‘What did you tell him?’

‘What do you think? I told him to get fucked. I’ve had bodies littering this city, one of them a copper, and neither powers nor principalities are going to prevent me finding out who put them there.’

‘What will he do?’

‘Try to lean on the Chief, I expect. Jimmy’ll back me for a while, but when the blackmail starts, no knighthood, that sort of thing, leading up to heavier threats, I don’t know whether he’ll hold out.

‘The thing that narks me most is that Fulton knew about our investigation. Somewhere, he’s got a spy. He knew about the money, and he suggested an explanation, one that would sound plausible if you ignored the fact that there are dead people involved. He knew about Aileen Stimson’s job, and he knew that you were coordinating things.

‘If we’re going to continue with this operation it’ll have to be tighter than a fish’s arsehole. You, Andy, I’d trust with my life, and I’m as sure as I can be of Brian Mackie. What do you think about the rest?’

Martin thought for a few moments. ‘I’d vouch for Maggie Rose. She’s rock-solid, doesn’t panic, and loves the job. The DCs are two of the closest guys you’ll ever find. Good company, great talkers in the pub, but never giving anything away, and even more important, great listeners to everything going on around them. The four of them, Brian, Maggie, McGuire and Mcllhenney, all have one other thing in common. They’re single.

‘Since they don’t have any steady partners, there’s no danger of pillow talk being passed on by accident, by some daft wife or boyfriend to a mate in the supermarket queue or in the pub.’

‘What about Aileen Stimson?’

‘We can’t rely on her. She isn’t committed to the force any longer.’

‘You’re right. Her cover’s blown too. Either one of those things would disqualify her for me. Pull her out.’

Skinner sat upright in his chair. ‘So our team is six. No one else. Wrap up the searches at the two flats and report to me on the findings. Then arrange for our people to take over the Harvey surveillance. No word on that yet?’

‘No, it’s business as usual for them. No odd moves at all.’

‘Good. That means they didn’t catch on to you.

‘One other thing. I want our team, no one else, to work on the Syrian security job when it happens. When he was still in a dealing mood, Hughie Fulton promised me all the special back-up we’ll need. The boys from Hereford and all that.’