‘Whatever we do, we play this by the book: no insubordination, no dereliction of duty, and no attempts to act any other than totally professional. Are we clear on this?’ Isaac said.
‘You don’t need to tell us, guv,’ Larry said. ‘We’ve been down this road before, but now to have Caddick as your senior, as well as ours. It smacks of stupidity.’
‘It’s not the first time, probably not the last, when the actions of our superiors make no sense. But, regardless, we’ve still got some murder investigations to wrap up.’
‘Rasta Joe was my best contact,’ Larry said. ‘I’ve someone else, but he’s not as reliable. According to him, Negril Bob’s in the area somewhere, but those who know are not talking.’
‘Scared?’
‘Not of us. They’re frightened of Negril Bob’s reaction if anyone talks.’
‘Did Rasta Joe?’
‘He was speaking to me.’
‘You were doing your duty. Rasta Joe must have known the risks.’
‘Maybe he did, but I feel some guilt.’
‘No point dwelling on it. People such as Rasta Joe have a short lifespan.’
‘How do we find Negril Bob?’ Wendy asked.
‘He’ll not stay hidden, and he’s unlikely to stray far.’
‘Why?’ Bridget asked.
‘Around here is his power base. If he goes anywhere else, what is he? Just give him a few weeks, and he’ll turn up.’
‘Billy and Charisa Devon?’ Wendy asked.
‘They’re taking the normal precautions.’
***
George Happold, regarded as an astute banker, was not what Isaac expected. He and Larry were in the same building as where they had met Quentin Waverley before, but now they were in the chairman’s office.
Isaac had expected to meet an upright man, greying at the temples, with a ready smile. The reality of the man standing in front of them was different: he had a pronounced stoop, his hair, what remained of it, was without colour, and there was no chance of a smile.
‘You’ve been threatening my daughter,’ Happold said.
‘I don’t believe that is correct, sir,’ Isaac said. He and Larry were standing up; no chairs were nearby for them to sit. Happold, however, was leaning forward on his.
‘My daughter is expecting another child. Your questioning is placing a lot of strain on her, on all of us. Amelia Brice was a cheap woman who slept with criminals. Why would you suspect my daughter?’
‘We are conducting a murder investigation,’ Isaac said.
‘Then question those she slept with. There’s plenty of suspects there.’
‘We deal in facts, Mr Happold. Your daughter and your son-in-law knew her intimately.’
‘In the past they did.’
‘We are led to believe that your son-in-law has continued to see Amelia.’
‘That is what my daughter suspects.’
‘Do you believe your daughter?’ Larry asked.
‘Yes.’
‘Do you know why Quentin Waverley was still seeing Amelia Brice?’ Isaac asked.
‘You’d better ask him.’
‘We have. He denied it.’
‘That’s to be expected. He knows my views on such matters.’
‘You’re against any impropriety?’
‘I believe in the sanctity of the family.’
‘Are you aware of the circumstances when Quentin Waverley and Amelia Brice broke up?’
‘He was willing to waste his time on the Brice woman.’
‘Are you condoning your daughter’s action?’
‘She wanted Quentin. She did what was necessary.’
‘Would that include murder?’ Larry asked.
‘What do you mean? My daughter took Quentin Waverley for herself. She did not kill Amelia Brice, if that is what you are implying.’
‘You condone your daughter’s action, yet you are critical of others,’ Isaac said. He, like Larry, had seen the bank’s website, the beaming face of the founder, his loyal team around him. In that office that day, no one was beaming, and as for loyal team members, the only two they had seen on the way up to the man’s office had both had hangdog expressions, as though working for Happold was a chore, and loyalty was a one-way journey to oblivion. It was evident that Happold was loyal to his family but to no one else.
‘My daughter is a driven woman, the same as I am. Do you think this bank is here because I was not?’
‘I assume that you had to push hard,’ Isaac said. There was no doubting George Happold’s success in setting up the bank, and the wealth of the man was indicative of the drive that he must have applied to achieve it.
‘Sixteen, seventeen hour days, seven days a week, for years. Gwen understands the value of hard work and determination, never accepting no for an answer, doing whatever is necessary to win through, and so does Quentin. He was a willing partner.’
‘Do you mean that Amelia finding him and your daughter together was engineered?’
‘If you must be so crude,’ Happold said. Larry thought the man looked away at the thought of his daughter with another man. Isaac felt sure that Quentin Waverley was an innocent partner in the act, other than he was unfaithful to Amelia.
‘We’re police officers,’ Isaac said. ‘We deal in facts. Your daughter married Waverley, and Amelia Brice is murdered. We need to establish if there is any reason to connect the two.’
‘Gwen is a determined woman, not a murderer, and besides, look at her. She’s not in a condition to kill anyone.’
‘But her husband is, and for whatever reason, he was in contact with Amelia Brice, and she was frightened of him.’
‘What does he say?’
‘He denies that he’s been in contact with her,’ Larry said.
‘Then that’s the end of the matter. Amelia used to go around with criminals. Why don’t you check with them, instead of a respectable member of the community? A member who regards the prime minister as a personal friend.’ Isaac recognised the veiled threat; it wasn’t the first time either. One thing that Isaac knew: once they start
