Page 97 of We Chase Shadows

Steve sees that his new friend, Ernesto Manuelo Santiago de Sousa de Cuéllar, straight off the easyJet from Southampton Airport, looks very at home in a castle. Even in jeans and trainers and a ME ENCANTA MALLORCA T-shirt.

‘In return for this information, I have a photograph for you,’ says Ernesto. ‘This is my gift. Day before Tommy Griffin is assassinated. Palm Springs Airport, the early flight from Los Angeles.’

Ernesto shows them the photograph. ‘We recognize any friends, huh?’

Steve takes a good look. Maybe twenty people in the queue, but one you simply can’t miss. The unmistakable figure of Jakob Eriksson. Or, rather, as they now know, the unmistakable figure of Connor Brooks.

But Steve already knew what he was going to see. Carlos Moss had sent them the exact same photograph. Steve wants to give Ernesto his moment of glory though. As do the others. They all say ‘ooh’ or ‘goodness me’ or words to that effect.

Vern Blackwood puffs out his cheeks. ‘Okay, then.’

‘He has killed them all now, Vern,’ says Ernesto. ‘All but you.’

‘We have to keep you locked up,’ says Amy. ‘No one in, no one out.’

‘Three days,’ says Vern. ‘Then I take my chances.’

Vern is still very much the coolest head in the room. He is banking an awful lot on his friendship with Brooks. Though when you do someone that sort of favour, perhaps that’s reasonable.

‘We can keep an eye on the airports,’ says Ernesto. ‘If Brooks lands in Britain, we’ll know.’

‘And if he does land in Britain,’ says Amy, ‘we’ll have a pretty good idea of where he’s headed.’

Steve nods. ‘We sit and wait. Let him come to us.’

‘So I’m bait?’ says Vern. ‘Fun.’

‘If it goes wrong, then he will kill you,’ says Ernesto. ‘But it won’t go wrong. We are a match for him, you don’t think? We will keep you alive.’

‘I think so,’ says Rosie. ‘I believe in us. We’re in a castle with two policemen and two bodyguards. And me, of course.’

‘I like our odds,’ agrees Steve. ‘Although I do have to pop out tomorrow lunchtime, if I can be spared?’

He is having lunch with Georgie Glazier. What harm can that do? It’s just lunch, not a sauna. And he does want to talk to her about Connor Brooks.

‘Going somewhere important?’ Rosie asks.

‘Dentist,’ says Steve.

‘I thought you didn’t go to the dentist,’ says Rosie. ‘You’re not lying to me, are you, Stevie?’

‘I don’t go to the dentist,’ says Steve. ‘When I said that to you the other day, I thought, you know what, Steve, you should go to the dentist, Rosie’s on the money there, so, you know, I booked an appointment. Check-up.’

Rosie nods. ‘Oh, well, I’m so glad you’re not lying to me. I actually have to nip out tomorrow too, but I don’t suppose anyone will miss me.’

‘And where are you going?’ Steve asks.

‘Dentist too,’ says Rosie.

So they’re both lying about where they’re going tomorrow. Interesting.

‘I’m sure we’ll muddle through without you,’ says Amy. ‘We keep our eyes open and wait for Connor Brooks, or someone hired by Connor Brooks, to cross Rosie’s moats.’

‘How do we advertise Vern is here?’ Steve asks the room.

‘Do you have an Instagram account, Vern?’ Rosie asks.

‘An account? Not really,’ says Vern. ‘I follow a few wellness influencers and the Dalai Lama. But I wouldn’t post because, you know.’