Best Kept Secret

want you to find out who informed Giles Barrington that his nephew was on the way to Southampton and not London airport.’
    Karl nodded, as Martinez swung round to face Luis. ‘You will go down to Bristol this evening and find out who Barrington’s enemies are. Members of Parliament always have enemies, and
don’t forget that many of them will be on his own side. And while you’re down there, try to pick up any information you can about the family’s shipping company. Are they facing
any financial difficulties? Do they have any trouble with the unions? Are there any policy disagreements among the board members? Are the shareholders voicing any misgivings? Dig deep, Luis.
Remember, you may not come across any water until you’ve reached several feet below the surface.’
    ‘Diego,’ he said, switching his attention to his eldest son, ‘go back to Sotheby’s and find out who was the under-bidder for lot twenty-nine, because they must have known
that my money was no longer in the statue, otherwise they couldn’t have risked raising the stakes so high.’
    Don Pedro paused for a moment before he began jabbing a forefinger at Diego’s chest. ‘But your most important task will be to build a team that will allow me to destroy whoever is
responsible for this theft. Start by instructing the sharpest lawyers available, because they’ll know who the bent coppers are as well as the criminals that never get caught, and they
won’t ask too many questions as long as the money is right. Once all these questions have been answered and everything is in place, I’ll be ready to do to them what they’ve done
to us.’

44
    ‘A HUNDRED AND twenty thousand pounds,’ said Harry. ‘A phone bidder, but
The Times
doesn’t seem to know who the buyer
was.’
    ‘Only one person could have paid that much for the piece,’ said Emma. ‘And by now, Mr Martinez will realize he didn’t get what he bargained for.’ Harry looked up
from the newspaper to see his wife trembling. ‘And if there’s one thing we know about that man, he’ll want to know who was responsible for stealing his money.’
    ‘But he has no reason to believe Seb was involved. I was only in Buenos Aires for a few hours, and no one other than the ambassador even knew my name.’
    ‘Except for Mr . . . what was his name?’
    ‘Bolton. But he came back on the same plane as me.’
    ‘If I was Martinez,’ said Emma, her voice breaking, ‘the first person I’d assume was involved is Seb.’
    ‘But why, especially when he wasn’t?’
    ‘Because he was the last person to see the statue before it was handed over to Sotheby’s.’
    ‘That’s not proof.’
    ‘Believe me, it will be proof enough for Martinez. I think we have no choice but to warn Seb that—’
    The door opened and Jessica burst into the room.
    ‘Mama, you’ll never guess where Seb’s going tomorrow.’

    ‘Luis, brief me on what you found out when you were in Bristol.’
    ‘I’ve spent most of my time turning over stones to see if anything would crawl out.’
    ‘And did it?’
    ‘Yes, I discovered that although Barrington is well respected and popular in his constituency, he’s made several enemies along the way, including his ex-wife, and—’
    ‘What’s her problem?’
    ‘Feels Barrington let her down badly over his mother’s will, and she also objects to being replaced by a Welsh coalminer’s daughter.’
    ‘Then perhaps you should try to contact her?’
    ‘I have already tried, but it’s not that simple. The English upper classes always expect someone they know to make the introduction. But while I was in Bristol, I came across a man
who claims he knows her well.’
    ‘What’s his name?’
    ‘Major Alex Fisher.’
    ‘And what’s his connection with Barrington?’
    ‘He was the Conservative candidate at the last election when Barrington defeated him by four votes. Fisher claims Barrington cheated him out of the seat, and I got the feeling he’d
do almost anything to get even.’
    ‘Then we must assist him in his cause,’ said Don Pedro.
    ‘I also discovered that since losing the election Fisher’s been running up debts all over Bristol, and he’s desperately searching for a lifeline.’
    ‘Then I’ll have to throw him one, won’t I?’ said Don Pedro. ‘What can you tell me about Barrington’s girlfriend?’
    ‘Dr Gwyneth Hughes. She teaches maths at St Paul’s girls’ school in London. The local Labour Party has been expecting an