The co-operation of experts and sources is essential for a crime fiction author because it not only contributes to a story’s credibility, but it helps me create well-rounded and interesting characters, to bring locations to life through the bricks of detail, and often results in a whole new set of ideas and plot twists. I have been incredibly lucky with the help I have received from people like retired Detective Chief Superintendent David Gaylor, who met me at Gatwick airport yesterday and introduced me to a number of the airport police. The officers were very generous with their time and, after some initial trepidation about revealing security information, really got excited about the climax of my next thriller, set – you guessed it – at an airport. I don’t want to give the climax details away but I now know something about the three thousand security cameras at the airport (yes, 3000!), the firearms they use, and the dangerous security issues they have to deal with. These officers do an amazing job!