‘There. The loading locations on board the Excelsior. Container Alpha and container Zulu have location IDs which differ by only one digit.’ Javed turned from the screen. ‘I’m guessing that means they were slap bang next to each other on the boat.’

Late the next afternoon a swirl of dust at the end of the track signalled they had visitors. Silva got up from where she was sitting on the veranda and called into the house for Gavin.

‘Trouble,’ she said when he emerged. She pointed down the valley to where a red sports car was dodging the potholes. ‘What shall we do?’

‘Nothing,’ Gavin said. ‘That’s Mr Fairchild.’

Fairchild swung the car round in front of the house and clambered out. Lona, the woman Silva had seen with Gavin in Plymouth, was with him. She wore jeans and a tight top which emphasised her breasts. Her lipstick matched the colour of the car to a shade.

‘Who is she?’ Itchy whispered, awestruck.

‘Your wife’s got a kid on the way, Itch.’

‘Oh, yeah. My bad.’

‘Rebecca!’ Fairchild bounded up the steps. He turned to Itchy. ‘And you must be Richard. Heard all about you. Top bloke, from what Rebecca told me.’

‘Um…’

‘This is Lona.’ Fairchild gestured at the woman and she climbed the steps and moved forward to kiss them, Italian style, each in turn. Itchy’s eyes grew in size as she bent close. ‘Lona’s here to coordinate everything. She’ll be your CO on the op – right, Lona?’

‘Sure thing, Matthew.’

‘In my absence, what she says, goes.’

‘Mr Fairchild?’ Gavin had come across. He glared at Lona. ‘But we’re all set. Equipment in order. Everything ready. Good to go.’

‘I don’t doubt it, Gavin.’ Fairchild gave a half wave, dismissing any argument. He moved across to a wicker sofa and sat. ‘Now, drinks. A toast to the success of the operation.’

For a moment Gavin stood, impassive. Then he turned and went inside.

‘Don’t you think celebrating is a bit premature?’ Silva said. ‘Sort of counting your chickens?’

‘Oh, I have no doubt as to the outcome. On the morning of the sixteenth the news will be about Karen Hope. Stories will begin to emerge about her background. Questions will be asked. It will cascade onwards from there over the next few days, becoming an avalanche within a week.’

‘You’ll leak the material?’

‘Just so. Then all of a sudden the imperative will be to flip the situation. The death of Hope will be spun not as a tragedy but as a lucky escape. A staid but reliable candidate will step into the breach and be elected.’ Fairchild turned his head as Gavin emerged with a tray which held an ice bucket with a bottle in and several glasses. ‘Great. Richard, you’ll do the honours? You look like a man who knows how to handle a fine champagne.’