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table. ‘What does Inland Security want with my files on Jade Green? Looking for her legendary videos, are we?’

      ‘Sit down, Mr Sloane, and I’ll bring you up to date while my partner makes you a nice cup of tea,’ offered Bree.

      ‘I’d prefer something stronger.’

      Bree smiled. ‘I’m sure you would, but if you’re going to work with us you’ll have to learn to curb your drinking habits.’

      ‘Who said I even want to curb my drinking habits and why should I want to work with a couple of spies?’

      Sam was filling the kettle as he replied. ‘We’ve read your files and if you want to read ours then you’re going to have to join us.’

      ‘What if I don’t want to join you? What if I don’t need to read your files?’

      Bree smiled. ‘We have all sorts of information to fill in the blanks and we have answers to questions that you haven’t even thought of asking yet.’

      ‘Like what?’

      ‘Like who did Rani Smith ring as soon as she had gotten off the phone to you.’

      ‘How did you know I rang Dr Smith?’

      ‘You see, Mr Sloane, that’s why you need to work with us. We have access to information that you could only dream about obtaining.’

      ‘Why me? And how did you know I was investigating Jade Green?’

      ‘Lists. Your name kept appearing on lists,’ replied Sam. ‘We knew where you’d been, so we had a fairly good idea what you found, but having read your notes you’ve surprised us. I think we can learn quite a bit about collecting information from you.’

      Sloane was considering his position. The chance to use the government databases was almost too good to be true. What price did they expect him to pay? ‘What’s my co-operation going to cost me?’

      ‘Excellent question, Mr Sloane. Unfortunately we can’t give you a definite answer to that,’ said Bree.

      Sam added, ‘You see, Mr Sloane, we don’t know where this investigation will lead us. We have a starting point and an aim, but we have no idea what will occur along the way. Suffice to say that if you help us you will accumulate enough information to write several books.’

      ‘And will I be allowed to write the book I want to write?’

      Sam looked at him. ‘Unfortunately I can’t guarantee that. There are matters of national security here.’

      ‘Then why would I want to co-operate with you?’

      ‘Well, Mick. May I call you Mick?’ said Bree sweetly. ‘If you don’t co-operate with us then you may be regarded by Inland Security as hostile to the security of this country. If that becomes the case I’ll leave it up to your imagination as to what could happen to your career as a reporter.’

      ‘So you’re forcing me to join you?’

      ‘Yes,’ agreed Sam with a shrug of his shoulders. ‘But the alternative was that we were going to be working on this matter anyway. So our paths would have crossed and we would have had to slow you down by any means available. This way we all work together and we can get twice as much done.’

      ‘I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.’

      Bree smiled at him. ‘Isn’t that the way of the world!’

      Sloane thought of the information he had already accumulated. Even if her friends didn’t want him to write about Jade Green there was still the story of Robert Symes. He could even change the names of those involved to protect Rani Smith and her trust.

      ‘When do I get to see your information?’ asked Sloane.

      Both Bree and Sam smiled. ‘Just as soon as you can. Let’s collect all your files and move them over to my place. That’s where we’ve set ourselves up,’ said Sam.

      Bree thought out loud. ‘There’s not going to be too much sleeping space over there with the three of us, but I don’t think we’ll be getting too much rest in the near future.’

      Chapter 6

      The current board meeting at The Fund was taking place in their underground boardroom next door to the bank’s vault.

      ‘But why can’t I go out to Africa to supervise my project?’ demanded Eliza Strang, her usually deathly pallor giving way to a flush of frustration.

      Nori spoke slowly and quietly, trying to calm the girl down. ‘Eliza, dear, if you even attempted to enter the country looking as you do, you would instantly be marked as a person of interest.’

      ‘The clanging of metal detectors would be enough to get you kicked out before you stepped foot in the country,’ laughed Toby.

      Nori shot him a withering glance. She was trying to calm the girl down and Toby’s offhand comment would only make Eliza more intractable.

      ‘Eliza, you must realise that the culture as well as the climate will simply not allow you to operate out there. You would pass out with heatstroke within hours of your exposure to the tropical sun and I can’t imagine anyone racing forward to revive you if you did,’ said Nori quietly.

      ‘But it’s been my project all along. I have to go out there and oversee its implementation.’

      ‘When would you want to be out there?’ asked Lana.

      ‘The equipment is ready to be packed into containers. I only have to ship them out there and have them transported to the site. That should take a month.’

      Nori said, ‘But even if it gets there that quickly, you can’t get it set up until the government agencies give their seal of approval to the project. The equipment could be sitting on the docks out there for months.’

      ‘Can’t you see! That’s why I have to get out there. All my planning will be for nothing if we can’t get government approval.’

      Nori persisted quietly. ‘And how do you think the government officials will react to a very youthful female Goth trying to tell them how to run their country?’

      Eliza’s frustration was all the more difficult for her to swallow because she could see exactly what Nori was trying to say to her. She looked around the table at the others and realised that none of them were trying to talk down to her. Even Toby’s comment, she accepted, was him attempting to lighten the situation rather than an attempt to put her down. It was now up to her to decide the correct course of action.

      She took a deep breath. ‘So, if I want to go out to Africa I have to become “normal”, do I?’ she said with a disgusted expression.

      ‘Well, Eliza,’ began Nori, ‘if what you mean by “normal” is that you dress in a manner appropriate to the climate and that you wear an amount of jewellery that will not set off all the airport detectors and that you conduct yourself in a dignified and professional manner, then “normal” is what is required. I daresay they have any number of citizens travelling through their country as backpackers, but you’ll be there on business, so even a casual mode of dress will be insufficient to gain their trust.’

      ‘No jeans?’ asked Eliza.

      Nori nodded. ‘Not even a hint of jeans! You will be on a mission to gain their trust. You will need to dress appropriately.’

      Eliza sighed deeply, wondering if she were capable of such a drastic change. Up to now all business had been conducted by phone and she had established a good rapport with some of the officials. To lose them at this late stage would be disastrous for the project.

      Lana looked at Suzie and gave her a wink. ‘I think it’s time for some of your fellow directors to come to your aid. I hereby nominate myself and Suzie as re-modellers.’

      ‘Okay,’ nodded Suzie, ‘I accept the challenge

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