She had no illusions about a big pay off. David was employed as on a temporary contract that excluded all but a small amount if his job ended and that small amount would last no time at all.

"But what about all the staff who have lost their jobs", she spluttered.

"Tough on them, I suppose", said Peter nonchalantly, "but why should I care about them. They were only in it for the money."

"What about their wife's and children?"

"They don't care about their wives and children. They've all got extra curricular activities. Your husband, for example, is knocking off a young programmer.

"Sarah felt the blood drain from her face. Ice cubes skated down her back.

"You're lying", she gasped" ..... what do you know about it ..... how .... what do you know?"

Sarah slumped back against the pillows, defeated, eyes at first blinded with rage and then with tears. In Peter's truest tradition, she realised she had been humiliated, defeated and outmanoeuvred.

"I've known about you for weeks", Peter said simply. "Your son had made a birthday card out of a photograph of you and your children stuck to some backing cardboard. I recognised you immediately when I saw it on your husband's desk. Of course, I didn't know what you were planning. Finally, when I found out, the operational systems were already in the process of closing down and it didn't matter any more."

Sarah flew at him, the palm of her hand slashing across his face. Then she was immediately sent reeling back, her own stinging, as Peter replied in kind.

Following her onto the bed where she lay amidst huge racking sobs, he held her down on the bed until she stopped struggling and became calmer. There was a new note of sympathy in his voice.

"If it's any consolation, your plan would have worked in normal circumstances - highly illegal of course - but it would have worked."

"Let me go -", she gulped heavily, " I'll be all right now. It just got all too much for me." Sarah wriggled away from him and struggled into a sitting position. "At least tell me about this programmer. Do you have to use the phrase 'knocking off'", she said petulantly. "It's so ugly."

"They go back to her flat in Fulham at lunchtimes. They even gave me the number so I could contact David if there were any problems while they were away." Peter placed a photograph in front of her.

"I arranged for this to be taken by a professional so you would have no doubt I'm telling the truth."

Sarah looked - and any final doubts she may have had were totally dispelled.

"And I thought he was working so hard", said Sarah miserably. "All those late nights - were they just an excuse or was he really working."

"He really was working - but then they like to work together and they are both interested in what they do."

"But where will David be able to find a new job? We'll lose our home", moaned Sarah miserably.

"His prospects - and hers - are excellent in the States where there is nowhere near the recession we have here. They both know this. Both of them have asked me recently for references for job applications over there". His tone was off hand but there was a sharp gleam in his eyes that was not missed by Sarah.