does it mean they should be patronized. Remember that and we might make a policeman out of you, yet.'
Horton wondered if he would remember. Johns reminded him of Dennings and it wasn't just the build. Johns was the sort of copper who was good on a raid and out in the van on a Saturday and Friday night, but detection and understanding the subtleties of people would pass him by. And talking of Dennings, Horton rose and made for the incident suite. He must have some information on Sherbourne's death by now, and perhaps there was something more on Brundall. Horton also thought it was about time Cantelli returned from his interview with the woman with the dog.
Nine
'Brundall told Mrs Davis that he used to live in Portsmouth years ago,' Cantelli said to Horton's enquiry. 'She claims he was much thinner than in the photograph I showed her, and which was on the television, but she can swear it was him and she described the car. This was at twelve fifteen. She walks the dog before she goes on duty. She's an agency nurse at the hospital.'
'Did she see him drive off?'
'Yes, when she came back about fifteen minutes later.'
Horton thought for a moment before saying, 'He met Reverend Gilmore at St Agnes's at three thirty, and he called Sherbourne about four fifteen. So where did he go between twelve fifteen and three thirty?'
'To his parents' grave? Marsden's discovered they're buried in Kingston Cemetery. I've contacted the CCTV control office and asked if we can check the tapes along Kingston Road. If he was heading for his parents' grave he might have driven into the city that way. And there's a camera on the corner of St Mary's Road leading to the cemetery. Seaton's picking up the tapes.'
'There's another entrance into the cemetery from New Road and no CCTV there,' Horton remarked, then, turning to Marsden, 'Take a photograph of Brundall and ask around at the cemetery. Did anyone see him there at any time, but particularly between twelve thirty and three fifteen on Tuesday afternoon? If he went there then it would have been before going to St Agnes's because it gets dark at three thirty and the cemetery closes then. Are there any flowers on his parents' grave, if so who did he buy them from? Where did he park his car? Did anyone see it? You'd better hurry because it'll be dark soon. If you get no joy today, go back tomorrow morning.'
Marsden rushed out looking relieved to escape the confines of the incident suite for a while.
Horton said, 'There are several cameras along Queens Street; we might pick up Brundall on his way to St Agnes's.'
'I'll get Walters to check.'
'Where is he, by the way?'
'Still interviewing the shopkeepers, I assume. I haven't seen him.'
'He's taking his time.'
'You know Walters, probably stopped for a three course lunch.'
'Either that or he's meeting his girlfriend to make up for lost time Wednesday night. Obviously you didn't know about her?' Horton added, seeing Cantelli's startled look.
'No, but I'd like to meet the woman who can put up with Walters. She must be quite a gal.'
'Perhaps he'll bring her to the dinner and dance.' That would be a first, thought Horton. Maybe he could ask Dr Clayton if she'd go with him. Would she accept? She probably already had a boyfriend or even a partner for all he knew.
Cantelli said, 'Talking of saints, how did you get on at the church?'
Horton told him, leaving out the bit about his mother. He might tell Cantelli, later, when he was ready, and had made some sense of it himself, but not here and not now.
Horton turned to Trueman. 'Is there anything from DI Dennings?'
'If there is the super hasn't told me. I've e-mailed Inspector Guilbert the passenger lists of all the flights out of England to Guernsey on Thursday morning, but it'll take some time to work through them, unless someone's name automatically jumps out.'
And Horton hoped it would but he didn't think they would be that lucky. He asked Trueman to get him all the information he could find on Sebastian Gilmore and to get an officer checking for links between Rowland Gilmore and Tom Brundall, then knocked on the superintendent's door.
Looking up from his desk, Uckfield said, 'The Guernsey pathologist has confirmed Sherbourne was strangled; there is damage to the thyroid cartilage, and the hyoid bone, just above the Adam's apple. He claims it's difficult to tell how long Sherbourne had been dead before the fire but he reckons at least four hours, which ties in with when he went missing.'
'So Sherbourne's killer is a man,' Horton said, taking the seat across the desk. 'A woman couldn't have lifted the dead weight of a tall man like Sherbourne and carried him into the building.'
'Unless she's an all-in wrestler.'
'Not many of those in Guernsey.' Horton quickly apprised Uckfield of his interview with Kenneth Gutner, again leaving out the reference to himself and his mother. Then he broke the news that Brundall's death could be linked with the Reverend Gilmore's.
Uckfield stared at him incredulously. 'You've got to be joking!'
'Do I look like I am? And before you ask, Gutner is a very reliable witness. He's not gaga. I believe him.'
'What the hell am I going to tell the press?'
'Nothing, yet. I need to talk to Gilmore's brother, Sebastian.'
Uckfield's head came up. 'You don't mean the Sebastian Gilmore?'
'There's more than one!' Horton said sarcastically.
'Not of this man there ain't. Sebastian Gilmore has built up a hugely successful business. And he's an influential member of the Portsmouth Business Forum.' Uckfield frowned. 'He would have been on the phone before now if he'd thought his brother's death was suspicious. And Sebastian Gilmore doesn't mince words. He'd have told the chief constable to get his arse in gear and find out who killed his brother. Go careful with him, Andy.'
Horton eyed Uckfield, knowing he meant he could stir things up for him if he didn't.
'I'll treat him as if he was precious china.' Horton rose. 'I'll also notify the Dean that we're making inquiries into Reverend Gilmore's death.' That was if Yelford hadn't already told him.
Uckfield groaned. 'That means I'll also have the Bishop on my back. For Christ's sake, Andy, tell him to keep it to himself. I can just see the headlines if this gets out. And we'll look pretty bloody silly if we're wrong.'
You mean I will, thought Horton, noting with suspicion Uckfield's warming towards him. That's twice in one conversation he'd addressed him by his first name. Horton wondered what he was after.
'Make an appointment to talk to Sebastian Gilmore,' Uckfield said. 'He's a busy man, as well as a grieving relative. I'll make another statement to the press giving out the car registration number and description.'
Cantelli called the Dean and made an appointment for them to see him tomorrow, Saturday, and then went off to view the CCTV tapes for any sightings of Brundall's hire car.
Horton tried Sebastian Gilmore's office only to be told that he was out and wouldn't be in again until Monday. Horton rang off without making an appointment. As he headed back to the CID office he wondered why Anne Schofield had been going through Gilmore's things when he had a brother. Was she living in the vicarage? He didn't envy her that, if she was. Or had the church accommodated her elsewhere?
He found Walters munching a large baguette and drinking coffee.
'On holiday are you, Constable?'
'This is lunch, guv. It's taken me forever to get round the shopkeepers in Queens Street, complete waste of time, no one saw anything. We've done better with the CCTV though. There are a couple of youths, wearing dark hoodies, lingering outside the bookies. Don't know why the control operators didn't see them, perhaps they didn't think it relevant as they don't actually show up attacking the tourist. Then they disappear into Cross Street and a few minutes later they're walking down Queens Street. I've asked for the pictures to be enhanced; we might get enough of a description to put out.'
'Check with Sergeant Cantelli, he might recognize them, and then see if they match anyone in our records. Oh, and Walters — ' Horton called out on the way to his office — 'take another look at the recording and see if you
