‘Ben Hope. Welcome to my humble abode. So glad you could make it.’

Hacker and Jamie McGlashan’s killer stepped into the room after Ben, the third guy remaining outside in the corridor. Hacker closed the door. He and his associate each stood to one side of the doorway, pistols now drawn and eyeing Ben warily, as though they expected him to try to tear their employer apart with his bare hands. That wasn’t actually too far away from Ben’s own thoughts, at that moment.

Ben repeated the question he’d asked earlier. ‘Where is she?’

Stuart made an airy gesture. ‘Somewhere nearby, where you’d never find her even if you could try. Hacker’s man Graham is looking after her, equipped with an extremely sharp knife that he’d just love to get stuck in with. But don’t worry, she’s in good health. Whether she remains so is dependent on the degree to which you’re prepared to cooperate.’

‘It would be in your best interests that she does,’ Ben said. ‘Because if anything happens to her, you and I are going to have a serious problem.’

‘I’d say you’re the one with the problem, to put it mildly.’

‘The worst that can happen to me is that I die trying. Nobody will ever be able to say I lived an unfulfilled life. Whereas you’d die knowing that you never even came close to getting the thing you most wanted.’

‘I’m a businessman,’ Stuart replied. ‘I understand all about leveraging a deal. Though I wouldn’t get too cocky if I were you. You’re not in a strong position here, to say the least.’

‘Boonzie McCulloch,’ Ben said.

‘What about him? Are you suddenly concerned about his welfare now?’ Stuart gave that triumphant smile again, even more widely. ‘Come, come. Surely you didn’t think you had me convinced earlier, when you so artfully pretended not to be? Nice try, but I know every trick in the book. I practically wrote the damn thing myself.’

‘Then he’s alive.’

‘Oh, very much so, in no small part thanks to our efforts in keeping him that way. But only two kinds of people exist in my world, Mr Hope. The ones who can be of use to me, and the ones who can’t. Now that I have you exactly where I want you, I’m no longer feeling quite so motivated to play nursemaid to some sick old codger. Your friend just became surplus to requirements. Bad luck for him.’

‘Same terms apply,’ Ben said. ‘Boonzie gets hurt, you can say bye-bye to your precious loot.’

‘I really don’t give a damn if he lives or dies. I’m interested in one thing only. Getting what’s mine.’