Tim released her hands and, wincing slightly, sauntered over to the window.

"He must have seen the number plate of my car when I collected you from that block of offices", he said easily, "the rest would have been straight forward - he probably got access to the main government records through a friendly police acquaintance for a small fee.

"In that case your getting hurt was all my fault", said Sarah miserably. She joined him and he put his arm around her waist as they now both gazed at the view through the valley.

"I seem to remember you've made up for it since though", he smiled. "Anyway, it can't be helped - people like him are all over the place. They are stumbling blocks we just have to cope with".

"I wonder if there was any mention of the events in the newspapers", pondered Sarah. "Easy to find out", suggested Tim, "the newspapers have their own Internet WEB pages these days. We can log on and have a look".

Sarah's laptop was plugged into the telephone socket and was soon glowing with the information they required.

"Two private investigators were shot to death in a gun dual with police at a Bayswater flat yesterday", stated the news flash with a note of the firm they worked for.

"Owner of the flat, Tim Cruikshank, who spent the night recovering in hospital and who describes himself as a corporate financier, said that he had no idea why they attacked him or what their motives were in destroying his flat".

Sarah looked up from the screen.

"But you haven't spoken to the press?"

"In my experience, they make it up all the time", said Tim, "we can't prove that I didn't say it and the quotation tends to give the story more impact".

"Now we need a listing of a London businesses telephone directory", said Tim.

Sarah's fingers fluttered briefly over the keyboard. There was a short pause and the advertisement for the firm came up on the screen showing a business address in Charing Cross Road. Tim made a note of it on a piece of paper.

"It's too much of a coincidence that they both worked in the same business", commented Tim, "especially when the advertisement talks about 'discrete computer protection investigations' being a speciality".

"So what do we do now", said Sarah. "I think we go and have a look at this place, as soon as we can", said Tim. "It's time we went on the attack. Unfortunately the weekend is probably the best time to do it".

"You mean that you are suggesting we go back to London and break into their offices", said Sarah incredulously.

"Break in? No not at all. We will walk in without damaging anything - with just a little help from one of my friends", said Tim cheerfully . "That is I will walk in - you are not involved in this".

"Get this mister", said Sarah vehemently, "If you try to go without me then I warn you that the police will be waiting when you get there".

Tim smiled vaguely but saw nothing but determination in her eyes and conceded the point.

"But you do exactly as I say at all times, hear me", he ordered.

"Yes sir", said Sarah with a smile and sealed the plan with a smacking great kiss on his lips.

For the second time in 24 hours, Sarah let herself be carried along with the flow. It turned out that Tim's friend was available later that night and then not for some days. Undaunted, Tim made another couple of calls and shortly the ground was amazingly disappearing from under them as the blades of the helicopter whirled above.

In less than the time it took to get used to helicopter flight, they were shaking hands with a short chubby man with a peaked hat and a jovial manner outside the offices of Hesdyke and Wethers.

Then, she could feel trepidation about what they were about to do, they were inside with all alarms effortlessly turned off by the knowledgeable fingers of 'Alfred - the Great' as he smilingly called himself.

Offices over the weekend always look desolate and these were no exception. There were three tiny rooms with interconnecting doors. They gave no immediate impression of wealth or corporate success. It was only when they looked beyond the figures on the photographs to the properties and limousines beyond that Sarah and Tim could see that the firm was a very successful operation.

And suddenly there, in pride of place with his mean face surrounded by others clearly from the same genetic pool, reclined the picture of Ferret Face.