The drone continued in the direction of the small convoy, descending as it went. Using the drone’s precision altimeter Louis would have to fly only a meter or so above the first car in order to hit the second. The more distance there was between the two vehicles, the easier it would be. At the moment, he judged them to be about twenty meters apart. He didn’t want them to get any closer.

‘Most,’ he said calmly, ‘I need to know now.’

They would only have one chance with the drone. If they hit the Audi and Luca Bilbija wasn’t in it, they would lose him. Bilbija would bury himself deep and all their efforts would have been for nothing.

The drone was closing in rapidly on the convoy. Five hundred meters, four-fifty, four, three-fifty, three, two-fifty. Soon the lead car would fill the lens of the camera. Its headlights, thought Louis, might even pick out the incoming threat.

Two hundred meters.

‘Abort,’ said Most. ‘It’s not Bilbija.’

Louis lifted the drone fast. The screen showed the three cars passing just beneath it. The drone continued to rise until it was well above the road.

‘Wait!’ said Most. ‘Bilbija’s outside the casino. He’s making a call. She thinks he’s asking Mirko to come back for him. He doesn’t want the guards to drive him, and they don’t want to take him unless they have to. He’s made himself unpopular.’

‘Is he alone?’

Most tapped the question. The phone pinged.

‘Yes, he’s alone.’

Louis brought the drone down again, following the road south.

‘Confirm his position,’ he said.

Most realized his intention.

‘Seriously?’ said Most.

‘Seriously,’ said Louis.

Most tapped again. The reply came instantly.

‘He’s smoking a cigarette on the lawn and talking on his phone. She says there’s no one else nearby.’

The casino was in sight. Louis tilted the drone west. Seconds later, it was passing over the gatehouse, and the camera picked out a guard looking up, trying to determine the source of the noise. The lawn appeared, the figure of a man visible upon it. By now the drone was below tree level. The man turned toward the drone. In the final seconds, Louis saw Luca Bilbija’s face.

There was a flash, and the camera went dead. A moment later, they heard the explosion.

Chapter LVI

Frend broke the news about the accounts to Radovan Vuksan over the phone. Frend was very glad that circumstances necessitated his remaining isolated from the Vuksans, because this was not information that he would have cared to deliver in person.

‘What about the bankers?’ said Radovan. ‘Why didn’t they protect us?’