'With respect ma'am, the families were told that the evidence pointed to their sons having left the country. But I'm afraid even families aren't necessarily entitled to have access to such sensitive intelligence, particularly the families of suspected extremists.'
Khan could contain his anger no more. 'Ma'am, this is outrageous. You must insist on seeing this so-called intelligence and if it's refused fight through every court until justice is exhausted.' He jabbed an accusing finger at Martha Denton. 'Her clients, the Security Services, are the people who complain that young Asian men are being lured by extremists, and she wonders why. These aren't respectable people, they're secret police. Does she honestly think hiding this information is in the
'I take your point, Mr Khan,' Jenny said. She needed time to research, to gather arguments as powerful as Martha Denton's. 'I'm going to adjourn and continue this discussion first thing tomorrow.'
Martha Denton refused to be silenced. 'I'm not sure that will be necessary, ma'am. Given that my clients intend to go directly to the High Court should you rule against them, further discussion is, quite frankly, fruitless. Furthermore, as far as I can ascertain, there is no evidence whatsoever that either Jamal or Hassan is in fact dead, certainly none upon which a jury could reasonably be expected to return a verdict.'
Jenny's fraying temper snapped, 'Miss Denton, I made a special application to hold this inquest and it will continue until its conclusion. If, once all the evidence is heard, the jury are not able to reach a verdict, then so be it. In the meantime, I will not and I shall not be dictated to by you or anyone you represent. Do you understand me?'
Martha Denton gave an indifferent shrug. She no longer cared what Jenny thought.
As Denton and Havilland gathered their papers and Khan and Collins approached Mr Jamal to express their outrage, Jenny noticed Alison hovering near the committee-room door. She recognized her officer's expression of guilt-ridden indecision as the one that had been a frequent feature of the traumatic two weeks of their first case together the previous summer. There were good people and bad people in Alison's world, and when the categories blurred it angered and confused her.
Jenny caught her eye and saw that they were both wrestling with the same thought. Hell would freeze over before Skene or any other intelligence office would be persuaded to tell the whole truth to her inquest. But on the other side of the door sat DI Pironi, a career cop with only a handful of years to serve until he collected his pension. Was he decent and brave enough to risk that comfortable future? Would Alison use what little leverage she had to persuade him?
Martha Denton's instructing solicitor made for the committee room. Alison held up her hand to stop him and disappeared briefly behind the door. David Skene emerged seconds later. After several moments Alison followed with a glance towards Jenny and the slightest nod.
It was a place of Pironi's choosing: a small deserted car park leading to an area of woodland invisible from the road. It was dark and already approaching freezing, though with enough light from a milky moon for Jenny to make out two silhouettes in the front seat of Alison's car. For a brief while they seemed to dip their heads in prayer. Jenny thought she saw Pironi's lips moving, his shoulders swaying gently to and fro as he sought God's guidance. Alison placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
They spoke for nearly twenty minutes. While she waited, Jenny tried several times without success to reach McAvoy. His phone was switched off. She dared to imagine that he might have picked up a lead, that he was out brokering deals and twisting arms, teasing out evidence that he would deliver with an arrogant flourish, sending Martha Denton and Alun Rhys into furious spasms.
She turned at the sound of a car door closing. Pironi hurried the few steps to his vehicle and pulled away swiftly. Alison waited until his tail lights had faded into the night before crossing the ten yards of muddy ground and climbing into Jenny's passenger seat. She was silent for a moment as she composed herself, hands resting on her lap.
She brought the smell of her car with her and a trace of Pironi. Jenny felt like a trespasser on their intimacy.
'He didn't want to give a sworn statement,' Alison said quietly. 'Once you do that you're as good as on oath, and you swear to tell the whole truth.'
'He won't do that?'
'He's trying to be true to his principles, Mrs Cooper.'
'What did he think he was going to do in court?'
'He got the impression he wasn't likely to be required.'
'Who told him that?'
'He didn't say exactly . . . Look, he really isn't to blame for any of this. He's being put in an impossible situation. Surely you can see that? It's only the fact he's got such a conscience that brought him out here.'
'Better a late convert than not at all, I suppose.'
'It's not like that. You know it's not.'
Jenny removed the acerbic edge from her voice. 'What did he say?'
'This is all completely off the record, it has to be . . .'
Jenny fought the urge to be facetious. It struck her that Pironi's religious conscience was rather more elastic than his church, let alone his personal saviour, might have liked.
'Fine. Just tell me.'
'He didn't soft-pedal the missing persons inquiry. He did try to find them, but MI5 were pretty certain from the outset that they'd left the country.'
'Was Donovan's sighting genuine?'
'He didn't mention him.'
Jenny drew her own silent conclusion. 'What else?'
Alison sighed. 'He had two officers in a car opposite the halaqah. They definitely didn't see a black Toyota; they wouldn't have been able to see as far as Mrs Murray's house anyway - the road curves round. He sent an officer down to the bus depot, who found the man who would have been driving the bus - he couldn't remember the two boys getting on that night. He did remember them from other nights, though.'
'Did he make a statement?'
'Yes . . . But it went higher up the chain of command. He doesn't know what happened to it.'
'Did any other statements go missing?'
'No. But apparently it was a bit chaotic for a while. MI5 already seemed pretty sure the boys had left the country. They didn't seem too bothered about Dani James's sighting of the man coming out of the halls. Could have been anyone, they said.'
'What did Pironi think?'
'He felt he was being kept in the dark. MI5 asked him to pass anything he had on, but they didn't return the favour, of course. He felt bad for the families mostly, especially Mrs Jamal.'
'Glad to hear it. Any theories about what happened to her?'
'He's being kept well away. Anti-terrorist branch from Scotland Yard have taken it over.'
'I can't say it's getting any clearer. What did he have to say about McAvoy?'
Alison glanced down at her hands. 'He didn't really want to talk about him.'
'You didn't discuss the charges against him?'
'I did try,' Alison said, with a trace of self-pity. 'I don't doubt he acted in good faith. He's not like that.'
'Meaning what - the witness who came forward had been set up? He doesn't believe it's a coincidence it happened when it did, just as McAvoy was starting to dig?'
'I don't know, Mrs Cooper. I honestly don't.'
'I do,' Jenny said.
'There are all sorts of possibilities,' Alison protested. 'Have you ever thought that Mrs Jamal might have informed on her son? Think about it - she tips off the police that she's worried he's involved with extremists and the next thing she knows he's vanished.'
'And eight years later she sprinkles herself with radioactive dust and jumps out of the window?'
'No. Nazim's associates came for her and made it look like suicide.'
'Is that what Pironi believes?'
