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punched him viciously in the stomach. The guard doubled up as she ran on to the escalator and down it. At the bottom she checked the signs for the right line and kept running. She could move much faster without the case.
    There was a crowded train arriving when she reached the platform. She looked back. Skinny was coming towards her, grinning, one hand inside his windcheater. Was he always wearing that hideous grin? Behind him Eyebrows followed.
    As passengers left the train, others pushed aboard. A crowded carriage, people standing up. She had no option. She stepped into the train, kept saying 'Excuse me' as she worked her way deeper into the coach. The doors closed, the train started moving.
    She was still working her way through the crowd, smiling as she apologized. The train rumbled on, swaying round a curve. She grabbed a rail above her head to keep her balance. She was now opposite carriage doors.
    'Would you like a seat, madam?' a man suggested, starting to get up.
    'Thank you, but I'm not travelling far.'
    The train stopped three times. Lisa wondered whether to get off. No, she was safer in a crowd. Gazing back down the crammed coach she saw Skinny was having more trouble than she had experienced. Passengers were protesting, holding him up. The train was in motion when she saw a uniformed ticket inspector asking Eyebrows for his ticket. He hadn't got one. Earlier he'd leapt over the station barrier with Skinny.
    'Sorry, Inspector,' Eyebrows started politely. 'Here's the money for two tickets. My little friend is on his way to hospital.'
    'There's a ten-pound fine . . .'
    Eyebrows produced a twenty- pound note, shoved it into the inspector's hand. Skinny was on the move again, closing on her. Lisa realized the train was a lethal trap. He only had to wait until it reached the next station before he slid his knife into her and left the carriage.
    She tensed her right leg. The train was pulling into Tottenham Court Road. She knew the area well. Skinny reached her as the doors opened. She lifted her leg, ground her hard shoe down his shin. He yelped. She was leav ing the train as Eyebrows grabbed hold of Skinny, who couldn't move.
    'Make way,' he called out, holding Skinny under the armpits. 'My friend has a bad leg.'
    He was heaving Skinny out of the train when Lisa vanished up a flight of steps. She got on an escalator and just before stepping off at the top glanced back. Eyebrows and Skinny were staring up at her from the bottom.
    It was a relief for her to get out into the cold fresh air. She half-ran up Tottenham Court Road, then down a side street, then into Bedford Square. Slowing down, she took in deep breaths of air. The square, enclosed with fine old houses, was empty as she made her way round the miniature park in the centre.
    'I've had about as much as I can take,' Lisa said to herself.
    She looked back to check again. Between the trees she saw the two men entering the square. Skinny was walking normally, seemed to have recovered from his injured leg. She had to find somewhere to hide. Where on earth could she go? She was confident that so far the thugs hadn't seen her since she'd left the Under ground.
    Then she noticed what she should have remembered. Each of the terraced mansions had a basement area with steps leading down to it beyond open railed gates. She looked back once more, saw they were still coming, dived down the metal treads into an open basement area.
    Only then did she realize it was occupied. An old tramp, holding a bottle of whisky, was seated in a corner. He tipped his cap to her.
    'Like a nip of the good stuff, lady?' he suggested, lifting the bottle towards her.
    His accent was Cockney. His face was lined with age but his eyes were bright with intelligence. She had to trust someone. She spoke slowly, making her voice tremble -not a difficult task.
    'Two men are coming after me, trying to hurt me.'
    She had avoided using the word 'kill' - too dramatic and she was desperate for him to believe