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"We can’t," Si of water "We can’t cover the entire town We don’t have the justification"

"Or the resources," the Chief put in

"This isn’t a terrorist"

"And no warnings? No deroan "The worst bugger of all"

"Young wo woet one step ahead of hiy pool"

"The ice-rink"

"Any more clubs?"

"There’s a place called The Wideh, not really a nightclub, and it’s more upmarket than the Seven Aces It’s popular with the twenty-soht"

"Any place opposite that a hts?"

Serrailler and the DI said, "The ht Let’s have so up there and in the streets around, especially when they’re spilling out at the end of the evening"

Si up--weekend after next"

"Why would he stake out the Jug Fair?"

"Why not? Plenty of young women, crowds, lots of noise to cover the sound of shots"

"Well, it’s possible" Andy sounded doubtful

"There’s always a strong police presence there," Si trouble I wonder if he would take the risk?"

"Better have ARV on high alert, even so"

"We’re on it already, enda for this , let’s hter is getting married in the cathedral on the tenth of Noveht, as always of course, but in view of all this, it’ll have to be even tighter Royal protection will come fros and want ain h Barr--the Lord Lieutenant and father of the bride--his PA, someone from Clarence House, soot up "We could do without a high-profile wedding with royal guests"

"At least they’ll pay for their own protection"

The Chief looked over her shoulder on the way out "We should be so lucky"

Twenty-six

"Dr Deerbon?"

Short Dark, close-cut hair Clipped voice She glanced at Cat "And you are Dr Deerbon’s partner?"

"Wife"

"Please sit down Just give me a moment, would you?" She flipped open a file Turned over a couple of sheets Looked for some minutes at one, then a second Turned to address Chris "And you caht him--well, my father and--"

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Why on earth did you bring him by car? He needed an ambulance With symptoms like that in a car without any paramedics …" She shook her head

"I’m a doctor So is my father"

"GP?"

"I am--Chris and I both are My father is a retired consultant"

"Neurologist?"

"No"

"Right" She pursed her lips and was silent again, reading the file, turning the sheets over and back

She was mid-thirties She had not sht

"I have the scan results here Are you experienced at interpreting an MRI?" She looked at Chris but did not wait for hiht How long have you had sy We’ve been in Australia," Cat said

The doctor ignored her

"Hard to say" Chris looked at his hands "I had a headache All the last ere in Sydney, but ere packing up, it was hot I didn’t think anything of it"

"Visual disturbance?"

"Slightly I thought I lasses"

"You ue It can’t have been Not with a scan like this"

"I suppose I was trying to ignore it"

"Not a good plan"

"If it’s a grade-four glioma it wouldn’t have made any difference"

"But I don’t think it is Grade-three, possibly Not a four And though I think it’s unlikely to be benign, we need a biopsy to be sure I could be wrong"

But you think that is alht Self-belief is your speciality

"Thanks" Chris stood up "Not a lot more to say, is there?"