They laundered it in front of me because they had so completely reduced me, in their minds, to a harmless functionary that it never occurred to them I was a threat.

Their contempt told them I was safe.

Their contempt was wrong.

And this, I think, is the recurring downfall of arrogant people, the thing that brings them low again and again throughout history: they cannot defend against the people they refuse to take seriously, because you cannot guard against a danger you have decided does not exist.

Julian and Tessa guarded, no doubt, against their sophisticated rivals, their business enemies, the people they respected enough to fear.

They would never have laundered money in front of someone they considered dangerous.