Sensing that DCS Goddard had friends in high places, as well as his known association with MacTavish, the chief government whip, had ensured that Alwyn Davies now treated Goddard with kid gloves.
***
Larry had checked with Dawson. Deidre Solomon’s drug rehabilitation had been paid for by Montague Grenfell. Michael Solomon had not been a Richardson or a Grenfell, but by default he had come under their umbrella. Larry could not see how Gertrude Richardson would not have known of her husband’s whereabouts, but it was a moot point, as there was no one to confirm it.
Daniel and Deidre Solomon had been seen as irrelevancies, minor players out on the periphery of the investigation, but now they were front and centre.
Deidre’s acknowledgement that she had known Montague Grenfell had come as a shock. She must have known the reaction it would have caused with Larry and Wendy.
Bridget had managed to obtain her school records, and it was clear that Deidre was of moderate intelligence, whereas her brother was always top of his class, especially in mathematics.
A subsequent visit to the school, a charmless red-brick building, had been made by Wendy.
‘Deidre Solomon. Yes, I remember her,’ Brenda Hopwood, a dowdily dressed woman, said. Wendy imagined her shrouded in a nun’s habit which would have seemed appropriate. Around her neck, she wore a large cross, which she constantly touched.
‘What can you tell me about her?’
‘More interested in boys than books. Always had her skirt hitched up around her waist.’
Wendy thought it a crude comment from a woman who looked as if she visited the church every day to pray for forgiveness, although Wendy could not see the prune of a woman sinning, or even breathing.
‘Sexually active?’ A more clinical term from Wendy.
‘Yes.’
‘Her brother, Daniel?’ Wendy asked.
‘Clever boy. I remember him well. Always with one girl or another.’
‘He’s a good-looking man,’ Wendy said.
‘I suppose he was back then.’
‘You said clever?’
‘He was always top of the class.’
‘Anything else?’
‘Not really. I caught him gambling once outside.’
‘What did you do?’
‘Nothing. What became of him?’
‘He’s doing fine now.’
‘And his sister?’
‘She’s fine too.’
Wendy did not see the need to elaborate on the fact that Daniel Solomon had a criminal record, although no trouble for a few years, and that he was running his own business and in financial difficulty. Nor did she intend to tell the woman that Deidre had found herself a good career with what she had learnt at the school, namely the ability to hitch up her skirt and screw for money, a lot of money from what she could see.
Wendy had done the calculations. Deidre Solomon, assuming she spent twenty hours a week flat on her back, could make more money in one week than she did in three months.
***
DCS Goddard was pushing for an arrest. Isaac called in the team. Keith Dawson came, now a valued member, even if his ability to interface with the rest of the team was suspect.
Wendy had tried to relate to him, but he had been cold and dull. Larry had invited him down the pub one night after work, which Dawson had readily accepted. The man had sat at the bar, said little, nothing about his life, and had drunk his five pints and gone home. Larry realised after he had gone that Dawson had landed him with the bill.
Wendy’s house sale was going ahead. There had been an offer, too low, but the estate agent was hassling her to accept. Keith Dawson had been firm when he had told her not to accept.
She was anxious to get out of the house as, due to its dampness, her arthritis was causing her lots of pain.
She could only reflect that when a case was in full swing, and when her husband had been dying, she had not had time to think about the pain. She had read a book on positive thinking, heal yourself with the power of the mind. It made some sense, but she had soon tired of it. To her, the pain was real, the house was damp, and no amount of mumbo jumbo was going to change that.
‘Larry, what do we have?’ Isaac asked.
‘Daniel Solomon’s in financial trouble. His sister is prostituting herself.’
‘Apart from that.’
‘That’s it for the present moment. Keith is accessing Daniel Solomon’s bank accounts, tax returns. Are they under suspicion?’
‘We’re not discounting them.’
‘Wendy?’ Isaac looked in her direction. She held a cup of coffee in her hand, as usual.
‘I’ve checked Daniel and Deidre Solomon’s school. Deidre has taken the only career path open to her. Her brother was a smart person then, still is by all accounts.’
‘Criminal records?’
‘None from either for a few years.’
‘Keith, what have you found out?’
‘Daniel Solomon’s bank accounts appear to be in order, although I’ve only started checking. His tax returns have been filed on time. Nothing to report there, other than he had overpaid last year, and he received a payment back.’
‘Is his company viable?’
‘He has a serious cash flow problem.’
‘Deidre Solomon. Have you accessed her bank accounts?’
‘Not yet, although she would probably deal in cash mainly.’
‘Why?’ Isaac asked.
‘The men who use her services don’t want a credit card transaction being traced back to her, or, as is often used, a hairdressing salon. They would not want their wives to know.’
‘Explanation accepted.’
‘If they are implicated, it would be Daniel who would be coordinating,’ Larry said.
‘And Deidre who had the lever,’ Wendy added.
‘One screws, the other fleeces,’ Larry said.
‘Apart from your wording, is that what we think happened?’ Isaac asked.
‘No proof.’
‘Keith, we need you to dig deep. Let us know when you find something,’ Isaac said.
