Down Among the Dead Men (5 page)

5

G
eorgina Dallymore, the Assistant Chief Constable in Bath, was unusually tense, gripping the edge of her desk with both hands as if she meant to heave it over and use it as a barricade when the enemy burst in. “Shut the door, would you? This is for your ears only.”

Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond, not without tension himself, did as he was told.

“How is everything in CID?” Her standard question. It might mean anything.

“Humming, ma'am, humming.” His standard response. It meant nothing.

“Busy, then?”

He nodded. It is always wise to be busy.

“The jewel robberies?”

“Taking up a lot of time, yes.” Far too many of the rich and famous had their homes in and around Bath. A gang of thieves had been at work for eight months depriving them of some of their best items of jewellery. The gang used ladders and vans and they picked locks and neutralised security systems. Nothing remarkable in that. But generally even the top professionals give themselves away when they cash in. The marketing of stolen goods is messy and leaves trails.

“Are you personally involved in the investigation?”

“When you say ‘personally' . . .”

“Hands on.”

Careful here, he thought. “I'm overseeing it, if that's what you mean.”

“Interviewing the people whose property was stolen?”

Hey-ho, had one of Bath's grandees complained that he hadn't doffed his hat? “I've done a bit of that. They're VIPs, some of them, as you know. Can't send young constables to speak to people like that.”

“Understood. But you do have senior detectives like Keith Halliwell and John Leaman.”

“Absolutely.”

“I sometimes think, Peter, that you could delegate more.”

He said nothing. The use of his first name by Georgina was a cannon shot across the bows. The mention of delegating was a broadside.

“Halliwell and Leaman are old hands,” she went on, “and as back-up they have an able detective sergeant in Ingeborg Smith.”

“Agreed.”

“Between them, they could round up this gang in the next week or so.”

“I wouldn't count on it.”

“You must have plenty of clues.”

“We don't, ma'am. This lot are good at what they do.”

“And so are we. Every contact leaves its traces.”

“But when the only traces are from disposable overshoes all we know is that they're experienced criminals. Or misguided health professionals.”

She didn't smile. “Tyre tracks?”

“Nothing to speak of. Gravel surfaces, mostly.”

“And no CCTV?”

“They're wise to that.”

“I still think Halliwell and Leaman are capable of dealing with this.”

“I didn't say they aren't. We'll get there.”

“Without you breathing down their necks, I mean.”

He didn't like the way this was heading. “With respect, I know how to get the best out of my team, ma'am.”

Georgina took a breath that tested the silver buttons on her tunic. “I'm not criticising. My job—one of my jobs—is to manage, make the best use of resources. I don't think you're over-stretched in CID.”

“Hold on,” Diamond said. “I could go back to the office now and find I'm facing a murder. We have to be on our toes.”

Her eyes rolled upwards. Maybe he'd used the primed-and-ready-to-go argument once too often.

She glanced behind her as if someone might be at the window.
On the top floor
? “What I'm about to tell you must not go beyond these four walls. I've been sounded out by a high source, the highest, in fact.”

Mental picture of Georgina dressed like Moses, with a tablet of stone under each arm.

“Headquarters?”

“Higher than that.”

“Federation?”

She shook her head. She was milking this. She wanted to impress him. He played along, curious and wary. How could it impinge on him if Georgina had been earmarked for promotion?

“ACPO?”

“No.”

“The Home Office?”

A twitch of the lips put an end to the game.

He waited for more.

“It's extremely sensitive.” Her face was screwed up now as if it was painful to go on. She lowered her voice. “A certain police authority—not ours—has come under scrutiny. Questions are being asked about their handling of an investigation that appears to have been flawed. As you know, each authority has its own professional standards department. Above that is the Independent Police Complaints Commission with their own investigators. But in exceptional cases the chief constable may request assistance from an officer of executive rank from another authority.”

“You?” he said, on cloud nine. He hadn't had a break from Georgina in years. “Nice work.”

“It hasn't been confirmed yet. In matters such as this there's a vetting process, but I agreed to put my hat into the ring, so to speak.”

“They won't object to you, ma'am. You're a shoo-in.”

“Do you think so?” For a fleeting moment she looked quite kittenish. Then dignity was restored. “We'll see. But if I do take this on, I'm going to need assistance.”

“They'll see you right.”

“Somebody I'm used to working with.”

His blood ran cold. “Who's that?”

“Why do you think I'm telling you this?”

Anything.
Anything
but this. “I'm not sure that's such a good idea, ma'am.”

“Why? You're a free agent. You have no family. You can spend a few weeks in another county.”

