‘That’s where Carl got his name. Carl Simon Davies.’
Lucy was trembling inside but she kept her gaze steady and level. You can get through this. You have to know the truth.
‘It also got him a flat, a vehicle and a life story that he made his own. His role was to target subversives and prevent disorder in London. For five years he lived a double life seven days a week. He settled in comfortably with his targets. He enjoyed their company enormously. There was a genuine bond. But if they found out what he really was… well, we were under no illusion about what would happen to him.’
He turned his head and looked at her, as though to check she was listening. She kept her gaze neutral, totally flat as she looked back.
‘People liked him, trusted him. He became Treasurer of an anti-racial organisation. It was thanks to Carl that we learned about a large, violent protest that had been planned against the BNP. They were planning on trapping them at a party meeting in their headquarters and burning them to death.
‘As a result of his intel, we prevented some of the most violent, most bloody riots London might have seen. Carl was commended by the commissioner.’
Lucy watched as Hanmer rested his palm against the glass.
‘The commissioner said Carl had done enough. That it was time for him to come out of the field. Your father refused.’
She opened and closed her mouth, thunderstruck. He refused?
‘He couldn’t get out of his role. He couldn’t leave his undercover persona behind. He was no longer the same person. He said he hated being a cop, everything about it. He wanted to stay where he was.’
The detective turned away from the window to face her.
‘He enjoyed being with his contacts so much that he was willing to give up his police salary and everything that went with it in order to stay with them.’
She stared at him.
‘He married one of his targets.’
Her voice was hoarse when she spoke. ‘My mother.’
‘Correct.’
A long silence fell. Lucy’s ears were ringing, her fingers tingling. Her mind was a smooth, weirdly coloured lake of slate and sand.
‘After Carl,’ Hanmer went on, ‘every SDS officer was visited at home to ensure they were married before they went undercover. It was to make sure they had something in the real world to return to.’
‘You’re saying he’s not a police officer any more.’
‘He hasn’t been one for over twenty years.’
She was glad she was sitting down or she might have fallen, her body went so weak.
‘Why didn’t you say anything when we spoke before?’
‘I needed to know more of what was going on. He was a good friend and I didn’t want to endanger him. I know it’s a long time since he’s lived in Southwark, but if anyone finds out what he used to be…’
She could imagine Jaya’s face. She’d eviscerate him. And what about Reg and the gang at the pub, Tomas and his father? Sweet Jesus. No wonder Mum had thrown him out and refused to countenance his name in the house. She’d suffered a massive betrayal but she still wouldn’t have wanted his death on her conscience.
‘When did you speak to him?’ Lucy managed.
‘This morning. He asked me to tell you.’
‘Why couldn’t he tell me himself?’
His face lengthened.
‘He told me to say that he loved you very much, and that he was sorry, but he had to go.’
‘Where?’
‘He didn’t tell me.’
‘What’s his real name?’
‘He told me he wants to tell you himself.’
‘Do you know what he’s involved in at the moment?’
A look of surprise. ‘No. Is it relevant?’
‘You said you had to see me before I went to the SIO.’
‘That’s what your father told me to tell you. He said it was the only way to get you here.’
‘He didn’t mention the case I was working on?’
‘No. You should understand I’m purely acting as an old friend of his.’
‘Do you know anything of what he’s been up to since he refused to come out of the field?’
Hanmer didn’t answer at once. He was gazing outside.
‘The last I heard, your mother threw him out. I thought he’d gone to Australia. The first I knew of his return was when you rang, asking about Black Rainbow. His old code name.’
‘You didn’t give him tip-offs when he was working with TASS?’
‘TASS?’ he repeated.
‘It’s to do with the case I’m working on.’
Hanmer shook his head wearily. ‘I’ve never heard of TASS and I never gave him any tip-offs. The last time I saw or spoke to him was on 3 November 2001.’
The day her dad had, supposedly, buggered off with Tina the yoga teacher.
‘You do realise he’s used you.’ She found it hard not to sneer.
‘Yes. But he was a good friend. He saved my life once. I owed him.’
Long silence.
Then he drew himself tall. His shoulders went back, his chin lifted. He turned to her and the world-weary friend of her father’s had gone. In its place was a determined-looking superintendent with a gleam in his eye. ‘I think my debt’s been repaid, don’t you? So let’s knuckle down. I want you to bring me up to speed with it all. And please, don’t leave a single thing out.’
As Lucy finally left his office, she promised to keep the superintendent informed. She strode outside, drawing all her knowledge together from Kaitlyn’s murder to Ricky’s arrest, TASS and Helen Flowers who sold the fake bomb detectors around the world and Colin Pearson at the Serious Fraud Office.
A cape of sorrow mingled with regret and weariness settled over her shoulders and seeped into her heart.
Her father had been involved with TASS. He was a ‘person of interest’ to the police. He was in business with Amina Amari, who’d tried to kill Ricky. He hadn’t been an undercover cop investigating BreatheZero. He’d lied. He
