‘Could you make out who it was?’
Bennett reached into his pocket, pulled out one of the prints and handed it over to Delaney. ‘Anyone you recognise?’
Delaney looked at it, shook his head and then handed it over to Sally.
‘He looks cute for a skinhead, but no. Not ringing any bells.’
She handed the picture back to Delaney, who held it out to Bennett.
‘No, keep it. Show it around. Someone might know him.’
‘You think he’s the man who stabbed your vic?’
Bennett nodded. ‘He got right into his face, shouting at him. I couldn’t make out what he was saying because he was facing away from the camera. But I could take a guess.’
‘Paki go home?’ said Sally.
‘Along those lines. Except that Jamil Azeez is an Iranian and was born here.’
‘Nick Griffin will let him stay, then, so that’s all right,’ said Delaney, folding the photo up and putting it in his pocket.
‘Who was it who said I despise everything you say but I will defend your right to say it to the death?’ asked Sally.
‘It wasn’t George Formby, was it?’ asked Bennett.
Sally laughed as Kate came up to join them. ‘The new inspector is quite the comedian, Kate,’ she said.
‘I know,’ Kate agreed dryly and pointed at a poster pinned to the wall beside the detective constable. ‘I told him he should go in for the talent competition.’
‘Fat chance,’ said Bennett. ‘I’ve got Van Gogh’s ear for music and couldn’t go on stage to tell a joke if my life depended on it.’
‘That right?’
‘It would terrify me. Had to give a best man’s speech once. Never do it again.’
‘You don’t strike me as the bashful type,’ said Delaney.
‘Trust me, I was more nervous than a pig in a pork-pie factory.’ Bennett jerked his thumb backwards at the flyer. ‘So what about you, Jack? You going to do us a song-and-dance routine?’
Delaney gave him a flat look. ‘Not in this lifetime.’
Bennett slapped his leg. ‘And my gammy leg counts me out in that department.’
‘So what brought you down to London, Tony?’ asked Kate.
‘Ambition, I guess.’
‘I’m not sure White City is the place for ambition,’ said Delaney.
‘It’s a start and I don’t plan to be here too long.’
‘Very wise. The sooner you and my brilliant constable get promoted out of here, the safer the public are going to be. Me, I’m just going to count out the days to my pension and settle into obscurity.’
Kate patted her belly pointedly. ‘Right. Well, I wouldn’t be getting too many ideas about early retirement, cowboy! You’ve got a few more years on the range yet.’
‘Yes, boss,’ said Delaney, pretending to be disappointed.
‘You’re not fooling anybody, sir,’ said Sally, amused.
‘Anyway, enough shop,’ said Bennett, finishing his pint. ‘It’s my round. Who’s for a refill?’
‘Not for me,’ said Sally.
‘Or me,’ said Kate.
‘I’m in,’ said Jack, draining the remaining two-thirds of his pint and holding his glass out to Bennett.
Bennett nodded approvingly. ‘You want a large shot of Jameson’s with that?’
Delaney threw him a quizzical look.
‘Your fame precedes you!’ said Bennett.
Delaney looked at Kate and shrugged. ‘Just the Guinness, thanks.’
Bennett handed the glasses over to the barmaid.
‘So where are you staying?’ Delaney asked him.
‘Got myself a little flat down in Shepherd’s Bush.’
‘Handy.’
‘Yeah, close enough, and there are enough fast-food takeaway outlets to keep a bachelor boy happy.’
‘Couple of nice boozers, too,’ said Delaney.
‘And that. Did some research.’
