by Roger Keevil
Dave Copper stepped forward. “Sir, I don’t want to speak out of turn, but are you sure? I mean, shouldn’t we …”
“Caution me?” interrupted Marion. A slow smile of surprising sweetness stole over her features. “Oh sergeant, I think it’s all a little too late for that.” She took a very deep breath and gave a long sigh. “And I think I owe it to my colleagues here to tell the whole truth, especially in view of what I suspect they’re all going to have to go through in the aftermath of this.” She looked Constable directly in the eye. “And I owe it to you too, inspector. You may have worked out the truth about what has happened, but you must still be wondering about one or two things regarding the how and why.
“It’s ironic, really. I mean, that the Prime Minister should appoint me to a position with responsibility for the drugs regime in prisons. I wish I could say that I’m alone in my generation in having a relationship with drugs, but that would be dishonest. Society may disapprove in principle, but the number of people who find themselves in my situation might very well surprise you. Media people, sports personalities, stars in show business, politicians – the list is endless. Including my husband. He started off supplying me with what I needed, and in the end I convinced myself that I loved him for it, and I married him. I thought he had the means to make me happy. Recreational use, it’s called. Nothing harmful, they say. It’s nobody’s business but your own. Until, that is, you find yourself in the public spotlight. And what could be more public than being placed at the head of a headline campaign to tackle the problem in some of the state’s institutions? Could I have been any more vulnerable to blackmail? But the people I was tangled up with weren’t after money. In fact, you might say they were very generous to me. But in return, they wanted their lives made easier, and the drugs trade into prisons is big business. So I was trapped.
“I don’t know how Dee found out.” Marion shrugged. “It’s enough that she did, and she was determined that the Prime Minister had to know. I suppose I can’t really blame her for that. And when the P.M. called me in, she demanded the full story, chapter and verse. She made me write everything down in a resignation letter – names, dates, places – all the information that I had about the people who were at the heart of the business. So when I went up to bed, I knew that it was the end of everything. I even thought of doing away with myself. After all, I had the means – a simple overdose, and that would be an end to it. I expect you’ll be searching my room, inspector – you’ll find all the evidence you need there, with the exception of that one syringe you already have. But I didn’t have the courage to do anything. And then the idea came into my head – that letter I’d written for the Prime Minister was as good as my death warrant anyway. These were very dangerous people. I felt I must get it back. I thought I could persuade her into giving it back to me. So I went down the servants’ staircase and into the office – that’s where I saw the knife. And I thought, if persuasion doesn’t work, I’ll have to try threats. I must have been mad. I even tried to buy the P.M.‘s mercy by telling her the full story of Dee’s husband and her cover-up of his dealings. But of course, as always, Doris was adamant. She turned her back on me in contempt – and before I realised what I was doing, she was lying dead on the floor with the knife in her back. I tried to wipe the handle clean with a napkin that was on the desk, and that’s when I saw my letter still lying there. I took it and came back upstairs the way I’d come. I burnt it in the grate in my room.”
With a sudden shriek of rage, Erica launched herself at Marion. But swift as she was, Dave Copper’s reactions were just as rapid, and he managed to intercept the furious minister before the outstretched fingernails could inflict any damage on her intended victim. There was a moment’s confusion as everyone reacted in shock and horror, while Erica writhed, spitting incoherently in Copper’s grasp, before subsiding just as quickly as she had erupted. Gently, the sergeant forced the now limp and sobbing minister back into her armchair, while Constable nodded an instruction to Una Singleton, and the two junior officers took up station on either side of Erica.
“I think we may all understand your reaction, Ms. Mayall,” said Constable calmly, “given the nature of your feelings for Mrs. Ronson. But I’m sure you would rather leave it to others to ensure that justice takes its course in this case.” He held Erica’s eyes until she, with a visible effort to master herself, gave a mute nod. “And besides, there are still some details to reveal.” He turned back to Marion, who had remained transfixed at the suddenness of the attack. “Mrs. Hayste?”
“What is it they say in ‘Macbeth’?” murmured Marion unexpectedly, gazing unfocussed above the heads of the others. “Something about killing being easier once you’ve started?” She looked at Constable. “It’s true, inspector. I was horrified at what I’d done. Horrified, but still terrified. I may have recovered the letter and destroyed it, but Dee still knew everything. I was twisting and turning in my mind, but in the end I decided that the only way to prevent her telling what she knew was to kill her. So I took my syringe and I went to her room. She was lying on her bed, half-asleep. Before she’d even woken properly, I’d held her and injected her.” Suddenly, all Marion’s composure deserted her, and the tears began to flow. “And now I wish I’d had the courage to use it on myself.” She collapsed weeping against the inspector.
Andy Constable, after a few moments, handed over the now exhausted Marion into the care of Sheila Deare, who had stepped forward during the final revelations. “I think that is perhaps enough information for the present. Inspector Deare, if you would escort Mrs. Hayste outside, Sergeant Copper will make the necessary arrangements for taking her into custody.” He looked around the drawing room at the congregation of politicians, still sitting stunned and silent at what had occurred. “And now, if you will excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, I have a very important phone call to Downing Street to make.” He glanced at his watch. “And only five minutes to make it.” He strode from the room, his police colleagues and their charge following in his wake.
