‘Thanks to you I don’t think I’ll need it. Eddie, take my friend to Heathrow, because I wouldn’t want him to miss his flight.’
‘Can I offer you a stiff drink, Julian?’
‘A bit early for me, m’lud, but yes, make it a double whisky,’ he said, as Booth Watson entered the room.
‘Same for you, BW?’
‘No, thank you, m’lud,’ said Booth Watson, as he removed his wig. ‘I’m still trying to recover from what just happened out there.’
‘You’re not going to pretend it came as a total surprise, are you?’ said Julian, unable to hide the sarcasm in his voice.
‘I was just as shocked as you,’ admitted Booth Watson. ‘Have you forgotten that I called your office only last week to ask if you would consider making a plea bargain, and you turned my request down, quite eloquently if I remember correctly?’
‘Perhaps I might reconsider . . .’ began Sir Julian.
‘It’s a bit late for that now,’ said Booth Watson. ‘I suspect you’ve no choice but to pack up your tent, climb back on your camel and move your caravan on to a new watering hole.’
‘I shall take instruction from my masters at the CPS,’ said Sir Julian, playing for time. ‘But I fear they may well agree with you and recommend that all the charges be dropped.’
‘And you, BW?’ asked the judge.
‘Like Julian, I shall take instructions from my master.’
18
THE SILVER-GREY BENTLEY Continental drew up outside terminal three.
Heath appeared relaxed as he got out of the car clutching firmly onto the briefcase, his only piece of luggage. He was heading towards the terminal entrance when a motorcycle skidded to a halt in the no-parking zone.
‘You go after him,’ said Paul. ‘I’ll catch up.’
‘I’ve seen that bike somewhere before,’ said William, as he took off his helmet and pointed to a black Yamaha that had been dumped in the disabled parking area. ‘But where?’
‘It passed us on the motorway,’ said Paul. ‘The rider slowed down as he drew level with the Bentley, and looked in the back window before taking off again.’
‘No, I’ve seen it somewhere else,’ mumbled William, as he set off in pursuit of Heath. Once he was inside the terminal, he quickly checked the departures board. ‘British Airways Flight 012 to Rio de Janeiro, 16.20. Gate 27’ flicked up on the display. He passed quickly through the crowded concourse, avoiding suitcases and outstretched legs as he headed towards the check-in desks, his eyes continually searching for his quarry. And then he spotted Adrian, still dressed in his smart courtroom-appearance suit, embracing a young woman at the BA counter who he assumed must be Maria Ruiz. He slipped behind a pillar, and waited for Paul to join him.
William watched as they kissed and began chatting excitedly. He only wished he could overhear their conversation.
‘How did it go?’ asked Maria.
‘Exactly as planned, except I ended up with twenty grand, not ten.’
‘Don’t you feel a little guilty about what you’ve done to your old school friend?’
‘Not if his father’s half as bright as the press claim. By this time tomorrow, if not sooner, he’ll have gone over the transcript of my testimony and seen that I’ve handed him a golden opportunity to trap Faulkner. So it’s even more important we’re well out of harm’s way long before Faulkner finds out that I double-crossed him.’
‘Our flight leaves in forty minutes,’ said Maria, checking the departure board.
‘Perfect. But it would be better if we split up, and meet again on board the plane. There might be someone looking out for us. You take this,’ he said, handing over the briefcase and her ticket.
Maria embraced him again, before reluctantly leaving to climb onto the escalator leading to departures. After waving to her, Adrian headed towards the men’s room.
William watched as Maria disappeared from view. His instructions had made no mention of her. He was simply to arrest Heath and bring him back to the Old Bailey.
‘On what charge?’ he’d asked Lamont.
‘My bet is he’ll be travelling on a false passport, and there’ll be enough evidence in that briefcase to prove his testimony was bought. Don’t be surprised if you find it’s a lot more than ten thousand.’
A few moments later a voice said, ‘Do you want me to follow her, sarge?’
‘No. We’ll arrest Heath first and then go after her. She won’t be going anywhere without him.’
They both kept their eyes on the men’s room, as they waited for Heath to reappear.
‘He’s taking his time,’ said Paul. ‘A change of clothes perhaps?’
‘No, he didn’t have anything with him when he went inside. My bet is they’ve agreed to meet up again on the plane.’
‘What makes you think that?’
‘She’s got the money.’
‘Should I go and check he’s still in there?’
‘Where else could he be?’ said William, as a man they both recognized immediately came running out of the men’s room.
‘So now we know who was on the other bike,’ said Paul. ‘Which one do you want me to go after?’
‘Tulip,’ said William, remembering where he’d last seen the black Yamaha. ‘And make sure you arrest him.’
‘On what charge?’
‘I have a feeling I’m about to find out,’ said William, as he headed for the men’s room. ‘Get going!’
Paul took off after Tulip, no longer caring about stray bags or stretched-out legs, and just as William had reached the entrance to the men’s room another man came rushing out, shouting, ‘Help, somebody call the police, help!’
As William was about to go inside, a third man burst past him, struggling to do up his zip while on the move. William pushed open the door and tentatively entered the washroom. He came to a sudden halt, momentarily paralysed by what he saw in front of him. During his time on the force, he had encountered several dead bodies: old people who’d died peacefully in their homes, drug addicts with needles sticking out of their arms, even a battered wife who’d hanged herself in front of her young children. But nothing could have prepared