I'll say I can't leave the cat, he thought. He was as desperate as that. But the Home Office might not regard Raffles and his needs as a valid excuse. “Which county is it?”

“I haven't been told myself. They'll put us up in decent accommodation.”

The thought of shacking up with Georgina. Sharing a table for breakfast in some cheap hotel. “Just you and me?”

“At the beginning, while I get a sense of what is involved. We can get extra assistance later if required.”

“What would my role be?”

“The part of the job you really enjoy—rooting out the truth from all the people concerned.”

“To be honest, I'm not comfortable investigating brother-officers.”

“Neither am I, but it's inescapable. There are bad eggs in every profession, Peter. They have to be found and ejected. I don't always understand your ways of working. I don't always approve of them. But you get results. And we already agreed who covers for you.”

“Did we?”

“This will do you good, get you out of a rut.”

“I hadn't noticed I was in one.”

“It takes an outsider to tell. You and I will make a terrific team. Dallymore and Diamond, trouble-shooters.”

Dallymore and Diamond.

He was reminded of the story of a famous comic double act coming on stage at the Glasgow Empire, the toughest of all gigs. Mike Winters made his entrance and when his brother Bernie followed, a voice was heard to say, “Oh Christ, there's two of them.”

Teaming up with Georgina would be a low point in his career, if not the pits. True, she was the assistant chief constable and he the head of CID, but in this partnership she was the detective in charge, he the plod, gofer and sidekick. Bound by his promise of silence, he said nothing to the rest of his team, but he was in no hurry to tell them anyway. They'd think this was hilarious.

That evening he confided in his friend Paloma and she laughed out loud. “You and Georgina. Who would have thought it?”

“Now come on.”

“She's obviously got the hots for you.”

“That would really top it off, having to barricade my bedroom door.”

“It can't be a rational decision. You've always said she disapproves of how you run the show.”

“The truth of it is she wants me to do the door-stepping for her, grilling the wretched cops who messed up and don't want to talk about it and she'll take any credit that's going. That's her way.”

“Her privilege,” Paloma said. “But there's always a flip side, isn't there?”

“Not obvious to me.”

“You're always saying you need to break free, get some sort of relief from the job. This could be it.”

“With Georgina for company?”

“You've got to admit it's different.”

6

D
ays passed with no progress on the jewel thefts. John Leaman, the anal retentive on the team, had spent days studying a map with the aim of profiling the offenders. The theory was that referencing the crime locations would pinpoint the likeliest area where the perpetrators had their base. If these had been one-man crimes, it might have worked. With a gang, the profile was never likely to provide the breakthrough. But the display board looked pretty decorated with push pins and pink strips.

“I expect they drive in from Bristol or London,” Keith Halliwell said. He'd long since given up sparing Leaman's feelings.

“If we had some idea where they'd strike next, it would help,” Diamond said. “There are far too many big houses stuffed with valuables.”

“Our best hope is a tip-off.”

“Always is. But the snouts aren't helping—which gives point to your theory about Bristol or London.”

“The gang now seems to know what they're looking for. They take the major items and leave the rest.”

“And it's always a clean job. They must have a good look before they go in.”

“Planning.”

“But where do they get their information? How do they know who owns the rocks they steal?”

“
Bath People
?” Halliwell said.

“Which people?”

“
Bath People
. The magazine.”

“I get you.” The expensive glossy filled its pages with photos of the great and the good at local hunt balls, race meetings and glamorous fund-raising events. The pages, that is, that weren't filled with advertising.

“All those women in posh frocks sporting the family jewels. Everyone is named. That's how it sells.”

Leaman spoke up from behind his computer, “If you like, guv, I can look through the back issues and see if there's a connection.”

“What a good offer,” Diamond said, resisting the temptation of winking at Halliwell. It was another perfect bum-numbing task for Leaman. “And I know where we can lay our hands on a stack of copies. Georgina buys it. In fact, she's in it sometimes, rubbing shoulders with the lord-lieutenant and the mayor.”

“Do you read it?” Halliwell said in surprise.

“Only at my dentist's.” He turned to Leaman. “Georgina keeps her copies on one of the filing cabinets in her office. Be sure to ask before you borrow them.”

Halliwell looked at Diamond. “Wouldn't it be better if the request came from you?”

“Me? I'm keeping my distance this week. She won't mind. She'll be tickled pink if we come across her picture.”

“Wearing the Dallymore tiara?”

“She's always in uniform.”

Leaman went off to try his luck with Georgina, never shy of speaking to one of the high-ups.

“He'll have my job one day,” Diamond said. “See if he doesn't.”

