‘Change of plan. You won’t believe it when I tell you. I can barely believe it myself…’ He trails off into a scowl as he spots Justin inside. ‘What’s this, a coalition of willing idiots? I don’t think we’ve met.’

‘What did you say your name was?’ Jemima smiles sweetly at Mr Politics.

‘Justin,’ he says, trying to strain his way out of the tiny room without actually touching anyone. ‘When do you need these contacts by?’

‘Yesterday,’ she snaps. ‘So jog on, will you?’

Dominic twists sideways to let him out. I sag into the wall as quiet descends again. Still the general doesn’t blink.

‘Why are you fraternising with those suits from politics?’ Dominic drapes his coat on the hook on the back of the door.

‘Because we need grunt work, and fast. I’m trying to get us ahead on any leaks from the Ministry of Defence.’ Jemima swivels 140her chair towards him before dropping into it. ‘Thomas was pushing the military angle in the meeting only to take a royal pasting from Olivia, up at the front and everything. Even I almost felt sorry for him, but he’s still not giving anything up. He must be properly nailed on to something.’

The foam walls amplify Dominic’s laugh as he folds his arms across his chest, beaming. I feel the tiniest seed of hope germinate from somewhere inside the panic.

‘Spill it, why don’t you,’ Jemima says as she stares up at him. ‘You’re even wearing a new suit. Where have you been? Or where are you going? Surely it’s not for the benefit of Essex’s finest?’

Dominic’s gaze moves between us as he adjusts his tie. I let the foam cushion me as I lean into it, imagining my horse with wings. We’re about to fly away, baby.

‘I’m closer than I’ve ever been before,’ he says, drumming his fingers on the desk. ‘I’m so close I can literally taste it … But I need to be certain that I’m not being played by the Home Office. Right now it feels like I might be, especially after showing them what we had on trafficking.’

‘Really? Why?’ I watch as Jemima’s eyebrows raise at him.

‘I’ve got inside the police on this, Jonas. Right inside. The problem is I barely needed to push the door before it opened, and then a few others swung open too. It’s practically fallen into my lap—’

‘Do you think Thomas is inside too?’ I can’t help but cut him off, heartbeat hammering.

‘Forget about him,’ he snaps. ‘This is bigger than anything he’ll ever get, no question. We don’t need to worry about him anymore.’

‘Talk to me, Dom, come on,’ Jemima says as I crumple against the wall, foam edges suddenly unforgiving. ‘You’ve obviously been talking up a storm all morning.’