“We have a very tight deadline Mrs Banks, and you could be in danger yourself, so we want to know everything you can tell us. You’ve assisted us so far, but in a piecemeal fashion, so unless you want to face charges of obstructing a murder enquiry, start filling in all of the blanks – beginning with what Alistair told you about the merger timetable.”
This threw her off guard a little and she did not respond at first. Renton repeated the threat to charge her with obstruction, and she held up her hand to indicate she needed more time to think. Shaking her head she finally began to talk.
“I’ve told you already that he kept me in the loop on matters of principle with the merger and the changes in his will. Well there was a little bit more. He frightened me by saying that he almost expected to be prevented from going to seal the merger. He then told me of the intention to split that documentation from the intellectual property, which he delegated to Harry. He told me exactly what was in his briefcase, but not that of Bowman.”
“Go on.”
“Alistair’s case was to be empty.”
“What?”
“He expected to have to surrender it if indeed he was intercepted.” She hesitated once more and cleared her throat. “I have the one in which he had the merger agreement and bond.”
Renton and Roberts looked at one another in total confusion. “But you showed it to Ben Adams when he came to see you, and it was open but completely empty.”
“Yes, because I opened it. Alistair had said many times that if anything happened to him I should open the case and destroy the contents.”
“You mean you had the code?”
“Not directly, but he made sure I knew how to get it. I’m not going to reveal the method until my acquisition of Bio-Synth is complete, even if you do charge me. I’ll tell you once that deal has been closed. I’m much more concerned about the whereabouts of Bowman’s case. According to Alistair, there was something in there other than technical knowhow. He described it as his insurance, but never said what it was. He also told me that if and when he and Harry got through to Germany, I was to fly over with the other case when he gave me the signal. He never told me when this was going to happen, and when he rang from London to say he was staying over with Harry, I knew it was going to happen. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust me; he just wanted to protect me.”
“Where are the contents of the case now?”
“I shredded them as he told me to. This was to ensure the £65 million did not disappear, and the rather complex merger schedule was aborted. So now you know why I began again with Bio-Synth in a completely uncomplicated acquisition.”
“And you are sure that’s everything?”
“Except for the briefcase code access and whatever his insurance was, in Harry’s case. I still hope to find that case, but if that is not possible I’ll have to look elsewhere. If I’m successful in finding out what it was, you will be the first to know. I would expect you to reciprocate if you find the case first.”
“Very well, when you have made and signed a full statement to this effect you can go.”
This revelation had the potential to blow the whole situation wide open again. They sat and tried to digest the probable fallout of revealing any of it. They decided to press on with the agreed list. Jackson was brought back. For an hour he flatly refused to utter a single word. Renton abandoned the approach of implying he was still hiding something.
“Ok Vic, we need corroboration of your claim that Banks was already dead when you arrived at the hospital. It’s not what we want to do but it’s now out of our hands. The prosecutor believes that unless you can furnish this in some way, there’s no other credible suspect to charge with Alistair Banks’ murder. These thugs you talked about at the hospital, and the man you identified by his photo could have been a convenient cover for you. The powers that be believe you were supposed to get the package from Banks and he refused. You were on orders to terminate him if he didn’t surrender the case. We’re trying to help you here Vic, but it seems as if we have to concede defeat.”
“Wait, I can’t just make up witnesses. Why haven’t you found this other guy, you know, the one who was clutching his briefcase and browning his trousers? He’s either dead or they still have him. I told you one of the thugs had a Midwest accent, probably Birmingham or Wolverhampton. Why aren’t you looking there instead of fitting me up?”
“If only you had something. If only you had brought the case with you.”
“Do you seriously think they were going to let me do that once they had learned about the code?”
“Code – what code?”
“A code needed to open the bloody case. They had already knackered one of them.”
“Now Vic, no more lies. Tell us every little detail about this case. You’ve never mentioned that there was a second one.”
“It doesn’t seem important to me. Like I’ve said until I’m blue in the face, I went to pick up a sodding package and ended up with a body. The tension in that place was scary. The thugs were ranting about having to collect the package and meet me. They hadn’t bargained for Banks being dead either. I think they realised they’d caused a problem by opening the case they came for. No, sorry, they said they’d told the other guy to open it. He gave them some bullshit about it melting if the correct code wasn’t used, and he didn’t have it. He said that his worked on the same principle so they made him prove it with his case. They apparently went mental when this happened and he couldn’t help them with the important one. I suppose he’ll be dead now, in fact I am sure he will. Anyway, those three guys were the only ones who can prove my story. I can’t see how the burnt out briefcase helps me. I’ve told you everything I can remember and I want you to leave me alone because I still think they’re going to blame everything on me for being late, you know, to save their own arses.”
Renton and Roberts went to the staff canteen for a strong coffee. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Renton then admonished himself.
“I’ve been so intense since Ben Adams was shot that I forgot a cardinal rule. Often, what a witness does say is either a lie or less important than what they haven’t said. I spotted the lies but failed in digging out the rest.”
