‘I think I mentioned that Brandon Hope’s holiday house is in Italy on the Amalfi Coast,’ Fairchild said. He pointed at the aerial photograph. ‘This is the town of Positano and the villa sits on the cliffs on the west side. I’ve rented a house on the east side. It’s a little over one kilometre across the water to the villa. The fifteenth of August marks the end of the festival of the town’s patron saint. In the evening there will be a spectacular firework display with a lot of very loud bangs. For the past five years Karen Hope has spent the week of the festival at the villa. Brandon always holds a small party on the night of the fifteenth. The guests watch the display from the terrace, food and drinks first of course and then the fireworks. There’ll be plenty of time to set up and no rush to get away. With the confusion in the town it will take the police ten or fifteen minutes to arrive and they’ll have absolutely no idea where Hope was shot from. Even if they were to bring in ballistics experts, it will be weeks before they conclude it was an extreme long-range shot from a sniper. Pinning down the shooter’s position will be impossible so whoever does this will be able to escape scot free.’

Silva looked at the pictures. Fairchild had it all worked out. Did he really believe he could convince her? ‘You’re mad.’

‘No, you’re the one who’s mad, remember? Cracking up because of the mistake you made in Afghanistan. Angry you can do nothing about your mother’s death.’ Fairchild reached for his napkin and dabbed his mouth. ‘I can understand. We all make mistakes and frequently we’re powerless to do anything to effect a change. Well now’s your chance to put things right.’

‘If what you told me is true, I still don’t understand your reluctance to go to the media. Somebody will get the story out there. The conspiracy can’t be that big.’

‘Hope springs eternal. A new Hope. However bad things get, there’s always Hope. Love and Hope conquer fear and hate.’ Fairchild crossed his arms. ‘Campaign slogans from the primaries, Rebecca. The US is waiting, but the bigger picture is the globe is waiting. There’s an overwhelming imperative that Karen Hope becomes the next leader of the Western world. We are living in dangerous times. A steady hand on the tiller is what’s required. Straight ahead. Not left, not right, but down the middle. Nobody is going to believe this crap.’ Fairchild gestured at the envelopes. ‘On the other hand, those who know it’s true will do anything to prevent it coming out. Anything, understand?’

Silva glanced over at the blonde woman. ‘You mean…?’