Jackie took the lift to the fourth floor, where Angela ushered her straight through to the commander’s office. She was surprised to find William already sitting there with the Hawk, both of them clearly waiting for her. She handed the sealed envelope to her boss, who opened it and studied the contents for some time before saying, ‘Although I can’t share everything that’s on this card, I am able to pass on some information that impacts on a case you’re both working on.’
Jackie sat down next to William.
‘Every Thursday morning at around seven our UCO drops an empty cigarette pack in an offertory box at Westminster Cathedral, which Jackie picks up an hour later. That’s how he supplies me with his latest intel.’
‘How do you contact him?’ asked William.
‘Jackie drops an empty Marlboro pack in the same offertory box on her way home on Wednesday evenings. I presume PC Beckworth didn’t show you today’s message?’ he said to Jackie.
‘No, sir.’
‘Six names. But only three of them are directly connected with cases you’re working on. Adrian Heath, user, we already knew that. Tulip, dealer, no surprise there. But occasionally the gods give us a small reward: Miles Faulkner, occasional user, does come as a surprise, and could be a real breakthrough. If Faulkner’s hoping to get a supply of drugs for his dinner party at Limpton Hall on the seventeenth, you might need to call your OSC and find out if he can supply us with any details.’
‘I can’t call Heath,’ said William. ‘He only ever contacts me.’
‘Then we’ll have to wait for him to run out of money,’ said the Hawk. ‘The one thing you can rely on with any drug addict.’
‘Heath might be able to find out if Faulkner’s a user, even who his supplier is, but whether he’d be willing to give evidence in court is quite another matter.’
‘You told me his girlfriend was desperate to return to Brazil, and he wants to go with her. If we were able to make that possible, maybe he’d agree to turn Queen’s evidence.’
‘Then we’d have to hope his love for Maria is greater than his fear of Rashidi.’
‘Now you put the black ball back on its spot,’ said William, chalking his cue.
Paul leant over the edge of the snooker table and lined up the white and red balls before taking his next shot. ‘Hopeless,’ he said, as the red failed to fall into the corner pocket and careered back into the middle of the table, leaving William with a simple pot.
William took his place and made a break of 32, leaving Paul needing too many snookers to bother returning to the table.
‘Do you have time for a quick drink?’ asked William, as he placed his cue back in the rack.
‘Sure, sarge,’ said Paul.
‘It’s only sarge when we’re on duty,’ said William after they’d sat down at a table in the corner of the recreation room. He took a sip of his pint before asking, ‘How are you enjoying your new assignment?’
‘Delighted to have been transferred to Scotland Yard,’ said Paul. ‘I dreamt about it, but never thought it would happen.’
‘We’re lucky to have you on the team,’ said William. ‘I may know the odd thing about stealing Rembrandts, but I’m still a complete novice when it comes to drugs you can’t buy in a high street chemist.’
‘You’ll know as much as any dealer before long,’ said Paul. ‘And by then you’ll want to lock them all up and throw away the key.’
‘Including the addicts?’
‘No. You’ll end up feeling sorry for them.’
‘I already do. So how are you settling in?’ asked William, changing the subject.
‘Fine. I already feel like a member of the team.’
‘Any problems?’
‘None that I can’t handle.’
‘No strange looks when people come across you for the first time?’
‘Only from some of the older guys, who frankly were never going to accept me. But the younger ones are fine.’
‘Anyone in particular giving you trouble?’
‘Lamont’s obviously finding the idea hard to come to terms with, but that’s only to be expected. He’s old school, so I’ll just have to prove myself.’
‘If it’s any consolation, I had the same problem with Lamont when I first joined the team. Don’t forget he’s Scottish, so he considers us both illegal immigrants.’
Paul laughed. ‘I don’t think it would make any difference with him if I’d been born in Glasgow rather than Lagos.’
‘Have you worked out yet what the common thread is between the commander, Jackie and their UCO?’
‘No,’ said Paul, putting down his glass. ‘I hadn’t given it a thought.’
‘They’re Romans.’
‘Roman Catholics?’
‘In one. Whereas Lamont is a Freemason, so watch out for the strange handshake. And they’re all a bit suspicious of us because we’ve come through the accelerated promotion scheme. So we’d better stick together. Anyway, what made you want to join the force in the first place?’
‘Too much Conan Doyle as a kid, and not enough Thackeray. It didn’t help that my father’s a school teacher, and thinks that if I don’t make at least commander, it will have been a waste of a good education.’
‘I’ve got the same problem,’ said William, raising his glass. ‘Although in my father’s case, nothing less than commissioner will do. But don’t tell anyone.’
‘Everyone already knows,’ said Paul, laughing. ‘But I still intend to give you a run for your money.’
‘I look forward to that. Do you feel like another game?’
‘No thanks. I’ve been humiliated enough for one night.’
‘Why don’t you come round to my place for supper, then you can meet Beth.’
‘Another time perhaps, William. I’ve got a date tonight, and I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but I think she rather fancies me.’
‘Must be a first date,’ said William.
William was fast asleep when the phone by the bed rang. No one from the gallery would be calling Beth in the middle of the
