Doyle drove back to CI5 headquarters and went up to Cowley's office to find Bodie waiting for him. His partner had a plaster over one cheekbone, and Doyle couldn't help feeling guilty about how realistic their fight had been. "I have a loose tooth."

Bodie looked remorsefully at his partner's swollen mouth. "I could have a scar. It'll ruin my beautiful face."

Cowley noted with interest that the two men seemed more relaxed after this exchange, which was both apology and reassurance, and he felt easier himself. The Queller was still out there, but Bodie and Doyle had never let him down and they were as solid as ever. He cleared his throat. "We have a phone call for you to listen to."

Doyle waited expectantly while Cowley started the tape recorder. There was a sound of the whirring dial, then ringing that was promptly answered by a man's voice.

"Hello?"

"Wesley?"

"Jamie! I was just thinking about you. How did it go?"

"Not good. Wesley, I'm in trouble. I…well, I need a place to stay, just for a bit."

"All right. I'm home now, so you can come right over."

There was a click as the connection was broken, then Doyle sat back. "Have you traced the number?"

"It was too short a call," said Cowley. "Did you take the girl to this man's place?"

"No. I waited until she came out, but she just thanked me and hailed a cab." Doyle took out a small notebook. "It was a black cab, not a private hire. Murphy's running down the driver."

They waited with mounting impatience for half an hour before Murphy came in with a middle-aged man in a dark blazer and peaked hat. His faded blue eyes rested on them all with equal disfavor, then singled out Cowley as the leader of the group. "Hope you have a good reason for pullin' me in, guv," he said with a strong Cockney accent. "I was supposed to take me missus to dinner tonight and she isn't goin' to like it were I late gettin' home."

"We only need the address of a fare," said Cowley soothingly, "and then you'll be on your way. You picked up a blonde woman at…" He looked at Doyle, who supplied the address.

"Yus, I recollect her," said the cabbie. "She were in a fair state, cryin' her eyes out, she were."

"If you could just give us the address where you dropped her off," said Cowley, proffering a pen and paper.

"Well, I shouldn't like to get her in trouble," said the man. "Looked to be the age of me own daughter, she did."

"She's already in a spot of trouble," said Cowley. "We're trying to get her out of it."

The cabbie looked dubious, but reflecting that it would do no good to disoblige an official law enforcement agency, he wrote down the address. "Good enough?"

"Thank you." Cowley took the paper. "Murphy, see this gentleman gets home in time for dinner." Once the cabbie was gone, the CI5 commander handed over the address. "Bring them both in."