A Private and Convenient Place Read online

  ‘I believe she did, but I couldn’t swear to it. She certainly said she couldn’t do the Thursday. And I had another engagement on the Wednesday at my club.’

  ‘But you can’t say where she was earlier that day?’

  ‘Obviously not. I didn’t meet her until eight o’clock and I hadn’t seen her since the previous Friday night.’ He paused. ‘What’s all this about, anyway? I thought she was being prosecuted for the kidnapping – that didn’t take place until Easter, while I was in Brussels with her.’

  ‘I’m afraid I can’t go into details at this stage, Mr. Savage, but thank you for getting back to me so quickly. I may want you to make a statement about what you’ve just told me.’

  ‘Do I have to? You did promise you’d do your best to keep me out of it in view of the assistance I gave you last year. Oh, and I ought to mention that I’ve received a letter from Julia’s solicitors asking me to confirm she was with me in Brussels over Easter. But you don’t dispute that do you?’

  Hood was not at all surprised. He’d always considered that Hamilton had agreed to go to Brussels with Savage for that precise purpose. What better alibi witness than a QC?

  ‘No we don’t. But I may still want one of my officers to have a word. May I ask how long you’re going to be up in Norwich?’

  ‘Another three weeks I would guess, but I shall be returning to London at the week-ends. I’m buying a house in Chelsea and my flat in Twickenham has just been sold, so I do have rather a lot on at the moment. But you can get me on this number or leave a message and I’ll get back to you.’ He paused. ‘I take it her being in London on the sixteenth doesn’t fit in with where you’d have liked her to have been?’

  Hood paused before he replied.

  ‘Why do you say that?’

  ‘Well, I assume you wanted her to be in Hastings for some reason. That’s why you asked me if I’d driven her there, isn’t it?’

  Hood said nothing for a moment.

  ‘Let’s just say it makes things a bit more complicated than I would have liked.’

  ‘Well, chief inspector, isn’t that Julia Hamilton all over? Things are never as they seem with her. And nothing is ever straight-forward. Be careful, Mr Hood. She could tease a man to death without him noticing a thing.’

  ‘Don’t concern yourself, not on my account.’

  Savage laughed.

  ‘I won’t. By the way, she could have been in Hastings earlier in the day for all I know. I’m not sure how long it would take to get from there into London, but it’s not that far away. I’d look at a map and check the train times if I were you.’

  Hood had already decided that was precisely what he intended to do. He would put Detective Sergeant Hooper on to it immediately.

  * * * *

  ‘The trains are pretty regular, sir. Every hour with additional services during the rush hour. Average journey time is around one hour forty minutes, which is probably faster then going by road. It’s about seventy-two miles. A21 then on to the M25 – that’s the direct route. And according to the AA, you’d have to allow at least a couple of hours – traffic holdups apart. If she was in Hastings, I reckon she’d have taken the train to London.’

  Hood nodded.

  ‘You’re probably right, Andrew. She’d also have the advantage of blending in with the crowds, assuming she covered her head with a scarf or something. The trains to and from Hastings are generally packed and young Craddock has not been able to pick her out on any of the CCTV we collected after Duffy’s disclosures.’

  ‘But if she did take the train from Hastings to London, we still haven’t established how she got to Hastings in the first place. Bill Savage didn’t drive her and neither did her mother. And we mustn’t overlook the fact that if she went there by train, she still had to get from the station to Grayling’s house. It’s quite a way outside the town. None of our enquiries with the taxi drivers has got anywhere.’

  Hood recalled the words on the tape. The appointment was for 2pm. Someone like Grayling would not want to be kept waiting. It crossed his mind that Hamilton might have travelled to Hastings the day before the meeting – which meant she would have had to stay overnight somewhere. Perhaps they were concentrating on the wrong day?

  ‘Do we know where Hamilton was on the Monday?’

  Hooper went through his notes.

