‘What about at the iceberg?’ Nina snapped. ‘He sank our ship with a rocket launcher! That’s not exactly something you pack on the off chance it might come in useful.’

‘That was out of my hands!’ he objected. ‘Yeah, I sent Harhund to Germany, but I already told you that was a mistake. I had nothing to do with anything that happened afterwards.’

‘Then who did?’ demanded Eddie. He looked around sharply at movement near the entrance, but it was merely the waiter returning from the bar with the water. The Yorkshireman pointedly held up a fork as the bottles were placed on the table, daring Miller to say anything. Miller remained silent.

‘Would you like a drink, sir?’ the waiter asked Eddie.

‘No, I’m fine,’ he replied. ‘Can we have a few minutes before you bring the menus? We’ve got some business to discuss.’ Simon glanced at Miller for confirmation, but he remained close-lipped, so nodded and departed towards the kitchen at the restaurant’s far end.

‘So who sent them to the iceberg?’ Nina said. ‘You expect us to believe you’d order Harhund to Hamburg to get the key, but then wash your hands of everything else?’

Miller gave her an unexpectedly calculating look. ‘Do you have the key?’

‘None of your fucking business!’ Eddie growled. ‘Answer her. Or you’ll be taking the quick way down.’ He gestured towards the long drop beyond the windows.

Miller swallowed, then lowered his voice. ‘I had nothing to do with sinking your ship. It wasn’t me. It wasn’t!’

‘Then who was it?’ Nina demanded, anger returning at his prevarication. Was he trying to buy time? She glanced towards the entrance, but nobody was there.

Somebody was approaching from behind, though. Eddie heard them too. ‘Look, I said to give us a few min—’

‘This cannot wait,’ said a cold Scandinavian voice.

Nina and Eddie whirled – to see Harhund and one of his team from the iceberg. The mercenary leader had a hand in his jacket pocket, the unmistakable shape of a gun’s muzzle pushing at the fabric.

‘What the hell kept you?’ said Miller with relief.

‘I had to get my weapons past the metal detector.’ The Sky Tower had the same security systems as an airport. ‘And then I had to convince someone to let us come through the kitchen.’

The businessman nodded. ‘You were right that they’d staked the place out.’

‘It was predictable.’ He regarded Eddie and Nina. ‘Give me the key.’

She opened her hands wide. ‘We don’t have it.’

Harhund turned to his companion. ‘Wintz, search them.’

The other man performed a rapid pat-down of Nina’s clothing before moving on to Eddie. ‘Ooh-hoo, that tickles!’ the Yorkshireman cried in an exaggerated squeal. The other diners looked around, Simon giving them a curious glance as he headed for the bar.

Harhund was not amused. ‘Shut up!’

‘It’s not here,’ said Wintz, stepping back.