‘The inquisition.’
‘We can be civilised in our dealings. As I said to you before, I prefer to think of us as troubleshooters.’
‘Dallymore and Diamond at your service.’
Oh Christ, there’s two of them.
‘They’re lucky to get us.’
Trying to be philosophical, he said, ‘So how do you want to handle it?’
He heard in her tone that she knew she’d won a little victory. ‘We’ll start by putting Danny Stapleton’s story to the test, go to Littlehampton and find the Steam Packet.’
He went along. The way he was feeling, he needed a strong drink.
LA, as Danny had called it, was midway between the better-known seaside towns of Worthing and Bognor, a place with its own latter-day character, a top resort early in the last century when the British had taken their holidays at home and before boarding houses became known as guest houses. Some of those buildings now looked shabby and neglected even if the acres of safe sandy beach hadn’t gone away and the swans still came in numbers to the riverside. Efforts had been made to tempt tourists with powerboat rides, the funfair in Harbour Park, a miniature railway, boating lakes, a golf course and a nature reserve, but the main asset was a natural one. Littlehampton scored over other seaside towns by having the outflow of the River Arun. With a history of boatbuilding and cross-channel ferrying, the town quay still functioned in a modest way as a commercial harbour, and more robustly with leisure craft and the fish and chip shops in abundance along the promenade.
They found the Steam Packet half a mile upriver, looking immaculate, red brick, with attractive hung tiles, hanging baskets and sky-blue boards advertising riverside dining. Clearly the Victorian building had been given a recent facelift, an act of faith in twenty-first century Littlehampton.
‘Gorgeous,’ Diamond said out of nowhere.
‘What are you on about now?’
He pointed upwards, to the ship’s figurehead projecting from the upper storey.
‘That?’ Georgina said with distaste. ‘If that’s your idea of gorgeous, I despair. Let’s go in.’
They got some speculative looks from the drinkers inside. There was no denying the fact that they’d driven up in a police car, now parked outside. The man behind the bar asked what they’d like to order. Georgina went for a glass of the house white and Diamond for a pint of Directors.
‘Was this restored recently?’ he asked the barman.
‘The place was closed six years. We reopened under new management in 2013.’
‘With the same name. It’s obviously got a history.’
‘The cross-channel ferry service went from here to Honfleur in the eighteen-sixties.’
‘How about that? And does your figurehead outside have a history?’
‘If she does, she’s not telling.’
‘Smart lass. We want an outside table overlooking the river. And something to eat.’
‘OK. Menu’s on the board and table’s through there.’
They found themselves on the small terraced area Danny had described. From their table they overlooked the road and a line of parked vehicles and beyond them the river.
‘Presumably that’s where the BMW pulled in,’ Georgina said.
Diamond glanced over and said nothing, yet to be convinced.
Georgina added, ‘The one car Danny was equipped to steal. He must have thought the gods were smiling on him.’
‘If his story is true.’
‘This is why I brought you here, to check the location and see if it fits in with what he had to say. Sitting here, I must say I can picture the events he described. It’s exactly as he told us.’
‘Is that surprising? He was talking about the place he lives in. This is his local.’
She smiled. ‘So you don’t dismiss everything he told us.’
‘I’m willing to believe he lived here, yes. As for the rest of the story, the only thing we know for certain is that the BMW was nicked in Arundel the day before and was listed as stolen, which is why the patrol car stopped it.’
‘Yes, we have independent evidence for that. Are you thinking it was Danny who stole the car in Arundel?’
He swirled his drink. ‘It’s the simple explanation.’
‘In that case the driver in the hoodie and everything that’s supposed to have happened here in Littlehampton would be a lie.’
He shrugged.
Georgina wanted it laid out more clearly. ‘Why would he have concocted an elaborate story like that?’
‘To put distance between himself and the murder.’
‘Are you suggesting Danny is the killer as well as a car thief?’
‘Impossible to say.’ Playing his own words over in his head, he decided he was being a touch too rigid. ‘On balance, it seems more likely he was brought in later as the disposal man. That would explain why he had the two grand in banknotes.’
‘So when he was stopped, he was on his way to dump the body somewhere?’
‘Well away from Arundel.’
Georgina plainly wasn’t persuaded. ‘At his trial, he didn’t admit he had a minor role in the crime. He pleaded not guilty and denied all knowledge of it. If he’d cooperated, he would still have got the mandatory life sentence, but with a shorter term before being considered for release. Personally, I can’t see him as the killer and I don’t believe he knows the identity of whoever did it. These small-time criminals tend to stick to what they do. A car thief remains a car thief.’
‘With rare exceptions,’ Diamond said. He was keeping every option open.
The food arrived, sausages and mash for Diamond, lemon sole for Georgina. The big man’s appetite was fully restored.
‘Will Danny be told about the latest development — the DNA match?’ he asked.
‘Not yet.’
‘And the niece?’
Georgina took a sharp breath as if she’d burnt her tongue. ‘If he hears about her he’ll take it as proof positive that we’re corrupt.’
‘He’ll hear about it some way.’
‘Not officially, not before we are certain it has some bearing on the case. All we know is that this young woman’s hair was found in the car. There may be some innocent explanation none of us is aware of.’ Georgina paused for inspiration. ‘She could have travelled in the car as a passenger before it was stolen.’
‘On a date with an eighty-year-old man?’
‘Now you’re being silly. Be serious, Peter.’
‘OK. The presence of DNA doesn’t prove anything.’
‘Ah, but it might help to validate Danny’s story. You pointed out yourself that the hooded youth he saw may have been female.’
‘Has anyone questioned this young woman?’
She shook her head. ‘She’s gone missing.’
The last piece of sausage fell off his fork. ‘Great! That’s all we need. How recent is this?’
‘She hasn’t been seen for several weeks, according to Archie.’
‘The niece of the senior investigating officer has done a runner? This gets worse. Hasn’t any attempt been made to find her?’
‘She’s not a child any more. She may be traveling abroad according to Archie.’
The drip, drip of information was getting to Diamond. At some point soon he would say so. For the present he suppressed his annoyance. ‘I’m beginning to think we should take Danny’s story more seriously.’
After they’d eaten, Georgina suggested a walk along the river bank towards the beach, but Diamond said he’d rather go over the footbridge. ‘Let’s see where the hoodie is supposed to have gone.’
They settled their bill. There was a general murmur of relief as they left the pub.
The river was wider than it appeared from the terrace. They’d walked over the metal bridge for half a minute before they were anywhere near the middle.