‘Look, Mr Hardy, I don’t want to sound unfeeling, but Patrick Lamberte is a shit. He was a spoiled brat, an indulged adolescent and a boy wonder. He had it very, very easy. He bowled me right over, I admit it. He propositioned me on a flight to London and we were screwing in the Dorchester a few hours later. He established his architecture firm when there was tons of work around and money to burn. The recession has hit him really hard. He’s got problems every way he turns. All I want to do is make sure that my future and that of my kids don’t go down the drain when he does.’

‘I get the idea,’ I said. ‘If you take half of the assets now, he’s finished.’

‘Possibly. It’s a very delicate business. If there was any scandal now the creditors could close in. Everything could be lost. If it’s all done quietly there’s a chance Patrick could restructure. I’m afraid he doesn’t see it that way, though. He’s irrational.’

‘You mentioned drugs.’

‘Patrick uses cocaine. It’s one of the things that brought him unstuck.’

‘I’d have thought you could make some mileage out of that in the custody matter.’

‘I don’t want to. If that came out the whole financial house of cards could come down. You can see how tricky it all is. Barbara said you were a discreet and intelligent man.’

Discreet and intelligent, I thought. Wait till they hear I’m a tertiary teacher. I’d helped Barbara Winslow unravel a difficult relationship with her politician husband. I suppose you could say I was discreet. I’d also been well paid. ‘What do you have in mind for me to do, Mrs Lamberte?’

‘Watch my husband. See if he meets with shady characters or seems to be plotting something. He’s due to go up to Mount Victoria in four days. You could keep an eye on him. See if he tries to collect the package and how he reacts when it’s not there.’