“She’s safe.” Alex watched Calvin’s color partially return, though his eyes were still asking what had happened. Alex kept his voice steady, his tone noncommittal; unsure of Calvin’s precise role, he was reluctant to exempt him from a possible charge of even indirect complicity. “There was a break-in last night while Siân was here, and she was attacked and injured”—Calvin tried to speak, but Alex raised his hand—“though not too seriously, I’m pleased to say. It was certainly someone you know. As you can see, he was looking for something, which we don’t believe he found. He threatened her about going to the police, then struck her full in the face. She couldn’t answer for the whereabouts of her boyfriend.”

“Oh, dear Lord,” Calvin said without volume. He sat on the arm of the sofa nearest the doorway, and Alex realized he was in fact unable to stand. “Did they want me?”

Alex watched him closely, assembling ideas, but his voice was perhaps a shade gentler, though no less searching. “I’m fairly certain it was a second set of documents Will found in France that they wanted. He sent them away, but not without making photocopies. They set up with Lucy for you to be the go-between and collect them for your…entourage, but you disappeared without a word and neglected to let us know when you’d be back.”

“Yes. Be angry with me, Alex—it’s right you should be. I’ve screwed up royally. But is Siân OK?” Calvin’s shock was starting to give way to what seemed to be genuine rage at the prospect of anything happening to her.

“Yes, Calvin. She is.”

Alex quickly assessed Calvin’s changing reaction and crossed the floor space between them. He recognized that Calvin needed some form of demonstrable support, and pulled up a single dining chair to sit close to him. In the tone of a reasoning man he reported the events of the last forty-eight hours, including the episode with Max. He chose his style well, preferring to speak as plainly as possible. The effect of underplaying such horror—especially about his own son—made Calvin appear quite sick, and he shook his head in utter disbelief, listening to Alex without a sound.

“Obviously, in light of what happened to Will, I took her back to my place,” Alex concluded, “and she was still asleep in Max’s room when I left.”