‘What?’
‘Guns. Dolly Rawlins has got bags full of guns stashed at the manor.’
DCI Craigh replaced the phone. He was working overtime and was in a foul mood, but he had come in because Traffic reckoned they had now traced the vehicle used in the hit-and-run that killed James Donaldson. The car was registered to a hire garage called Rodway Motors, but what interested Craigh was that the garage was in the Aylesbury area — close enough to Grange Manor House.
Craigh was about to leave his office when his desk phone rang. He reached out for it just as DI Palmer walked in.
‘We might have got a trace on the vehicle,’ Craigh said as he answered the phone.
Audrey had to cover one ear because of the racket in the pub. She turned to Mike, just able to see him sitting up at the bar, watching her. He gestured for her to hurry up and make the call, then checked his watch. When he looked at her again, she had already dialled. Audrey asked if she was speaking to Detective Chief Inspector Craigh. When he confirmed that she was, she said her carefully rehearsed speech. ‘Dolly Rawlins is holding a stash of weapons owned by Eddie Radford. The guns are at Grange Manor House at Aylesbury, and worth at least thirty thousand pounds.’ Then she replaced the receiver and went to join Mike at the bar.
‘What did he say?’ Mike asked.
‘Well, nothin’. You told me to just say what I had to then put the phone down.’
Mike downed his pint. ‘I’d better get back home in case he calls me there.’
‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Leave, as you were planning to.’
Audrey sipped her gin and tonic. ‘I got to wait, Mike. I’ve missed my flight again, so I’ll have to go back to the travel agent. You know, you could come with me, all of you, Susan and the kids.’
Mike shook his head. ‘No way. You don’t seem to understand. I like my job, and I don’t want to lose it.’
Mike had only just walked into his own home when the phone rang. It was DCI Craigh, and he wanted him back at the station.
‘What’s up?’ Mike asked innocently.
‘Just get in here fast as you can,’ Craigh said.
‘Okay, I’m on my way.’ Mike hung up as Susan and the kids came into the hall.
‘Are we going to the swimming pool, Dad?’ his youngest boy said excitedly.
‘No, I’m sorry. I just got a call — they want me in.’
‘But it’s Saturday,’ Susan said petulantly.
‘I know, but... I got to go.’
Susan didn’t believe him. She stared at him, her face tight. ‘Oh, yes? Well, I hope they’re paying you overtime — you seem to be on duty all hours lately. You sure you’re not just going off with that girl?’
Mike sighed. ‘Sue, don’t keep on about that, all right? You want to call the station and check? Go ahead, but this is getting me down. You question every bloody move I make.’
She pushed the kids to the front door. ‘Maybe you give me reason to.’
DCI Craigh told Mike about the car and that it was traced to a garage near Aylesbury. We’re going over there to check it out. And there’s something else. I got a call, a woman — she may have been your contact but she asked for me. Guns. Come on, I’ll tell you in the car.’
The builders were not around as it was a weekend. The coast was clear. Dolly ordered a disgruntled Gloria to start loading up the guns. They would use Ester’s Saab to deliver them to Tommy Malin.
Ester became uneasy as she knew just how hot the car was. ‘I can’t let anyone drive it, Dolly. I’m the only one listed on the insurance.’
Dolly fixed her with a look. ‘So you can drive. Gloria will go with you — unless you’re planning on leaving?’
Ester said nothing and Dolly took her silence as confirmation that she agreed to help them out. ‘Pack them up, go on, get started. Julia, Kathleen and I will do the graveyard shift.’
‘What about Connie? She got us all into this mess with her ruddy boyfriend, why can’t she help bury him?’ Kathleen moaned.
‘Because Connie will be doing something else.’ Dolly left them before they could argue.
Connie was lying on her bed reading a magazine when Dolly entered. She didn’t bother to knock. ‘That builder bloke, one that took you out?’
‘What about him?’
‘Well, you go out with him again, make him happy, understand me? Only I don’t want to fork out all the cash we got and I owe him, so you see him, give him a few more grand, tell him the rest will be coming in.’
Connie hesitated. ‘What about all that cash from Lennie’s car?’
‘I need to pay off electricity, phone connection and keep a bit back for emergencies and groceries. Besides, I think you should earn your keep after all we’re doing for you.’ Dolly stared coldly at her.
‘Okay. He said I could go to his gym with him so I’ll call him.’
‘Good. Oh — this gym. Do they have lockers, ones you can retain the key for?’
‘I dunno.’
‘Check it out when you call him, ask about membership and if you can leave your gear there.’
‘Why?’
‘Don’t ask questions, just do what I tell you to.’
Connie turned away. Sometimes Dolly scared the pants off her. She had a nasty way of lowering her voice when she was angry. It unnerved her.
DCI Craigh drove into Rodway Motors’ car-hire section and he and Mike went into the reception as DI Palmer walked over to the main garage. As he walked through the open doors, he saw a red Volvo on a ramp. He called Craigh, but he had already stepped inside the reception area. Palmer moved closer to the ramp and looked underneath it. A mechanic was checking the exhaust. ‘Can you come up and have a word?’ Palmer said casually. The man glared and returned to his work. Palmer sat on his heels and showed his ID.
Craigh showed the receptionist his ID and waited as she thumbed through the log book. She then looked up. ‘It was hired by a Mrs Gloria Radford.’
Craigh flicked a glance at Mike, then turned back to the receptionist. She pushed the log book towards him and he read that the Volvo had been hired for one day only, the same day James Donaldson was killed. Mrs Radford had listed her private address as a flat in Clapham.
Craigh moved aside with Mike. ‘She was at the manor, wasn’t she? The night we busted it?’
Gordon Rodway, the owner of the garage, walked in, followed by Palmer. The car had been returned, no damage recorded, and it had subsequently been hired out four times. It had also been through a carwash three times, polished and hoovered.
‘I want no one near it. I’ll have my people check it over,’ Craigh said, none too happy as they all followed Rodway back to the garage. The Volvo was still on the ramp, the greasy mechanic whispering to his mate and pointing at the car. Rodway studied it and then looked back at Craigh. ‘What’s the interest in this car, then? We recorded the mileage, if that’s any help.’
Mike walked round to the front bumpers: no dents, no paintwork scratched, it looked immaculate. If this was the car that ran over James Donaldson surely there would be some evidence, but as far as he could see there was none. The Forensic boys would comb over it; they would find something, if anyone could. Craigh decided that was enough for the weekend, until they had further information. He’d just check out Gloria Radford’s address and take Sunday off.
Dolly looked at Connie in her skintight leotard. ‘Well, do they have lockers?’
‘Yes, and it’s a hundred and fifty quid for membership.’
‘Good. Join, and when you get there tonight, put this in the locker and bring me the key.’ Dolly handed her a bag, which weighed a ton.
‘What’s this?’
‘Just some personal things of mine — call them a safeguard. But not a word to any of the others. Just get John nice and happy. You don’t have to screw him, I wouldn’t ask you to do that, just string him along and lock this bag up for me.’