‘This isn’t the time for pap psychoanalysis.’ Silva stepped over the lifelines and moved to the cockpit. She slid open the hatch and descended the companionway steps, shouted back over her shoulder for Fairchild to come aboard. The boat rocked as he stepped onto the deck. He poked his head in the hatch and turned round to descend the steps.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘About Gavin.’

‘It’s a bit late for that now.’

‘Yes.’ Fairchild seemed to shrink. He looked longingly at the seats in the saloon and moved across and slumped down at the table. There was a large circular burn mark where Silva had accidentally placed a hot pan on the surface. He reached out and touched the blackened circle. ‘Do you know what would happen if Haddad found out who did this?’

‘I can only imagine.’

‘I don’t want to sound racist, but they regard life differently out there. People are stoned to death. They have their hands chopped off. They’re beheaded. Haddad will want more though. He’ll want to see somebody suffer. He’ll track down everybody connected with this and kill them. At least he’ll kill them after he’s done torturing them.’

‘It’s a bit late to be having regrets now. I’m sorry the job went wrong but it wasn’t my fault.’

‘You misunderstand. I came here to warn you. You should take precautions, perhaps go away for a while.’

‘You’re kidding me.’

‘No.’

‘But nothing that happened in Italy can lead Haddad back here, can it?’

Fairchild didn’t answer. He touched the burn mark on the table again.

‘Hello?’

‘There’s a possibility the location of the training base might have been compromised.’

‘The lodge?’

‘Yes. I heard there were people up there yesterday. Not police, nor were they Italian.’

‘Is there a link back to you?’

‘The lodge is owned by a holding company based in Bermuda, so not directly, no. With a lot of digging Haddad might be able to find out, but that’s not the issue.’

‘So what is?’

‘Apparently there were a couple of cars and a van. They didn’t go inside the lodge but they took away bags of rubbish, among other stuff.’

‘And?’ Silva was having trouble comprehending. ‘We made sure all the military gear was kept separate. Nothing incriminating went in the bins.’