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“Yup,” Josiah replied confidently. “See, the flaws in your organisation are, unsurprisingly, the flaws in its leadership. It’s well-meaning, but piecemeal.

It relies too much on maverick individuals with a flair for improvisation” – Josiah glanced pointedly at Peter – “and good-hearted people who just want to help.” He glanced at Elsie.

“How do you find the escaped indies who want to be smuggled out of the country, Elsie?”

“Word of mouth,” she responded, shrugging. “We have been doing this for several years now, you know.” She sounded a little stung by his criticism.

“I know – and it’s been a fantastic achievement.” Josiah shot her a mollifying smile.

“We’ve come a long way – we’ve improved hugely from the early days,” Elsie said. “After Kathleen died, Peter joined the army, and I thought it’d fall apart, but I counted without this one here.” She rolled her eyes at Peter, who grinned back at her.

“As if I’d let all Gran’s hard work go to waste,” he riposted .

“He and I coordinate the whole thing, but we’ve built up a little network of volunteers who help us.”

“And you’ve done a great job,” Josiah told them. “But I think we can turn it into something more structured.”

“Joe is big on structure,” Peter informed Elsie.

“I just think you’re wasting your biggest resource,” Josiah said.

“What’s that?”

“All the people you’ve helped escape. They’re out there, scattered all around the world, and I bet plenty of them would be happy to help other people in the same situation they were once in.

You could contact them, find those who would be willing to be part of a chain of safe houses, and that would replace the army convoys as a way to get people around Europe. ”

There was silence for a moment as they both stared at him. Then Elsie turned to Peter.

“You told me he was cute, but how come you never mentioned how smart he is, too?”

Peter laughed. “He has his moments.”

“Cute!” Josiah snorted. “Nobody has ever called me that.”

“You are to me.” Peter wrapped an arm around his neck and planted a big kiss on his cheek. “I should have brought you in on this ages ago, Joe.”

“What about the UK side of things?” Elsie asked. “That’s the hardest part of the whole operation.”

“Most of the people you get out of the country have relatives here,” Josiah told her. “They might be in a position to help – out of gratitude for what you’ve done to help the people they love. We could slowly start recruiting them – with proper checks, of course.”

“If you get that job at Inquisitus, you’ll have access to databases that could help us with that,” Peter ventured.

“No,” Josiah said flatly. “My work and the Kathleen Line must always be kept separate. I’m going to do my best for Inquisitus if I get the job, Peter.

I’m not going to take their money and screw them over.

Also, just so you know, I can’t condone murder, whatever the circumstances.

I’ll help indies escape from abusive houders, but if they’ve killed their houder, I’ll arrest them for it. Simple as that. ”

“Fair enough.” Peter turned his attention back to the map. “Now, let’s talk about your plan in more detail…”

There was another buzz from his holopad, and Elsie popped up, looking solemn. He clicked to accept the call, with a sigh.

“So, is it true you’ve got yourself an indie, Joe?” she asked.

“It’s temporary!” he said, exasperated.

“It’s a bad thing, Joe.” She shook her head. “A very bad thing.”

“Elsie, you’ve known me for years. Is it really likely that I’d buy myself an IS when I’ve spent over a decade helping to free them?”

“I’m not concerned about that; I know you’d mean him no harm.” She waved her hand in the air. “But this particular indie comes with a history, and I’m worried about you, and what you could be getting yourself into.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Josiah told her firmly. “Look, this is my job, Elsie, and I’ve always done my job to the best of my ability. That hasn’t changed.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “I know you’re a good man. I also know that when Peter died you shut down.”

“And you think that’s a weakness?” Josiah trusted Elsie to always tell him the truth, as she saw it, but that didn’t mean he had to agree with her.

“No, you’re a strong person, Joe – the strongest I know. You could’ve turned your back on the Kathleen Line after Peter died – God knows, it cost you enough – but you didn’t. Instead you worked even harder at it and made it even better.”

“Then why do you think I’m going to turn my back on my principles now?”

“Because you’ve been working like a crazy man for the past seven years. The only break you give yourself is that one day of the year when you stay home on the anniversary of Peter’s death and polish his car. The rest of the time you’re working either at your job or for us.”

“I like to keep busy. I’m still not seeing why this is a problem,” he responded irritably .

“You’ve seen it for some time now, but you don’t want to deal with it.”

“Nope. Still not understanding.” He shook his head stubbornly.

She sighed. “Joe, you’ve worked so hard, and been so good at your job, that you’ve got this reputation now – you’re the indiehunter.”

“I didn’t—” he began, but she held up her hand.

“Let me finish. I know you didn’t ask for that name.

I know all you did was solve a couple of high-profile cases involving indentured servants.

It’s not your fault the press have latched on to you like this, but now you’ve taken on this notorious indie, it’s become far more dangerous.

How can we keep what we do a secret while everyone’s looking at you?

You’re front-page news. One day, some nosy journalist is going to dig deeper than all the rest and find what you’ve been hiding – and then we could all go under. ”

“I won’t let that happen,” Josiah said tightly.

“You might not be able to stop it,” she warned. “I had a call this morning from a woman who needs help getting a relative out. Normally, I’d ask you to do the pick-up, but I had to tell her there was nothing I could do for her.”

“You could ask Jan or Derek.”

“They’re both in France right now, in case you forgot.”

He paused and took a deep breath. “You’re right, I did forget. It’s been a busy few days.”

“You fight for two causes, Joe,” Elsie said bluntly.

