‘But what … will … then we …’ Static sliced through her reply like an editor’s red pen, only one word in God knows how many surviving, until a beep told him the call had been lost altogether. He picked the phone up, roaring in frustration. He hit redial but the call failed. A second time. A third. He jammed the phone roughly into the cup holder. Locke hoped she’d be ready when he got back. This wasn’t the time to be dallying. For a man who had worked hard to project an image of strength for years, she was still a weak spot for him.

He glanced at the clock. Forty minutes and he’d be home. Just a little while longer and he could rest. Exhaustion washed over him, tugging at his eyelids. He couldn’t remember ever being so tired. Feeling every year of his age, weary to the bone. One last call. A number he saved for special occasions.

‘Two seconds.’ Footsteps. A door closing. The voice came back on the line, a low hiss. ‘We can’t talk now. Later. Call me later.’

‘Later’s no good for me, George. It’s time to call in one final favour.’

Styles yelped as his knee cracked against the passenger door with a heavy thunk. ‘Easy there, Lewis Hamilton. You’re not in your F1 car now, you know.’

Porter ignored him, eyes fixed on the road ahead. He was approaching the turn into Locke’s street when he saw the dog patter off the pavement and onto the road. He slammed on the brakes, swerving away from the bemused animal. Its owner at the other end of the lead hit him with a glare that could shatter glass. With his cords and blazer, complete with handkerchief poking out of the top pocket, he could have been a distant cousin of Locke’s, with that same air of entitlement. You knew when you were in an area out of your price range when folks dressed up like that to walk their dogs.

They drove through the already open gates of the Locke house, eyeing the Volvo parked outside with suspicion. The driver’s door stood open, and … wait … was that somebody in the passenger seat? Porter gestured for Styles to go left, covering any escape if they bolted, while he circled around towards the open door. After what had happened down by the river, he wasn’t taking any chances. He angled to get a clear line of sight into the car, and called out a warning.