‘But … yes, madam.’ Inspector Holm looked unhappy, but he went out, slowly, with the Colonel. Michael sat quietly, looking at her. He knew what she was thinking. ‘Have you got the passenger list, Michael?’
‘Yes, Prime Minister. Here you are.’
She picked up the list of names and looked at it carefully. ‘Oh my God!’ His name was near the beginning. She dropped the list, sat down at the table and ran her hands through her hair. For a long minute she said nothing. The she looked up.
‘This is going to be difficult, isn’t it, Michael?’
I’m afraid so, Prime Minister, very difficult indeed.’
Helen stood up and walked to the window, thinking hard. Outside the rain, the American Ambassador’s car stopped by the door.
Carl looked through the window and watched the cars arrive at the airport building. There was a lot of cars now and a lot of lights in the building. Inside the plane it was hot and quiet. There was nothing to do.
