“Well, I…”

She sighed.

“You haven’t, have you?”

There was no real admonition in his eyes but she couldn’t help notice a trace of disappointment, as if he couldn’t quite believe her attitude. But the look spoke more of him than her. Buck was obviously the true professional who was always fully prepared – like the one who got away, who still roamed Julia’s mind like a displaced ghost, unexpectedly dropping in and teasing her in her dreams.

“I’ve had things to do,” she said, defensively. “I was so tired by the time I got

off the plane. I had to have a shower and then there was that other stupid meeting and …”

Her voice softened –

“Sorry if I’ve let the team down,” she said. “But I just haven’t had time. It’s just, you know… there are certain things that you’ve got to make time for – exercises and…

Buck’s quizzical look broke into a grin.

“Don’t worry,” he said, touching her arm gently. “The truth wasn’t easy to find, actually – even for me.”

“Oh?”

“You may not have picked it up even if you’d read the lot. Marlon may have deleted it from your brief. He didn’t want you to know.”

“Know what exactly?”

Buck straightened –

“In my brief there was a transcript of a telephone call between two Australian agents. You didn’t see it did you?”

“No?”

“Most of it was just idle chatter. But buried in that conversation there was a suggestion that the best way to deal with the sadhus would be to dangle an exotic woman in front of their main man – especially if she had plenty of money.”

“So… they’ve set him up with some woman. Have you seen her?”

“Not in the flesh.”

“A photograph?”

“No – live on film.”

“They’ve got his room wired?”

“Exactly.”

“I see…”

Suddenly all Marlon’s snide little comments clicked into place –