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this morning,’ Elizabeth reminded him.
    ‘I must have missed it,’ Dave said uninterestedly.
    ‘Look, we’ve signed your Official Secrets Act, so we can hardly go running to the press. You wouldn’t even be here if you didn’t have some idea who he is. Can’t you tell us?’
    ‘We have no more idea than you, Mr Watson. But we cannot ignore the possibility that he might be a high ranking terrorist.’
    ‘Would a terrorist exhibit the inside military knowledge our man just demonstrated?’
    ‘The British Army has always been too open for its own good, Mr Watson. It wouldn’t be difficult for a terrorist organisation to acquire a thorough knowledge of our weaponry and training methods. There are highly organised, well-staffed camps in Muslim territories as well as remote areas of Europe and the USA that specialize in training guerrillas – and not only Islamic fundamentalists. The IRA used to regularly fly their top-ranking operatives to those camps for training until the ceasefire. And terrorists these days embrace many creeds and races. The warfare they wage is devious, sophisticated and – as we have discovered to our cost – ’ the Major raised his eyes, ‘ – deadly.’
    ‘As you pointed out earlier, Dr Santer, John West has the speech and mannerisms of a public school-educated officer,’ Heddingham shuffled the leaflets together and returned them to his briefcase, ‘but both could have been acquired elsewhere. It’s conceivable that his condition is the result of brainwashing – and, as we know, brainwashing techniques can go wrong.’
    ‘You think he could be a terrorist who’s been given an identity that’s overlaid his own personality?’
    ‘You suggested that, Mr Watson – not me.’
    Simmonds picked up the copy of John West’s medical notes that Elizabeth had given him. ‘Dr Santer’s initial diagnosis is undoubtedly correct. His condition is almost certainly due to trauma. In my opinion suffered shortly after he murdered at least one person.’
    ‘If he murdered anyone, wouldn’t the police have found a corpse by now?’ Elizabeth said.
    ‘Not necessarily.’ Heddingham snapped his briefcase shut. ‘I believe John West is a trained terrorist and killer and, until someone proves otherwise, he should be held in a secure military institution.’
    ‘He has a police guard outside his door.’
    ‘National security is a matter for the armed forces.’
    Heddingham rose to his feet, effectively ending the discussion.
    ‘But we don’t know for certain that this man does pose any threat to national security,’ Dave demurred.
    ‘We have contacted the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence. Neither we,’ Heddingham glanced at Simmonds, ‘nor the ministers concerned are prepared to take the risk that John West is innocent.’
    ‘I thought every man was innocent until proven guilty in this country,’ Elizabeth said flatly.
    ‘It’s a nice ideal, Dr Santer, but since 9-11 and the London bombings, one that could cost thousands if not tens of thousands of lives, if adhered to too strictly,’ the lieutenant-colonel warned.
    Dave left his chair. ‘For the moment John West is our patient and in our care. And he will remain so until I have been instructed otherwise by my superiors. Until such time, he stays in this ward.’
    ‘The police guards will shortly be replaced by military guards. The actual transfer will take a little longer to arrange. However, within the next few hours, he will be sent to a military establishment, after you, Mr Watson, have been furnished with all the necessary documents and assurances. It only remains for us to thank you for the care that you and your staff have taken of John West, Mr Watson.’ The lieutenant-colonel opened the door. ‘If you have an office that we can use until the transport and escort arrive we’d be grateful.’
    ‘As I’m in clinic all afternoon, you can use mine.
    I’ll show you where it is,’ Dave offered.
    Dismayed by the