‘They have cars,’ says the sergeant. ‘And you shouldn’t be watching police stations.’
‘Oh, we were on public property,’ says Elizabeth. ‘On a little bench in the park.’
‘I brought a flask,’ says Joyce.
‘And only two cars have left the station since then, and she was in neither,’ says Elizabeth. ‘It’s – what time do we have now, Joyce?’
‘11.04,’ says Joyce.
‘It’s 11.04 now –’
‘11.05 now,’ says Joyce.
‘And we thought that would probably give SIO Regan plenty of time to have settled in, had her morning briefing. She’s probably having a coffee now, reading her emails.’
‘So we thought what better time?’ adds Joyce.
‘What better time?’ says Elizabeth. ‘So if you could ring up again, and make sure there hasn’t been a mistake? We would very much like to talk to her. The minibus returns to Coopers Chase at three p.m., and we have other chores today.’
The desk sergeant stands and rests her palms on her counter.
‘Ladies, fun though this is, SIO Regan is not here. There is more than one exit from this building –’
‘Yes, Ron was at the back exit,’ says Elizabeth. ‘She hasn’t left.’
‘And I’m telling you she has,’ says the sergeant. ‘So if you’ll leave me a phone number, I’ll make sure it is passed on to her. And, in the meantime, I would strongly advise against keeping watch on a police station, unless you want to get arrested.’
Elizabeth takes out her phone and takes a photograph of the sergeant.
‘Photograph taken, 11.07,’ says Joyce.
‘You take another photograph,’ says the sergeant, staring at Elizabeth, ‘and you’re under arrest.’
Elizabeth looks at Joyce, with one eyebrow raised. Joyce looks at her watch, considers for a moment, then gives the gentlest of nods.
Elizabeth takes another photograph.
49
Sayed looks down across the mountains. Everything on the valley floor is his, and everything on the northern slopes too. The slopes to the south are Pakistan. Who owns them, Sayed doesn’t know, but they have never been any trouble. That’s all you can ask. There is trouble enough these days.
He hasn’t heard back from Hanif since Wednesday. He was in Moldova, asking questions, and said he was heading to England, so he must have found something out. Sayed won’t feel completely happy until it is sorted. Of course he won’t. Shouldn’t even be up in this helicopter – could be bad luck, and it takes only one stray bullet to bring it down. But the alternative was a six-hour trip by Jeep and horse.
This is not a position he has been in before, and it needs fixing quickly. He will give Hanif another week or so. He knows he’ll be on the trail of the shipment. It’s not like he can just ring him and have a chat.
Hanif will speak to Mitch Maxwell, and Mitch Maxwell will speak to Luca Buttaci. Politely at first, and then less politely if he doesn’t get what he wants. Sayed does not like to be fooled or cheated. That way lies death.
Hanif will have to be punished too, of course, if they fail to find it between them. So he’ll be motivated at least.
From the open door of the helicopter, Sayed sees the fields where poppies will soon be blooming, and that cheers him a little. Because everybody knows that fields of red poppies in full bloom can signify just one thing.
Profit.
50
SIO Jill Regan is distinctly unimpressed.
‘And you,’ she points to Joyce. ‘You were at the warehouse where Dominic Holt was shot.’
‘I was,’ says Joyce. ‘That’s very good, people often forget my face. Or they don’t remember where they know me from. I’d have patients years later come up to me in Sainsbury’s and say –’
‘Please,’ says Jill. ‘Spare me, I’m supposed to be leading a murder investigation.’
‘Not very well,’ says Elizabeth. ‘If you don’t mind my saying?’
‘I do mind,’ says Jill. ‘Either of you ever caught a murderer?’
‘Yes,’ says Elizabeth.
‘More than one,’ agrees Joyce.
‘You have five minutes,’ says Jill. ‘What information do you have for me? Make it very good.’
‘Might I ask first,’ says Elizabeth, ‘what it is you are doing here?’
‘Sitting in an interview room with the Golden Girls?’ says Jill. ‘No idea.’
‘No,’ says Elizabeth. ‘You know full well what I mean. Why were the National Crime Agency drafted in to investigate the murder of Kuldesh Sharma?’
‘How is that your business?’
‘We’re taxpayers,’ says Elizabeth. ‘But also interested observers.’
‘You know DCI Hudson?’ Jill asks Joyce.
‘Yes,’ says Joyce. ‘And his girlfriend, that’s Patrice, do you know her?’
‘He’s asked you to come in, has he?’
Elizabeth laughs. ‘Goodness me, no. I imagine he’d be horrified if he knew we were here.’
‘He can join the club,’ says Jill.
‘I will give you my theory at least,’ says Elizabeth. ‘I don’t think you have any particular interest in Kuldesh, or the National Crime Agency don’t, at least. I think you have a professional interest in the heroin.’
‘Not everything has to be cloak and dagger,’ says Jill. ‘This isn’t Netflix.’
‘Oh, I’ve lived a life that would make Netflix blush,’ says Elizabeth. ‘I think the heroin was part of a major NCA operation. You planned to track it and let it into the country before swooping and arresting everyone. Am I right?’
‘If this is all you have, I should get back to my desk,’ says Jill.
‘But the heroin goes missing,’ continues Elizabeth. ‘Heroin that you allowed into the country. That you waved through at Newhaven. So your operation is ruined, and the reputation of the NCA is in great danger. Not for the first time, let’s be honest. What’s more, an innocent man is shot dead, well, I say “innocent”, a friend of ours at least. I’m willing to believe you had never heard of Kuldesh Sharma, and hadn’t realized he would be involved. So, while I’m sure you would like to solve his murder, I think above all else you need to find that heroin.’
‘OK,’ says Jill. ‘That’s time up, I think.’
‘And then Dom Holt is murdered too,’ says Elizabeth. ‘I wonder if perhaps he was your man on the inside? And somebody found that out?’
‘Who are you?’ says Jill.
‘Finally, an intelligent question,’ says Elizabeth. ‘I’m somebody who could help you.’
‘Help me how?’
‘We could help you to find the heroin,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Couldn’t we, Joyce?’
‘We’ve done it before with diamonds,’ confirms Joyce.
‘If you know where this heroin is, and you don’t –’
Elizabeth hushes Jill. ‘We don’t have it, SIO Regan, of course we don’t. But I would be willing to bet we are a great deal nearer than you are. And, because I want to find out who murdered our friend, what I would really like to know from you is: who is working for you? Who are you protecting on the inside? Was it Dom Holt?’
‘I’m not protecting anyone,’ says Jill.
‘Mmm,’ says Elizabeth. ‘So you planned the operation without any inside help? It’s possible. We did that in Budapest in ’68, but I don’t buy it, I’m afraid.’
‘What happened in Buda–’
‘So Joyce is going to say four names to you,’ says Elizabeth. ‘One of them is, or was, working for you, and we’ll be able to tell which one by your reaction. The slightest muscle twitch is all we’ll need.’