Rachel looked concerned and signed to her sister.
‘She’s worried that if you speak to the cafe owner, he might tell them she lip-read what was said and they will know she spoke to the police.’
‘I have no intention of asking any questions about them in the cafe. The only other people who will know about our conversation are the detectives I work with on the Flying Squad. May I have a look at the notes you made of what happened at the cafe?’
Rachel looked more relaxed as she gave the notebook to Jane, who then read it and handed it back.
‘Thanks, everything you’ve written down ties in with my notes of our conversation. I believe you went to the cafe this morning and the same two men were there?’
Rachel nodded and signed to Emma that as usual the cafe was busy and they were sitting in the same positions as Monday. She sat on the table one down from them but could only see the lips of M1. Jane pointed to a table on the plan she’d drawn and Rachel nodded.
‘Did they talk about a robbery again?’ Jane asked.
Rachel shrugged and signed that she wasn’t sure.
Jane got ready with her pocket notebook and pen.
‘Well, while everything is still fresh in your mind let’s go over what happened this morning. Go slowly and tell me exactly what M1 said.’
Rachel sat upright, put her hands on her lap, closed her eyes and started to move her head up and down and from side to side.
‘Is she all right?’ Jane asked Emma.
‘It’s her way of recalling what was said. Although Rachel can’t hear she’s got a fantastic memory. She sort of goes back in time and relives the moment.’
After a couple of minutes’ silence Rachel opened her eyes and started to sign to Emma, who translated.
‘She says they came in about half past nine again and M1 looked angry, then pointed his finger at M2 and said, “I told you Riley was a hothead.” M2 said something but she couldn’t see his lips and M1 replied, “Yesterday was a total fuck-up.” M2 said something about having to get a loan for Tina’s wedding as a monkey from the job wasn’t enough.’
Jane held her hand up for Rachel to pause.
‘How sure are you he said the names Tina and Riley?’
Rachel was sure about Tina, but not so confident about Riley.
Jane knew a monkey was London slang for five hundred pounds, and asked Rachel if she realized it meant a sum of money. She shook her head and signed that another man walked up to the table, but because of where he stood, she then couldn’t see M1’s lips. M2 moved along a seat to let the man sit down.
‘Had you seen him in the cafe before?’ Jane asked, and Rachel shrugged. ‘Can you describe him and what he was wearing?’
Emma translated her reply. ‘She says she never got a look at his face as he had his back to her. He was quite tall, maybe three or four inches more than you, with dark slicked-back hair that was neatly cut. He wore a knee-length brown camel hair coat, which had a black suede collar, and was carrying a black leather briefcase.’
‘Did M1 say anything to him when he sat down?’
‘Not at first. The man sat down, put the briefcase on the table, then opened it and took out a large brown envelope, which he handed to M1, who put it on the table beside him without opening it. Then M1 said something about not letting him down and they shook hands.’
Jane held her hand up for them to pause while she wrote in her pocket notebook.
‘Did M1 and the man have any more conversation?’
Rachel signed to Emma.
‘M1 said something about having a nice X... J... S on the front and asked the man if he was interested, and the man nodded.’
‘Did you notice if there was a Jaguar car outside the cafe?’
Rachel looked puzzled. Emma explained that they knew nothing about the makes or models of cars, but she did see him get into a vehicle parked on the opposite side of Bruce Grove and drive off towards the High Road.
‘Can you describe his car?’ Jane asked.
Rachel shrugged as she signed to Emma.
‘She said it was a shiny maroon color, quite long, with one door on the side and expensive-looking.’
‘Did you see his face as he left?’
Rachel shook her head and signed that Nick, the cafe owner, came to the table to take away her dirty plate and was wiping the table down as the man left, so she couldn’t see his face clearly.
‘Did M1 and M2 have any further conversation after the man in the camel hair coat left?’
Rachel nodded and signed to Emma.
‘M2 tried to take the envelope from M1, but he pulled it away and said something about “champagne and caviar for life”. He folded the envelope in half and put it in the pocket of his coat, which was on the back of his chair.’
Jane knew that the conversation M1 had had with M2 and the man in the camel hair coat wasn’t obviously about a robbery. In fact, it seemed more likely they were discussing a business deal that had gone wrong and the man in the camel hair coat was offering them another one that could be more successful.
‘Did M1 say anything else?’
Rachel shook her head and said that he just said some stuff about how Tina’s wedding was costing him a fortune. Then she left the cafe and went back to work.
‘Are there any other people you’ve seen sitting with M1 and 2?’
Rachel signed that a younger, attractive, blond-haired man, who was maybe late twenties or early thirties, had been in a few times when M1 and M2 were there. But she had never paid attention to any of them until Monday, when she saw M1 moving the sugar cubes and condiments about.
‘What I need now is a description of M1 and M2. If it’s easier than signing you can write them down in my pocket notebook for me. You’ve given me their ages, so all I need now is their height, hair and eye color, any notable facial features and what they were wearing.’
Rachel signed to Emma.
‘She said she could draw their faces for you if you like.’
‘That’s a great idea, but I’m a bit pressed for time right now as I have to get back to the office and type up a report. I could pick the drawings up from you at work on Monday, if that’s OK?’
Rachel nodded. Jane asked if she would mind sitting beside her on the sofa, so she could read the descriptions, and if necessary, ask questions as she wrote them down. Rachel moved over beside Jane, who handed her the police pocket notebook and pen.
‘Do M1 first.’
Rachel wrote:
5 ft 11 inches, brown swept back thick hair with grey streaks at the sides above his ears and dark eyes, brown or green maybe. Slim, well-built and looks fit for his age. Dresses smartly, often in a pinstripe blue or gray suit, shirt and tie and sometimes wears a shiny green coat.
‘When you say a green coat, can you describe it in more detail for me, please, like the length, style and number of pockets?’ Jane was thinking about the Barbour jacket Rita Brown from Edgar House had seen.
Rachel thought about it for a few seconds, then wrote:
Mid-thigh length, with a brown corduroy collar, big pockets at the front and two breast pockets, and a zip fastener up the middle and I think some metal studs as well.
Jane smiled, pleased with how much detail Rachel could recall. Rachel then began writing a description of M2:
An inch or two shorter than M1, dark blond hair which covers his ears, with a parting to the right, sideburns, blue eyes, dimple chin and similar build to M1. Often wears a shirt, dark jumper and black trousers or a black button-up leather jacket and black turtleneck jumper, with a long gold chain around his neck and gold pendant hanging from it.