‘You were an investor in the scheme?’ Riley asked, aware that he was not.
Lane shook his head slowly, a half smile playing about his lips. ‘Not in the financial sense, no.’
‘Please elucidate.’
They were dancing around the issue and both men knew it. Riley was well aware that Ezra could not have opened his club without Lane’s prior knowledge and approval, but Lane would never make such an admission.
‘I was a consultant,’ he said.
‘Of course you were,’ Salter muttered.
‘It would have been an expensive business to get such a venture off the ground, especially if Ezra hoped to attract custom from all walks of life.’
‘The upper classes don’t mind rubbing shoulders with their inferiors, but they do require comfortable surroundings,’ Lane replied, ‘but then I don’t suppose I’m telling you anything that you don’t already know.’
‘Who was supplying the funds to get the venture off the ground?’ Riley asked.
‘Ezra assured me that he had several backers.’
‘Did he give you any names?’
‘The lady he worked for was keen to invest, so I understand.’ He smirked. ‘Most ladies were keen to oblige Ezra in any way that they could.’
Riley allowed a long pause to develop but Lane seemed comfortable with it and showed no immediate desire to break the silence.
‘Mr Lane, why have you bothered to come and see me if you have no information pertinent to my enquiry?’ Riley asked, losing patience.
‘I’m an upstanding citizen,’ Lane replied. ‘I felt it my duty to…’
‘Rubbish!’ Salter growled, smacking the flat of his hand against the table and pushing his face up against Lane’s. Riley watched with interest. Salter outweighed Lane and wasn’t intimidated by him, but Riley suspected that few men dared to talk to him disrespectfully and even fewer would be permitted to get away with it. Lane’s hands had clenched into fists and his cheeks momentarily bulged, but he quickly regained control of himself and sent Salter a look of mild irritation. ‘You came here to cover your own backside,’ Salter continued. ‘Didn’t want the chief inspector and me looking too closely at your affairs, more like, but I have news for you. Unless and until we can find Ezra’s killer, we will be turning the lives of everyone who had anything to do with him on their heads.’
‘Feel free, Sergeant.’ Lane’s face was an emotionless mask. ‘I have nothing to hide.’
‘I was asking about Ezra’s investors,’ Riley said, having allowed a momentary pause in which the only sound to be heard was Lane’s rather laboured breathing; a testament to the fact that he was anything other than the epitome of calm he was attempting to project. He sat sideways on the uncomfortable wooden chair he occupied and crossed his legs, turning his back to Salter.
‘And I was about to tell you, before we were so rudely interrupted, that Ezra was working in conjunction with Lord Buckingham.’
‘We are aware of that, but Buckingham wasn’t an investor. I am also aware of the amount that Ezra’s employer was willing to put up. It was a large enough sum, but it wouldn’t have been sufficient to get an enterprise of this nature off the ground. There has to have been someone else. Did Ezra introduce you to another interested party, or mention any names?’
‘I know his intended had independent means,’ Lane replied, delivering his shock revelation with a casual shrug and ambivalent smile.
Riley sent Salter a warning glance, urging him not to react to the news that Lane had clearly come here with the deliberate intention of imparting.
‘We have heard mention of Ezra’s impending nuptials from several sources,’ Riley said, playing Lane at his own game by affecting disinterest as the lie slipped effortlessly from his tongue, ‘but have yet to track her down. Are you aware of her name?’
‘I am not. He keeps her hidden away, probably worried about the competition.’
‘Where does she live?’ Salter asked.
‘In one of the big houses that look over the common in Clapham, I think,’ Lane replied. ‘But I’m not sure and I couldn’t tell you which one.’
Riley knew that he probably could, but that it would be useless trying to make him admit it. It didn’t matter. The lady would be found.
‘A dozen uniformed constables swamping the area and asking questions ought to find her,’ he said absently. ‘And as you are an honest businessman, their presence won’t inconvenience you in the least, I’m sure.’
Riley had the satisfaction of seeing Lane finally looking discomposed. ‘Thank you,’ he said abruptly, standing. ‘You may go.’
‘I hope I’ve been useful and that we understand one another,’ Lane said, fixing Riley with a menacing look. Riley had come out as the victor in their confrontation and Lane wasn’t happy about it. Perhaps his threat to swamp the area with a police presence had been a miscalculation that had riled Lane to no purpose.
‘Don’t push it,’ Salter growled.
‘How’s that charming daughter of yours, Sergeant? I dare say she’s devastated by Ezra’s untimely demise. She was quite smitten with him. Is she still making hats?’
‘What the…?’
Salter clenched his fists and lunged for Lane. Riley only just managed to hold him off. Lane’s laughter echoed in the corridor as a constable showed him out.
‘How the hell does he know about our Maureen?’ Salter asked, looking ready to commit a murder or two of his own.
‘Calm down, Jack. You threatened him and he returned the favour. He’s not stupid and he won’t try to hurt you or yours. The last thing he wants is us looking too closely at his affairs.’ Riley slapped his sergeant’s meaty
