‘Conquer will react. You’ve dealt them two big blows now—the fraud over reserves, and now knocking them out of Russia.’ Cavalier paused. ‘The Australian federal government did an audit of Conquer Australia. They found forty million dollars was missing from the accounts. No one could say why.’

‘That indicates Farquar was paid off in cash and Texas land with an oil well.’

‘He may have done a deal that he “retired” there to avoid any investigation, whether or not he succeeded in eliminating you.’

‘I’m still a target. He may strike again.’

*

James the butler drove his boss Bleulance, and Mawnie Schwartz, his chief of security, in a dark blue Mercedes across his Napoleon V estate past arable fields, horse stables, tennis courts and a dairy barn. Landscaped terraced gardens and flowing fountains, with marble cherubs peeing, were either side of the road.

They turned a corner and pulled up at a miniature chateau, with its tiny turrets and towers, where Bleulance liked to admire his Rembrandts, Picassos of all periods, a couple of huge modern frescoes and some more modest Reynolds and Gainsborough portraits.

James used a remote to unlock a massive double gate and then the chateau front door. Windows were barred, just in case some foolish robbers might want to chance their arm with a burglary in the highly fortified estate.

Bleulance led the way into a red drawing room and spent some time showing around an interested Schwartz, who liked to remind everyone he had a fine arts degree, perhaps to balance his thuggish, flat-nosed appearance, gnarled knuckles and an eye affliction that didn’t help his credibility.

James, in his usual unobtrusive manner, prepared tea using seventeenth-century French silverware.

Schwartz gave his boss a verbal report on Haut’s activity in New York and then Hamburg.

‘Do you think his business in Hamburg was connected to Conquer’s dismissal from Russia?’ Bleulance asked.

‘Excuse me, Baron, but is the Pope a Catholic?’

Bleulance took a deep breath. James poured the tea for both of them.

‘He has the backing of the CIA and the navy, at least in the States,’ Schwartz said.

‘Now this kicking of Conquer out of Russia! But how? Why?’

‘Not sure. But Haut met Kisley, and Kisley is one of Putin’s closest buddies.’

‘How do we stop Haut?’

‘Too dangerous to eliminate him at the moment. I don’t want my team in a gunfight with the CIA. I have the best team in the world, but the CIA can call on the American military if it wants to.’

‘What do you suggest?’

Schwartz sipped his tea. In his enthusiasm to respond, he clunked the fine crockery too heavily for Bleulance’s liking.

‘There are other ways that you can deal with him. Keep up the sabotage and so on. But the next best deterrent to getting rid of him is to hurt …’ Schwartz paused to make a snapping motion with his hands, ‘those closest to him.’