‘Your bought police stooges are only half right. They can’t know that I was in London on other business the week before Ross Campbell drowned, and drove up.’ The bluff sounded pretty wild to Ben, but Stuart couldn’t disprove it, and Ben was counting on him being too fixated on the gold to pick apart the logic. ‘He took me to the forest and showed me where he’d found the first coins. We soon found the rest, and we stashed it somewhere safe before I had to return to France for a few days. Now that Ross is dead, I’m the only one who has any idea where it is.’

Stuart mulled over Ben’s story for a few moments, and seemed to accept it as truth. ‘Then it appears I’m speaking with the right person. So let me get this straight. I view the merchandise, we agree on a cash settlement, you get your money and I don’t hear from you again?’

‘The money’s all I give a damn about,’ Ben said. ‘What else could possibly matter?’

‘I thought perhaps you might be somewhat concerned about your friend. McCulloch the elder.’

Ben had to use all his willpower to keep his tone unemotional. ‘I told you, Ross didn’t trust the McCullochs, either Ewan or his uncle. They were too greedy for their own good. So whatever happened there, happened. No use crying over spilt milk. I don’t have a problem with it. If I choose to be unbothered, ethically or legally, then, I suppose, so do you.’

Now Grace was staring at Ben as though he’d lost his mind. She held her arms out with her fingers splayed wide and mouthed, ‘WHAT?’

‘As you say, spilt milk,’ Stuart replied casually. ‘But what you tell me is interesting. It explains why the old man didn’t appear to know anything about all this, even after we pressured him a little. I have to say, I was rather disappointed by his apparent recalcitrance, at the time. Now I understand.’

A chill went through Ben’s whole body. He had the phone so tightly clamped to his ear that it hurt. He was trying very hard not to picture the kinds of things men like this would have done to make Boonzie talk. ‘I wouldn’t waste my time putting any more pressure on him, if I were you.’

‘I’d already come to that conclusion myself.’

Ben closed his eyes, dreading what might be coming next. ‘So what’d you do, get rid of him?’

‘Oh, no, he’s still enjoying our warm hospitality here. Though after this conversation, that situation may come to a swift end. What do you think?’