Diamond Dust

18

McGarvie was suspicious when Diamond asked for the return of Steph's letters and papers. 'Why do you need them?'

'They were my wife's property and they belong to me. You've had them nearly two months.'

'You won't let go, will you? You won't leave this to us?'

'It's a simple request'

'You can have them at the end of the week.' From McGarvie's tone it was clear he'd be going through every scrap of paper again in case there was something incriminating he had missed.

Diamond asked, 'What's the latest on the gun?'

'Still with forensics.'

'They're taking their time.'

'Does that bother you?' McGarvie said, his eyebrows arching. 'If you know you're in the clear, why do you keep asking?'

'Because all this concentration on me is bogging down the whole inquiry. You have a budget for overtime now, and it's being wasted. They'll scale you down soon.'

'You're not the only line of enquiry, Peter. The hitman theory is still a strong runner.'

'Well, obviously.'

'I'm glad we agree on something. The shooting looked professional. Two shots to the head.'

The image darted into Diamond's brain once more -and it hurt. He was getting better at hiding his grief. 'Who would have put out a contract?'

'Someone you sent down for a long stretch. It's not impossible to organise a murder from behind bars.'

'Like Jake Carpenter?'

'Or some other villain.'

'Apart from Carpenter, it's a long time since I tangled with a big-time crook.'

'We know that.'

'You'd have to go back to my service in the Met. The eighties.'

'Which we are doing.'

'Are you? I thought about this myself.'

McGarvie was quick to say, 'Would you care to share your thoughts?'

'Don't mind.' He knew they must have trawled through his career already. 'There was the Missendale case that got me into so much trouble.'

'The black boy?'

'Yes. Murder in the course of an armed robbery. A building society job. One of the customers tried to tackle the gunman and was shot in the head. Hedley Missendale was a known robber, and we pulled him in and he confessed. I wasn't the SIO - that was Jacob Blaize - but I did the main interview. Missendale was sent down for life, and then after two years someone else put up his hand and said he'd found Jesus and the murder was down to him.'

'Jesus?'

Diamond glared. 'No, this born-again Christian. He produced the gun to prove it. Missendale was pardoned and Blaize took early retirement and I was up before a board of inquiry. Well, you know. It's on my file.'

'You were cleared.'

'Officially, but there was stuff in the report about my methods. 'His physical presence and forceful demeanour were bound to intimidate.' What was I supposed to do? Buy him a box of chocolates?'

McGarvie wisely passed up the chance to comment on Diamond's demeanour. 'So do you think it could be Missendale getting back at you?'

He shook his head. 'Hedley had a few dodgy friends, but I don't see him or his chums harbouring a grudge all those years. They lived for the moment.'

'He's in Maidstone Prison,' McGarvie said. 'Been there two years for RWV.'

'Is that so? He seems to be in the clear, then.'

McGarvie turned to another of Diamond's cases. 'You were on the Brook Green shooting.'

'Headed it. That night was just like the OK Corral, except they were using Kalashnikovs. Three men died. Basically it was a skirmish in a drugs war. Two barons claiming the same patch. We collared Kenny Calhoun and two of his heavies. They all got life. Calhoun was in Brixton, the last I heard.'

'He died last year,' McGarvie said.

'Did he? Can't honestly say I'm sorry.'

'The other two?'

'Logan and Crampton. Thickos. Guys who wouldn't remember their own names, let alone mine.'

'This isn't much help. Can you think of any other villain you crossed?'