Rosa had seen photographs of the two men and had committed their faces to memory. They were both in their early thirties and were known as a pair of brutal enforcers whose speciality was torture.

‘Is there anyone looking out for them?’ she asked.

He nodded. ‘There’s one minder. A few minutes ago he was sitting on a wall to the left of the entrance. He’s wearing a dark suit and if he moves I’ll be informed.’

Rosa was impressed. It was always good to know well in advance what to expect.

‘I’m taking you to a side road a few hundred yards from the restaurant,’ Miguel said. ‘We’ll be there in about ten minutes. It’s where the motorcycle you requested has been parked. Everything else you asked for is in the trunk.’

‘Sounds good,’ Rosa said, looking at her watch. ‘With luck it’ll all be over within half an hour.’

Rosa was driven to a narrow, unlit road that looked as though it was rarely used. There were no properties nearby, and the darkness was oppressive, as though it carried weight.

A motorcycle was resting up against a hedge. It was an old Honda Cargo 150 and the engine was still warm. Rosa had been riding motorbikes for years and she was familiar with the controls.

Miguel handed her the key and said, ‘It was picked up earlier today and is in a very good condition.’

From the trunk of his car he took out a helmet, a one-piece leather motorcycle suit, gloves, and a small rucksack containing a Glock 19 machine pistol and a commando knife.

Rosa slipped into the suit and heaved the rucksack onto her back.

Miguel then told her how to get to the restaurant and she mounted the bike.

‘I wish you luck, Miss Lopez,’ he said. ‘But I am sure that you won’t need it.’

The restaurant was set back from the main road and was clearly a popular establishment. The lighting inside was subdued and there was a parking area in front with about a dozen cars.

Rosa spotted the bodyguard straight away. He was sitting on a low wall smoking a cigarette and he was the only person in sight.

She brought the bike to a halt against the kerb just a couple of yards away from him.

He stood up stiffly to attention as she dismounted. She’d already removed the commando knife from the rucksack and with her back to the guy she unzipped her suit top and reached for it with her gloved hand.

She then used the element of surprise to her advantage by whirling around and rushing at him.

Before he could react she plunged the knife deep into his stomach with a fierce upward thrust.