bed. We both have too much responsibility to miss out on our sleep right now.’ She got to her feet. ‘I’ll see myself out. And I’ll see you soon.’

He watched her walk across the room, amazed at the warm glow of contentment he felt. Maybe, just maybe they could make it work.

*   *   *