‘I’ve no answer,’ Fortescue replied. ‘We’re damned whatever we do. Codrington landed us with his dirty work. We’ll be the ones in prison while he’s swanning around the world.’
‘Any idea where he’s gone?’
‘Somewhere that has no extradition policy and is willing to take bribes.’
‘That could be anywhere. In the meantime, what do we do?’
‘We wait and see. And besides, what proof do the police have? We’ve admitted to our friendship with the man, although I lied that I had seen Allerton that day.’
‘So did I,’ Griffiths replied.
‘Look, I’m certain the police have nothing on us.’
‘If they do?’
‘It’ll be easy to confess to lesser crimes. What did we really do? We loaned Codrington money. It’s not as if we were actively involved.’
‘But the money we received? There’s no way they’ll believe it was the proceeds of honest graft.’
‘You can doctor your financial records, I can’t,’ Fortescue said. A smart political animal, he had a way out, but it was risky, and he would not consider it until the optimum moment. He needed to find Codrington, but failing that, he needed to move the blame from himself. He wouldn’t be the first politician to be convicted of a crime; he wouldn’t be the last. He knew that his political career would not survive, and his constituency would not endorse his re-election, but that was not important. He had enough money, and if he had to follow Codrington into exile, so be it. All he had to do was to make the case against him go cold while firming the blame on Jacob Griffiths. He knew it would not be too difficult.
***
The team stayed late that night at Challis Street. The conclusion to the case that had seemed so strong was falling apart. Apart from a watertight case against O’Shaughnessy, they had little else to show for their efforts. And although Isaac was still hoping to rekindle his romance with Jess O’Neil, every time they tried along came another twist and turn with the current case and any arrangements to meet up were scuttled.
The death of Lord Allerton was big news, and the media were clamouring for an arrest. Lady Allerton had been on the television, as stoic as when Isaac and Len Donaldson had met her. Isaac, an emotional man, could not understand how she did it, but he realised that his ancestry, Jamaican and black, was very different from being white and privileged. Bridget had found out that not only was Laura Allerton the daughter of a Duke, but that she could also claim descent through a succession of ancestors from a former Tudor ruler of England.
‘We need another conviction,’ Larry said.
‘Steve Walters, anything on him?’ Isaac asked.
‘We’ve got an APW out on him. If he’s caught, we’ll be able to charge him.’
‘What do you think has happened to him?’
‘Think or know?’
‘Either.’
‘He can’t hide out in England indefinitely. His best bet is to skip the country.’
‘All airports, Eurostar, ferries being monitored?’
‘Standard procedure.’
‘There’s not a lot more we can do there. It’s no use looking for him in his old haunts. He’s not likely to be at any of them.’
‘Probably not, but he’s not a smart man. O’Shaughnessy is, supposedly, and we nabbed him not far from here.’
‘Okay,’ Isaac said. ‘Let’s focus on Fortescue and Griffiths. What do we reckon?’
Len Donaldson, who was also present, answered. ‘They’re guilty.’
‘Of what?’
‘They’ve not been involved with the murders, but they must know something.’
‘If they won’t talk?’ Isaac asked.
‘We apply pressure. What’s the worst that can happen?’
‘Our careers,’ Isaac replied.
‘You’re not saying we back off?’
‘Not at all. Wendy and Larry are in trouble as it is. It can’t get much worse.’
‘It can, but we still go on.’
Wendy shifted uncomfortably on her chair, anxious to get home. If her time as a police officer were to end, she would not be too disappointed. Larry still harboured hopes of promotion, and suspension with a disciplinary warning was not to his taste. He had not liked Fortescue, and the man had been too eager to take offence. A seasoned politician would have handled an aspersion about his character better than he had. He intended to maintain the heat although he would need to be subtle.
‘We’ll keep the heat on Griffiths,’ Isaac said when Larry elucidated his plan regarding Fortescue. ‘Bridget, what do we have on Griffiths that we can use?’
‘What do you want?’
‘Any dirt, dodgy dealings, financial irregularities.’
‘I’m checking, but so far the man’s clean.’
Chapter 24
An unexpected phone call at Challis Street. ‘Manchester Airport. We’ve picked up someone you know.’
Bridget had taken the phone call. ‘Who?’ she asked.
‘Someone trying to board a flight to Bangkok. He tried to slip through immigration using a forged passport. Our people picked it up straight away.’
‘But who?’ Bridget had to ask again. The lady on the other end was obviously more interested in the diligence of her people than who they had detained.
‘Steven Walters. We have your name as the person to contact.’
‘Is he secure?’
‘He’s not going anywhere.’
‘Then make sure he doesn’t. No smart-arse lawyer getting him bail. My people will be there soon enough.’
Isaac, who was in his office, had come over to Bridget’s desk in response to her waving. ‘It’s Walters,’ she whispered, her hand over the mouthpiece of the telephone while the woman in Manchester continued to talk.
‘Secure?’ Isaac asked.
‘That’s what she says.’
Isaac phoned Larry. ‘I need you up in Manchester. They’ve picked up Walters.’
‘I could drive. I’m out with Wendy, checking addresses, trying to get an angle on Griffiths and Fortescue.
