The Hawk Is Dead

80

Tuesday 28 November 2023

As soon as they walked back out of the flat and towards the car, Roy Grace’s mobile rang. It was Denton Scroope.

‘Hi, Roy. Good news, I agree with your wife about the code — it is definitely a variation of a Caesar Cipher. I’m pretty confident I’ve cracked the cipher — Sir Peregrine has used his initials PG for the key, which is P equals G, and so on for each subsequent letter. I’ve got the first of the remaining four deciphered: S O T H.’

‘S O T H?’ Grace repeated. ‘Have you worked out what that stands for, Denton?’

‘It could be something like Sanctuary Of The Heart or Shadows Of The Horizon. But given Cleo’s deciphering of A Rose Between Two Thorns, I favour either Song Of The Horseman? Or perhaps Son Of The Horseman?’ Scroope told him.

‘Neither means anything to me. Some allusion to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, perhaps?’ Grace suggested, wracking his brains but not coming up with anything.

‘I’ll have a good mull on it. Is there anyone one who rides, I wonder.’

‘Or whose father rides?’ Grace suggested.

‘Indeed. The good news, Roy, is that having established the type of cipher, I should now be able to crack the remaining three.’

‘Great work, Denton. Really great work,’ Roy said. ‘I appreciate anything you can do.’

Having reached the car, Roy then called Sir Tommy Magellan-Lacey’s mobile before getting in. The Master of the Royal Household answered almost immediately, his voice charming and friendly as ever but sounding a little anxious.

‘Roy! Everything all right? Any progress?’

Grace was tempted to ask him if he knew any horse riders in the Royal Household, but decided it would lead to too many questions from the Master.

‘By the way, Roy, before I forget, I’ve arranged for you to see the box of Granny’s Personal Chips where it’s currently in storage, next time you’re in the Palace.’

‘Thank you.’

‘How did it go with Superintendent Mosse?’

‘Well, we’re not exactly besties, but I think we’ve established a constructive working relationship, Sir Tommy,’ he said, giving Branson a wink.

‘Good, that’s excellent news.’

‘There is one name that has come up as a possible person of interest in our enquiries,’ he said guardedly.

‘Yes?’ Tommy asked, eagerly.

‘Rose.’

‘First or last name?’

‘It could be either. You have Rose Cadoret who was in Kabul with you?’

The Master nodded. ‘Completely trustworthy. There’s absolutely no way she would be involved in anything nefarious — well, it would be a complete surprise to me.’

‘I’m afraid that as a police officer, nothing is ever a surprise to me, Sir — er — Tommy.’

‘I’ll make some discreet enquiries about Rose Cadoret. I don’t recall anyone else with either the first or last name “Rose” in the Royal Household.’

‘Thank you, I’d appreciate that.’

‘Are your Sussex enquiries taking us anywhere closer? Any leads, suspects? I’m due to see both Their Majesties later this afternoon to give them a full update. Of course, the big question they are going to be asking is whether the deaths of Sir Peregrine Greaves and Geoffrey Bailey are connected or not. I’m actually on my way to see Superintendent Mosse now — do you have anything I can pass on to them?’

‘I’ve nothing new in terms of suspects, but we do have some intel that a very valuable miniature painting in the Royal Collection may have been stolen — or is about to be.’

‘What?’ the Master gasped, and Grace heard it. ‘This is credible information, Roy?’

‘Yes. I trust the source.’

‘Which — which painting?’

‘By Hans Holbein — Hans Holbein the Younger. It’s a miniature of Anne of Cleves. I can give you the RCIN number.’

‘No, don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I know where the picture is — it was one of many taken down for safety during the renovations and it’s in storage down in the vaults under the Palace. God, if you are right, this is unbelievable — outrageous.’

‘I am right.’

‘So on top of the murder of Sir Peregrine, which may or may not have been a failed assassination attempt on The Queen, then the brutal murder of a footman, we now have an art thief within the Royal Household? Where did you get this information from, Roy?’

‘I’d prefer to tell you when I see you, I don’t think it’s sensible to tell you over an open phone line.’

‘Yes, good thinking, very wise.’ He was silent for a moment, then he asked, ‘Roy, was your source able to say whether they think this is a one-off instance targeting this one picture — or are these buggers, whoever they are, going for others, too?’

Keeping his cards tight to his chest, Grace replied, lying, ‘This is the only item I’m aware of.’

‘I’ll alert Lorraine McKnight, the Director of the Royal Collection, immediately. You say it may already have been stolen?’

‘My source wasn’t clear on this.’

‘I’ll get the guards to check all vehicles leaving the Palace, and all people carrying bags large enough to contain the painting — which isn’t very large at all — as soon as I’m off this call — but—’

‘Actually, Sir Tommy,’ Grace interrupted him. ‘I think we need to tread very carefully, and keep this information just entre nous. We don’t want to tip anyone off that we know about the plans for the picture. If it is still in the Palace then you have a very good chance of catching the thieves red-handed. Just make a discreet or seemingly innocuous enquiry — come up with some pretext why you want to see the picture, so you don’t raise any flags.’

‘Good point, Roy. But one thing puzzles me.’

‘Which is?’

‘Well, I don’t know how much the thieves have thought this through. The late Queen Elizabeth was particularly fond of this picture. It was she who made me aware of it, and of its significance. Hans Holbein the Younger’s miniature of Anne of Cleves is, frankly, one of the best known and most important paintings in the world — particularly due to its political significance. Every auction house and art dealer on the planet would know it immediately — they wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole, they’d know it was stolen from the Royal Collection. So I don’t quite understand what’s going on — unless these people think they are going to ransom it back to us.’

In the background, Grace heard a faint sound he recognized. He glanced at his watch: 3 p.m. exactly. ‘I’ve had previous dealings with the criminal side of the art world,’ he said. ‘I don’t fully share your view about everyone not touching it. But it would be very helpful if we could start by establishing if the painting is still at the Palace or has already been stolen. If you could find that out urgently.’

‘And then set a trap if it’s still here?’ Sir Tommy said.

‘That’s exactly what I’m thinking.’

‘Absolutely,’ the Master replied. ‘I’m on it.’