convincing as a macho sexist bastard.â
âAh, well,â Salter said. âHeâs bloody good is our Josh. Mind you, heâll need to keep his balls on ice for a few days. Thatâs quite a kick youâve got there.â
Josh was still glaring at her. âJust fuck right off,â he said. She assumed, perhaps over-charitably, that the words were aimed at Salter.
âBit of risk goes with the territory, mate,â Salter said, still beaming. âEspecially when you tangle with Marie Donovan, undercover officer.â
It was the closest Salter would ever come to acknowledging her success. But it was close enough for her.
âWhatâs this all about, Hugh?â she said.
âTraining exercise, like I say. Which you came through with flying colours. Sorry if Josh went a bit over the top, but we had to get to the point where youâd start to think it might be real. Up to that point â well, it was useful, because at least it showed us you could stay in character . . .â
âEven at the crack of dawn after two days of just being myself?â
âQuite so. And you did it well, but there was no real pressure. Not till Josh managed to get you questioning whether it might be real after all. Then we saw what you were made of. Josh in particular, I think.â
âChrist, you donât do things by halves, do you?â
âCanât afford to, sis. Look, this is what itâs going to be like. I mean, not like this â letâs hope not, anyway. But having to keep up the act even if youâre being challenged, even if youâre scared out of your wits. Having to improvise when things donât go to plan. Having to remember which lies youâve told and to whom.â
âJesus, Hugh, anyone suggested you get a job in sales?â
âThey like people who tell the truth, do they? But youâll be all right, sis. If you can get through this lot, youâll cope with anything the job can throw at you.â
âI hope youâre right, Hugh. Because it doesnât feel that way just at the moment.â
âYou did good, girl,â Salter said again.
âWell, thank you, Hugh.â She turned and nodded to Josh. âAnd thank you, too, I suppose. You make a very convincing total bastard.â
She moved towards the door, wanting now just to be out of there, to be heading home. To be sleeping. The adrenaline had melted away, and she felt as exhausted as she had back at the airport. As she pulled open the door, she paused to look back at Salter.
âIn fact, you both do,â she said. âYou both make very convincing total bastards.â
Liam waved the bottle in her direction. âWant any more?â
âNo. You finish it. Iâve had enough.â She drained the last dregs of the red wine, and climbed slowly to her feet. âIâm knackered,â she said. âThink Iâll turn in.â
He poured the last of the wine into his own glass. âWhat time you off in the morning?â
âNot too early. About eight, probably.â
âWe can have breakfast together before you go, then.â
âIf youâre up.â She immediately regretted the response, which sounded more sarcastic than sheâd intended.
âIâll be up,â he said. âWant to see you before you go. One last time.â
âItâs not forever, Liam. A month. Then Iâm back.â
âFor a weekend. Then youâre off again. And so on. Maybe forever.â
She bit back her exasperation. âWeâve been through this, Liam. Dozens of times. Itâs what I want to do. Itâs a new challenge. Itâs terrific experience.â
âI know. I know itâs what you want. Iâm not trying to stop you. I donât have to like it, though.â
âNo, well, youâve made it very clear that you donât.â
âYouâve said yourself, Marie. Itâs risky.