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‘Did she turn you down?’ said Khalil, looking disappointed.

‘No. She’s agreed to come back to my hotel and spend the night, but she doesn’t come cheap!’

‘Did she say anything about me?’ asked Khalil, still sounding anxious.

‘She doesn’t like you, but I said I didn’t either.’ Khalil grinned. ‘Though it’s still going to cost me five hundred dollars.’

‘You’ll have to pay,’ said Khalil, ‘otherwise she’ll become suspicious.’

Ross took out his wallet, extracted six hundred-dollar bills and handed them to the barman. He looked forward to explaining the entry on his expenses sheet. The Hawk wouldn’t question it, but he suspected Mr Trevelyan would want a detailed breakdown.

The barman placed five hundred dollars in the till, and pocketed the other hundred.

‘Once you get back to your suite,’ said Khalil, ‘fuck her once if you want to, but then lock her in the bathroom, come down to the lobby and leave the rest to us.’

Did Khalil think the Irish were that green? Perhaps he really did believe money could buy anything, so he continued to play along. ‘And what exactly can I expect in return?’ asked Ross, using the only language Khalil understood.

‘Not only will you get your contract, my friend, but I’ll give you two per cent of my commission, which will make you a very rich man.’

Ross glanced at the goon on the other end of the bar who’d never taken his eyes off them, well aware exactly what Khalil had planned for Avril. ‘Five per cent,’ he said, once again calling the tune.

Khalil immediately nodded, which only confirmed just how desperate he was.

‘Take my car,’ said Khalil. ‘Tell the driver to come back once he’s dropped you off.’

Ross turned and nodded to Avril, who drained her glass of champagne before she got up and strolled across to join him. She didn’t once look at Khalil.

‘Shall we go?’ was all she said, linking her arm in his while accompanying Ross towards the door.

Ross glanced back to see Khalil talking to the man who had been seated at the other end of the bar.

As they left the club, he said, ‘Don’t say anything while we’re in the car, because you can be sure Khalil’s driver will be listening to every word and will be reporting back to his master.’

‘Do I look that stupid?’ said Avril as she climbed into the back of the Rolls.

‘The Palace Hotel,’ slurred Ross, ‘and your boss wants you to go back and pick him up once you’ve dropped us off.’

‘Yes, sir.’

On the journey back to the hotel, Ross gave a convincing performance whenever the driver glanced in his rear-view mirror and observed the two of them embracing each other.

When they were dropped off outside the Palace Hotel, Ross parted with another hundred-dollar bill for which he received a salute and ‘Have a good night, sir.’

As soon as they entered the hotel, Ross went straight across to the concierge desk and quickly briefed Jim on what he needed. Jim nodded from time to time, until he spotted one of Khalil’s men coming through the swing doors. It was the same man who had been sitting at the other end of the bar in the Overseas Club.

‘A car will be waiting for you,’ whispered Jim, as Khalil’s man walked past, adding, ‘Have a good night, sir.’

‘Thank you,’ said Ross, before walking across to join Avril, who was standing by the lifts with her back to the henchman.

‘Don’t look back,’ she warned him. ‘Salim – Khalil’s thug – is hanging around in the lobby and he hasn’t taken his eyes off you.’

‘I’m well aware of that,’ said Ross as they stepped into an empty lift. Neither of them spoke again until the doors had closed.

‘I don’t usually ask for my client’s name,’ said Avril as the lift began to move, ‘but in your case …’

‘Declan O’Reilly,’ said Ross, ‘and you’re my wife.’

‘Forgive me for mentioning this, Mr O’Reilly, but I don’t remember you proposing to me.’