  ‘That’s the day her mother flew to Portugal. We’ve been working on the assumption that she stayed with her mother in Thrussington until the Monday morning. We know she was in contact with Trevor Parker about one of his cases she’d handled. She was in his office in Derby later that morning, but only briefly. She put in a claim for the train fare – from Leicester. She was always fastidious about claiming her expenses.’

  Hooper gave Hood a knowing look.

  ‘No claim for a taxi?’

  ‘No sir. It occurred to me that she and her mother might have returned to Leicester on the Sunday night or early on the Monday morning. Her mother has an apartment in Leicester. Hamilton was living there when we arrested her. Her mother flew from East Midlands airport which is not very far from Parker’s office. She and her mother could have taken the train from Leicester to Derby then shared a taxi.’

  Hood scratched his head and pondered the possibilities. As far as he was aware, no-one had ever spoken with Hamilton’s mother. It was time someone did.

  ‘We searched the apartment but we have never investigated the cottage in Thrussington. I don’t even believe we knew about it at the time we arrested her. I think we should take a look. Ask Wendy to get a warrant. I want the place taken apart.’

  ‘Her mother’s still in Portugal, sir. We’ll have to inform her. She hasn’t been back to the UK since March. According to the information we have, she’s coming back for her daughter’s trial. She may even be called as a defence witness.’ He paused and smiled. ‘I could always pop over there. Have a word with her?’

  Hood did not dismiss the suggestion out of hand.

  ‘I’ll have a think about that. But before you go dashing off to Portugal I want you to have a good look at how she might have travelled from Derby to Hastings on the fifteenth. We know she was no longer in contact with Doyle and she effectively finished working as a paralegal that day. I want to know where she was from noon on the fifteenth until she got to the restaurant in London at eight pm on the sixteenth. She said nothing when asked about her movements over that period when she was interviewed under caution.’

  ‘But we didn’t know about the call to Grayling when we interviewed her.’

  ‘Exactly. As I see it, Grayling must have had the heist near Retford all planned – that’s why he used the same team to kidnap Mrs. Campion. It was probably a last minute thing. But they were up to something before the twelfth of March. Duffy’s daughter was already casing Judge Campion’s home in February. Something involving the judge was already on the cards before Hamilton put this call in to Grayling.’

  ‘So you think there’d been contact before the twelfth?’

  ‘There must have been. What worries me is proving that the original link to Grayling was Hamilton. There’s no getting round it. If it is her on the tape as we think, it sounds like it was the first time she’d spoken to him.’

  ‘Perhaps Grayling was already working on putting Doyle in the frame then along comes Hamilton. Icing on the cake so to speak. And she did say that she knew someone who knew Derick Duffy.’ He paused as if something had just occurred to him.

  ‘Could that have been Doyle, sir?’

  Hood hesitated.

  ‘Possibly. But there’s no point speculating. We need to establish the facts. Perhaps Joseph Hanlon will be able to shed some light on it. I’m seeing him tomorrow.’

  ‘His solicitors have agreed you can see him then? I wasn’t expecting that.’

  ‘On the contrary, Andrew. He asked to see me. I’ve no i
dea why?’

  ‘Probably wants to get a bit off his sentence, sir?’

  ‘Possibly. He must know as much as anyone about Hamilton’s involvement – if he’s prepared to co-operate.’

  ‘And Doyle, sir.’

  ‘Doyle too.’

  ‘So Doyle might have been involved after all?’

  Hood did not reply.

  Chapter Six

  Hood travelled to Whitemoor Prison alone. He had considered taking Wendy Knight with him as a distraction for Hanlon, but after careful reflection had decided against it. He figured Hanlon was more likely to open up if no-one else was present. Not that he was looking forward to the encounter. When he’d interviewed Hanlon following his capture the previous year, the Irishman had refused to say anything. He’d been offensive and thoroughly un-cooperative. Now he wanted to speak to Hood. His solicitors had been quite insistent. It had to be Hood. He was not prepared to speak to anyone else.

