‘No, I guess that would be a bit pussy for a big gal like you, eh? It might be something more brutal. A revolver that would put a big hole in someone, rather than a small one.’

He looked around. No one was paying any attention.

‘Maybe it looks a bit like mine,’ he whispered, opening his jacket and giving her a glimpse of his handgun. ‘So you’d better be a very accurate shot. Otherwise it will be your last.’

‘You don’t know what you’re dealing with,’ Amaz said in a hoarse whisper.

‘Oh yes, I do,’ he said. ‘I know you killed an Australian on this trip four months ago. I don’t know how you did it though.’ He paused. ‘Perhaps you’d like to tell me?’

Amaz’s eyes widened. Fear had seeped into her expression. Mingled with her aggressive manner, it was unpredictable. Cavalier drew the gun from his jacket but kept it hidden.

‘Don’t move,’ he said, his voice steady and quiet. ‘I have every right to kill you. Right here. You followed me up the mountain with a view to kill me.’ He paused and then added, ‘Put your weapon on the table, very slowly.’

Amaz eased out her gun and placed it on the table between them. He picked it up with his left hand. In a deft movement, he tossed it into the river.

‘Tell me how you killed that Australian agent,’ he demanded. ‘You should know that he worked for the CIA too.’

‘You’re mad! You’re a racist to hold me like this.’

Cavalier looked surprised.

‘Where did that come from? Mad, yes; racist, no. I always see people who label others, such as screaming “racist”, as limited. Labelling is the first refuge of an idiot.’

Amaz looked at the cargo boat, which was a hundred metres away.

‘They own you, don’t they?’ Cavalier continued. ‘They use you when they want you. You play along because the money is good. But you want out.’

He leant back in the cubicle. Amaz was distressed, but her manner was less aggressive.

‘They’ll pin the death of the agent on you,’ he said, and waited to let his words sink in. Then he added, ‘I guess it was fun taking drugs, drinking champagne, travelling everywhere, having sex. Then the murder happened.’

Amaz turned away.

‘You can walk away from this,’ Cavalier said. ‘I’ll make sure you get immunity if you inform on these …’ He nodded in the direction of the distant cargo boat ‘… criminals.’ He grimaced as if a bright idea had come to him. ‘No, I’ll make it easier on you. You only have to tell us about Dubois and what he did. I know he murdered the Australian agent. I want to know what he did with the body.’