The four of them worked around the clock for the next ten days, and by the time the royal flight landed back in England, they had gathered enough evidence to ensure that Milner would not be retiring to the country in a couple of years with a KCVO as he’d promised his wife (who never hid the fact she was looking forward to being Lady Milner) but would be summarily dismissed from the force without a pension.
Milner turned up at Buckingham Gate in time for lunch the following Monday and was unconcerned to learn that DCI Warwick was on annual leave, DS Adaja was attending a training course in Manchester, that DC Pankhurst was at her grandmother’s funeral in Cornwall, and DS Roycroft wasn’t expected back at work for at least another three months. He was equally unconcerned to find Constable Smart’s letter of resignation waiting for him on his desk.
If Milner hadn’t been so convinced he was untouchable, he would have discovered that all four of them were in fact holed up in Scotland Yard, putting the final touches to a report they would be presenting to Commander Hawksby by the end of the week.
Chapter 18
‘I won’t be taking any calls for the rest of the morning, Angela,’ said the commander. ‘Only interrupt me if the building is on fire,’ he added before putting down the phone.
He looked around the table at his team. ‘Why don’t you open the batting, William?’
‘As you all know, sir,’ began William, ‘for the past ten days we’ve taken advantage of the fact that Superintendent Milner, DI Reynolds and Sergeant Jennings have been on the other side of the world with their principals.’
‘As opposed to their principles,’ interrupted the Hawk.
‘We’ve also been able to make good use of Constable Jenny Smart’s imminent departure from the unit,’ continued William. ‘Without her assistance, it could have taken us months to follow the paper trail.’
‘She must have felt some loyalty to the people she’d worked with for the past six years,’ said the commander. ‘Why was she willing to throw in her lot with a bunch of intruders she hardly knew?’
‘She agrees with the intruders that a bent copper is every bit as bad as any other criminal, if not worse,’ said Jackie. ‘And Milner, Reynolds and Jennings are among the worst I’ve ever come across. I was finally able to convince her that most of her colleagues would applaud the stand she’s taken.’
‘I have a feeling,’ said William, ‘that your winning the Queen’s Gallantry Medal couldn’t have come at a better time.’
‘She was certainly more cooperative after I returned to work,’ said Jackie.
‘What else did you discover while the cats were away, DS Roycroft?’ asked the Hawk, cutting to the chase.
‘I began by checking every PPO’s expenses for the past five years, when I came across claims I would never have thought possible.’
‘Give me an example.’
‘Milner spent three nights at the Ritz in Paris while on a recce for the Queen’s state visit next year. He was so blatant about it that he even took his wife and daughter with him, claiming the adjoining room was occupied by his secretary, who was at home in Potters Bar at the time. I must say,’ Jackie added, ‘when he dines out, he doesn’t start at the top of the list when selecting his wines.’
‘Do you have a ballpark figure for the three of them over the past five years, with all the accompanying receipts to back it up?’ demanded the Hawk.
‘£442,712,’ said Jackie, who had obviously anticipated the question.
‘Made up of?’
‘Mainly travel expenses, dinners, clothes allowance, and overtime, despite the fact that, as senior officers, they’re not entitled to claim it.’
‘Details?’
‘When the Royal Family go to Balmoral for their summer break, Milner spends most of his time on the grouse moors — I’m told he bagged more pheasants than the Duke of Edinburgh last year — while Reynolds prefers fishing on the Dee. Virtually their only duties are to accompany the Queen to the Highland Games. But when they return to London they put in claims for “unsocial hours” allowance as well as an “away from home” expenses, not to mention overtime.’
‘If I’m to instigate a full inquiry,’ said the Hawk, ‘how much wriggle room do they have? And as important, how much do you think you can make stick?’
‘About half,’ said Jackie. ‘But I’ve already gathered more than enough evidence to fill my wheelbarrow.’ She continued when the laughter had died down. ‘My favourite claim is for a Burberry raincoat and umbrella Milner bought in Bermuda during a heatwave. The receipt shows that the raincoat just happened to be a perfect fit for his wife.’
‘This can’t be allowed to get out,’ said the Hawk. ‘The press would have a field day.’
‘Reynolds and Jennings are every bit as bad,’ chipped in William. ‘But it was Milner who made sure they got away with it by never questioning their expense claims, which suggests they were acting in unison.’
‘What will their defence be?’ the commander said, almost to himself.
‘Milner will claim that the Prince of Wales knew exactly what he was doing, and approved of it. But I’m convinced HRH had no idea what they were getting up to in his name.’
‘Do you agree with that, Ross?’
‘I do, sir. Princess Diana has no way of knowing what claims I make on my expenses, and the subject has never arisen. Milner approves every one of my claims without checking them and, once he’s scribbled his initials on the bottom of the chit, the accounts department pays up without question. It’s a gravy train that has no red flags and doesn’t bother to stop at any station.’
‘It might also amuse you to know,’ said Jackie, ‘that during his years as head of Royalty Protection Milner has accumulated over a million airmiles in his own name. All legal and above board.’
‘He may end up having to live in mid-air once he realizes we’re on to him,’ said the commander. He paused for a moment before adding, ‘This evidence you’ve gathered, Jackie, is compelling to say the least. But if we’re going to bring down the head of Royalty Protection, I’ll need a damn sight more than that. So, Rebecca, it’s your turn to tell us what you’ve been up to for the past few months.’
‘Superintendent Milner never travels on public transport while he’s on duty,’ said Rebecca, ‘despite having an authorized travel card which entitles him to do so.’
‘He probably uses his own car and claims a petrol allowance,’ said the Hawk, playing devil’s advocate.
‘He never drives his own car. Always takes a taxi and puts it on expenses.’
‘Then the only person who benefits is the taxi driver, and no doubt Milner has the receipts to prove it.’
‘But why take a cab to Buckingham Palace or York House,’ asked Rebecca, ‘when both are within walking distance of his office in Buckingham Gate?’
‘He would claim he can’t risk being followed while carrying confidential documents,’ said the Hawk.
‘He also takes taxis to Windsor and back, which doesn’t come cheap, when he could take the train from Victoria, a few hundred yards from the office.’
This silenced the Hawk for a moment, which Rebecca took advantage of.
‘If you then check his expenses claims carefully,’ she said, opening a file and running a finger down some figures before continuing. ‘Last year alone, Milner made a hundred and seventy-one such taxi journeys at a cost to the taxpayer of just over £33,000.’
‘And if you dig a little deeper, as we did, with the help of Constable Smart,’ chipped in Paul, not needing to check the figures, ‘you’ll find that over the past eleven years, Superintendent Milner has claimed £434,720 on taxis alone, which I think even the BBC might describe as excessive.’