“You’ve managed that very well for a long time, but it’s starting to be a problem now.

You stand for a certain kind of hard justice to the people of this country, but you repeatedly break their laws.

If they ever find out, they’ll crucify you, son. ”

“It’s a risk we all take,” he said flatly. “Being exposed is hardly the worst thing that can happen to me.”

“I know. The worst thing that could happen to you already has. That’s why I don’t think you’re seeing this clearly.”

“Peter paid for this cause with his life, and I won’t let him down. I’ll carry on his work, Elsie, the way I promised.”

“Promises to the dead don’t have to be honoured forever, sweetheart,” she said gently .

Josiah heard a noise and tapped his holopad, muting her.

“I have to go, Elsie. We’ll talk another time – and stop worrying.”

He severed the connection and glanced up to see Alexander standing in the doorway.

How long had he been there? Suddenly, he saw Elsie’s point.

If Alexander had heard what they were talking about, then she could have been placed in danger.

He liked Alexander, but the indie had freely admitted he was playing some kind of game.

Until Josiah knew what that was, how could the IS be trusted?

Elsie was right – Josiah was a liability to the Kathleen Line right now, and he had to find a way to fix that.

“How long have you been skulking in the doorway?” he demanded angrily, standing up.

“I just got here. I’ve finished clearing up and wondered if you’d like a cup of tea,” Alexander replied, looking startled by the new belligerence in Josiah’s mood.

“Well, I wouldn’t,” he growled, striding over to the door. Alexander shrank away from him, and he remembered Liz’s advice. “Sorry, I’m just tired,” he said more softly.

“That’s fine, sir,” Alexander replied meekly.

Weirdly, Josiah found he missed the use of his first name. “Look, there’s no need to call me sir; I don’t mind if you call me Josiah,” he said awkwardly.

“Thank you.” Alexander smiled brightly. “So, have you finished calling your friends?”

“Yes.” Suddenly, an idea occurred to him.

“On the subject of friends, you told me yesterday that you only found a true friend after you became an IS. Well, I’ve interviewed your previous houder, and I’ve interviewed your family – but maybe I’ve been looking in the wrong places. Who was this friend you mentioned?”

“You think I have friends who’d kill for me?” Alexander asked incredulously.

“It would explain why you aren’t cooperating.”

“Yes, it would, wouldn’t it?” Alexander sighed. “If only it was that simple – it’d save you a lot of time and trouble. No, Josiah, I don’t have any friends who’d kill for me, and even if I did, I would never ask them to. ”

“I’m not saying you asked them, or even that you knew they would do such a thing. Just… maybe it’s something a true friend might decide to do?”

“I have no friends like that,” Alexander said, in a tone so final that Josiah knew he’d learn nothing else from him on that subject tonight.

“Fine. Will you tell me about him or her one day? This friend of yours? I’d like to know. Nothing to do with the investigation.” He waved his arm in the air dismissively. “I’d just like to know who they are, and what they did for you, that you speak of them so highly.”

Alexander gave the smallest flicker of a smile. “One day, yes,” he said quietly. “I’d like nothing more.” There was a strange intensity to his voice.

“Then I’ll wait. I’m a patient man,” Josiah said wearily. “Now, it’s late, and I’m tired, so I’m going to bed.”

Alexander placed a hand on his arm. “Um, so… I was wondering if I could sleep in your bed again tonight, Josiah?”

Josiah exhaled. “Look, Alexander…”

“Alex.”

“What?”

“If we’re going to talk about our names, then I prefer to be called Alex.”

“Okay… Alex… look, what I said last night about not having sex with an IS still stands. You do understand that, don’t you?”

“Of course. I experienced a similar issue myself once, with my father’s secretary; I handled it with much less dignity than you have.” Alex gave a rueful smile. “There was also Neil, but I’m not sure who was exploiting whom, there.”

“Neil – the bloke you shared a flat with at university?”

“Yeah. Anyway, I wasn’t planning on us having sex.

I just…” Alex paused and looked down, then looked up again with such an honest expression in his eyes that Josiah knew he was seeing the real person.

“It’s been a strange day, seeing Tyler again after all these years, and last night was nice. You know, just being next to someone.”

“Yes, it was,” Josiah admitted.

“So, I wondered if we could do that again. Just that. Not sex – just keeping each other company. ”

Josiah knew he should say no, but when he opened his mouth, the word “yes” came out instead.

Alex gave a delighted smile. “Thank you.” He pressed a kiss to Josiah’s cheek and then made a run for the stairs before he could change his mind.

Josiah followed him, already regretting his impulsive decision. He suspected this was a bad idea, but Alex had already spent one night in his bed. What harm could another one do?

Heading for the bathroom, he cleaned his teeth, then climbed into bed wearing his boxers and a tee-shirt.

A couple of seconds later, Alex joined him.

He slid into the bed with his back to Josiah, and they both lay there stiffly until Josiah gave a little growl and put his hand over Alex’s stomach, drawing him close, and then they both relaxed.

“Good night, Alex.”

“Good night… Joe.”

Josiah prodded him. “Only my friends call me Joe, you cheeky bastard – I give you an inch, and you take a mile, as always.”

Alex laughed and melted against him.

Josiah liked how it felt to be holding a relaxed, laughing man in his arms again. It wasn’t only the physical intimacy – it was the emotional warmth as well, the sense of sharing a joke, and feeling comfortable and at ease with one other. It was addictive.

A small, gnawing voice at the back of his mind wondered how he’d be able to give it up when the time came.