Sally Donovan sat self-consciously fiddling with her coffee cup, trying not to look too obvious as she waited for her contact. In her pocket a piece of paper bearing two names, names that had until now been closely guarded.
Outside in the rain, two teenage boys lounged under a street-lamp, sheltering their cigarettes with cupped hands, jeering at passers-by, surreptitiously watching the dusky skinned detective.
And in the darkness of an unlit shop doorway three shadows watched the watchers.
As the meeting time came and went Sally's nerves were fraying. She dare not be caught with this information on her, and was planning how to get rid of it when the door opened, and slim brunette in a dark business suit hurried across to her table.
"Sally honey, I'm so sorry! The tube was a nightmare, so crowded, and we stopped for ages outside the station!"
As she stood to hug the newcomer Sally protested it was not a problem, and under cover of arranging their seats slipped the paper into the brunette's pocket.
Two coffees and some animated conversation later, the women went their separate ways, Sally back to her flat in Harringay, her companion walking unhurriedly back towards the tube station.
The teenage boys peeled themselves away from the street-lamp, moments later the shadows followed them, following the brunette.