  The governor met the chief inspector after he had passed through Whitemoor’s elaborate and extensive security system. He had arranged for a special room to be set aside and for two of the prison’s most intimidating- looking officers to escort Hanlon from his single cell on the ground floor. They made it quite clear to their prisoner that they would be stationed immediately outside the door throughout the interview. Hanlon brushed his hand through his hair and laughed after the handcuffs had been removed.

  ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ he joked. ‘Isn’t that right Mr Hood? These people must think I’m some sort of Houdini!’

  He gave Hood a sinister look.

  The chief inspector did not reply. He took the seat nearer to the door and indicated for Hanlon to sit on the other side of the small table. Hanlon looked around the room, pulled out the chair and sat down. Hood placed some witness statement forms in front of him and took out his pen. He intended to make it clear from the outset that he meant business. The ex- IRA man glanced at the forms and grinned.

  ‘Isn’t that a little premature? I haven’t said a word yet.’

  ‘You asked to see me, remember? I haven’t driven all this way to have my time wasted.’

  Hanlon sat back in his chair and smiled.

  ‘You’ll get nowhere talking to me in that tone, Mr Hood. Now, put your pen away. I don’t want anything put into writing, not yet anyway. Let’s you and me just have a little chat.’

  Hood had been expecting nothing less. He put his pen back in his inside pocket and pushed the statement forms to his left. He looked Hanlon over. He seemed thinner than when he’d last seen him and his hair was almost completely grey. He didn’t seem to be coping well with imprisonment. Hood still wondered what his motivation might have been for asking to see him. He couldn’t quite believe that an ex-IRA man would be prepared to put Julia Hamilton in the frame – unless he had some personal grudge to satisfy. Whatever his reasons were, he was sure Hanlon wasn’t about to tell him.

  ‘Well, Mr Hanlon. I assume you want something? You should understand I have no authority to discuss any reduction in your sentence. If you’re prepared to assist in the prosecution of Julia Hamilton – and by that I mean giving evidence against her – I can take it back to my superiors.’

  Hanlon shook his head and sighed.

  ‘Let’s not go there, yet, Mr Hood. I don’t want to mislead you. I’m not agreeing to anything at the moment. I just want to put a few matters straight. What happened in court last time was a farce!’

  As he spoke he raised his voice and struck the table with his hand. He then settled in his chair and waited before he spoke again. He was much calmer. He even smiled.

  ‘The question is, Mr Hood, can you handle the truth?’

  He looked Hood directly in the eye.

  ‘Try me.’

  ‘In that case, I will.’

  He cleared his throat.

  ‘This man Duffy – the one you think you have in your pocket - he’s a fool for starters.’ Hanlon spoke with contempt. ‘You might have hoodwinked that eejet into thinking it was Gus Grayling who grassed him up, but you won’t fool me.’

  Hood said nothing. The last thing he was prepared to do was give Doyle away as his informant. Hanlon continued, raising his voice again.

  ‘I want that clearly understood. You built him up as some sort of master criminal – he was nothing of the sort. He was Grayling’s lackey. He did as he was told – and he couldn’t even manage that properly – or I wouldn’t be stuck in here.’ There was more than a trace of bitterness in his voice. ‘That towel that had my DNA on it - he wrapped the sawn-off in that deliberately you know. To make sure I was done for it. That was his insurance if it all went wrong. And he didn’t even clean the judge’s blood properly from the stock, either.’ He looked away, his anger rising again. ‘And then he’s presented in court as some sort of criminal mastermind! God give me strength – he’s nothing of the sort.’

  At first, Hood did not react. Then he spoke slowly and calmly. ‘How would you describe him then?’

  ‘An errand boy! He did as Gus told him.’

  ‘But he knew about you and Grayling.’

  ‘What if he did? He didn’t know the half of it, but I do ’cos Grayling told me all about him. I knew he led a double life. That was for Gus’s benefit, as much as it was for his.’

  ‘So you knew he was Patrick Lafferty in South Wales?’

  ‘Of course I did. Do you think I’d have got myself involved in all this without knowing the whole story? I knew all about him – and his daughter and the rest of them.’

