‘Where to from here?’
‘Apart from a shower and a change, we’ve another possibility.’
‘Not for me to comment under the circumstances,’ Caddick said, ‘other than to say we’re all pleased that you both are alive.’
‘Thank you, sir,’ Isaac said.
Caddick left, Wendy came over. ‘We’re dealing with dangerous people,’ she said.
‘Larry and I need two hours. We’ll meet in the office, go over what we’ve got. Windsor can keep us updated, although we were there, we know what happened.’
‘We need a name,’ Larry said.
‘Whoever they are, they’re watching.’
‘But why Aberman’s garden? If they had killed him somewhere else, even thrown him overboard out at sea, we wouldn’t be investigating his murder.’
‘More questions,’ Wendy said. ‘I’ll stay here for now, and we’ll meet in two hours.’
Chapter 16
Larry’s wife freaked out when he returned home. ‘Not again. It’s too dangerous,’ she said. He tried to offer an explanation, but she wasn’t listening. Isaac had no such person to complain. He was still on his own. The romance with the woman he had met in Brighton, a one-hour thirty minutes’ drive to the south of London, had bloomed for a while, but then it had cooled down within a couple of months.
As he stood under the shower, lathering soap over and over again to remove the blood, the scent of death, he wondered if it was normal that the death of a solicitor and his young receptionist did not affect him.
He left the shower, dried himself, and put on a clean set of clothes. He put his old clothes in a large evidence bag, rather than dropping them off at the dry cleaner’s. Caddick would have to sign expenses for their cost.
Two hours after leaving the solicitor’s office, the team assembled at Challis Street. Bridget, as usual, was concerned and fussing. ‘It must have been terrible,’ she said.
‘I could do with a pizza,’ Isaac said.
‘I’ll order one,’ Bridget said.
‘Make that two.’ Larry added his order.
‘Three,’ Wendy said.
Isaac could see Larry was suffering delayed shock. He made a phone call to the first aid officer in the building. She came down, gave Larry a tranquilliser and told him to take it easy, to go home and rest.
Larry thanked her, did not respond to her suggestion.
‘You’d better not drive,’ Isaac said.
Chief Superintendent Goddard phoned. ‘I’ve requested a new date for your disciplinary hearing,’ he said. ‘With the recent developments, they’ve agreed. Also, Wendy Gladstone’s medical, that’s on hold.’
‘Caddick? Isaac said.
‘Forget about him for now. You and Larry could have been shot. He’ll keep out of your way for now, or if he’s smart enough, he will.’
‘Caddick and smart? Oxymoron, sir.’
‘He’s struggling to get his budget approved. Questions are being asked as to his effectiveness. There’s an internal audit of all the senior officers. He’s one of them.’
‘Did Davies put that forward?’
‘A government watchdog has made the recommendations. Davies will play it smart and put his full weight behind it.’
‘Lord Shaw, DCS Goddard?’
‘Don’t go fishing, Isaac. Just be thankful that someone’s still got the gumption to stand up and be counted.’
‘How’s Davies’s position?’
‘Don’t expect him to depart soon. Worry about solving the current murders and try to make sure no one else dies.’
‘We’ll try our best, sir.’
Goddard ended the phone call. Isaac turned to the team. ‘Wendy, your medical’s been put on hold. Also, my disciplinary is off for now.’
‘Caddick?’ Larry said.
‘He’s got his own problems.’
‘I’ll go and see Mrs Hawthorne again,’ Wendy said.
‘Slater said he knew her, and she had seen him the day he visited Aberman’s house. Mrs Hawthorne may well have enjoyed the spectacle of the parties, but she’s nosey. Aberman was tortured, there must have been some noise.’
‘I’ll check out Slater’s other clients,’ Bridget said.
‘Larry and I will revisit the Dixey Club,’ Isaac said. ‘Knox and Gus will be nervous now. If Slater can be killed, so can they, and they know who the villains are.’
***
Barry Knox was not pleased to see Isaac and Larry. It was late in the day when they arrived at the club. On the stage were two women, one upside down on the pole, the other teasing the patrons in the front row, tempting them to part with their money.
‘You’re here about Slater?’ Knox said as Isaac and Larry entered his office. On the screens in one corner were the women out front, the audience, and the bed at the back of the establishment.
‘Are you still looking at that bed?’ Isaac said.
‘First aid requires constant vigilance.’
‘Did you know Slater?’
‘He used to come along to Aberman’s parties. Couldn’t get enough of what was on offer.’
‘What else can you tell us about him?’
‘Not a lot. I never knew he was a solicitor until I saw a photo of him on the television.’
‘We were there when he was shot,’ Larry said.
‘So much for the protection of the law,’ Knox said. ‘Don’t bother offering me protection if I turn Queen’s evidence.’
‘Are you considering it?’
‘I’ve nothing to tell you. I’m clean.’
‘Twenty-four hours down at the police station may do you some good.’
‘You can’t hold me. I’ve done nothing wrong.’
‘In this club? I’m sure if the vice squad come through here, they’ll find something.’
‘Okay, what do you want?’
‘The truth.’
‘Aberman, he was borrowing money.’
‘We know this. And then he was in trouble.’
‘That’s it.’
‘Who brought you in here to run this club?’
‘The new owners.’
‘Who are they?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘It’s the honest truth. Apart from Ugly Pete, the heavy I told you about before, I’ve met no one. Our communication is by email and messaging.’
‘An unusual relationship.’
‘It suits me. I’m left to run the club, give them an