*
Gibson had drawn a blank for Nisha Servil’s sister in Heaton. The people living at the address did not have any idea where she had moved to, but said the lady three doors down was good friends with her. This proved more helpful, as the woman told him she had moved in with her boyfriend.
“I can’t remember his name, but I think he lives in Gosforth. I haven’t seen her for ages and she must have changed her mobile phone and number, because I just get an unrecognised tone. Is there anything I should be worried about?”
“No, we just want to ask her about someone she may know.”
“I’m sorry, I feel stupid. I’m sure his name will come to me. His first name is Gary, is there a number where I can call you when it comes to mind?” Gibson gave her his card.
*
Stephanie returned with mixed news. Two more people caught on the station CCTV had been eliminated. The three remaining were two middle aged men and a young girl. One of the officers screening the disc thought he had seen the girl before somewhere and asked one of his personal friends to look at a still. He confirmed her as being a drug user. The officer could now place her and knew where he could find her. When he did approach her she resisted any attempt to get her to talk. “Look Adele, we aren’t chasing you. There’s footage of you posting something in the station box. We only want to know if someone asked you to do this; it’s not against the law.”
“What do I get out of it?”
“You get me to leave you alone.”
“Yeah right, he gave me a tenner.”
“Good, that wasn’t too hard was it? Would you recognise him again?”
“Very funny, it was early in the morning and I don’t even remember where I was going. I was only about a hundred yards from the station,
and when he gave me the tenner I must have changed my plan or something, because I ended up in the off-licence for a couple of miniatures.”
“Ok, Adele I want you to come to the station and make a statement.”
“Do I get a coffee?”
“Of course, maybe even a sandwich.”
The last few hours had been quite productive and the four of them posted their input on the whiteboard. It was time to bring in the three musketeers again.
Chapter 33
Wednesday November 21st 2018
Hepworth and Parrish had turned up and everyone was waiting for Price. When Renton rang his mobile it went straight to voicemail. He then rang Gladstone-Klein and was put on hold for a few minutes. When he was put through he asked Price why he had not shown up.
“Inspector, it was put to me as a request, and after I had thought about it, I decided to decline. I have really spent enough time helping you, and I have a business to run, but my main reason for not coming is that whatever I purchased in London is my business. I have told you what it was. I’m not coming in.”
“I have to remind you that it’s a murder enquiry and I must insist that you attend.”
“You mean it’s a murder odyssey, and you are no nearer solving it than you were on day one.”
“You have a choice, come in or I send a squad car to arrest you.” Julian Hepworth asked to speak to him and Renton handed over the phone.
“Hey Donald, calm down, we are both here. If a receipt helps put Alistair’s killer away, then what the hell is your problem? Come on; don’t be so childish, if….”
“Stick your advice Hepworth. You’re always butting in when you’re not welcome. Just because you hero-worshipped Alistair, it doesn’t follow that everyone else has to crawl up his arse.”
The conversation was transferred to speakerphone and it was then Parrish who returned the vitriol. “Look, you egotistical little cretin, strutting your corporate title means nothing to these people, and you’re reflecting badly on Alistair, Julian, and me. Go ahead and make a fool of yourself in front of your workforce.”
When Renton took the phone back, and switched off the speakers, he simply said, “What is it to be?”
The line went dead. Hepworth produced his receipt and was quite embarrassed when Eva Roberts read it.
“She has already decided it is going back, and has talked me into another trip to Chelsea to exchange it” The receipt showed the item was purchased at 17.59 on the 3rd November. Martin Parrish’s payment for the book was timed twelve minutes later at 18.11. Both of their receipts confirmed what they had testified to. They were thanked and asked if the receipts could be held by the police temporarily until Price produced his. There was agreement and they left.
The squad car arrived to find that Price had left for his house. He found it even more embarrassing to be arrested in his swanky neighbourhood than at work. He protested that he had come home for the receipt and there was no need for such heavy-handed police behaviour.
“Sorry Sir, but Inspector Renton could not know whether you had decided to come in voluntarily because you put down the phone without stating that was indeed your intention. Just get in the car, or you will be handcuffed.” He protested that he had the receipt now and he could drive to the incident room; it was to no avail. When he arrived and was shown directly to the interview room, he threw the receipt on to the desk and glared at Renton.
“Satisfied now?”
Renton and Roberts checked it out and it did confirm he had bought a computer tablet in Tottenham Court Road at precisely 17.54 on Saturday 3rd November. “Thank you Mr Price, was that so hard?”
“That is hardly the point. I’m going to take this further. Yes, you are supposed to be investigating a murder, and I am running a company. You could have offered to come to my office for a change, especially when all you wanted was a damned receipt.”
“It’s your call if you want to make a complaint, so I’ll give you a receipt for your receipt.”