  ‘His daughter? She was brought in to case the judge’s house and make sure the child and his mother were OK.’

  Hanlon laughed. ‘Is that what you think? Have you forgotten who fired the shotgun into the back of the security van on the Ollerton road? That was her. She was well into it. Found it exciting she did, along with that useless boy friend of hers.’

  ‘That was the attempted robbery. I was talking about the kidnapping. She was just there to look after the child and his mother.’

  ‘You believe that if you want to. I know the truth of it.’

  He paused and looked down. Then he smiled and leant towards Hood.

  ‘And I’ll prove it to you. I’ll give you something for nothing.’

  He leant closer and dropped his voice.

  ‘According to the statements I’ve seen, Julia Hamilton saw Gus on the sixteenth of March. That’s what Duffy says, agreed?’

  ‘Agreed.’

  ‘And that was at Gus’ house just outside Hastings?’

  ‘That’s what he says.’

  ‘Duffy doesn’t mention how she got there, does he?’

  Hood’s interest was aroused but he was not going to disclose to Hanlon that this was the most pressing concern into his investigation of Julia Hamilton.

  ‘No, he doesn’t. Perhaps he doesn’t know?’

  Hanlon laughed.

  ‘Of course he does!’

  He looked at Hood, an amused expression on his face.

  ‘Does Duffy mention how Hamilton was dressed?’

  ‘Dressed?’

  ‘Yes, dressed.’

  ‘No. I don’t think he does. I don’t suppose he was ever asked. Is it relevant? In my dealings with her, she’s always looked very smart.’

  Hanlon laughed more heartily.

  ‘Well, there’s a clue for you, Mr Hood. You find out how she was dressed and it’ll tell you a lot, assuming you’ve a brain between your ears.’

  He continued to smile. Hood glanced at him, suspiciously.

  ‘You’re not going to tell me then?

  Hanlon ceased smiling and spoke with deadly seriousness.

  ‘That’s for me to know and for you to find out.’

  Hood said nothing for a moment. He stood up and started to pace the room. He stopped and looked down
on Hanlon.

  ‘We know you were there when the meet took place, you know.’

  Hanlon twisted round in his chair so he could look directly at Hood.

  ‘Do you now? And who’s told you that? That lying scumbag Duffy, no doubt? I don’t recall reading that in his witness statement.’

  The chief inspector resumed his seat.

  ‘It’s not in his statement. But he said it off the record.’

  ‘Did he now? Well, as I understand it, what he says off the record can’t be used as evidence? Am I right?’

  Hood nodded.

  ‘But we do have some CCTV which shows you coming out of Hastings railway station the day before.’

  ‘Is that right? And what does that prove?’

  ‘Without more, not very much.’

  ‘And d’ya think Duffy will go on the record about it? And if he did, d’ya think anyone would believe him?’

  Hood was minded to agree. Duffy’s credibility on this point might well be considerably weakened, given his initial refusal to put it in his witness statement.

  ‘Perhaps he’s too scared of putting you there?’

  ‘So, he’s retained a bit of intelligence. But if I were to agree I was there, you wouldn’t need to rely on Duffy then, would you?’

  ‘Are you prepared to do that?’

  ‘Well that depends.’

  ‘On what?’

  ‘On you getting me out of here.’

  Hanlon seemed serious. Hood could not resist smiling.

  ‘What? Discharged from prison? No chance.’

  Hanlon grinned. ‘I’m not so naïve as to think that’s even a remote possibility, Mr Hood. What I had in mind was a transfer to somewhere a bit more to my liking – if there is anywhere that would suit. After all, I could hardly stay here if I gave evidence at Hamilton’s trial, could I? That wouldn’t go down at all well with some of the people in here.’

  Hood considered that reply with care. ‘Are you prepared to do that?’

  ‘I haven’t said I will – and I haven’t said I won’t. It depends. But I don’t like it here. Wakefield was bad enough, but this place…’