‘I am no socialist, but I believe in democracy, Monsieur. Men like Jansen make a mockery of that. Political parties do not run on fresh air. They need money to survive. And it is men like him who provide the cash. And surely none of us is naïve enough to believe that it is done for love of party.’ He chuckled humourlessly. ‘Of course not. Such benefactors seek influence, a return for their investment, benefits if not power itself. Jansen’s business interests sail very close to the wind when it comes to the law, and sometimes he will steer a course that is discreetly outside it. But he has influence, you see. He has paid for it, and so he survives. I would dearly love to bring such men down, but that is not the way of things. Who am I? Too old and tired, that’s who. But I have no reason to protect him. Even if I thought Jansen were involved there is little I could do about it. You would be well advised to take my advice, Monsieur Bannerman. Don’t tangle with either of these men.’

Bannerman nodded slowly. ‘I believe you,’ he said. ‘But my instinct is a journalist’s instinct. If Slater went to the trouble of putting together a folder of cuttings on Jansen and Lapointe and filed it along with his cuttings on Gryffe, then there was a reason for that. They might be connected with what happened, and they might not. But my instinct is to check it out.’

Du Maurier shrugged. ‘Then you’d better follow your instinct.’

‘I always do.’

The Inspector smiled wearily and finished his drink. He pushed back his chair. ‘I must go.’

‘There’s more,’ Bannerman said quietly.

Du Maurier’s face set. ‘What more?’

Bannerman signalled the waiter and ordered another two drinks. A group of working men in the far corner raised their voices in laughter. Some bawdy joke. Du Maurier set fire to another cigarette. ‘Slater was planning to leave,’ Bannerman said.

Du Maurier looked at him with resignation. ‘You have had a busy day.’

Bannerman nodded. ‘You didn’t tell me.’

‘There are many things I haven’t told you. Things I am not going to tell you. Things you will have to find out for yourself. Things that only I could have told you – and there are people who would know that. I am prepared to help you, for reasons of my own, but I am not going to be your sacrificial lamb.’ He paused as the fresh round of drinks arrived then leaned across the table again. He lowered his voice. ‘Slater had a flight booked Sunday evening for himself and his daughter. London, and then a connecting flight to New York. Tickets and passport were in his inside jacket pocket.’