Skinner's rules

60

‘Come along here, Andy, please.’ Martin too was working late. He was in Skinner’s office two minutes after his call.

‘Hello, boss, you been making progress? I won’t get word on Harvey till tomorrow, but I’ve got some other news that might make your hair stand on end.’

‘In a minute. It seems that the Lebanese have lost a diplomat from their London Embassy. They can’t find hide nor hair of him. Bloke called Mahmoud. Deals in used Bank of England notes.’

A broad grin crossed Martin’s face. ‘Fuzzy’s done a runner, d’you think?’

‘Could be, and if he’s our killer, why should he do that? If he is, then he set up Yobatu. And no one but us and Shi-Bachi knows that the Yobatu frame-up has been rumbled.

‘No, the fact that Fuzzy’s vanished says to me that he didn’t do it. He’s either running for his life, literally, or he’s anchored to the floor of the Thames by some very heavy weights!’

Martin’s smile vanished. ‘Great. If Fuzzy’s been taken out as well, we’re at a dead stop. I’ve got a bad feeling about our three searches. I checked the two flats this afternoon. There’s nothing so far. And Aileen Stimson called in to see me half an hour ago. The only thing that’s happened up there is that she likes the atmosphere so much that she’s thinking of chucking in the force and taking her law degree off to the Bar!’

Skinner laughed, ironically. ‘Wouldn’t you, if you had the chance? The hours aren’t any longer, and the pay’s a lot better, especially when it’s given to you in suitcases by Syrians!’

He paused for a moment. ‘Listen, it’s no wonder the girl’s being distracted. We’ve sent her up there to do what we’ve done twice already. Let’s try something different. Ask her to get from the Librarian, very quietly, through Pete Cowan, a list of all the books withdrawn for study by Mortimer and Rachel, since the first meeting with the boy Fuzzy. Maybe their reading list will give us a hint. I know that the Advocates’ Library owns some of the rarest books in the world. I wonder if it has anything on its shelves that can get you killed!’

‘Right, boss. I’ll call her in ten minutes. She should be home by then. Meantime, the other thing I was going to tell you. Apparently there’s a chance that we’re going to have the Syrian President in town in a couple of weeks.’

Skinner looked up in surprise. ‘Until now Syria has only been a place on the TV news. Now it’s come up twice in this office in different contexts in a single day. As a copper, that’s the kind of coincidence that makes m^y skin crawl.’

‘Same here, except that the invite is in connection with a university debate, and it comes from the students. Maybe he won’t accept, or, maybe the Government won’t want him stirring up Middle Eastern politics here. Except …’ He allowed the sentence to tail off.

‘Yes,’ said Skinner. ‘Except that as far as the Middle East is concerned, we can’t be sure of anything.’

‘Let’s keep our fingers crossed anyway. The one good thing about it is that I get to break the news to friend Allingham.’

‘Then do it quick before the Chief finds out, or he’ll grab the pleasure for himself. Use my phone.’

Martin dialled the Foreign Office number, without expecting to find Geoffrey Allingham in the building so late in the day. The extension rang unanswered, and so he left the Fettes Avenue switchboard number, and his own, with Foreign Office security, asking that Allingham be contacted and told to call him. Three minutes later, the telephone rang. The Whitehall policeman was stuck in a traffic jam in Cheyne Walk, and was calling from his car.

‘Good evening, Martin. What’s the picture this time? You haven’t nicked another diplomat have you?’ There was an unmistakable sneer in the voice.

Skinner broke in. ‘Allingham, I have to advise you that you are speaking on a conference telephone and that this call is being recorded. Any more indiscreet and offensive remarks like that and I will personally arrange for the tape to be played to your Commissioner. Now cut the crap. Chief Inspector Martin has some information which may be of interest to you.’

Quickly, Martin related Henry Wills’ story.

‘I see,’ said Allingham. ‘My apologies for my indiscretion, gentlemen, and thank you for this news. I shall inform my Permanent Secretary. He will wish to advise ministers.’

Skinner came in again. ‘We could have the invitation withdrawn, if we persuaded the University to disband the sponsoring club. Shall we do that?’

Allingham thought for a few seconds. ‘Eh, no. Hold on that one, please. Ministers may regard this as a useful icebreaker with the Syrian President. He’s a very new boy. Let’s wait and see for a few days. Thank you again.’

There was a buzz as the line was disconnected.

‘You weren’t really taping that call were you?’ Martin examined the conference telephone for an extra wire.

‘Course not. It just seemed like a good idea at the time.’