‘My pleasure. It’s so refreshing being around normal people who aren’t intimidated by my fame. It’s hard to find other women who don’t resent me for looking like this. Especially after three children.’ She paused. We all remained silent. ‘Especially as two of them are twins and still so young.’

‘Oh, right. Yes, of course you do look amazing.’ Naomi loyally trotted out what she needed to hear.

I looked over at Camilla. She was running a finger around the rim of her teacup. She had been the quietest. Did this mean they were blissfully happy? Maybe. Or was it that she just didn’t share personal information with strangers? Perhaps. Were these musings mission-relevant? Definitely not.

We all got up and after a flurry of goodbyes I was left at Table Eight alone.

If the device was not a bomb, what was it? Who in this room was the one tasked with activating it – and why hadn’t they?

Mrs Moulage came up beside me.

‘Do we know anything yet?’

I shook my head. ‘Our tech support will run tests on the device back at the Platform.’

A blonde woman in a fur gilet passed us and gave a start as she saw me.

‘Lex. I didn’t realise you’d be here. How nice.’ She said this unsmiling.

Annabel. Duggers’ wife. We had known each other at university. Known each other, but not been friends.

‘Yes, well, I’m here doing my bit. I’m a Liaison for one of the groups.’

‘That’s great. I thought you were too high up to be dealing with initiatives like this, but I guess not.’

‘It’s something Duggers really believes in, so happy to help.’

‘No one calls him that anymore. Well, no one serious.’ Annabel gave a little giggle and walked off.

‘What have you ever done to her?’ asked Mrs Moulage as we watched Annabel’s furry back departing.

‘I slept with her husband.’

Mrs Moulage nodded. ‘That’ll do it.’

‘Back at university, before they got together,’ I added.

Mrs Moulage smiled. ‘It probably meant more to him than to you.’ She opened up her clutch and took out a long, thin cigar and a silver lighter. ‘What a morning. Nothing like worrying you’re going to get blown up while some balding recruitment consultant from Kent tries to explain what something called BitCoin is.’ She lit her cigar. ‘This was not what I signed up for.’ She let out a long drag of smoke. ‘Goodbye, Lex. It was good to meet you.’

‘Goodbye, Mrs Moulage. And thank you.’

‘What for?’ She cocked her head.

‘I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t paved the way first.’

‘Oh sweetie, you would’ve found a way.’ She gave a throaty laugh. ‘This isn’t a job, it’s a calling.’ She stalked out the double doors, a shimmer of green silk and cigar smoke.

Chapter Five

Chapter Five