Mike had no notion that he was wired up and Dolly Rawlins was taping every word he said. She was even right behind him when he went to visit an old mate from his days in the army, leading her directly to the security firm that handled the money for the mail train.
He had brought a bottle of Scotch and was shown into the security firm’s office. His friend Colin had been a bit surprised to hear from Mike as he hadn’t for quite a few years and he wondered what he was after. But Mike soon got over that, saying he was putting out feelers for work if he was to leave the police force and a friend of a friend had told him that Colin had a cushy job.
Dolly had to hand it to Mike, he was quite a smooth operator. She listened as he chatted on about his army days, about how badly he was paid and how, with a wife and two kids to keep plus a mortgage to pay, he was getting sick and tired of the Met. She was parked fifty yards from the security firm’s main depot and would have remained there if she hadn’t seen a police patrol car cruise by. She did one slow tour round the block and then she was out of range of the transmitter. She decided to call it quits for the evening. Most important was that she felt secure that if anything was to go down from Mike’s home, she’d be ready for it. She headed for home, everything she was planning playing over and over in her mind. She became more disheartened as the miles clocked up. Was she in over her head? Did she really believe she could go through with it? Just thinking about it exhausted her. Had it been like this with the widows? What the hell was she playing at?
Then he began to talk to her. It didn’t take her by surprise — Harry’s voice often came to her, not like some whispered menace, nothing like that. In fact, it was the normality of the sound of his voice in her head that had often soothed her. She used to talk to him, silent conversations as if he was in the room with her, his deep, warm tones as clear as if he was sitting in their old drawing room in their house in Totteridge. He used to sit up late many nights. Sometimes she’d take him in a warm glass of malt whisky with just a sprinkling of sugar. ‘You all right, darlin’?’
‘I am, sweetheart, but there’s nobody else I can depend on as much as myself so I just make sure I’m covered back, front and sideways, because there’ll be nobody else looking out for me.’
Harry never discussed what he was working on so diligently. It was a game they had played, and she would sit close and ask him if he wanted to talk about it... how she loved those times. Harry would sip his drink and often be sitting close enough to have a hand resting on her shoulder.
‘Well, darlin’, I got this tricky little situation. Not sure who to trust with an important delivery and it’s only tricky because it could have repercussions.’
She never asked names but in a roundabout way, he would tell her about who he mistrusted and why, and the best way to ensure they became very trusting.
Still driving, one part of her mind concentrating on the road, the other listening to Harry, it wasn’t until Dolly stopped at a garage to fill up with petrol that she lost his voice and listened to her own. ‘Cover your backside, Dolly, your sides and your front, before you make the next move.’
Mike remained with his pal Colin as they drank their way through the entire bottle. He had not discussed the type of work Colin did, taking his time so as not to create any suspicion. Colin was a little ill-at-ease in case he was caught drinking: as he was the foreman he could get into trouble. But Mike laughed — he was, after all, a copper if anyone should interrupt them. Just in case, Colin slipped out to check no one was likely to disturb them.
As soon as he left the office, Mike looked over the time sheets on the desk, the lists of officers’ names, but found nothing pertaining to any mail train pick-up or delivery. It was a big firm and Mike was about to try one of the drawers when Colin returned.
‘You’re gonna have to go, the night staff’ll be on duty any minute and we’re not allowed to have anyone in here.’
‘Okay. When can we do this again? Only — if I leave the cop shop, I don’t want to walk out to nothing. Is the pay worthwhile?’
They discussed the money and Mike brought the conversation gradually round to what kind of work he would be looking at, if it was boring and involved just driving around the country. Colin grinned. ‘No way, this is one of the top companies, we don’t deal in small stuff — this is big. That’s why they like us army boys, you know, men that can handle themselves. We’re shifting big loads of money.’
‘Oh, yeah? What you call big, then?’
Colin gave a shifty look around and leaned in close. ‘Come and have a look out in the yard, see the new vans. They’re all armour-plated, blow your mind, all work on timers, high-tech stuff. We do the Royal Mail deliveries.’
Mike looked suitably impressed and followed his friend into the yard. Not until half an hour later did he discover just how much the security firm carried. He was told in an awestruck whisper but had no time to react as Colin hustled him outside. They arranged to meet for a drink the following night. By then Colin would have made enquiries to see if there were any openings for someone with Mike’s experience.
Dolly switched off the lights and got out of the car. She was exhausted; it had been a long night. She couldn’t wait to get to bed but as usual she toured the house, checking who was in and who wasn’t. Julia was still out, so was Connie, and Ester was watching some late-night movie.
‘Julia called, said her mother was really bad and that Norma’s staying over with her.’
Dolly smiled. Well, that’s good, give them a lot of time to talk.’
Ester made no reply, concentrating on the film. ‘You’ve still got to sort out those carriage links, you know, Ester.’
‘I’ll do it tomorrow, after the morning ride.’
‘Okay — and at the same time sort that business out with the tape.’
‘Yeah, I hear you, Dolly. Where’s Angela?’
Dolly was about to go up to bed when Ester asked, ‘Where’ve you been?’
She swung the door back and forth. ‘Checking out that copper. I think we can trust him.’
Ester turned from the TV set. ‘Well, I hope you’re right.’
‘So do I.’ The door closed silently behind her.
Ester went back to watching the film, angry that Julia was with Norma, angry that she could never get a hold on Dolly. She didn’t trust her and the more she thought about it, the more angry she became. She reckoned it was all a waste of time.
‘She’s back, then,’ Gloria said as she walked in.
‘Born in a field, were you, Gloria? Shut the door.’
Gloria kicked it closed and leaned against it. Where’s she been?’
‘You think she’d tell me?’
Gloria wandered to the sofa and perched on the arm. ‘You think she’s a bit wacko?’
Ester shrugged, and Gloria slid slowly down from the arm of the sofa to sprawl beside her. ‘How long you gonna give all this riding business? I mean, she’s not serious, is she?’
Ester switched off the TV. ‘You ask her. I keep trying but she just fobs me off, keeps telling me to do this and that, wants to find out how to unhitch a train carriage.’
‘Well, that’s easy.’ Gloria yawned. ‘Get some Semtex and blast them apart, that’s what I’d do. No way could you or me or all five of us lift one of them heavy links. I’m telling you she’s got a screw loose, I thought that when I heard her telling you. All you need to do to get a carriage loose is blow it apart, never mind farting around trying to unhitch it. We’d be there all night.’