Monday was spent with lawyers and estate agents getting the girls' two properties on the market, negotiating a bridging loan and drawing up agreements to pool their  financial resources etc., etc. Both girls were increasingly happy to see Saturday's resolution -  made the teeming rain -  to share each other's lives being implemented.  They  identified the perfect house in Hampstead, high up and with a flat roof, from which it was possible to look out at the vastness of London in the distance. And, bliss! Katie received an offer for her house within hours of putting it on the market. This was all going so well, it was just too good to be true.  They were both on top of the world.

Within a month, they were to be in their new home and walking daily hand in hand, barefoot and bikini clad across the Heath to the swimming pool early every morning.

TUESDAY _ BACK TO WORK AT LAST

"Katie, are you sure you are fit to come back.  You look awful!  Funny sort of fall! More like you went fifteen rounds with Mike Tyson!"

This from her Editor as Miss O'Brien, Financial Editor,  took her seat for a monthly editorial conference. A murmur of surprised sympathy went up from her colleagues, all much older than she  and all male, as they saw the condition of their lovely young high-flying associate.  This girl certainly seems to attract trouble wherever she goes, they all thought. None believed her story of a fall.  Fell on someone's fists, more likely!  Upset her boyfriend - filthy brute, whoever he is - just give me five minutes alone with him - I'd teach him to treat a woman like that.  This was the universal reaction.  Then the meeting got under way and Katie went back to her room and made herself comfortable (Removed her jacket and blouse) and buzzed Jean to come in with all the correspondence of the last few days.

"Gosh, Katie.  You're black and blue all over!  You and Angie been at it again?"

"You've got it Jean.  You should see the state she's in!"

"Good, Katie.  It's a funny sort of friendship - but if you both insist on that kind of thing, I want you to win every time!  But don't ask me to come and watch - It'd make me ill."

"Don't fret about that Jean, it's strictly personal between us, although we did have a man and his darling dog watching us on Thursday."

"Not a darling man, then"

"He's married with three daughters.  All lovely girls and his wife is sweet, if a bit feeble looking.  You might look up a couple of people, Jean.  See what the paper has on them.   Leave all this rubbish here.  It looks like a long haul catching up on all this"

It was all pretty routine stuff, though , and Katie soon had her desk clear.  She was a phenomenally well-organised person and raced through her work in a frenzy.

Jean came back after a couple of hours and handed two folders to Katie, who smiled her thanks and asked not to be disturbed.

FOLDER 1

Evans, Sir James, 8th Baronet. Born 1956, educ Marlborough, Gonville and Caius Cantab. Welsh Guards 1963/5 (left under a cloud- no details). Director numerous companies. Intrerests shooting, fishing. Clubs -  Reform, Beefsteak.  many rumours of unsavoury activities, but clever enough to stay out of trouble - so far. Not a nice man. No heir to the baronetcy. One illegitimate daughter. Two half sisters, product of illegitimate union by late father; all three pretty close. Address. Halstead Grange, Nr Wem Salop. 23 Eaton Mews SW1.

She was about to study the second folder, when the phone rang.

"Katie, pet! I,ve heard unofficially about four friends of ours.  Out and about again . Keep it under your hat, sweetie.  See you later."

"Yeah.  You're a deep one aren't you Angie"

"Bye Sweetheart"

Bye my love"

And now the other file.

Macfarlane, John Edward Halliday -  8th Earl of Killimuir educ .Harrow, Magdalen Oxon. Coldstream Guards Left with rank of captain. Adventurer, mercenary.Interests  Martial Arts, watercolouring, ornithology. Married 3 daughters. Heir None.
Addresses  Honeysuckle Cottage Nr Rye, Sussex.
Killimuir Castle, Argyll.

No heir, thought Katie. And his wife - she's far to frail to survive another pregnancy. Looked quite ill, to me.  Poor dear!

As far as the activities of Mr Ford and Co were concerned, she decided to sit back and wait.  If they had all been released, then the authorites were not seriously concerned about them. It was betwwen them and her again and this was OK with Katie.  The police in Norfolk had recovered the gun from the drain and as Steve had predicted there was no fingerprint evidence after the time it had spent there and the handling it had needed to retrieve it. It had no known provenance in this country - just one of the many illegally imported weapons that were causing such concern.

The rest of Katie's day passed without incident and she arrived back home to find Angie was already lying on the sofa, finishing off a snack and looking so delightful that Katie went over and kissed her before getting undressed and getting a meal for herself.

"You still look a mess, Angie.  What did they say at work?"

As they lay on the hearthrug, alternately fondling and kissing each others' nipples.

"That I'm mad. and I'd better  make damn sure I beat the shit out of you next time!   OOOH Katie!"

"Fat chance of that. AAAHH!! Angie. YES!!"

"Tits still a bit sore, Angie darling"

"Sure are, Katie my sweet.  Yours?"

"Too right!  But it gets better every day.  I'll soon be right as rain. The we must think about the return match!"

"OK, Katie.  Katie?"

"Yes, Angie"

"You draw the circle again, darling.  It's your reward from me for what you did for me on Saturday!"

"Darling"