“I believe you, guv. By then, we'll all be history except him. CID will be one man and his laptop.”

The grotesque fantasy came closer to reality before the day was out. Diamond picked up the phone and it was Georgina.

“How ready are you?”

“For what, ma'am?” His mouth had gone dry.

“For what we were discussing.”

“The, em . . . ?”

“We leave tomorrow morning.”

“Soon as that? I haven't made any arrangements.”

“You live alone like me, don't you? What arrangements?”

He didn't like to mention his cat. The neighbour would take over. Raffles spent much of his time in her garden anyway. “I haven't spoken to Keith Halliwell.”

“Tell him he's in charge. You're away for an unspecified time on police business. No need to say any more.”

“I don't know any more.”

“Good thing. I've arranged for a driver. He'll call at my house and pick me up first and we should get to you about ten fifteen. Pack for at least two weeks.”

“Where are we going?”

“Peter, there's a very sensible rule in work of this sort called the need-to-know principle. I'm applying it. When it becomes necessary, you'll be informed.”

Pompous old trout. “As you wish.”

“Until tomorrow, then. Don't sound so depressed. It could be quite an adventure.” Now she sounded like a character out of Enid Blyton.

He broke the news to Halliwell, as much as he knew. “I don't need to tell you, it's not my choice.”

Halliwell couldn't hide the smile. “You and Georgina? Someone at headquarters has a sense of humour.”

“It came from the Home Office. She has friends in high places. I'm tagging along as the dogsbody.”

“Have fun.”

“Make sure you collar the jewel thieves while I'm away.”

“Me and whose army?”

“You've got Ingeborg and Leaman and young Gilbert. All good brains. Get them busy and put this one to bed before I'm back.” He felt marginally better for saying that.

That evening he went for a parting meal with Paloma at the Ring O Bells in Widcombe Parade, almost a local for her. She'd got over her amusement and actually seemed sorry he would be away for a time. But their appetites weren't affected. They tucked into the char-grilled rib-eye steak with black pudding butter, fries and salad (his) and vegetarian bake with salad leaves (hers).

“How long will you be away?” Paloma asked.

“It's open-ended. I expect we've got to look at evidence that was heard in court and find out what went wrong, who was lying, and so on. That's going to take ages.”

“You'll get some weekends off, I hope.”

“I'll make sure of that. God, I hope it's not the other end of the country, Durham, or some such. She's not saying.”

“Is it a state secret?”

“The story hasn't broken in the press.”

“Does it still go on, one police force investigating another?”

“Less usual than it was. There's an independent commission that does the job these days, but certain cases still get farmed out to mugs like me and Georgina. Nobody is comfortable with it. We won't get a welcome from the locals. It's a pig of a job.”

“You'll see another part of the country. Travel broadens the mind.”

“Aren't I broad-minded enough?”

“No comment.”

“Right now, Bath offers all I desire,” he said, nudging her foot under the table. “Your place or mine?”

He was at home in Weston next morning when the police Land Rover drew up outside.

“Don't let me down,” he said to Raffles, who had his head in the bowl lapping the jelly off a serving of ocean fish. “No fights, no birds, no small mammals. And keep off the street at all times. Oh, and try not to shrink away when Mrs. Monument goes to stroke you. Otherwise, it's life as normal. I envy you.”

He carried his holdall out and nodded to Georgina, in the front passenger seat.

“Is that all you're bringing?” she asked.

“I'll get by.”

The driver had the hatch door open. It was not encouraging to see two jumbo-sized pink suitcases taking up most of the luggage space. As if this was not enough, various garments in suit covers were hanging inside the vehicle and when he got in he found he was sitting between a vanity case and a set of
golf clubs
.

Golf clubs?

“Don't sit on my hat. It's somewhere on the seat.”

They moved off, observed with indifference by Raffles, now perched on Mrs. Monument's front wall.

“The first time I've seen where you live,” Georgina said. “Quieter than I expected.”

“You should hear it at the weekend when the lawn-mowers are going.”

They joined the A4 and headed towards the city, which he took to mean that their destination wasn't the West Country. He wasn't going to ask, even though the need-to-know principle wouldn't be compromised now they were on the road.

“I don't suppose you heard the news,” Georgina said from the front seat without turning her head. “There was another break-in last night. A large house in Upper Swainswick. The people were at the theatre. They got home to find the safe door open and an emerald necklace and matching earrings gone.”

“Another one? That's two in a week.” He could imagine the mayhem in CID.

“I don't doubt that this is the same lot. They disabled the security system and got in through a back door. And it seems they knew what they were looking for. I hope DCI Halliwell is up to this.”

