‘The case you’re working on.’
It was Fox’s turn to stare. ‘What about it?’
‘I was curious. So I did a bit of digging. You have to admit, the internet is a real old viper’s nest, isn’t it? Half-truths and guesswork and theories from the outer limits…’
‘Plenty of conspiracies,’ Fox made show of agreeing.
‘From what I hear, though, your researcher was killed by his nephew – some sort of long-held grudge.’ Jackson sipped his tea, peering at Fox above the rim of the cup.
‘That’s all right, then, isn’t it?’ Fox responded.
‘Why was Alan Carter so interested in Francis Vernal?’
‘More to the point, why are you?’
Jackson shrugged, as if to concede that the question was fair. ‘I spoke to a detective inspector. He tells me the lawyer’s car’s been found.’
Thanks, Cash…
‘Supposedly went for scrap,’ Jackson continued, ‘but someone decided to keep it.’
Fox made a non-committal noise.
‘Willis, is that the name?’
‘Was the name,’ Fox corrected him.
‘Willis and the researcher were friends… colleagues…’
‘I still don’t see why any of this would concern you.’
‘Or you, come to that,’ Jackson countered. ‘Who was Alan Carter working for?’
‘What makes you think he was working for anyone?’
‘The lawyer died a quarter of a century back – I’m guessing something, or more likely someone, piqued his interest.’
‘What if they did?’
Jackson took another sip of tea and shifted his gaze to the world outside the windows. ‘Those outer limits I was talking about… plenty of conspiracy theorists seem to think the security services might have had a hand in Francis Vernal’s demise.’
‘You’re here to tell me they’re wrong?’
‘The game’s changed these days, Inspector. Lots of new ways to spread gossip and disinformation. A good number of people out there have a vested interest in seeing the security services tripped up and tarred.’ He glanced back towards Fox. ‘It would reassure me if I knew who had ordered the investigation into Vernal’s death.’
‘Nobody with a grudge against your sort,’ Fox stated.
‘Are you sure about that?’
‘A friend of the widow. He wants her to have a sense of closure before she dies.’
‘No other motive?’
Fox visualised the red-faced, rotund lawyer. ‘No other motive,’ he said.
Jackson gave a thoughtful pout. ‘Thank you for that, Inspector.’ He seemed to be considering what to say next.
‘You went digging?’ Fox prompted him.
Jackson nodded slowly.
‘And you found something?’
‘Something and nothing. Friend Vernal had been on our radar for some time.’
‘Special Branch?’
‘Sort of.’
‘MI5?’
Jackson offered a twitch of the mouth. ‘He’d been under surveillance.’
‘The night he died?’
‘Yes.’
‘He had a tail on him? Could that be why he was speeding?’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘But there were…’ Fox sought the right word. ‘There were agents? Tracking his car?’
Jackson nodded, but said nothing.
‘But that means when he crashed…’ Fox’s eyes were boring into Jackson’s, ‘there were people there… within seconds…’
‘Nobody shot him, though. They checked he was breathing, then got the hell out of there.’
‘To phone for an ambulance?’
Jackson shook his head. ‘Afraid not.’
‘Why?’
‘Couldn’t risk it. Any involvement, the operation would have been jeopardised.’
‘They just left him there?’
‘Breathing. Not looking too bad at all.’
‘This is all in the files?’
‘Reading between the lines.’
Fox thought for a moment. ‘Reading between the lines, was he also assassinated?’
‘No.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘They were watchers – not an armed detail.’
‘And no orders to kill him?’
‘Absolutely not.’
‘But they did break into his house, his office…?’
Jackson looked ready to concede as much. ‘There were rogue elements on both sides back then, Inspector. Let’s remember that Vernal’s friends were nothing short of terrorists. Bombs, guns and bank raids – those were his creed.’ He paused. ‘I’m telling you this because we’re on the same side, you and me…’
Fox stared at him. ‘A car crash, an injured victim – and they just walked away?’ Jackson didn’t respond to this. ‘What?’ Fox persisted.
‘They took a quick look first.’
‘Rifled the car, you mean?’ Fox saw he was right. ‘Bloody hell… There was stuff missing: his cigarettes, a lucky fifty-pound note…’
‘They were questioned about that. They didn’t take anything.’
‘Did they turn up a revolver?’ Fox asked eventually.
‘No. That was only found later.’
‘Yes, at some distance from the car.’ Fox thought for a moment ‘And you got all this from the files?’
Jackson nodded.
Fox was wondering about the DHC funds, secreted somewhere in Vernal’s car… The agents hadn’t found the cash, had they?
There was silence at the table for a few moments. ‘Vernal and his friends wanted to bring us to our knees,’ Jackson stated quietly.
‘Who killed him?’ Fox asked.
‘We don’t know.’
‘Can I talk to the men who tailed him?’
‘No.’
‘So much for being on the same side.’
‘What do you think they could add?’
‘Hard to say without speaking to them.’
Jackson leaned back in his chair. ‘Do I get the name of the man who employed Alan Carter?’
‘Not from me you don’t.’
‘Many of these men went unpunished, Inspector. I dare say they’re still out there, warmed by their past antics.’ He paused. ‘They had plenty of help at the time, too…’
