She tried a different approach. ‘I just want the deeds to Grange Manor House.’ She gave a soft smile. ‘I have a cash buyer and surely it’s worth considering that part of the overdraft could be paid off. If the bank tried to sell the house, they’d not get as good a price. And I’m sure I’ll be able to cover any further outstanding debts within a few weeks.’
It sounded good. She just hoped the little prick would see it made sense and she knew he had when he looked up and gave her a tight nod: he was going to release the deeds of the house. He excused himself and left Ester waiting. She checked her watch again, willing him to move his arse because she didn’t want to miss Dolly.
Deirdre looked at Dolly’s neat handwriting on the forms, and showed not a flicker when she read that she had only just been released from prison.
The house is well situated, with gardens and a swimming pool. It will need a lot of work and I don’t know how I apply for grants and allowances — or if I am acceptable as a foster carer.’
Deirdre nodded. ‘Well, you’ll have to go before a board of committee members — I can’t say whether or not you’ll be acceptable, Mrs Rawlins. All this takes considerable time and your property will have to be reviewed and assessed by the committee.’
‘But you don’t think it’s out of the question?’
‘I can’t say. If you like, I can ask Mrs Tilly, who is my superior, to come and talk to you.’
Dolly leaned closer. ‘I would be grateful if you would. I don’t want to go ahead with the house if I don’t stand a chance with my application — if my background goes against me, you understand?’
Deirdre smiled warmly. ‘Mrs Rawlins, there are so many children in need. Obviously your background will be taken into consideration but, that said, there are so many ways we can approach the board. If you can give me ten minutes I’ll go up and have a word with Mrs Tilly, see if she can tell you the best way to approach it. But I would think positively if you have a substantial property and the means to open a home.’
‘I’ll wait,’ Dolly said, becoming more confident by the second. She had finances, she would be able to make the manor house look like a palace. As soon as the door closed behind Deirdre, Dolly inched round the desk and drew the telephone closer. She looked to the door a moment before she dialled.
Jimmy Donaldson was sitting with a mug of tea. It was almost twelve and there had not been any further contact from Rawlins. DI Palmer was sitting reading the morning paper. He also had a tea and chocolate biscuits. In the hall another officer sat on duty and had even opened the door earlier for Mrs Donaldson to cook breakfast. She was confused as to what was going on, especially as she had had little time alone with her husband. Even when they slept, an officer sat outside their bedroom. Jimmy was nervous and twitchy, and had said that whatever was going down meant that he’d be home for good sooner than they had anticipated. She was asked to speak to no one, to remain at home and continue her housework as if they weren’t there, so she was preparing lunch in the kitchen.
The phone rang and she turned from the sink. The door was closed, the officer in the hallway giving her a pleasant smile. Palmer on the other hand gave a brisk nod for Donaldson to pick up the phone as he slipped on his headphones to listen to the call.
‘Jimmy? It’s Dolly.’
He looked nervously at Palmer who gestured for him to continue the call.
‘Hello, Dolly. How are you?’
‘I’m fine. I’d like to collect.’
Palmer nodded and Donaldson hesitated. ‘Okay. When do you want to come over?’
‘I won’t come to your place, you bring them to me. You know Thorpe Park?’
‘What?’
‘It’s a big amusement park. About four o’clock this afternoon. I’ll see you there.’
She hung up before Donaldson could reply. He sat looking at the receiver in his hand. Palmer swore, told him to hang up and then put a trace on the call.
‘Have they found them yet?’ Donaldson asked.
Palmer said nothing as he waited for the trace to give the location of where Dolly had called from. DCI Craigh came in as Palmer was jotting something down. He passed it to Craigh. ‘She made contact from Aylesbury town hall, social services.’ Craigh took the memo. ‘She’s asked for a meet. You want to hear the call?’
Craigh nodded, his face uptight. ‘She’s moving fast, isn’t she? What the hell is she doing at the town hall?’ When he heard where Dolly wanted to meet Donaldson, he swore and gestured for Palmer to come out for a private chat. ‘We’ve still not traced the stones, they’re ripping his entire shop apart.’
‘Shit.’
‘Yeah, well, we’ll just have to stall her, or Jimmy will.’
Palmer looked back to the closed door. ‘You think he’s spinnin’ yarns? If we’ve not found the ruddy diamonds maybe they’re not there and he’s playin’ silly buggers.’
Craigh sighed. This wasn’t working out the way he’d hoped. Now they’d have to drag Donaldson out to Thorpe Park, which would mean even more officers assigned to the case and his super had only given the go-ahead because, as Craigh had said, it would be fast. As soon as she contacted them, they thought they’d have her. Well, she’d contacted faster than they’d anticipated and now they were screwed if they didn’t find the stones by four o’clock.
‘Look, see if you can get his wife shipped out — to a relative. I don’t like her being around. And meanwhile I’ll go and see what I can work up for the four o’clock meet. Why Thorpe Park?’
Palmer shrugged. ‘I dunno. She said it, then hung up.’
Tommy Malin worked until late the previous night and went straight back to it in the morning. He reset the stones one by one and he was a true professionaclass="underline" they looked good. He used a lot of settings from a previous little job he’d done, only then they had contained some beautiful emeralds and diamonds. Usually he melted down settings, anything that could cause aggravation. He had never, that he could remember, been asked to make up a whole bag of glass but far be it from him not to earn an easy two grand cash. He had some business to attend to at lunchtime. Audrey called to ask if they were ready and he said they’d be finished later on in the afternoon.
‘They’re not ready yet,’ Audrey said to her son, as he paced up and down the living room. ‘Has she called? Do you know if she’s talked to Jimmy yet?’
‘No, I’m going over there now. I’ll come back later and pick them up. And for chrissakes don’t tell anyone about this.’
‘Who’d I tell?’
Mike stared at her, his anger at what she had got him involved with still close to the surface. ‘Just get the stones, Mum, and as soon as you’ve got them, call me on my bleeper.’
Mike slammed out of the flat and hurried to his patrol car as his bleeper went. By the time he’d called in, he was instructed to meet DCI Craigh at the station and not, as he had previously been told, at Donaldson’s house.
Mrs Tilly looked over Dolly’s forms. She then stacked them in a neat pile. Well, I think you stand a good chance but you’ll have to be interviewed by the board and have your details assessed. Until such time, I wouldn’t do too much structural work on the house because we will have to view the property to make sure it meets our requirements. It will take time for us to give you a positive answer and you’ll obviously require grants, which is another area you’ll need to be instructed in as there are so many different sections and application forms.’