He made a disapproving noise, then looked back at the screen. ‘Hamburg, eh? I’ve been there. Long time back, when I was in the army, but I doubt it’s changed much. Sort of place where you need to stay on your toes.’

‘Any advice?’

‘Don’t go on your own. Especially in the rough part of town. Which is where I can guarantee the guy selling this thing will be.’

‘Yeah, I’d already resigned myself to that,’ she said with dark humour.

‘When’s he going?’

‘This weekend.’

‘And I already know I won’t talk you out of going with him, ’cause you’re back in full Nina mode . . .’

‘Hmph!’

Eddie straightened. ‘I’ll come with you,’ he said firmly.

Nina knew he would be as stubborn having made the decision as she, but still gave him a dubious look. ‘What about Macy?’

‘Holly or Olivia can look after her.’

‘Macy’ll be pissed at us both, you know.’

He grinned. ‘You should be used to that by now.’

It was her turn to sigh. ‘I know. Oh well. Better start thinking about how we’re going to break this to her in the morning.’

‘Think we’ll have to work faster than that,’ said Eddie as the study door opened.

Macy entered. ‘Break what to me?’

‘All yours, love,’ the Yorkshireman said to Nina with a grin.

‘Gee, thanks,’ she replied, before taking a deep breath as she faced her daughter. ‘Okay. Honey, this weekend, your dad and I have to go away for a couple of days.’

‘Why?’ Macy asked.

‘Ah . . . some business came up at the university. I need to go to Germany to help collect an artefact.’

Her face lit up. ‘Can I come?’

‘Sorry, honey, but no. You’ll have to stay here.’

Macy’s smile turned instantly into a scowl. ‘What? Why? Why does Dad get to go, but not me?’

Nina looked to Eddie for help, but he merely gave her an infuriating little smirk. She glared at him, then continued: ‘The place we’re probably going . . . it’s not really suitable for a girl your age.’

A snort of outrage. ‘Mom! I’m ten, not five!’

Eddie finally joined in. ‘To be honest, love, I wouldn’t be happy about you going there even if you were a grown-up.’

Macy’s expression did not lighten. ‘I can’t believe you’re going to Europe without me.’

‘We’ll be back as soon as we can,’ Nina assured her. ‘Olivia or Holly will look after you while we’re gone.’

‘But I don’t want them to look after me!’ she protested. ‘I want to come with you!’ She glanced at Nina’s laptop. ‘What’s that?’

‘That’s the artefact we’re going to collect.’

‘That skull looks familiar. I think I’ve seen it in an archaeology video.’

‘I doubt it, honey,’ Nina said. ‘This thing’s only just been discovered.’