The two of them walked along the pavement towards the National Gallery and then crossed the road to the balustrade overlooking the Square. They agreed that John would follow the pick-up person and that Andy would follow at a discreet distance but keeping John in sight. They then separated and acted as though they were scavenging for cigarette butts and anything else a down-and-out might look for. Tim and Ed Milward left the van and walked to the top of the staircase leading down to the Square. They started down the staircase and appeared to be a couple of casual strollers. It was now getting towards 19.00 hours and St John came into view walking across the Square towards one of the fountains. She was carrying a handbag and a magazine was under her arm. There were a number of people in the Square, mainly couples. Some of those were by the fountain. One young woman tossed in a coin. Other people were using the Square as a short-cut on their journey to somewhere. St John walked over to a seat and sat down. She put the magazine on the seat beside her and delved into her handbag, bringing out a compact. St John then opened the compact and started to powder her cheeks. After that she applied lipstick and, with a look of satisfaction, put her compact and lipstick away into her handbag. St John then arose and walked away. Seconds later a man dressed in a business suit walked past, saw the magazine and the departing St John. He picked it up and hurried after her, calling out to her at the same time. St John turned around, as did other people in hearing distance in the Square. She stopped as he hurried up to her, holding out the magazine. “You forgot this, Miss,” he said.
“Oh, how silly of me,” St John replied. As he handed her the magazine she seemed to fumble and drop it. He bent down and picked it up and seemed to hand it to her awkwardly, dropping his document case in the process. Still holding the magazine, the man bent down again and picked up his document case, apologising for his clumsiness. This time St. John received the magazine, thanked the man again and carried on her way.
“Did you see that sleight of hand?” Tim asked Ed Milward.
“Yes,” he replied. “Cleverly done but not clever enough. All we’ll get is a magazine with nothing between the pages.”
“Don’t be too sure,” replied Tim. “We’ll pick her up away from the Square but watch her every move before we do.”
On the other side of the Square, three men watched the scene from different positions. John Douglas, Andy Hill and a man carrying a mackintosh and a newspaper. He wore a business suit and a trilby hat which hid much of his face and was standing looking down on the Square from the National Gallery side. The man with the document case walked towards the steps leading up to the National Gallery and John Douglas moved in the same direction. Miss St John walked across to the Pall Mall exit from Trafalgar Square and then turned into Whitcomb Street. The man with the document case turned into Charing Cross Road.
Partway along Whitcomb Street, Tim and Ed Milward stopped Miss St John and showed her their warrant cards and asked her to accompany them. She protested but realised that they had the authority to do so and agreed to their request. They turned back towards Trafalgar Square. As they turned into East Pall Mall, a black Wolseley saloon car pulled up and a woman got out of the front passenger seat and opened the rear door of the car. Tim asked Miss St John to get in and she did so, reluctantly. The woman operative got into the rear seat with her and Tim got into the front seat of the car. It then drove off. Ed Milward walked back to the van, got in and reported back to base. He was then told to act as back-up to John Douglas and Corporal Hill. Ed started the engine and called John Douglas on the walkie-talkie channel.
As John Douglas started to tail the man with the document case, Andy Hill was watching other people around the Square. He noticed the man in the trilby hat watching what was going on. The man’s face turned to follow the person with the document case and then John Douglas. Andy wondered if this man was backing up the person who made the pick-up. He decided to keep an eye on him as he pretended to be looking for suitable cast-off cigarettes. John Douglas turned into Charing Cross Road and the man in the trilby moved off in that direction. Andy
