To Dream of the Dead

meeting or going to the police and tarnishing the image of an authority he’d served loyally for many years. What he’d do, having carried out his own discreet investigation and determined the source, would be to confront the perpetrator of this abomination and tell this man he wanted it to stop forthwith. And, naturally, he would want this man to pack his bags, without delay, and remove his shabby arse from God’s own county.’

‘And that,’ Bliss said, ‘seems to be how Clement Ayling signed his own death warrant. Doesn’t it, Steve?’

‘Wildest conjecture.’ Steve shook his sandy head. ‘I don’t believe you have an atom of evidence for any of this.’

‘True. All we have at present is more than enough evidence to nick you in connection with the supply of a controlled substance.’

‘What evidence?’ Steve leaning far back into the yellow IKEA stretch sofa, but his face was redder by now than his hair. ‘Francis, you’re beginning to make me quite angry. I have a number of friends on the police authority who’d be appalled at the idea of Hereford CID behaving as irresponsibly as this.’

‘I’m from Off,’ Bliss said. ‘I don’t know any better.’ He leaned forward. ‘All right, let me put it this way, Steve. Some hard kid — been in more courts than Venus Williams by the time he’s twelve — is often difficult to break, I’ll admit that. But take a grown man with no form, pop him in the blender, and you don’t even have to switch on.’

Bliss let the subtext get fully absorbed and then turned to Annie, like the newsreader quizzing the special correspondent.

‘Ma’am, from your local knowledge, why would someone like Steve, with a good job, risk his pension by introducing responsible local administrators to this vile pastime?’

Annie slowly unbelted her mac and undid some buttons, like she was preparing for a long night chez Steve. This woman was becoming more admirable by the minute.

‘It’s about power, I suppose, Francis. Some users like to say cocaine isn’t addictive, but of course — while not in heroin’s league — it very much is. Though perhaps reliance is probably a more exact word. And there’s a reliance, too, on the supplier. In more ways than one, because you are, of course, partners in crime, and that can be quite a significant bond. Quite a significant bond.’

Bliss looked across at the window. The hammering rain could only be increasing the pressure.

‘How was it done, Steve? At the end of the day, the only member of that committee who could’ve participated in the final act would be you. What did you do? Offer to give him a lift because of the rain? Or tell him there was something you wanted to discuss with him privately?’

Annie Howe said, ‘But Francis, if Ayling had already warned Mr Furneaux about his behaviour, wouldn’t he be a bit alarmed about going with him… anywhere?’

‘With respect, ma’am, I don’t think Clem would be in the least worried about being physically damaged by someone like Steve — even if he does go to the gym. Big man, Clem. A very confident man. A man who’d shaken hands with prime ministers, Bill Clinton… But then, perhaps it wasn’t Steve who actually put the knife into him…’

‘How could you even imagine—?’ Steve springing from the back of the sofa, clean red hair wafting. ‘Superintendent, you have to call a halt to this nonsense.’

Difficult to know how to interpret this. Perhaps Steve thought it was time to start feigning the protestations of an innocent man. Bliss ignored him, the way you ignored a child clamouring for attention.

‘I suppose what we’re looking at here, ma’am, is the difference between actual murder and conspiracy to murder. Usually many years’ difference.’

Annie looked unconvinced, wrinkled her nose.

‘We know that the body was taken to the Forest of Dean for butchery. We know that the disposal was handled by other parties with links to the Hereford cocaine trade. Personally, I think it’s quite reasonable to presume that the actual killing was done by Mr Furneaux…’

‘Who maintains he’s just an adviser.’

Howe did the Ice Maiden’s brittle laugh. Bliss turned at last to Furneaux.

‘Committee decision, was it, Steve?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

‘I mean, all the aspects of this — particularly the false trail to the Dinedor Serpent — suggest it needed more than one adviser. That it could be on a bigger scale than we imagined.’ Bliss turned to Annie Howe. ‘I mean, yeh, if we’re looking for an easy result, it’s Steve getting rid of a man threatening his long and lucrative career. But I’m guessing there’d be quite a few other people who wouldn’t be sorry to see Ayling gone. A dinosaur. Deadwood.’

‘Far-fetched, Francis. In my experience, the small, squalid solution is usually the correct one.’

‘Maybe you’re right. And it is Christmas. It’s all government targets, isn’t it, and you don’t get extra points any more for being clever.’ Bliss stood up, walked over to the other sofa. ‘Steven Furneaux, I’m arresting you on suspicion of supplying a controlled substance and also on suspicion of the murder of Clement Ayling. You don’t have to say anything, but it may seriously fuck up your defence if you—’

‘All right,’ Steve said. ‘Just… just give me a minute, will you?’

‘Aw, Steve you’ve made me lose me place. Now I’ll have to start all over again.’

‘Suppose I… had an idea who’d killed Ayling.’

‘He’s wasting our time,’ Annie Howe said. ‘Call Stagg, Francis, and let’s get him processed.’

‘Suppose there was a… a contractor.’

‘Of course,’ Bliss said. ‘That’s the way local authorities work, isn’t it. Maybe you invited tenders.’

‘Stop it!’ Steve was on his feet. ‘I can help you.’

‘You’ve helped us no end already, pal. All wrapped up for Christmas, and very cheaply, too. Annie’s friend the Home Secretary’s gonna be—’

‘Suppose it isn’t finished. The contract… Suppose there’s another one to… complete.’

Little patch of silence. Bliss glanced at Howe; she made the merest suggestion of a nod.

‘Sit down, Steve,’ Bliss said.

58 Padded Cell

Jane was close to learning the worst.

‘It’s unjust,’ Coops said, ‘it stinks, but we’ve got a baby on the way and I need this job.’

She was alone in the Black Swan reception, with the mobile.

‘You think this isn’t more important than anyone’s bloody job?’

‘Jane—’

‘Jane, Jane, everybody’s — You tell me right now, Coops. You tell me right now why I won’t be laughing when the truth comes out about Coleman’s Meadow. Or I go and ask Blore. Blore’s pissed. Blore’s pissed and Pierce is pissed and I’m stone-cold sober and I’m getting a feeling of everything falling apart.’

‘And you’re the last person who’s going to be able to hold it together. Or me, come to that. We’re little people fighting whole industries and all the tiers of government—’

‘Tell me.’

‘People watching all this crap on TV, they think that’s how it is, the whole of Britain’s like a big sandpit for archaeologists, strolling along with their trowels like the seven bloody dwarfs. It’s not like that any more. In fact, you should probably be grateful to Blore for deflecting you from a profession that would only bring you hassle and… heartbreak.’

‘All right.’ Jane carried the phone down the passage leading to the lavatories. ‘I’m taking the phone into the