‘There was no proof of the killing, of course, but De Jaager’s information was never less than cast-iron: this Stasi guy – his name was Buchner – had a lot of blood on his hands, and so did the others in his circle. They’d been around for a long time, and were the go-to crew for advice on torture and execution across the Eastern Bloc, which meant they’d helped to put a lot of our assets in the ground over the years. Letting them fade away to work against us from the shadows started to make less and less sense, particularly when we began to learn more about them.’

Old King Cole stared down at them from his Maxfield Parrish mural above the bar. Everyone in his circle – his courtiers and jesters – seemed to be having a good time, but Louis had never liked the look of him. In his black robe and white collar, he resembled a hanging judge. You could play the buffoon, and make the king laugh, but it wouldn’t stop him from killing you when you ceased to amuse.

‘The operation was farmed out,’ said Ross. ‘The Israelis were probably involved, because they had their own reasons for wanting two of these guys, but I can’t say for sure. They turned it around in three weeks, which was fast: four men dead, and no wreckage. A week after the last of them was dispatched, De Jaager joined us for dinner. His payment was five US visas, no questions asked.

‘I suppose I had scruples in those days, or more of them than I do now. The way it was done bothered me. I wanted Buchner to be arrested and face trial. I still believed in closure, or some semblance of it. De Jaager must have picked up on my unhappiness, because he took me aside as we were leaving. He could have uttered some platitudes about justice being served, but he didn’t. He just said “Sometimes, this is how it must be done. It’s wrong, and it stains the soul, but it has to be, because the other option is so much worse.”’

‘And how do you feel about that now?’ said Louis.

‘Let’s just say I’ve grown more comfortable with the concept as the years have passed.’

‘I can’t say it ever bothered me,’ said Louis.

‘I can believe it. I’ve seen your file.’

‘Don’t believe everything you read.’

‘If even half of what’s in that file is true, you earned the “Reaper” epithet. There are plagues that have killed fewer people.’

‘Did you bring me here to arrest me?’

Ross actually laughed aloud. For Louis, it was akin to watching a dead man dance.

‘If anyone ever arrests you,’ said Ross, ‘it won’t be at my instigation.’

‘Because you might end up taking the stand with me, and not as a witness?’