Markham finds himself getting deeper into the fight with Kay Churchill (ironic last name there) and some of the more determined residents on the Chelsea marina site. Along with a deranged ex-MOD explosives expert Markham finds himself setting light to the NFT and experiencing the thrill of violence. As his second wife starts an affair so too Markham moves into Kay's house and despite her obsessions and willingness to abandon Markham at the first sign of trouble he is intoxicated by the action.
As a psychologist he fools himself into thinking that some how he is detached from events but as he draws closer to the damaged Dr Gould he has to face the question that actually he is not able to stay on the fringes forever. he is bridging the gap between the enthusiastic amateur in the shape of Churchill and the fundamentalist in Gould.
What starts to bring things to a head are the duel events of a bomb exploding in the Tate killing the girlfriend of one of the protesters as well as a Jill Dando type shooting of a TV presenter on her own doorstep. Markham is trying to find something but faces losing himself in the process. Is that the real danger of getting involved with protests that as it knocks you out of your comfort zone you face questions of just how far you are prepared to go? Would you kill someone? Maybe not but can you always prevent that and how do you counter the buzz you get from the possibility?
More tomorrow...
