The wait till we reached Embankment felt interminable. Half the reason I’d said I’d get off there was because I didn’t think I could take much longer on the Tube. The other half was because I did have a gut feeling that Embankment was the station, and I wanted to deal with this myself. Added to which, Alex was no spring chicken, and I didn’t want him chasing around London all night.

As the train drew in, I felt myself relax slightly, knowing I might be back in the open air soon. I nodded to Alex, then dipped my head and waited a few seconds, before moving out onto the platform.

The surge of passengers headed forward slightly, more in the direction of the front of the train – the exit was obviously in a different place here. I stooped a little, wishing for a brief moment I wasn’t so tall.

As I allowed myself to be pushed along towards the exit, I felt a tap on my arm. I looked round. It was Alex. ‘He got off here, Sir – I saw him. He’s just up ahead.’

I felt irritated for a moment, then shrugged. ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Good work. I haven’t spotted him yet.’

‘He’s there, Sir,’ said Alex, indicating ahead and a little to the right. ‘See?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Well, at least we can split up again, if need be.’

There was no need, though. Rick headed up and out, through the ticket hall, and into the quieter streets of Westminster. He crossed the road and began heading towards the river. We followed at a safe distance, keeping enough people between us to cover our presence, while staying close enough to avoid losing him.

‘If we have to split up now, Sir,’ said Alex. ‘Just give me the nod.’

‘Of course,’ I said, although I didn’t see why we’d need to. It was pretty easy, following him, to be honest. He seemed to have no idea we were there.

He crossed a few more roads, until he was on the Embankment itself, walking along next to the river, heading East towards the Golden Jubilee Bridge. It was harder, here, for us to avoid being seen.

‘I think we should split up,’ said Alex. ‘We look too obvious, together.’

‘Okay,’ I said. ‘I’ll go ahead – you keep to my rear.’

‘Sir,’ said Alex. ‘Could I go first? I don’t know if I can handle too much running.’ He ran his hand through his hair again. ‘I’ll keep a low profile – pretend to be on my phone or something.’

He did look fucked. The strands of his hair were damp and clinging to his forehead. I nodded briefly and fell back until I was about twenty yards behind him. We carried on like this for a few minutes; Alex walking in front, head bowed, phone at his ear; me bringing up the rear. I could barely see Rick, with the way the river curved, and to be honest I was almost glad.

Something didn’t feel right. Embankment was a huge station. Rick could’ve gone in any direction from there. If he’d stayed on the Underground, we’d probably have lost him eventually, even without him realising we were following him. Yet, here we were, just the three of us, sauntering along the Embankment, as if we didn’t have a care in the world.

I almost laughed at the irony. I’d walked along the Embankment – not here, but at Chelsea – only a few days ago with Grace. For those few minutes, I actually had felt as if hadn’t a care in the world. Not now, though. Fucking Rick. His whole attitude had really got under my skin, tonight. Now, here we were, at least an hour later, playing some fucked-up version of follow the leader, and still no closer to getting back the tape.

I glanced at my watch. It was getting late – nearly eleven – and the passers-by had dwindled to the odd group of revellers and the occasional wino. I wondered how much longer we could get away with this, without Rick cottoning onto us. At that moment, a text came in.

It was from Alex.

He’s got a package out of his coat. I think it’s the tape.

I heaved an impatient sigh and texted back.

Are you saying no one frisked him?

It was barely a few seconds before the reply came:

Apparently not.

I pushed my hair back in frustration. What the fuck were they doing, then, when he left? They’d had him pinned against the wall. Surely they’d thought to check his pockets, at least?

I could see Rick now. He was standing, looking out over the river, something in his hand. It could’ve been the tape, it could’ve been his phone. I had no way of knowing, from this distance.

Alex turned and looked at me. I shrugged. What to fucking do? Should I let him carry on, and find out where he was hiding out, or should we risk it and try to get the tape back now? I stopped for a moment, to gather my thoughts. A moment too long…

Alex had evidently decided to take matters into his own hands. He quickened his pace, walking faster and faster until he broke out into a trot. Within a few seconds, he was almost upon him, and I just stood there, aghast.

‘No, Alex,’ I murmured to myself. ‘Let it go.’

But he couldn’t hear me, naturally. I started to run, looking on as Alex reached Rick, who span round and looked at him, horror etched into his face. Alex made to grab the – whatever it was – but Rick was having none of it and pushed at him. Within seconds it was a full-blown tussle, stopping only when Alex suddenly crumpled and fell to the floor, clutching his side.

‘He’s stabbed me,’ he said, through gritted teeth, as I reached him.

    Eighteen

Him

I stood there, looking down at him in horror, before turning to see Rick walking off quickly along the Embankment. He hadn’t noticed me, or he’d be running. As it was, he was moving as fast as he could, without attracting attention to himself.

I looked back down at Alex.

‘Don’t just stand there, Sir,’ he gasped. ‘I’m okay. Just get the fucker.’

I hesitated, but Alex glared at me, his face bunched up with pain. ‘Go!’ he said.

A group of passers-by were already coming over, looks of concern on their faces. I hesitated a second longer, then turned and ran along the Embankment, as fast as I could.

Rick must’ve heard me coming, because he turned and looked over his shoulder. His eyes widened, and he broke into a sprint. I upped my speed to match him and, for a minute or so, the distance between us didn’t seem to diminish. After a few hundred yards, though, I could sense I was gaining on him, and I wondered what I’d do when I reached him. He had a knife, after all, and I had…nothing. Why the fuck hadn’t I brought some sort of firearm? But it was never meant to come to this. It was supposed to be an exercise in surveillance, nothing more.

We were almost at the Golden Jubilee Bridge by now and, as he reached it, Rick turned and ran onto it. I followed him, rounding the corner at top speed, until I pulled up short.

A few yards ahead of me, Rick was standing looking at me. From the angle I was at, the London Eye, behind him and on the other side of the river, seemed to encircle him, its illuminated white frame outlining his body almost perfectly, like some fucked-up DaVinci sketch.

I walked towards him.

‘You stabbed Alex,’ I said. I could still hardly believe it. They’d been almost like father and son since Alex had taken him under his wing. ‘Is there nothing you won’t do for money?’

‘Not at the moment.’ Rick moved backwards away from me, as I advanced upon him. ‘I’ll do anything it takes, trust me.’

‘I offered to help,’ I said. ‘I offered again tonight. You’re out of control, Rick. Don’t come begging to me when it all goes to shit.’

‘I won’t,’ he said. ‘I’ve got other avenues to explore.’

‘I wish I understood what your problem was,’ I said and sighed – this was all so unnecessary.

‘I’ve told you my problems,’ he said, his voice rising sharply. ‘I haven’t got a choice.’

‘You’ve had plenty of choices, Rick,’ I said. ‘You’ve just made bad ones, that’s all. I can’t let you go, I suppose you know that. You’re a fucking liability.’