Find Them Dead

92 Friday 24 May

‘What do you think, matey?’ Roy Grace asked Glenn Branson.

The two detectives sat on adjoining chairs in the communal hallway of Lewes Crown Court, at 9.30 a.m. on Friday morning, sipping bitter vending-machine coffee. People streamed in past them. The unexpected cancellation of the Crisp trial had given Grace a welcome respite in his workload, which had rapidly been filled by the murder enquiry on Stuie Starr. But Glenn had asked him to attend court today, to hear what he hoped might be the final day of speeches and summing-up in the Terence Gready trial, and Grace was intrigued to hear the comments in one of the biggest drugs trials ever to be heard in Sussex.

‘I can’t call it,’ Branson said. ‘Gready’s guilty as shit, but as you’d expect from a weasel of a legal aid solicitor, he’s got himself a top brief and team. I’ve been watching the jury and they’re hard to read. The judge is on our side, I think. But it’s in the lap of the gods. How are you doing with the Stuie Starr murder?’

Grace shrugged. ‘Nothing much to go on, so far. We’re widening the search area of CCTV and ANPR cameras. There was no forced entry, which means Stuie may have let his killers in.’

‘Some bastards beat him to death?’ Branson asked.

‘Yes.’

‘And took nothing?’

‘We don’t know for sure. There’s electrical items and possibly a large amount of cash unaccounted for.’

‘Is Pewe on your back over it?’

‘Of course. My regular phone buddy.’ As he talked, Grace watched the people filing into Court 3. Suddenly, he saw the Argus’s crime reporter — and Glenn’s fiancée — Siobhan Sheldrake. She blew a kiss at Glenn as she passed and he responded with a kiss back, followed by a soppy grin.

‘Know her, do you?’ Grace ribbed.

‘Haha. Written your best man’s speech yet?’

‘No, still digging up the dirt on you.’ Grace was looking forward to his best man’s role.

‘Don’t waste your time, there isn’t any.’

Grace looked at his friend and colleague. ‘Really? Short memory, have you?’

Branson suddenly looked alarmed. ‘What are you going to say?’

‘Top Surrey and Sussex homicide detective fraternizing with the enemy? Nuff said?’

‘Siobhan is so not the enemy — I love her independent mind.’

Grace nodded. ‘Fair play to you for that. But going back to your trial, Gready is an evil piece of shit, who’s downright guilty. You and I both know that. The evidence, from what you’ve told me, is overwhelming.’

Branson was shaking his head. ‘That’s why I wanted you here today. We have a strong case, but have we done enough to convince a jury? At the start of the trial, I thought it was a slam-dunk. Now, I’m really not so sure.’

‘Great news,’ Grace said sarcastically. ‘I’m not sure about anything at the moment.’

Branson looked at him. ‘You’re down, aren’t you? I understand. Bummer. But Pewe’s not going to be here forever.’

‘Maybe I won’t be either.’

‘This is your home, Roy. This is where you love and where you belong. Don’t let that two-faced creep drive you out and back to the Met. You got rid of him once before, surely you can do it again?’

Grace smiled thinly. ‘I wish.’

‘Karma.’

‘Karma?’

Branson nodded. ‘People like Cassian Pewe, who go through life pissing people off, always get their comeuppance in the end. That’s how karma works.’

‘Nice thought, Glenn, but with everything that’s going on in my life at the moment I’m staying in Sussex anyhow.’

‘I understand that, mate, and don’t forget there are people above him who know just how good you are. The Police and Crime Commissioner for one.’

‘Maybe.’

Branson shook his head. ‘Steve Curry, ex-District Commander at Hastings, he’s now working in her office. He had a drink with a friend of mine — Dan Hiles — the other day.’

‘I remember Dan when he was a probationer.’

‘He’s now an Inspector at Brighton nick. Steve told him that the PCC considers you future Chief Constable material.’

Grace gave him a pat on the shoulder. ‘Good to hear, but I wouldn’t want that job. I like being a hands-on copper. Detective Chief Superintendent is as high as I want to get. I don’t want to run the force, I want to catch criminals and put them behind bars. That’s what I signed up for. Not dealing with bureaucratic shit and taking the flak for everything that goes wrong, all day long.’

Glenn Branson nodded. ‘I get it. Why not go after Pewe? Find some dirt on him for a change and stuff him.’

Grace gave him a wan smile. ‘Easier said than done.’

He didn’t know it, but just such an opportunity was not very far away.