‘And it also explains why she complained to the local Chief Constable about our visit. He in turn called the Met Commissioner and it ended up with Deputy Commissioner Walters giving Langton an earful.’ It was Anna’s turn to sit back with a tight smile.
‘He’s not in trouble, is he?’ Dewar asked anxiously.
‘I nearly got pulled off the FBI course, so your attachment must have been in jeopardy as well. Langton managed to diffuse the situation but be prepared for some words of advice from him.’
‘That aside, Donna needs to be interviewed about her movements last night,’ Dewar persisted.
‘I agree, but we need to tread carefully where Lady Lynne is concerned. Everything needs to be above board, with every action and result recorded in detail on the computer. If she complains again the top brass will be all over us like a rash. Before we do anything else we need to write up the interviews we’ve done so far.’
Anna proceeded to inform Dewar that DCS Langton had agreed that while she was on the FBI course, Paul Barolli would oversee the case as acting DCI. Dewar was unimpressed and pointed out that Barolli had only just been promoted to Inspector.
‘Paul Barolli has years of experience, especially when it comes to investigating murders. I’ve worked alongside him at every rank and I trust him implicitly. He’d lay his life on the line for you, as he did for Langton and other members of this team.’
‘How do you mean?’ Dewar demanded.
‘He tried to stop an armed suspect who was shooting at us but ended up getting shot himself. He’s been recommended for the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, the highest award a police officer can get.’
‘No shit.’ Dewar shook her head. ‘He took one for the job. I’d never have guessed.’
‘That’s because Paul is a modest person and doesn’t pretend to be something he’s not,’ Anna said, hoping that Dewar would pick up on the underlying implication. ‘Anyway, I’m going to see if he’s in his office now to check how he got on with obtaining the bank warrants.’
Anna’s luck was in, as Barolli had just sat down at his desk, so she took the opportunity to bring him up to speed. In return, he told her that the warrants had been issued and served on the banks. He added that there was unrest in the main office as Dewar tried to stamp her authority on the team in a less than polite manner. Anna admitted to Paul that Barbara and Joan had also complained about Dewar, and that she’d dropped enough hints and even been direct with Dewar on a number of occasions but it was as if the agent didn’t care and enjoyed being argumentative and upsetting people.
‘I’m sorry to be leaving you in the lurch, Paul, but I have confidence that you’ll do a good job overseeing the case while I’m in the States.’
‘Thanks, Anna. I’ll keep you updated by phone while you’re away and if the shit really hits the fan I might run away and join you.’ He grinned and Anna smiled. ‘Meanwhile, I’ve got hold of the copy of Donna Reynolds’ 999 call that Dewar requested.’
‘Might as well have a listen to it before she does, then,’ Anna suggested cheerfully as Barolli reached across to place the CD in his computer and turned on the speakers.
The recording opened with an operator announcing that the caller was through to the emergency services. A clearly distressed Donna asked for the police and was forwarded to their call centre. She was asked to give her name, address and the number she was calling from. The panic in her voice was clear, and she was crying profusely, gasping for air and just about audible.
‘It’s my husband Josh… he’s been shot… there’s a gun and blood everywhere… oh, God, please help him… I think he’s dead.’
‘Where has he been shot?’
‘In our flat. He’s not moving.’
‘Where in the body has he been shot?’
‘The head… please help him, please.’
‘Are you with him now, Donna?’
‘I’ve just come home… I don’t know what to do.’
‘The police and an ambulance are on their way, Donna. Please stay on the phone while a paramedic speaks to you.’ The police operator then transferred the call, giving the paramedic details of the incident. Donna now seemed to be in a state of hyperventilation, causing her speech to become slightly slurred. She sounded as if she was about to faint.
‘Can you tell me if he’s breathing?’
‘I think he’s dead, please hurry…’
‘Is he bleeding?’
‘There’s blood all over the floor and his face.’
‘Can you feel for a pulse?’
‘I’m scared… please, please help him.’
‘The ambulance and police are on their way, Donna.’
They listened to the rest of the call, which mostly consisted of the paramedic trying to calm Donna down and reassure her help was on the way. Eventually, a police officer could be heard telling the paramedic that the victim had a severe gunshot wound to the head and there was no pulse.
‘Did that sound like someone who had arranged her husband’s murder?’ Anna asked.
‘No, that sounded like pure uncontrolled panic. I felt her fear, it was like being in the room with her,’ Barolli said.
‘Dewar needs to listen to this,’ Anna said, as Langton walked in.
‘Joan said you were in here, Jessie not with you?’
Anna told Langton that Dewar was in her office writing up notes and she was bringing Barolli up to speed with the investigation, adding that Gloria was actually Lady Lynne as her former husband was Lord Henry Lynne. Langton told her that he too had only just been made aware of that fact.
‘I spoke with Walters this morning and lucky for you Lady Lynne doesn’t wish to take the matter any further. However, he stipulated that if you want to go near her again you run it by him first. Is that clear?’
Anna nodded and handed Langton the CD of Donna’s 999 call, asking him to take it through to Dewar as she still had some stuff to go over with Barolli.
‘How have you two been getting on today?’ Langton asked her.
‘Okay, I guess, but she’s been rubbing the rest of the team up the wrong way, demanding this and that without a please or thank-you, so I think a word from you…’
‘Point made, I’ll speak with her. She mentioned something about a surveillance team following Donna last night,’ Langton said.
‘I didn’t know anything about it.’
‘Sounds like it was worth it though.’
‘Hard to say yet, but it cost nearly a thousand pounds in overtime.’
‘How much?’ Langton exclaimed in a raised voice before he turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
‘I thought it was eight hundred quid?’ Barolli remarked.
‘Yes, but figuratively speaking that’s nearly a thousand, whereas if I said just over five hundred that’s not nearly eight hundred.’
‘There’s a method in your madness, isn’t there?’ Anna smiled and nodded her head in agreement.
Dewar was still busy writing up her notes when Langton stormed in.
‘Why the fuck is the surveillance overtime bill a thousand pounds?’
‘It was in fact eight hundred pounds,’ she replied, nonchalantly.
‘I assumed the late shift did the surveillance as there’s no overtime budget and anyway you’re supposed to ask me to authorize it first.’
‘DCI Travis had not made me aware that was the case, and if I’d known I would have done the tail myself.
‘Anna mentioned that Gloria Lynne had made a complaint. I’m sorry if it caused you any problems, Jimmy,’ she went on.
‘It was something and nothing really. I’m used to Walters having a moan, but I know how to handle him so don’t lose any sleep over it.’
‘That makes me feel better, I’d hate to let you down, especially when you’ve done so much for me.’
‘Please be on your guard when dealing with Lady Lynne in the future. Same goes with the team,’ Langton warned.
‘Have I done something to upset them?’ Dewar asked, looking concerned.