And Jess. After she’d confirmed what I’d suspected – that the car at Deyna’s flat was registered to Media Corp – I spewed out everything that Rep told me. ‘You should probably steer clear of this toxic mess,’ I warned her. ‘I’ve got enough credit in the bank that I can afford to piss a few powerful people off so I’ll be all right whatever happens. You’re starting out. The career risks are not the same . . .’

She was characteristically withering. ‘Don’t patronise me. I can look after myself. This story is going to be massive – and when it goes out, my name’s going to be all over it.’

‘Then you’ll be escorted from the building with me, too.’

‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’

*

We need to tap up every contact we have in the City to verify what Rep told me. A multi-billion pound deal like this doesn’t happen unless many tens of bankers, brokers and lawyers are working on pages and pages of contracts and legal documents. If we can just find someone who’s got a few relevant pages they can slip us, or who’s willing to speak on the record, we’re off to the races.

‘I’ve been on this story for weeks,’ Jess reminded me. ‘No one wanted to spill even on deepest background, let alone for publication.’

‘But now we know more precisely what we’re looking for.’

We were still talking after midnight, as Wednesday slipped into Thursday. ‘There’s no point ringing anyone at work,’ Jess said. ‘No one is going to talk about this from their office.’

‘Right. I always find that people are a bit more forthcoming on a Sunday. There are fewer distractions, and they need a reason to ignore their children.’

‘So what shall we do today?’

‘Follow up your DVLA lead. Find out what those Media Corp flunkies were looking for in Deyna’s house.’

*

That is why, at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening, I am in my scarred and filthy Peugeot, going to pick up Jess from outside Carriage Gates in Parliament Square. One hand is on the wheel, the other clutching the Nokia to my ear.

‘What the flip is Hugo Rep up to?’

Bob Ringer chuckles down the line. ‘You spoke to him, did you?’

‘All that “Breitner is a bad person, bad for Britain” bollocks.’

‘I’m sure Palatine is only doing its patriotic duty.’

‘If I know my City history, at Palatine it’s always been partners’ profits first, Queen and country a long way second.’

‘Dear boy, you’ve become dreadfully cynical. And so young.’

‘Come on, Bob. What’s this really about?’

‘Surely you can guess.’

‘I imagine there’s some European client of Palatine that has its eye on Capital, but doesn’t want to get into a bidding war.’

‘Bright boy.’