‘Certainly. It’s the gentlemen who aren’t.’
Beth laughed. ‘Is there any way we can get out of here without her noticing?’
‘Not a problem,’ said Gino. ‘I’ll take you through to the kitchen and out of the staff entrance.’
‘Not before I’ve paid,’ said William, reaching for his wallet.
‘This one’s on the house,’ said Gino as he began to wrap up the birthday cake in a napkin. ‘By the way, I love the necklace.’
‘Harrison. Craig Harrison,’ said Nicky when she joined Rebecca for breakfast the following morning. ‘A petty thief with a record as long as your arm.’
‘Did Summers arrest him for burglary earlier in the year?’
‘Yes, on May the twenty-third, for a separate offence,’ confirmed Nicky, taking a seat at the kitchen table, although Rebecca noticed that she didn’t touch her breakfast.
‘Was he charged?’
‘The following day, and when he came up in front of the magistrate, he pleaded guilty and asked for eight other offences to be taken into consideration. But I suspect there’s only one the Hawk will be interested in.’
‘Will you be briefing him?’
‘I’ve already left my report on his desk.’
‘That’s good news,’ said Rebecca, taking her hand.
‘I’ve also decided I won’t be returning to the force after the baby is born.’
‘I wouldn’t tell anyone else that,’ said Rebecca. ‘After all, you may feel differently in a few months’ time.’
‘That seems unlikely,’ said Nicky, ‘since the child’s father will be serving a long prison sentence, and I’ll be the one who turned him in.’
‘Summers is the father?’
‘Oh, come on. There’s no need to pretend you didn’t know.’
Rebecca sat down next to her friend and put an arm gently around her shoulder.
‘Do the rest of the team know?’ asked Nicky.
‘Yes. They have done for some time, and I’m afraid I’m to blame.’
Nicky turned to face her flatmate, tears streaming down her face.
‘As soon as I saw the ring, I knew Summers couldn’t afford a diamond that size on a copper’s salary.’
‘It could have been given to me by someone else.’
‘Like an estate agent from Croydon, for example? I don’t think so.’
‘But I gave it back,’ said Nicky defensively, ‘and left the Garrard’s box where you couldn’t miss it.’
‘I handed it to DI Warwick that same morning.’
‘I assumed you would.’
‘And it’s thanks to you,’ said Rebecca, ‘that we now know Summers arrested Harrison after he’d stolen the ring, so—’
‘Will I be arrested?’
‘Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,’ said Rebecca gently. ‘I know the commander doesn’t think you were involved in any of DS Summers’s criminal activities, and he’s well aware you alerted DI Warwick about his visit to the Playboy Club, which must count in your favour.’
‘But not in Jerry’s.’
‘He doesn’t deserve your sympathy.’
‘You’ve been such a good friend,’ said Nicky, taking her hand.
‘Not as good as I’d like to have been.’
‘Do you find the prisoner at the bar, Anthony Roberts, guilty or not guilty of murder?’
The foreman of the jury rose slowly from her place. She looked up at the judge and said, ‘Guilty, m’lud.’ William leapt up and dashed out of court, forgetting to bow as he pushed his way through the doors and headed for the nearest phone. ‘Guilty,’ he said when he heard the Hawk’s voice on the other end of the line.
‘So you won’t be abolishing the jury system after all?’
‘No, sir. But I may change my mind if Summers is acquitted.’
‘You may not have a job if Summers is acquitted,’ responded the Hawk.
27
‘We’ve got a problem.’
‘Don’t spare me,’ said Miles.
‘Not over the phone.’
‘That bad?’
‘I’m afraid so,’ said Booth Watson. ‘Where will you be later this morning?’
‘I’ve got a board meeting in the City at ten.’
‘Cancel it. Join me in chambers as quickly as possible.’
‘But I’m chairing the meeting—’
‘You may not be chairman by this evening.’
‘That bad?’
Danny ignored the double yellow lines, restricted areas and short-term parking signs as he drove the commander into Gatwick Airport and headed towards a gate the general public were unaware of.
A guard checked Commander Hawksby’s warrant card before pointing to the far end of the runway, where he was met by Chief Superintendent Bob Fenton, the head of airport security, and three uniformed officers.
‘Good morning, Bob,’ said the Hawk as he stepped out of the car and the two men shook hands. ‘Can you bring me up to date?’
‘Flight zero one six took off from Malaga at nine thirty-five this morning,’ said Fenton. ‘About fifteen minutes behind schedule. It’s due to land in about thirty minutes.’
‘Perfect timing,’ said the Hawk, who returned to his car and asked Danny to get DS Adaja on the radio. A few minutes later a familiar voice came crackling down the line.
‘Morning, sir.’
‘Morning, Paul. Summers is safely on board, and his flight is about half an hour away from Gatwick, so no one can get in touch with him. I want you to move in and arrest Castle, and at the same time DS Roycroft’s team should carry out a meticulous search of his home. I’m looking for any items that look expensive and out of place. Drugs and numbered notes would be a bonus.’
‘What about Summers’s house?’
‘Tell Jackie to take the place apart. If you come across a diamond ring, call me immediately, because that’s all the evidence we need.’
‘DS Roycroft DC Pankhurst and her team are already stationed outside Summers’s home waiting for you to give the order,’ said Paul. ‘On your command, the search party will immediately move into action, while I go to the local nick and introduce myself to DI Castle.’
‘Get on with it,’ said the commander as he handed the radio back to Danny.
‘Zero one six has requested permission to land,’ said Fenton. ‘They’ll taxi to gate forty-three where your colleague and two of my men are already waiting. Perhaps we should join them.’
‘Superintendent Watts on the line,’ said Danny, handing the radio back to the Hawk.
‘Good morning, Chris,’ said the Hawk to the new head of the drugs squad. ‘Was Jimmy Turner expecting you and a few friends to drop in for breakfast this morning?’
‘No, sir. He was still in bed when I raided his home and arrested him along with three other members of his family.’
‘What did you charge them with?’
‘Possession of eight kilos of cocaine, among several other illegal substances. Some of which just happened to be in a Sainsbury’s bag.’
The Hawk smiled. ‘I look forward to telling DS Summers the good news when I arrest him in a few minutes’ time.’
‘I’ll see you back at the station, sir,’ said Watts. ‘Let’s hope they’ve got enough cells to accommodate them.’
‘Well done, Chris. I’ll try to remember to let the commissioner know the role you played.’
‘I’m sure you will, sir,’ said Watts, laughing.
‘Let’s get going,’ said the Hawk as he passed the radio phone back to Danny. ‘Mustn’t keep DS Summers waiting.’
Miles handed the cab driver a pound note and told him to keep the change. He made his way slowly across Middle Temple, still trying to fathom why Booth Watson wanted to see him so urgently. Two young women walked past him, one pulling a small case, the other wearing a barrister’s gown. He recognized both of them, but they didn’t recognize him.