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‘Two damning pieces of evidence,’ said Paul, opening a thick file. ‘Four fifty-pound notes and a Rolex watch.’

‘Why are they of any importance?’ pressed the Commander.

‘If you draw a suspiciously large sum in cash from your account,’ said Paul, ‘under the 1995 Proceeds of Crime Act, your bank has to report the withdrawal to the National Crime Agency. These four notes,’ said Paul, holding them up, ‘have been traced back to the cash Faulkner withdrew from his bank in Mayfair.’

‘Fingerprints?’ said the Hawk.

‘No such luck,’ said Jackie.

‘Then the CPS won’t find that’s enough to open an inquiry,’ said the Hawk. ‘What about the watch?’

‘It’s a Rolex Daytona valued at around forty thousand,’ said William.

‘But Scott will claim he purchased it legally – he probably even has a receipt to prove it.’

‘Then it can only have come from a pawnbroker,’ said William, ‘because inscribed on the back are the words:Happy Birthday, Love Christina.’

‘There are a lot of Christinas in the world,’ said the Hawk, ‘so it will be important to get a statement from his ex-wife confirming she gave it to him as a birthday present.’

‘I’ve already fixed an appointment to see her this afternoon,’ said William.

‘But how did Scott get his hands on the watch anyway?’ asked the Hawk.

‘That was another question he failed to answer, sir,’ saidPaul, ‘but you can be sure he’ll have come up with an explanation long before he enters the witness box.’

‘We still need a smoking gun,’ said the Hawk, ‘if we’re to convince the CPS to go ahead with a prosecution and not dismiss our findings as coincidence.’

‘I think I may have found a connection between Faulkner, Rosenberg and Christie’s,’ said Rebecca. ‘One that Booth Watson won’t be able to dismiss as a coincidence.’

Rebecca had the team’s undivided attention.

‘Rosenberg is the leading authority on the American constitution,’ Rebecca reported, ‘and Christie’s are selling a copy of the Declaration of Independence on Faulkner’s behalf.’

She handed copies of a Christie’s catalogue to her colleagues before she continued. ‘If you turn to page 49, you’ll find Lot 91 is the Lot concerned – the sale of a copy of the Declaration written by Thomas Jefferson, known as the Fair Copy.’

They all followed her instructions.

‘But what I want you to look at is not the Lot, but the provenance, because you’ll find their description of the most recent owner of the Declaration is a “Titled Lady” – a quaint expression auction houses use when they wish to show the property has been in the possession of an aristocratic family for several generations.’

‘This is leading somewhere, Sergeant Pankhurst,’ said the Hawk.

‘It most certainly is, sir,’ said Rebecca, ‘because I think I can prove who the “Titled Lady” is. Christie’s are also selling, along with the Declaration, five letters written by Jefferson to an MP called David Hartley. So I think it’s possible that the lady in question could be—’

‘Lady Hartley,’ said William, catching up with her.

‘And if I’m right,’ said Rebecca, ‘it might explain why Faulkner held a meeting with Prince Ahmed at the Dorchester and what the Prince would be expected to do in return for Ms Dubois not being able to appear at Hartley’s trial.’

‘As Faulkner’s involved, anything is possible,’ said the Hawk. ‘William, call your friend, Special Agent Buchanan, in Washington, and bring him up to date. And while you’re at it, make an appointment to see Lady Hartley. She may have the keys that will unlock several doors.’

‘I’ll take Ross with me,’ said William, ‘A little Irish charm—’

‘You can count me out,’ said Ross firmly, his gaze returning to the photo on the front of theEvening Standard, ‘because nothing will change the fact that Avril would still be alive if I’d done my job properly. You’ll have my resignation on your desk by the morning.’

‘Why don’t you take a few days off, Ross, and think it over?’ said the Hawk in a conciliatory voice that the rest of the team rarely experienced. Ross didn’t respond. ‘I just want to be sure you don’t do something you’ll later regret.’

‘I’ll regret Avril’s death for the rest of my life,’ said Ross, his voice flat and uncompromising, ‘and there’s nothing you can do to change that.’

Ross got up from his place, turned his back on them and left the room without another word.