sad.'
Horton apologized. He didn't want to leave Barney's father feeling that way. 'You've been a great help, Mr Cantelli.'
Clearly with an effort the old man stirred himself, and gave a tired smile. 'You're welcome, son. Only don't you want to know about the other one?'
Horton froze. He felt a shiver of excitement run through him. 'What other one?' he asked his pulse quickening.
'I forget his name. What was it?'
'Take your time. I can come back.' Though Horton silently prayed that he wouldn't have to. This was new information and he knew that it was important. That sixth sense, or copper's intuition, call it what you may, was back with him with a vengeance. He knew Cantelli could feel it too.
Toni Cantelli said, 'There were four of them on the boat.'
Four! Horton had thought only three: Seb, Rowley and Brundall. Sebastian Gilmore had said nothing about a fourth man. Why? Horton felt his heart racing.
'I can see him as clear as I see you, but I'm blowed if I can remember his name.'
'What did he look like?' asked Horton, his mind leaping in a direction that he could hardly take in. Could it have been the man he had seen with his mother on the quayside at the Camber? But why should it be? Why did he keep returning to that image? Had something in this case triggered that memory? It had to be.
Toni Cantelli said, 'He was good-looking, dark-haired, smart dresser, restless eyes.'
That wasn't enough to go on. The description fitted hundreds of men. Then why did Horton feel it must be the man with his mother? Did wishing it make it so? Shit, he was clutching at straws.
'Don't worry, it'll come to you,' Horton reassured, though he wished Mr Cantelli had remembered his name. Still, there was one man who could give him a full description and a name: Sebastian Gilmore.
Horton pressed his hand on the old man's shoulder. 'You've given us valuable information, Mr Cantelli, and I'm grateful. We can easily get his name.'
'When you do, tell me, otherwise it'll worry the devil out of me.'
Barney promised he would. Horton left Cantelli with his father and thanked the pretty dark-haired nurse. When he looked back at the entrance to the ward, he frowned. Toni Cantelli looked a lot worse than when they had entered and that hadn't been too good to begin with.
He stepped outside and switched on his mobile. There were no messages. He waited in the car watching the hospital visitors come and go thinking over the conversation with Mr Cantelli. Why had Sebastian Gilmore failed to tell them about the fourth member of his fishing crew? What was he hiding? What had happened to this fisherman? Was he the skeleton in the air-raid shelter? Damn it, he couldn't be, not in 1995, unless… Could he have returned and threatened to tell about the 'wrong' Rowland and Brundall had done? Had they killed him and stuffed his body in that shelter? It was possible. But what had been 'the wrong'?
Horton let his mind go into free fall. Had Brundall and Rowland Gilmore killed his mother and this man knew it or had seen, suspected or even been involved in it? Had he tracked Rowland down some years later, and Rowland had summoned Brundall to help him deal with it? But where had this fourth man been from 1978 until 1995? Abroad? In prison?
The car door opened. Horton pulled his thought back to the present.
'Is your father all right?' He could see that Barney was worried.
'I hope he's just tired, but I had a quick word with the nurse and she said she'd check him over. I'll call Charlotte and tell her Dad might not be up to much this visit.'
'Stay and tell her. No, Barney, I insist. I told you that earlier.' Suddenly Horton felt it was important that Cantelli should be there. Horton had never known his own father, and maybe that was why he felt so strongly that Cantelli should be with his. Time, Horton recognized, was precious. He wished he'd had time to talk to his mother before she had disappeared, but then he had only been a child and he'd had no idea that when he left for school that morning, it would be the last time he would see her.
'Are you sure?' Cantelli looked anxious.
'Positive.'
Cantelli's relief was palpable. Horton knew Barney wouldn't duck out of work without his agreement. Where Uckfield got the idea that Cantelli was lazy, Horton didn't know. Barney Cantelli was one of the most conscientious officers Horton had ever come across.
Cantelli said, 'What are you going to do now?'
'Have another word with Sebastian Gilmore. I'd like to know why he didn't mention this fourth man.'
'Take the car.' Cantelli handed over the keys.
They exchanged glances and in Cantelli's eyes Horton saw the fear of losing a loved one.
On the way back to Gilmore's house, Horton replayed in his mind the conversation with Toni Cantelli and his interviews with Sebastian Gilmore. Gilmore had had plenty of opportunity to tell him about this fourth fisherman, particularly when they'd interviewed him in his office yesterday, so why hadn't he mentioned him?
Would Dr Clayton have some further information on those bones tomorrow? He certainly hoped so, he thought, pressing the intercom and asking to speak to Sebastian Gilmore.
'What do you want now?' Selina demanded in surly tones.
Horton didn't answer. A few seconds later the gates slowly swung open and he drove up the tree-lined drive. Before he had stilled the engine Gilmore was striding towards him in the rain, looking like thunder.
'I hope this is bloody important,' he roared.
Holding Gilmore's glacial stare, Horton said, 'Who was the fourth man on your fishing boat?'
Gilmore visibly started and seemed stunned by the revelation. Was that because Horton had discovered information that Gilmore had wanted to keep a secret? Or had Gilmore genuinely forgotten this fourth man?
Recovering, Gilmore demanded, 'How do you know about him?'
'Shall we go inside, sir?'
There was a moment's hesitation before Gilmore swiftly turned and marched towards the house. Horton took this as acceptance and followed. He was intrigued by Gilmore's reaction, and excited at what he might learn. This time there was no lingering in the gymnasium; Gilmore thrust open a door beyond it on the right which led into a spacious and modern equipped study. He crossed to a cabinet on the far side of the room and poured himself a drink.
Waving the bottle at Horton he said, 'Whisky?'
Horton was surprised by the offer, but didn't show it. 'No. Thanks.'
Gilmore jerked his head at the burgundy leather sofa and as Horton sat, Gilmore settled himself in a matching leather armchair. Horton remained silent as Gilmore took a long pull at the drink. He seemed to be preparing himself for something, or was he just trying to get his story worked out? Was he about to lie?
Finally, he said, 'The other man was Warwick Hassingham.'
The name meant nothing to Horton. Had he expected it to? By the flicker of disappointment he felt inside him he guessed so. Perhaps he had been hoping to recognize it from his childhood. He must ring Barney so he could relay the name to his father.
'Why didn't you tell me about him?'
'I didn't think it important.'
But Horton could see that Gilmore was uneasy. He knew that he should have mentioned this fourth man, and the fact that he had omitted to now looked suspicious.
Horton said, 'I'd like to talk to him. Can you tell me where I can find him?'
Gilmore gave a short mirthless laugh. 'You'll need the divers. Warwick drowned in 1977.'
Horton only just hid his surprise. Toni Cantelli hadn't mentioned that. Perhaps he had forgotten the incident. It was possible. He was elderly and ill. Horton cursed silently. His surprise gave way to disappointment. This couldn't be their killer or the skeleton. And neither could it be the man his mother had run away with.
Gilmore said, 'Now you know why I didn't think it important to tell you about him.' He took another swallow of whisky. 'Warwick's been dead a long time. He can't have anything to do with Tom's death or my brother's. But it was his death that made both Rowley and Tom chuck in fishing. It was never the same once Warwick went and, as I said before, Rowley never liked fishing anyway.'
'How did he die?'
