him away from Lynley and Ardery. She spoke urgently into his ear and he listened gravely. But the end result was no different. He shook his head. A few more words passed between them and Zaynab Bourne made for the outer doorway, flipping open her mobile phone as she went. Lynley had little doubt the solicitor had resources upon whom she was calling to light a fire under the feet of the Met.
Hiro Matsumoto returned to the police. He said, "Come. I'll take you there."
ISABELLE FIELDED A phone call from AC Hillier as they crossed the river, heading up Victoria Embankment to avoid Parliament Square. Previously, she'd spoken only to the AC's secretary, grateful for the opportunity to rehearse the passing along of information that was likely to send Hillier into orbit. He said, "Tell me," as a means of greeting. Isabelle, cognizant of Hiro Matsumoto's presence in the backseat of the car, gave him as little information as possible. She concluded her recitation with, "He's in the operating theatre and his brother is with us. We're heading to his digs."
"Have we got our man?"
"It's very possible."
"Considering the situation, I don't need possible. I need probable. I need yes."
"We should know quite soon."
"God knows, we had better. Get to my office when you're done out there. We need a meeting with Deacon."
She didn't know who the hell Deacon was, but she wasn't about to ask Hillier to identify him. She said she'd be there as soon as she could and when she ended the call, she asked Lynley the question.
He said, "Head of the press bureau. Hillier's lining up the cavalry."
"How do I prepare?"
He shook his head. "I've never known."
"Philip cocked this up, Thomas."
"Do you think so."
The fact that he said those words as a statement was, she decided, a declaration of his own opinion, not to mention of his judgement. And, perhaps, a declaration of his loyalties as well.
They said nothing more, merely riding in a tense silence to Charing Cross Road where Hiro Matsumoto directed them to its intersection with Denmark Street. There a redbrick structure of eight floors housed living accommodation that was called Shaldon Mansions, which appeared to be flats that filled a building whose ground floor comprised a line of shops. These carried on a theme of music that extended down Denmark Street - which itself appeared to comprise nothing but outlets for guitars, drums, and various types of horns - and combined this theme with news agents, luggage shops, cafes, and bookstores. The entrance to the flats consisted of an opening tucked between Keira News and Mucci Bags, and as they walked towards it, Isabelle sensed Lynley's steps slowing, so she turned to find he was gazing intently at the building. She said,
"What?" and he said, "Paolo di Fazio."
"What about him?"
"This is where Jemima Hastings took him." He gave a nod to the entrance to the flats.
"That first night they met. He said she took him to a flat above Keira News."
Isabelle smiled. "Well done, Thomas. So we know how Yukio came to meet her."
Hiro Matsumoto said, "Knowing they might have met does not mean - "
"Of course it doesn't," Isabelle said grimly. Anything to keep him moving. Anything to get him to take them to the flat, as there appeared to be no concierge to direct them.
Unfortunately, the cellist had no key. But as things turned out, a few bells rung, followed by a few knocks upon doors and a few questions here and there led them into Keira News. There Isabelle's identification produced a master key to every flat in Shaldon Mansions, held by the shop's owner who did double duty as a recipient of packages and emergency contact should a crisis arise within the building.
They definitely had a crisis on their hands, as Isabelle explained to the man. He handed over the key and they were about to set out when Lynley paused to ask him about Jemima Hastings. Did he know her? Did he remember her? Unusual eyes, one green and one brown?
The eyes did it. She had indeed lived in Shaldon Mansions, in a bed-sit quite similar to the one into which they were seeking entrance.
This confirmed another connection between Yukio Matsumoto and Jemima Hastings, and the fact gratified Isabelle hugely. It was one thing to connect them by means of Covent Garden.
It was quite another to connect them through their living accommodation. Things were looking up.
Yukio's bed-sit was on the fifth floor of the building, a point at