Murmuring the Judges

76

‘The pieces are coming together, Bob,’ said Andy Martin, emphatically. ‘We recovered a third shotgun from Tory Clark’s flat, stuck in a cupboard beside his golf clubs. I don’t know where Newton kept his. . maybe it’s buried in his garden. . but he didn’t make a very good job of hiding the mask he wore at the George Street robbery. We came across that in his attic, together with some cartridges.’

‘How much cash have we recovered?’ asked Skinner, leaning back to allow the dining-room waitress to pour his coffee.

‘Just over a quarter of a million in total; from Saunders’ van, under Collins’ greenhouse, and from Newton’s wife. We’ve got a slight problem with the third lot, actually. I’m sweating slightly in case Mrs Bakey goes to a lawyer. She might challenge us to prove that it came from a robbery.’

The DCC added a touch of milk to his cup. ‘Don’t worry about that. If it comes to the bit, hand the money over to the Fiscal and let him sort out.

‘The thing I’m most pleased about,’ he went on, ‘is knowing Collins and Saunders shot Riach and PC Brown. And the reason I’m so chuffed is that the bastards are lying in the morgue.’

Martin hunched his shoulders. ‘You don’t suppose, do you, that Hamburger executed them because they killed by-standers?’

‘What, the noble criminal? Come on, Andy, you don’t really believe that. Hamburger wiped them out to protect himself, that’s the way of it.’

‘Why didn’t he take their money, then?’

Skinner snorted. ‘Because he didn’t have a squad of coppers to help him look for it. He’s got at least half the proceeds stashed away himself, remember, and probably all of Raglan’s diamonds.

‘Any trace of any of our fugitives so far?’

The DCS nodded. ‘One, this morning. Arlene Regan’s father called Stevie Steele to say that they had a card from her in today’s mail. It was posted in Paris six days ago. The message was “All well, don’t worry, love Arlene”. I’ve alerted the French police.’

‘Don’t hold your breath. There are more illegals in Paris than you’ve had chocolate biscuits.’

Skinner picked up his cup once more, cradling it in both hands.

‘How’s my daughter, Andy?’

The sudden question took his friend by surprise. He looked up sharply. ‘Why d’you ask?’

‘Why shouldn’t I? I’m her dad.’ Bob smiled, a shade sheepishly. ‘It was something Sarah said last night. She thought she was worried about something. Eh. . she isn’t. .’

‘No, she bloody isn’t!’ Martin snapped back.

‘Okay, okay. I’m sorry to be so indelicate.’

‘No, my apologies: I shouldn’t have bitten your head off. Sarah’s right, as usual. ’The younger man’s shoulders hunched once more. ‘Alex and I have run into a problem, that’s all.’

‘Nothing you can’t sort out, though?’

‘I hope not, but. .’ He paused. ‘Bob, since she and I have been together, we’ve made nothing of the age difference between us. But we can’t kid ourselves, it’s there, and it can make us look at things. . important things. . from different angles. If I stick to my guns, I feel like I’m being a bully, but if I capitulate, I feel like I’ve got a ring through my nose.’

‘Hey, since this body-piercing craze started I’ve seen guys all over town with rings through their noses.’ Skinner grinned. ‘Listen, there’s a big age difference between Sarah and me, but we’re okay. . now,’ he added.

‘Yes, but Sarah’s. . Well she’s a few years older than Alex. She’s done more in her life.’

All at once, the big DCC nodded. ‘I think I can see where this is leading; straight into a bloody minefield.

‘Son, the only advice I’ll give the two of you is to ask yourselves whether right now, you’re happy. . and I know you are. Let tomorrow take care of itself, for now at least. Don’t take up rigid positions about something in the future that you could regret for the rest of your days. You can tell Alex that as well. But sort it out for yourself; don’t get Sarah or me involved.’

He smiled and replaced the cup in its saucer.

‘I’d better go. I’ve got the Director of Social Work coming in to see me this afternoon, and I haven’t got the heart to pass her over to Elder.’

The two rose from the table and left the dining room together, Martin heading off, still frowning, towards the CID suite, Skinner stepping back into his temporary office through the side door.

He had been working his way through his in-tray for ten minutes when the scrambled telephone rang. He picked it up, grunted an answer, and heard a reassuring voice on the line. ‘Afternoon, mate, is it winter up there yet?’

‘Not quite, Adam, not quite. How’s it going?’

‘I’ve been doing that digging you asked me about. Don’t worry, I’aven’t told anyone what it’s about.’ Arrow laughed. ‘What am I saying? I don’t fookin’ know either.

‘Your mystery six, the self-styled Paras: I’ve tracked them down, Bob, but I can’t find anything to link them all together. Two of them, Collins and Saunders, were real Paras for about ten years, all through the eighties. They saw active service in the Falklands, distinguished service too, apart from an affair after Goose Green that we don’t talk about.

‘McDonnell was in the South Atlantic as well. For some reason, they let a Scotsman into the Welsh Guards, so ’e was on the Galahad when it was bombed. He sustained burns and blast injuries, but he came through all right.

‘Clark was an infantryman, again all through the eighties. His unit was in Ireland in ’82, so he missed the Falklands.

‘Nathan Bennett was in the RAOC. He never fought anywhere. He lost two fingers in a testing accident in 1986, but stayed in for a while after that. After their injuries he and McDonnell both worked in the Advocate General’s office for a while, but at different times, so they never met there.

‘As for Newton, he was a cook. End of Story.’

Major Arrow took a deep breath. ‘You sure these guys are linked, Bob?’

‘Rock-solid certain, Adam. Someone, or something, brought them together.’

‘Okay,’ said the soldier. ‘I’aven’t given up yet. There’s another avenue I want to explore. I’ll call you again in another day or so. Give my love to Sarah, now. Cheers.’