To Henry’s obvious astonishment, it seemed Felicity had come round to Vogel’s way of thinking.
‘Those days are over, Henry,’ she said in a tone of voice that brooked no argument. ‘I’m staying. I want to know exactly what is going on.’
Henry sighed but did not demur.
Felicity sat close to him by the bed. Clarke sat down next to her on the only other chair in the room. Vogel stood at the foot of the bed. He would have chosen to do so in any case; from his chosen position he could look down at Henry and straight at him.
‘Right, Mr Tanner, this case is growing more serious by the minute,’ began Clarke. ‘Obviously I know the, uh, job you and your company do, and I know how sensitive that is. Under normal circumstances I would not ask you to jeopardize the... uh, confidentiality of your work. But something is wrong here, dangerously wrong. If you have any information whatsoever that could even remotely pertain to the events of the last couple of days, the time has come for you to confide in us. In particular, if you have any idea where, or with whom, your daughter and grandchildren may be, you should tell us. If you don’t... I hate to say this, but you could come to regret not doing so.’
Tanner shrugged. It was ill advised. He winced as the pain from his injured shoulder coursed through his central nervous system.
‘I’ve told you all I know, Detective Chief Inspector,’ he said. ‘You know who I am and what I do. Does Mr Vogel also know?’
Vogel confirmed that he did, adding: ‘That does not in any way put you above or beyond the law, Mr Tanner. I hope you are aware of that. If you have broken the law in any regard you will be dealt with exactly like anyone else. And that includes withholding information.’
Clarke frowned at Vogel as if she thought it unnecessary for him to have made that point in the way that he did. He didn’t care.
Henry Tanner seemed oblivious to the undercurrents between the two detectives.
‘You must appreciate, Mr Vogel, that there are people in the world who might like to harm me,’ he said. ‘People who blame me for certain events. People who could seek revenge.’
Vogel had no idea what he meant. It was Clarke who responded.
‘Neither DI Vogel nor I know nearly enough about your activities, business or personal, to be able to pass comment on that, Mr Tanner,’ she said. ‘I was sent here from London simply to lead the investigation into your grandson’s disappearance, whilst at the same time dealing sensitively with you and your family because of the work that you do. Since then there have been further disturbing developments: you have been shot, and two other members of your family are unaccounted for. I believe it is likely that you have information that would be of assistance to us in locating your missing grandchildren and their mother, and apprehending those responsible.’
Henry Tanner stared hard at Clarke through bloodshot eyes, but remained silent.
‘For God’s sake, Henry!’ interjected Felicity. ‘For years I’ve put up with your silly bloody games. You and your father, thinking you’re some sort of master spies. Now is the time to stop. Joyce and the children could be in terrible danger. Somebody took a shot at you and tried to kill you. Are these secrets you’re guarding worth losing your life over? Your daughter and your grandchildren’s lives? Please, tell the truth. Before something worse happens.’
Henry lifted himself up on his pillows, wincing with pain. He looked directly at his wife.
‘I know, darling, I do understand. I realize it may be time to put an end to all the secrecy...’ he began.
It seemed he had finally given in.
Then the door opened and in walked Stephen Hardcastle.
‘Henry,’ he exclaimed. ‘Felicity. I wanted to come before but the hospital wouldn’t let me. How are you, Henry? I’ve been so worried...’
He stopped, apparently noticing Vogel and Clarke for the first time.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ said Vogel.
‘No,’ said Henry Tanner.
‘Mr Hardcastle, it may be better if you come back later,’ DCI Clarke told him.
‘Oh yes, of course.’
But Hardcastle looked uncertain. Perhaps out of habit, he immediately deferred to the man in the bed.
‘Henry?’
‘Makes no difference. I have nothing more to tell these officers. I am unable to give them any help.’
If Henry had been about to reveal all, the arrival of his visitor had caused him to change his mind. Or perhaps merely given him the time to do so.
‘Please leave us, Mr Hardcastle,’ DCI Clarke repeated.
‘Right,’ said Stephen. He turned and headed for the door, where he paused.
‘I’ll be outside if you need me, Henry,’ he said.
Clarke returned her attention to the man in the bed.
‘Mr Tanner, I have full clearance at the highest possible government level to deal with your family. I do not understand your reticence.’
She remonstrated with him in exactly the same way that Vogel had earlier remonstrated with her. Repeating her earlier warnings.
‘Your daughter and two of your grandchildren could be in grave danger,’ she said.
Henry tightened his lips. His one good arm lay at his side, fist tightly clenched.
‘I do not feel that I am at liberty to help you any further, DCI Clarke,’ he said stubbornly. ‘And I am no longer sure that you are the person to help me, to help any of us.’
Felicity sighed in exasperation. ‘What does that mean, Henry?
‘It means what it says. I need to make phone calls. I’m still waiting for a phone call...’
‘Mr Tanner, I understand that you may wish to make certain phone calls, but I would suggest you do so immediately. For the sake of your family. You could all be in great danger.’
Henry seemed to think again.
‘All right,’ he said. ‘I can make no promises, but I will call Mr Smith. I can be guided only by Mr Smith.’
He reached for his phone on the bedside table.
In doing so he seemed to cause himself considerable pain again. He fell back against the pillows, dropping the phone on the bed. Then he started to shake. The blood had drained from his face. He was fighting to breathe. Just like before.
His wife made no move to help him. She didn’t seem to care.
‘Get a nurse,’ said Clarke to Vogel.
He did so. Even though he had a strong suspicion that Henry Tanner could be faking the whole thing. And that maybe he had done so the first time too.
Twenty-four
Joyce reckoned the journey from Landacre was going to seem much longer than the couple of hours it would actually take. Assuming Charlie was taking them home. At least he seemed to be heading in the right direction. He had turned on to the M5 and was driving steadily northwards, keeping to the speed limit — which was a relief; she’d been afraid he might drive faster. Then again, the last thing he’d have wanted was to attract attention by driving erratically.
Fred was, for him, strangely silent in the rear compartment of the vehicle. Then again, there was nothing strange about being silent in the face of such a terrible experience. Molly, too, was so traumatized she couldn’t speak; she huddled next to Monika, sobbing non-stop.
Joyce was exhausted. It had been a long day and she’d driven for several hours. The husband she had believed to be dead had suddenly turned up alive, albeit half out of his mind. His account of the events that had led to his staged death had been shocking and at the same time ludicrous. On top of that, she’d witnessed a brutal attack on a young woman who, it seemed, had been having an affair with her not-so-dead husband.