“You were confident when we spoke yesterday.”

“I didn't expect he'd be tested as soon as this,” she said with a shake of the head.

This was too good an opportunity. “If it worries you, ma'am, we can make a slight change of plan. We're heading towards the city. Drop me in Manvers Street and I can take a look at the scene and join you later.”

“Oh, no, no, no, no, no,” she said. “I'm not falling for that one, Peter. I know exactly how your mind is working. Phone messages to say more evidence has come up and you're delayed. I'm sorry, but Halliwell will have to cope. This mission has priority over everything. I need you at my side from the word go.”

As caddy? he thought.

The Land Rover cruised through the city and a short way along the London Road and then right at the traffic lights and over Cleveland Bridge, taking the A36. They were travelling south, through Wiltshire. The next place of any size would be Salisbury. He hadn't heard of any bent coppers there, but the Salisbury and South Wilts was said to be the finest downland golf course in the country.

“I hope you locked away your jewellery somewhere really safe, ma'am,” Diamond said, for his own amusement. “You're chancing it, leaving Bath while this gang is operating.”

She puffed herself up. “In the first place, I don't live in a country mansion, and in the second I don't go in for expensive jewellery. The only valuables I have are personal items of no market value whatsoever.”

“I expect you've won a few silver cups in your time.”

“You noticed my clubs, then. It's a hobby. I don't win things. There might be the chance of a round where we're going. Do you play, Peter?”

“Not my game at all.”

“You go in for mind games, don't you? Pulling the wool over the eyes of your superiors. Superior in rank, not necessarily in guile. Can you swim?”

“If necessary, yes.”

“Not from choice? You don't go looking for opportunities to demonstrate your freestyle?”

“I'm a breaststroker.”

A volley of laughter escaped her as if she was a fourteen-year-old. “Find me a man who isn't.”

Georgina in this skittish mood was a revelation, and not one he enjoyed. A foretaste of dreadful days to come? He didn't want to get chummy. He preferred her talking to him through the steel mesh barrier of rank.

“The reason I mentioned swimming,” she added, “is that you may get the chance of a dip, the place we're going.”

She made it sound like an invitation to sex. He would have told her he hadn't packed his shorts, but on present form she'd have an orgasm. Instead he said, “I dare say we'll be busy with other things.”

“Possibly.” He'd given her the chance to volunteer something about the purpose of the trip, but she wasn't playing. With the talk of golf and swimming, he was beginning to wonder if the so-called mission was genuine police business at all. Could Georgina have flipped?

While they skirted Salisbury by way of Wilton, she pulled down the sun visor and adjusted the vanity mirror so that she could look at him without turning round. Was she just enjoying the power she had over him or did she think she was seducing him? She was humming some tune to herself.

Through all this, their driver remained silent, robotic, as he was trained to be. What he would tell his mates back in Bath when he was off duty was cause for alarm. Manvers Street was a rumour factory.

They picked up the A36 again and continued southwards along a dual carriageway through open country.

Finally, Georgina put an end to the waiting game. “We'll be based in Chichester. Do you know it?”

He was cool, as if he'd known all along. “Not really. I visited a couple of times a while back, that's all.”

“Sussex police requested my help. When I say ‘Sussex police' I mean a former colleague, Archie Hahn. And when I say ‘my help' I mean precisely that. We went through staff college together and got on rather well. They set us various aptitude tests and command tasks, such as getting across a wide stream using two planks and a barrel and Archie always knew exactly what to do. A brilliant man.”

Diamond found it hard to imagine Georgina crossing a stream with two planks and a barrel. Whoever Archie was, he was a man to be reckoned with.

“Commander Hahn now. We haven't kept in touch, but I evidently made an impression on him because he thought of me when they had this spot of bother that needs attention from outside their own force. It's a police matter and they want it sorted by police, rather than putting it to the IPCC.”

“What's the spot of bother?”

“He hasn't explained yet.”

“It's got to be serious if he can't deal with it himself.”

“So one presumes. I'll find out this evening. He's taking me for a meal at Raymond Blanc's.”

Bully for you, Diamond thought. “Does he know you're not alone?”

“You're wondering if you're invited? Sorry, Peter, but he doesn't know about you. You're my secret weapon.”

“That's a first for me.”

“So I suggest you come to my room when I'm back from my dinner date and I'll bring you up to speed.”

“Are we staying in the same place?”

“Oh, I'll make sure of that.”

“Did you book us in somewhere?”

“No, I left that to Archie.”

“But he doesn't know there are two of us. He'll only have booked one room.”