At the Conservatorium, Louis was discussing with Hendricksen the information contained in Ross’s dossier on the Vuksans, and particularly that which concerned the Viennese lawyer named Anton Frend.

‘The name isn’t familiar to me,’ said Hendricksen, ‘but I can ask around. I’ve had some dealings with Austrian lawyers.’

‘How were they?’ said Angel.

‘They were lawyers,’ said Hendricksen.

‘That bad, huh?’

Hendricksen nodded glumly.

‘Is the intel solid?’ he said.

‘I trust the intel,’ said Louis, ‘but not the source.’ He had shared with Hendricksen the generalities of his conversation with Ross, omitting his deeper concerns about Ross’s motives.

‘And you say Ross is putting you in touch with a contact in Amsterdam?’ said Hendricksen.

‘So he claimed. If you’re right about the repercussions of Musulin’s death, we now have a window of opportunity, but it may not remain open for long. Ross’s spook buddies will understand that just as well as we do.’

But even as he spoke, Louis had to quell his unease. In his old life he had prided himself on preparation, including intimate study of a target through multiple forms of surveillance, sometimes lasting weeks, or even months. Whenever possible he took on much of that responsibility himself, because he placed the appropriate value on his own skin. Only on rare occasions had he killed without taking precautions, and the premium charged had not been worth the peril: twice he had come close to being apprehended, and once he had almost died. Now he was hunting on unfamiliar territory, and dependent on the goodwill of strangers.

Which was when a waiter appeared with a note for him, and said, ‘Your guest is waiting for you at the bar.’

Chapter XXIX

Radovan and Spiridon Vuksan had rarely been apart during the past twenty years. They were, in their way, symbiotic beings, or two aspects of the same brain. Radovan was the cerebrum – thinking, learning, planning – while Spiridon was the cerebellum, governing the movement of the muscles. Radovan adjudged, and Spiridon acted accordingly. Separate, they were individually weaker. Together, they were greater than the sum of their parts.

On the other hand, for such a relationship to work, these two aspects of the brain had to be in perfect accord, and in recent years Radovan’s caution had increased in seemingly direct proportion to Spiridon’s recklessness. Spiridon no longer considered his brother’s counsel, and even when he did, it was dismissed as often as it was accepted. Had he not known better, Radovan might have said that Spiridon was intent upon their ruination.

For the first time, Radovan Vuksan was contemplating the excision of his brother from his life.