With all of the receipts backing up the testimony, Renton decided to follow up on Forster’s progress on the limo driver. He was brought up to date with the current stalemate.
“I think it may take some time yet Jack. When I got here I had to modify Bradstock’s approach a little and it threw up a completely unrelated activity in which the Colony was active. I can’t go into details but suffice it to say that it’s become a higher priority than the limo man. Strangely enough I’ve convinced Bradstock to authorise a slightly risky means of discovering what’s inside the briefcase which Vic Jackson claimed was in the hands of the Colony. It seems Jackson was right and we’re awaiting their response to the latest offer.”
“What do you mean by risky?”
“Well, the operation would have to be overseen by a third party from a remote viewing point and there’s no absolute guarantee that this experimental process would work.”
“I see, well I may be able to help you out there. I know what’s inside.”
“How can you possibly know that?” When Renton explained the situation there was no immediate reaction. Then the rather long silence was truncated with concern. “Jesus, I’m kind of lost in a fog now. The only thing I didn’t expect to be in that case was nothing. No matter how the Colony finds out that it is empty, it will signal the end for Baumann, if he is still alive. I was hoping there was something in there which would give us a bargaining chip to extract him.”
“Maybe it would be best to call off the test. I’ve been thinking that if this becomes public knowledge it could alter things at this end. I mean, what if the killer still believes there’s valuable information in that briefcase. We don’t know what the hell will be unleashed if this person has to go looking for whoever they think took the contents of the case. If you cancel the test, it may encourage the Colony to open it. Having the case self-destruct would be helpful to both of us, and Baumann.”
“That would only work if they decided to open it themselves. If we encourage them in any way it will destabilise the grapevine we have with them. Maybe we can go ahead with the test but ensure it fails, and then admit defeat. It would be convenient if they ‘discovered’ the code to open it, but it was wrong.”
“I’ll have to leave that with you and the Fuhrer, but there’s another piece of the jigsaw which has changed. We also know for sure that Baumann’s case had the intellectual property in it. If that was what the Colony was after, it’s already destroyed. They forced Baumann to open it as a demo of what happens when the wrong code is entered, remember? Anyway, is there no angle which gets us closer to the limo driver?”
“Let me think on it. There may be a way to utilise the fact that this driver and Jackson have already been introduced to each other.”
Chapter 34
Cousins had entered the office during the tail-end of the conversation and asked Eva Roberts to give him a few minutes of privacy with Renton. “We are getting pressure indirectly from bloody Downing Street now. Monica Armstrong wants to see us and she is in a hurry. Let’s go.”
She wasted no time laying down her future expectations.
“Gentlemen, as my responsibility covers the safety and welfare of the Three Rivers population, albeit in a civil capacity rather than law enforcement, I need answers. This latest victim – a solicitor, murdered in his own office, has kindled widespread fear. This is the seventh murder which appears to be linked, at least in the minds of the people, to that of Alistair Banks. So far, all we have done is to arrest someone for the murder of a man who you seem to believe is not connected to the others, and it was filmed on CCTV. This is not what I would call detective work. Although the call I received this morning was from the Home Secretary, I know it was being passed on from the P.M. If he is getting nervous, he is entitled to ask if I am. I will therefore need to hear exactly what you intend to do in order to restore faith in the police, from both the government and the public perspective. Bradstock has staffed this incident room with almost the entire C.I.D.
resource, yet the only incidents we hear of are more bodies. I also understand you have a profiler involved, and I have to ask just how desperate are you? Unless we have some kind of breakthrough soon, I’m afraid questions will be asked about the competence of those leading the operation. I want to help, therefore I would like to have a briefing every two days so that I can try to keep the wolves at bay.”
Renton was naturally inclined to take issue with much of what she had said, but was quietly silenced by Cousins.
“Monica, you’ve not expressed this level of concern until now, and just because your own reputation is coming under the spotlight, you offer criticism about the leadership of the investigation. I really would like to experience the help you have offered rather than just hear promises, and although I take the criticism on board, I don’t think the answer is for you to brief the newshounds every two days with our leads, in a P.R. fashion. Protection of certain information is often as important as having it. I can’t subscribe to anyone other than those under my command deciding what can be released. I sympathise with your rebuke from on high, as we get this regularly. I’ll brief you every week, and D.C.I. Renton will continue to investigate rather than elaborate. As far as the leadership is concerned, we know we are in a results business, and accept that it goes with the territory, but it won’t be you who decides if change is needed. I guess the same concern could be levelled at the effectiveness of controlling the current public disorder. If your public service people such as ambulance and fire departments fall into the firing line, I hope I would not offer to help you by merely beating someone else’s drum. I think this has been a fruitful discussion insofar as we now have a better idea of who we can depend on, and I will give you our first agreed briefing tomorrow.” Renton had never credited Cousins with being a vertebrate, never mind offering himself as a target.
*
Chen contacted Lawrence Morton to say he had gained time against his own estimate by working through the night.