The Final Chapter
“So you were caught up in all that?” marvelled Sergeant Pete Radley. “And for two weeks since, you haven’t said a word.”
“Sorry, guys,” said Dave Copper, perched on the edge of his desk. “Sworn to secrecy, and all that.”
“What, with the Prisons Minister under arrest?” said Pete. “That’s what the rumour is. And my spies reckon that you were the one who actually slammed the cuffs on. So what’s that all about?”
Copper pulled a face and shook his head mutely.
“Come on, mate,” coaxed Constable Matt Cawston. “Those were some pretty high-powered people. There’s got to be something you can tell us. What goes on behind the scenes in the corridors of power, and all that.”
Copper shrugged. “Would if I could, chaps, but it can’t be done. I am under strict instructions from on high not to utter a single syllable about the whole business, and certainly not before it comes to court. So you can beg and plead all you like, but you ain’t getting anywhere.”
“Yes, but look,” persisted Pete. “Three of the Cabinet have resigned already, and that’s before the new prime minister is even officially in place. You can’t tell me that’s a coincidence. ‘Spending more time with their families’, indeed!” he scoffed. “We’ve all heard that one. That just means that there are some juicy secrets waiting to get out, and they’re jumping before they’re pushed. And I bet you know what they’re hiding.”
“More than my job’s worth, guys.” Copper was adamant. “And if you were in my shoes, you’d be doing exactly the same as me.”
“I’ll tell you one thing,” said Matt. “I reckon I ought to put in for a transfer to C.I.D. double quick. It seems to me that you blokes on the detecting side get a lot more fun than us poor Joes stuck in the control room.”
“Do it,” encouraged Copper. “If being dragged out of bed by a phone call at three in the morning to go and look at some poor bedraggled corpse being hauled
out of a muddy ditch is your idea of fun, I wouldn’t stand in your way.” He paused and smiled reflectively. “Actually, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. But I suppose everything has to change eventually.”
“How do you mean?” asked Pete.
“Oh, nothing much,” replied Copper airily. “Just a random thought.”
“You’re getting very tight-lipped in your old age,” complained Pete with a smile. “Secret thoughts, and you won’t even chuck us a bone with the slightest sniff of a hint about the biggest case you’ve ever been involved in.”
“Which just goes to prove that I’m not as daft as some people might think,” retorted Copper with an answering grin. “You know very well that the guv would have my hide if he even knew we were having this conversation. So you’d better skedaddle double quick, before he catches you and me.”
“By the way, where is he?” enquired Matt. “I haven’t seen him around much lately. Is he taking some time off? Have the worthy citizens of the county suddenly stopped murdering people?”
“If only,” said Copper. “Although actually, it has gone a bit quiet, thank goodness. I dare say everybody is too busy sitting at home watching all the loony speculation on the news to think about doing anything themselves. But as for the guv, he’s about. In fact, he was in first thing this morning, probably before you two had even started ploughing your way through your bacon sarnies in the canteen, but then he scooted off to London.”
“London? What’s he up to up there? Here, it’s all on top of this case, isn’t it?” surmised Pete.
“Couldn’t tell you,” said Copper. “And before you have another go at me, that doesn’t mean I won’t tell you. It actually means I can’t, because I don’t know. He keeps getting mysterious calls from he-won’t-tell-me-who, and then before I know it, he’s disappeared in the direction of London. So your guess is as good as mine. But he said he’d be back this afternoon …” Copper consulted his watch. “Probably sometime about now, so you two might want to get back to the control room, instead of hanging around here while Matt practises his interrogation techniques on me.”
The suggestion came just a fraction too late. Footsteps could be heard approaching along the corridor, and Andy Constable appeared in the doorway to his office. A silence fell as Copper slid off the front of his desk, while his two friends came to an almost guilty state of attention.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen.” The amusement was plainly audible in Constable’s voice. “I seem to be interrupting something.”
“Afternoon, sir,” chorused the two visiting police officers.
“Anything we can do for you?”
“No, sir,” said Pete. “We just popped in for a chat with Dave, you know, to … er …”
“… fix up another day to go to the races together,” finished Matt hastily. “On account of him being so good at picking winners last time.”
“And that’s a talent which I’m sure won’t be going to waste in the future,” replied Constable with a quirky smile. “But in the meantime, my bet is that you three are going to find a more suitable time and place to sort out your social diary. Yes?”
“Er … yes, sir. Of course, sir. Well, we’ll … er …” With relief, the two uniformed officers escaped into the corridor, as Copper made a brave show of occupying himself with arranging the papers on his desk.
“Back then, guv,” remarked the sergeant, somewhat unnecessarily.
