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Most of whom are either dead or missing.’
    Cadel waited.
    ‘There were even some support staff – canteen workers, I believe,’ the detective went on. ‘You’ve described them to us already.’
    ‘Yes.’ Cadel sighed. ‘I never knew their names.’
    ‘Do you recall any other support staff? Gardeners? Secretaries? Administrators? Anyone at all?’
    Now that, Cadel decided, was a good question. It was the question of someone who was seriously searching for corroborative evidence.
    ‘There were gardeners,’ he said slowly. ‘I remember them. The grounds were so well kept. And there had to have been people who fixed things, because of all the explosions and break-ins and spontaneous combustion that happened.’ Cadel forced his reluctant mind down paths he would rather have avoided. ‘I think – I think there was a guy who used to collect stray dogs and cats for lab experiments,’ he added. ‘In a white van.’
    ‘Can you tell me anything more about him? Did you ever see him?’
    ‘No. I was told about him.’
    ‘And the gardeners? What about them?’
    Cadel was still struggling to recollect something – anything – about the gardeners at the Axis Institute when Janan arrived home. His pounding footsteps and loud, high-pitched voice distracted Cadel for only a moment. There were more important things to concentrate on.
    ‘I’ve been wondering if some of the people I met later might have been working as support staff at the Institute,’ he mused. ‘Like that old guy, Nikolai, who used to follow me around. And Vadi. The man with the gills. Surely he didn’t spend his whole life cleaning Prosper’s house?’
    Suddenly a piercing scream made them all jump. It was followed by a huge crash , and more wild yelling. The floor shook, as if from repeated blows.
    Fiona and Saul sat up straight, clearly alarmed.
    ‘It’s only Janan,’ said Cadel, in a resigned voice. ‘He probably lost his chocolate-bar wrapper.’ Seeing the two adults exchange a questioning glance, he felt obliged to elaborate. ‘Janan collects these chocolate-bar wrappers,’ he explained. ‘When you’ve got twenty-five, you can send them in and win a mountain-bike, or something. He’s completely obsessed. Hazel gives him a chocolate bar for lunch every day at school, and when he gets home he puts the wrapper away in a special box.’ Cadel cocked his ear, listening to the tattoo of fists bouncing off walls. ‘My guess is that he lost today’s wrapper.’
    Fiona grimaced. ‘Maybe I should go and help . . .’ she proposed. But Cadel discouraged her.
    ‘There’s nothing anyone can do,’ he said, ‘except give him another chocolate bar.’ As abruptly as it had begun, the clamour unexpectedly stopped. Cadel listened for a moment. So did his companions. After a brief pause, they heard a faint murmur of voices. ‘There,’ said Cadel, with some satisfaction. ‘I told you. Chocolate-bar wrappers. She must have found a replacement.’
    Fiona shook her head glumly. Mr Greeniaus was frowning. He darted another quick look at Fiona – but when he spoke, he addressed Cadel.
    ‘Let me get this straight,’ he said. ‘Nikolai was one of the men in the car that picked you up when you escaped from police custody. Is that correct?’
    ‘Yes. He followed me on a train once, too. I recognised him.’
    ‘And you think he might have worked at the Institute?’
    Cadel bit his lip. ‘I don’t know. There was an old guy who shuffled around with a toolbox. I remember seeing him from the back. He was fat and grey-haired.’
    ‘But you didn’t see his face? Just his back?’
    ‘That’s right. So I don’t know if it was Nikolai or not.’
    ‘And Vadi? Did you ever see him at the Institute?’
    ‘No. But I mean, why would Prosper use a human fish just to clean his house?’
    ‘And you don’t remember seeing anyone else? Or hearing any other names?’
    ‘Sorry,’ said Cadel. Whereupon Mr Greeniaus grunted.
    ‘There’s no need to be