The Shadow Project. Scott Mariani

for her lecture. She thought she might as well hang around.’

      ‘I ought to be there,’ Ben said glumly. ‘I should be taking care of things.’

      ‘It’s just a bunch of insurance brokers wanting to be taught about hostage psychology and ransom negotiation techniques,’ Jeff said. ‘Nothing we can’t cope with ourselves. You sit tight and we’ll see you when we see you.’

      ‘Any word on His Nibs?’

      ‘Still in hospital. I reckon the bastard’s malingering there. Getting paid for doing fuck all. Private room at our expense, probably ordering champagne round the clock. I tell you, he’s having a whale of a time with this.’

      It wasn’t what Ben wanted to hear.

      Just after one, the team filed back outside, carrying their clumsy weapons. There was no conversation between them as they made the ten-minute walk to the circular concrete helipad at the west side of the estate.