“But not for long,” said Constable, subsiding into the chair behind his desk with a deep sigh and checking his watch. “I have an appointment to go and see the Chief Constable in about half an hour, so that I can bring him up to date with what’s been going on.”
“Really?” Copper sounded intrigued. “Reports direct to the top brass, eh? You’re moving in lofty circles these days, guv.”
The inspector laughed softly. “Ain’t that the truth?”
“So come on, sir,” said Copper, leaning forward expectantly. “Spare a thought for a poor confused sergeant, and fill me in with what’s been going on. You keep disappearing, and I’m getting questions from all sorts of people as to what actually went on at Dammett Hall.”
“Including, no doubt, your gambling buddies.”
“Don’t worry, guv. I didn’t say a thing. I know when to keep my mouth shut.”
“Not necessarily true in all cases, David,” smiled Constable. “The Copper sense of humour has always had a tendency to escape if it’s not watched carefully. But when it matters, then yes, I know I can trust you.”
The sergeant coloured slightly. “Thanks for that, guv. So …” He raised interrogative eyebrows.
“Shut the door.” Copper jumped to comply. “Just to confirm, this conversation is not taking place. So, where do you want to start?”
“Well, the Dammett Hall murders, of course, guv. There’s hardly been a peep in the papers or on the news about the actual case. So, what’s the score?”
“We’ve had the assistance of some very helpful and considerate editors, apparently. It was felt that, under the circumstances, the last thing the country needs is another huge flood of uncertainty, so everything is being kept as low-key as possible.”
“But it’s going to come to a trial, surely, sir?”
“Of course. And in order to make things quicker and easier, Marion Hayste will of course be pleading guilty. She says that’s the least she can do to put an end to the matter.”
“You’ve seen her?”
“Actually, yes.”
“That’s not normal, is it, guv?”
“Not really, but it was her idea. She asked specifically if I would go and visit her, so I could hardly refuse.”
“What did she have to say?”
“Not that much, to be honest. She’s feeling a lot of remorse. She takes full responsibility for what she did, but I think she wanted me to accept that, at heart, she wasn’t a bad person. She wanted to explain how she let herself be trapped into doing what she did. And she blames herself for being taken in by that husband of hers and drawn into the whole drugs situation. Said she should never have rushed into marriage with him. He, by the way, is also now languishing in a cell somewhere, facing a number of other charges which could well see him being kept off the streets for a very long time.”
“Her too, guv,” mused Copper. “And it’s probably going to be even harder for her. I mean, he’ll probably end up in prison with a load of drug-dealing soul-mates who’ll think he’s some kind of hero. But she … well, she was the Prisons Minister, for goodness sake. Can you imagine how the other inmates are going to treat her? Even if she did bump off a couple of other politicians, which some people would probably want to thank her for. And it’s not as if she’ll be going down for five minutes, is it?”
“Indeed not. I suspect she may well opt for voluntary solitary confinement, which has its own drawbacks. But at least she’ll have plenty of leisure to repent.” A sigh. “Well, it’ll be all up to the courts. Our job there is more or less done.”
“Which still leaves me wondering, sir, how to account for the fact that you have been rather mysterious about these trips of yours to London. You haven’t been spending all your time prison-visiting, surely?”
“No,” admitted Constable. “As it happens, I had to … pop into Downing Street.”
“Pop into?” spluttered Copper incredulously. “You don’t just ‘pop into’ Downing Street. They have things like security and screening, which I bet are going to be red hot at the moment. So what was that all about?”
Constable drew a breath. “Actually, it was the Security people I was going to see. I had to meet them.”
“What, Inspector Deare’s mob? And how is she getting along? I bet it’s not been easy for her either.”
“Oh, she’s not too bad. She’s holding things together until her replacement is in position.”
“She did reckon she wouldn’t be staying in the job long after what had happened, didn’t she, guv?”
“She did inde
ed. And she wasn’t wrong. But then I got called in to see the Deputy P.M. - although actually, I suppose we now have to call him the caretaker Prime Minister until the new P.M. is officially appointed. But the word is that his path is being smoothed in the interests of continuity, and nobody is going to stand against him, so it’ll all be cut and dried within the next couple of days.”
“And then he’ll be looking for someone to replace Inspector Deare as his Head of Security, eh?”
“Well, actually, no.” Constable took a very deep breath and let out a long sigh. “He’s already found someone.” A lengthy pause. “Me.”
Dave Copper’s jaw literally dropped open in amazement. “You, guv?” He recovered himself. “Bloody hell! That’s fantastic!” He leapt up and pumped his colleague’s hand. “That’s brilliant! But how … why … I mean, when …?”
“Apparently some very complimentary things have been said about me behind the scenes by all manner of people,” said Constable. “And Downing Street were keen to have a new pair of eyes to take a fresh look at things, from outside the existing apparatus. My name cropped up, and it seems to have snowballed from there. As for when, more or less immediate effect. That’s the news I’m about to go and impart to the Chief Constable. Transfer to the Met … promotion to the rank of Commander …” He shook his head disbelievingly. “It’s all happening.”
