‘Right. American Armaments provide a good chunk of money, but here’s the thing: until recently the business was fighting to be profitable and it looked as if the company would go under.’

‘So?’

‘Here.’ Another photograph. A fifty-something man with a Panama hat over glossy blond hair. Perfect teeth bared in a grimace and white skin flushed red with the heat. Next to him a glamorous woman with a slim figure. ‘Brandon Hope, Karen’s brother. The woman beside him is his Italian wife, Pierra. Brandon used to be a diplomat and for several years he was the United States’ top man in Saudi Arabia. He retired from the diplomatic corps a while ago and founded an aid charity which operates from a base in Italy. Of course at some point in the future Brandon or his sister will be expected to head American Armaments, but for now the father remains in charge.’

‘I don’t—’

‘The arms industry has been notorious for kickbacks. Think British Aerospace, now BAE Systems. Remember the allegations concerning huge bribes the company paid to the Saudis?’ Silva nodded and Fairchild continued. ‘Well, Brandon Hope has been exploiting some of the personal connections he built up when he was a diplomat. As a kickback for arms contracts with the Saudi Arabian government worth hundreds of millions, he’s been helping a wealthy Saudi backer distribute cash directly to terrorist groups across the Middle East and North Africa. This is done through his charitable operations in regions where accountability is close to zero. The effect the arms deals had on the bottom line of American Armaments was dramatic and occurred right around the time Karen threw her hat in the ring. Brandon’s plan, I guess, was to ensure Karen would be president when it was time for the father to pass control of the company to his offspring.’

‘Karen Hope can’t have been aware of the link.’

‘You know her, do you? Personally?’ Fairchild reached for the picture of the congresswoman surrounded by cheering supporters. ‘Appearance is everything in politics and Karen Hope has cultivated an image that shows her to be strong but fair, compassionate while at the same time willing to make tough choices. Don’t be fooled though – behind the mask there’s a woman determined to grab power by any means possible. Can you imagine her state of mind when she found out her brother had brokered an arms deal that involved funding terrorists? She’d have known if the information became public she would be swept aside, her political ambitions shattered.’

‘I still don’t believe she was involved.’