‘Operation Andromeda,’ he interrupts, sighing, as if it’s all we’ve been talking about the whole time. ‘Andromeda, today of all days. At least we know we’ve really spooked them, if they’re willing to publicly address arguably their worst shambles in history just to delay us showing them up, yet again, as completely incompetent.’

‘Do you really think it’s because of us? Because of trafficking? All the Met do is dodge questions on Andromeda, and suddenly now they can’t wait to grab the mike?’ 78

‘I’d like to think so,’ he replies as thunder growls across the sky. ‘Of course I would, wouldn’t you? But if Thomas, of all the prize dickheads, actually has a genuine source…’

‘Well, we already know Thomas is full of it. This could easily just be another one of his distractions – trying to make it look like he’s the one with the right sources, and not you. Like he’s the one on top of everything. You’ve said it yourself a million times, he is totally self-serving. He’s been after any beat for months, not just home affairs – anything, frankly, that would get him off shift work on the news desk. He’ll have got wind of our trafficking scoop and started agitating every contact he’s ever had.’

‘What else did he say?’ Even through the roar of the storm I can hear the cracks in Dominic’s voice. ‘I couldn’t get anything out of Olivia but he must have told her what he thinks he’s got. There is no way on God’s green earth she would spring him on a hunch. She only plays dumb and coy when it suits her. And Thomas wouldn’t know how to develop an investigative lead if it broke his perfect nose. It’s a shame I’m apparently the only one who can see that. You would think by now—’

‘How long will you be?’ I interrupt, saliva running almost immediately as I point the cabbie to the pavement outside the coffee shop I spot on the corner of our next turn. One precious little pocket of time is all I’ll need.

‘We’re going to swing by for Jonas, or try to at least. Thirty mins, tops. See you there, OK?’