‘We are. That is, we were.’ Hepton’s thoughts were quicksilver now. This was a man he’d been told to avoid, told by Paul Vincent, who was now dead. He couldn’t afford to let Villiers know anything, and already the man knew too much … ‘We broke up. We haven’t seen one another in months.’ Hepton sounded bitter, and made his face look the same. They had to be made to think that he wouldn’t be contacting Jilly.

‘Ah.’ Villiers went back to studying the typed sheet of paper. Hepton noticed that there was a buff-coloured file on the desk, down the edge of which was written a name: Dreyfuss, Major M. The paper had undoubtedly come from the file. Villiers seemed to know who Hepton was, and didn’t seem overcurious about Jilly. Therefore he already knew as much as he needed to know. Had he gleaned the information from the typed sheet? Hepton doubted it. No, there was another reason why Villiers knew about him.

Villiers looked up suddenly and caught Hepton staring at him. He smiled, as if to say: I know what you’re thinking. Then he read through the sheet again, and Hepton relaxed. Villiers couldn’t know he knew.

‘So how will we contact you, Mr Hepton, should we get through to Major Dreyfuss?’

‘As soon as I know where I’m going to be, I’ll let you know.’

‘Yes.’ Villiers sounded sceptical. ‘That would probably be best.’ He seemed preoccupied.

‘Is there anything wrong?’

‘Wrong?’ Villiers looked up.

‘I mean, wrong with Major Dreyfuss. Any reason why I shouldn’t be allowed to speak to him.’

Villiers smiled. ‘Oh no, nothing like that. Nothing like that at all. But procedures, you know …’

‘Red tape?’

‘Exactly. A bore, but it’s what we’re paid for.’ He smiled again, and Sanders laughed quietly.

‘Is there someone from our embassy with Major Dreyfuss?’

Villiers’ smile vanished. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Well, I would have thought it usual to have someone there beside him. To make sure everything’s all right.’

‘There’s someone with him,’ Villiers said in a cool voice. ‘Don’t worry on that score, Mr Hepton. Now, if you’ll excuse me …’

‘Of course.’ Hepton stood up.

Villiers reached out a dry, cold hand for Hepton to shake.

‘Just tell us when you get settled in somewhere, and then when we get through to Major Dreyfuss, well, we’ll take it from there. All right?’