‘Something tells me things are going to get more dramatic from here,’ he said.

Chapter 46

They got back in the Mercedes and took off, leaving the burning police car and the two unconscious cops by the roadside. Grace sat in silence, frowning deeply. Ben lit a Gauloise. It was still two hours before daybreak. The snow had died away and the clouds had rolled aside to uncover an inky sky studded with bright stars. He turned off the road two miles later at the first exit, and followed a maze of narrowing lanes for several more miles until their route took them close by the edge of a still, milkily starlit body of water with looming black hills in the background.

The sat nav showed that they were close by the shores of Loch Bà. The place was as desolate and empty as any wilderness Ben had travelled in. He turned off the road and bumped over rocks to pull up on the slope of the shore, the car’s nose pointing down at the glistening water.

‘This is a good spot,’ he told Grace.

‘For what, sightseeing?’

‘We need to dump this car,’ Ben replied. ‘It’s got a big red flag on it. And I couldn’t have returned it to the rental company anyway.’

‘You could have said you were shot at by bandits.’

‘That probably happens all the time around here, doesn’t it?’

She sighed. ‘Damn it, I was getting to like this car. And we’re miles from anywhere.’

‘We shouldn’t have too far to walk to find alternative transport,’ Ben said.

‘You’re not going to find a bus out here at this hour, or any other.’

‘A bus wasn’t what I had in mind.’

‘Not too many car rental outlets either. For what good it would do you.’

‘Don’t rub it in,’ Ben said.

Ben got out of the Mercedes and Grace reluctantly followed. The stars cast their light over the dappled waters of Loch Bà. They gathered their things from the back of the car. Ben made the choice to leave the crossbow, the ghillie suit and the unused night-vision goggles behind. He regretted ditching them, but he needed to travel light. Then he put the transmission in neutral, let off the handbrake, and they stood back and watched as the Mercedes rolled down the slope. Slowly at first, then gathering speed, bumping over the rocks and snow, until it splashed nose-first into the loch. Ben had chosen the spot well. In moments the deep black waters closed over the bonnet, then the roof; and then it was gone.

He sensed Grace’s tension and put his arm around her shoulders to give her a reassuring squeeze. Said softly, ‘It’s going to be okay. Trust me.’