‘I have informed Colonel Butler, madam,’ said Ballard. Except for the two civilians on the desk, Dickson and Collins, the foyer was still empty. The three Special Branch officers were still in position outside the glass doors, but through the expanse of glass wall on the other side of the doors she could see that a large crowd of students and hangers-on had now assembled outside the entrance. God! There was altogether too much glass, thought Frances with a swirl of fear. ‘We’ll have to get those people away from the front of the building. Sergeant,’ she said. Ballard cleared his throat. ‘Instructions are to stand fast, madam.’ ‘Instructions?’ Frances frowned at him. ‘The moment we start clearing them away they’ll know we’re on to them,’ said Ballard. ‘Otherwise … the odds are they won’t detonate until they’ve got the targets into the blast zone.’ Frances realised that she had been foolish.
