'Oh. I don't know. I think about three years. Three or four years. Why? Didn't you find him helpful?' 'Not terribly. He suggested I should take Flight 306.' There'd been footsteps and they were coming closer along the gallery. It was one of the staff, all white blouse and navy blue skirt and heavy glasses. 'Mr Jordan? Excuse me for disturbing you. It's Thai Internation- al Airlines on the telephone.' 'Tell them I'll ring them back.' 'They said it was urgent, Mr Jordan.' I'd been expecting a call. I said to Katie, 'D'you mind?' 'You want me to wait for you?' 'If you've the time.' 'All right.' In the girl's office I told the man on the phone that I'd nothing to add; I'd done all I could to warn the cap- tain, and all I knew about the voice on the paging-phone was that it had been a young Asian woman's, possi- bly Japanese. 'Did she mention what kind of accident might happen, Mr Jordan?' 'Would happen. Would . As I told the captain and your airport officers.' 'You must understand, Mr Jordan, that we have to do everything possible to trace that caller. We need to establish responsibility. This is a major disaster for us.' So forth, and understandable. But it brought back the scalding onrush of guilt I'd felt when I'd listened to the radio in Al's bar, knowing then that I should have forced them to hold that plane and search it. I told the man, yes, he could send someone round here to talk to me, but I might be leaving soon. No, I didn't know if I'd be available as a witness at the enquiry. Katie was sitting just where I'd left her, but hunched on the cushioned window-seat, her long legs drawn up and her arms round her knees. 'Thank you for waiting.' She didn't answer, glancing across my eyes, that was all. 'They don't know anything new,' I said, and took one of the Louis chairs. 'Johnny Chen,' she said in a moment, 'is a drug transporter. Not a drug- runner . There's a difference. But even so, I can imagine how you're feeling. It's the second time you've escaped death in a matter of days, so you can't trust anyone. I can vouch for Chen, but what's the good of my word, if you don't trust me?' 'It's nothing personal.' She swung her head and looked at me. 'Isn't it? Martin, you can't be DI6, or we'd have been asked to help you. But what - ?' and she stopped right there, looking away again. 'Did Chen tell you I might take that flight?' 'No. Why should he?' She came unhunched and put her feet on the floor and sat hugging her briefcase, her shoulders forward, protecting herself. 'Martin, do you think they were trying to kill you again?' 'No. They wouldn't need to blow up a plane-load of people just to get at me. They'll come for me on the street.' She leaned nearer me, prepared to meet my eyes again after the anger. 'I wish you weren't so bloody mat- ter-of-fact about it. I also wish—' but she had the habit of leaving things unsaid. Footsteps again, and I looked across at the staircase. This time it was Rattakul, the Thai security officer I'd been here to see. 'Mr. Jordan.' He stopped short, and I went over to him. 'Your request has been approved.' 'When can I leave?' 'Immediately.' 'Give me two minutes.' 'I'll be down there in the hall.' I went back to Katie, and found her with the briefcase open. 'This came for you, Martin. From Chelten- ham.' Long manila envelope, thick; diplomatic bag frankings. The only thing I could imagine Pepperidge send- ing me was a breakdown on the Thai Security personnel, which was why he'd sent it to the High Commission instead of here. He trusted her that much? I took it from her. 'I'm not sure,' I said, 'when I'll be back.' 'Where are you —' She left it, looking down, zipping her briefcase shut. I went down and found Rattakul waiting for me.