With all safe houses either pulled apart by investigators or damaged by fire, they had few options. Sarah provided the answer, the cosy retreat she had often shared with Cameron McIntosh. It was secluded and known only to his most trusted friends.

"Does Aristotle know?" Sarah shook her head. "Tell me about him," said Meredith. "How did he come by the name Aristotle?"

"There's not a lot known about his early days other than he was born in one of the poorer parts of Athens. He has written an autobiography but no one has ever dared to question its authenticity or accuracy. A fellow journalist once attempted to research his background but came up with nothing. No one was prepared to talk about Aristotle's past. When the reporter continued his digging he received threats. Then when he persisted further he had an accident. His car ran off the road and he was killed."

"Did Cameron ever mention him?" Meredith's curiosity was rising. She knew Aristotle and had often questioned his origins and his wealth. Though never mentioned in the top ten by the Forbes Rich List, she had been told his wealth far exceeded that of Bill Gates, the perennial No. 1 on the published list

"Often, he called him friend but he never trusted him. They traded favours. A deal approved by an appropriations committee was rewarded with a womanising week for the boys at one of his palatial mansions. It went on all the time. Cameron told me everything."

"We saw that," said Jess. "At a Chalet up north. Didn't it bother you? Jesus, Sarah what kind of woman are you? You're screwing someone else's husband and then you standby and allow him to participate in orgies with other women?"

"Were you the ones who trussed him up and then set the journalist and cameraman on him?" Her anger was rising. She was beginning to wish she'd hit Jess even harder.

"Did you hear the entire story? How the cameraman, a reporter named Rachel Costello and three girls were killed when their helicopter was shot down."

"Cameron never lied to me, told me the whole story. It was an accident. It crashed as it was coming in to land. He was most upset, I heard him arguing with Aristotle about it."

"Sarah, this is most important," said Tyler. "Do you remember exactly when they had this argument?"

"I think it was a day or two before Cameron died."

"He didn't die, Sarah. He was executed. And I'll bet my life on that. Trust me, Cameron McIntosh was executed on the orders of Aristotle."

"You're lying." Tears were once more on display.

"Journalists live by logic, Sarah," said Meredith. "Apply some now. Connect the dates then relate them to what has transpired. It all fits and you hold the key to everything, Sarah."

"We're not blaming Senator McIntosh for the helicopter passenger's deaths." Meredith knew the futility of continuing the attack on Sarah's part-time lover. "Sure, he may have called on Aristotle for assistance but he didn't issue the instruction to shoot the aircraft down. Nor did he volunteer his own life in the hope of saving Aristotle. Every order to execute came from the Greek. Cameron's only mistake was in becoming involved with Aristotle. And if you want to avenge Cameron's death, you have to help us nail the bastard. And I promise you, we will get him."

"What can I do?"

"Write down everything you remember, going back as far as your memory takes you. Nothing is irrelevant. What names were mentioned? Did Aristotle ever mention my father? Or Calin Roberts for that matter?

"Before you do that however, why don't you show us around the house?" The tour was amazing; the home had features Vogue didn't know existed. Nine bathrooms, an inside spa and three quarter sized Olympic pool, a gymnasium, three kitchens, a theatre and enough bedrooms to house a football team. It wasn't a home; it was a five star resort. Had Jess or Tyler been asked they would have agreed it was the Chalet on a smaller scale.

On checking out the refrigerators and pantries Meredith issued one instruction. 'Tonight we relax. Tomorrow we'll go into battle. So you've got around three hours till dinner which I'll prepare. The time between now and then is yours. So I'd suggest you all find your own amusement. I'll call you twenty minutes prior to serving that will allow you to clean up. Sarah tells me there are closets filled with beautiful evening apparel in every size, so I'm looking forward to a night of glamour."

Jess headed to the gym, Tyler the pool while Arthur and Kenni found a snooker table. Sarah refused all invitations. Instead she found a room where she started on her list. And Meredith worked off her frustrations in the kitchen. Furthermore it allowed her the solitude to think. How did one approach the President and inform him his best friend was a traitor? It was a task she knew she would have to undertake. And also one, that would provoke denial, dismissal and in all probability instant arrest.

Preparation took her mind off their dilemma. Cooking was an escape. Time flew by, the starter course was ready. It was time to call. Tyler and Jess were ready, Kenni and Arthur were asleep and Sarah had gone missing. Dinner was forgotten and a search of the house undertaken. They found her computer and powered it on. The onscreen message destroyed all appetite. 'You're right Meredith, and that makes me as guilty as them. I can't live with this. Sorry.'

They found her hanging from a tree.