Even knowing nothing about interior design I could see that everything was hugely expensive. Simple leather couches, bare floors scattered with a few silk rugs and highly polished wood furniture. A huge golden statue of an elephant stood in one corner of the large, open-plan living area. Two framed abstract paintings – one of red stripes, one of blue – hung on the far wall. I was pretty sure they weren’t prints. Jones waved his hand, indicating we should sit down. ‘We call this the Snug,’ he said. ‘Please sit down. I’ve asked Philly for some lemonade and snacks. Then there’ll be a chance to rest and get cleaned up.’ I glanced at the others, suddenly realising how tired and grimy we all looked. It wasn’t just the long journey from Helsinki – life had been fairly relentless since we’d left our hideout in the Lake District. That felt like weeks ago, though it was only a few days. Still, I wasn’t ready to relax just yet. ‘I think we’d like some answers before we start “chilling”
