‘Caroline needs workers and she has a source of paperwork that’s far better than anything Colin Osborne ever came up with. All we need to do now is to arrange a schedule for delivery and payment,’ Tadeusz said, his manner businesslike as he sat down and lit a cigar.

‘Tadeusz has shown me how your operation works. I’m impressed with how well organized the system is.’ She gave Krasic an encouraging smile. ‘I only work with people once I’m satisfied they can deliver what they promise, and I’ve seen enough now to know that’s true of you guys.’

‘We also work only with trust,’ Krasic said. ‘Do we trust you?’

‘Come on, Darko, stop being such a hard-nosed bastard. We’ve checked Caroline’s credentials, we know she’s one of us. Now, how soon can we deliver her first load?’

Krasic shrugged. ‘Three week?’

‘It’s going to take that long?’ Carol asked. ‘I thought you had a pretty streamlined operation going.’

‘Things are difficult after Osborne has died,’ Krasic said.

‘What about the ones we’re warehousing in Rotterdam?’ Tadeusz butted in. ‘Can’t we move some of them into England sooner than that?’

Krasic frowned. ‘I suppose so. You are in hurry?’

‘I’ll take delivery whenever you can arrange it. But if you’ve been warehousing the goods, I want to check them for myself before they leave. I don’t want a container-load of corpses on my hands.’

Krasic darted a look at his boss. Tadeusz spread his hands. ‘Of course, Caroline. Darko, why don’t you set up a trip for the beginning of next week. Caroline and I will meet you in Rotterdam at the weekend before you load, and she can check it out for herself.’

Krasic stared at Tadeusz in disbelief, then spoke in German. Carol wished she knew the language better. Her verbal memory only worked in English; there was no way she could reproduce conversation in a foreign language. Tadeusz replied in a tone of rebuke, then returned to English. ‘I apologize, we shouldn’t exclude you from our discussion, but Darko’s English isn’t as good as mine. He’s simply being over-protective. He’s always anxious when I step out of my administrative role and get involved in the action. But sometimes I like to see things for myself. So, are you able to come to Rotterdam at the weekend to inspect your goods?’

She nodded. ‘I’d like that. And that gives me enough time to have things in place at my end. I need to make sure my people have everything ready.’

‘How many can you take?’ Tadeusz asked.

‘Thirty, to begin with,’ she said. It was a figure she’d agreed with Morgan. Not too many for safe passage in a container, not so few that it wouldn’t be worth Tadeusz’s while. ‘Then, after that, twenty a month.’