The Robert Finlay Trilogy

by Matt Johnson

  Toni thought for a moment – about all the people connected with the Al Anfal document; about how many people who knew about it who were now dead or missing and she made a decision. ‘No, Nell. I’m sorry. Whatever it is, you can explain it to me in the morning.’

  Nell didn’t reply before the line went dead.

  ‘She hung up,’ said Toni.

  ‘Problem?’ said Bill.

  ‘Nothing I can’t handle. I’ll speak to her in the morning.’

  They started walking again. ‘Did I hear Nell mention Robert Finlay?’ Bill asked.

  ‘I’ll have to tell Nell to speak more quietly. Yes, she wants to have a copy of the document I told you about – the Al Anfal thing – so she can work on it in her own time.’

  ‘The poisoned chalice.’

  ‘She hung up when I said no.’

  ‘I ask because I had Finlay in my office today. He was being interviewed by our complaints branch.’

  ‘About the court escape, no doubt?’

  ‘Yes. They’re not sure if he’s a suspect or a witness at the moment. They wanted to know if he had any idea where Jones may have headed.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘It was actually quite odd. He’d just got back from Kentish Town where he’d been talking to a lad who been planning to throw himself off a roof and yet, it was almost as if he was expecting that Complaints would be ready and waiting for him.’

  ‘Maybe he was. Perhaps somebody tipped him off, or maybe he just worked out that with Jones breaking out of the court building then he was bound to get a visit sooner or later.’

  ‘Maybe, yes. But he wound the Complaints Superintendent up a treat. It was almost as if he wanted to goad him. He’s up to something, that’s for certain.’

  ‘So, what’s Finlay going to do next?’ Toni asked.

  ‘They suspended him and took his warrant card – there’s not a lot he can do.’

  ‘Unless he already knows where Jones is, or he was actually behind the escape?’

  ‘I pray he wasn’t.’

  ‘I hope you didn’t mention the burner phone?’

  ‘Of course not. If Complaints want to have Finlay followed in the hope he will lead them to Jones then they can arrange it themselves.’

  ‘Thank you. That Complaints officer, is he the same bad penny who seems to keep popping up?’ said Toni, as Bill reached for the keys to the flat.

  ‘You guessed it,’ he replied. ‘Superintendent James Mellor.’

  Chapter 51

  Next morning, Nell was already at her desk.

  Toni looked around the office. It looked like her researcher was working alone.

  ‘Where’s Stuart?’ she asked.

  Nell turned away from her screen. ‘He’s nipped out for a bacon sarnie and said something about calling in on the Missing Persons Bureau.’

  ‘I asked him to run some more checks on that prostitute we caught Howard Green with.’

  ‘Yes, he did mention something about that. He wanted me to check if she’s been making any benefit claims.’

  ‘Has she?’

  ‘None, there’s no record of a claim anywhere. Any particular reason you’re suddenly interested in her?’

  ‘Just another idea I’m following up. So…’ Toni paused to make sure she had her researcher’s full attention ‘…how did you get into the Police Complaints offices, Nell?’

  ‘It was surprisingly easy. I don’t think they ever expected anyone to burglarise them. Their electronic entry system operates on a key card. I made one and it worked first time.’

  ‘And you’re sure nobody saw you?’

  ‘Absolutely. Stuart was brilliant. He strolled around liked he owned the place and worked out where to go to find what we were looking for. I really think he’s developing a taste for that kind of work.’

  ‘After his reservations about breaking into the Jones and Beattie homes?’

  ‘Yes, I think he got a bit of a buzz out of it.’

  ‘OK … let’s talk.’ Toni placed her briefcase gently on the floor, sat close to Nell and lowered her voice. ‘We’re sure Superintendent Mellor planted those bugs?’

  Before replying, Nell turned off her PC screen. ‘As much as we can be,’ she said, the tone of her voice considered and serious. ‘According to their register they should still be in the Complaints Branch stores, which they’re clearly not.’

  ‘So, if it was Mellor, it’s possible he was listening in on what happened when Sandra Beattie was killed?’

  ‘Quite possible, although the statistical probability of him having heard things live isn’t high. But there has to be the very real possibility that a recording exists of what exactly went on in that house at the key time.’

  ‘So, if we could recover that recording, we might find the evidence that either proves Jones innocence or confirms his guilt?’

  ‘A chance we take if I try and locate it.’

  ‘You could do that?’

  ‘Yes. I could make an attempt to locate it by hacking into the Complaints Unit intranet. If the recording is on a standalone device I’d not find it, but if he plugged that device into their net or he’s made a back-up, then I might.’

  ‘Give it a try, and keep Stuart in the loop at all times. If you find anything I want to know immediately.’

  ‘Can I repeat my request about that document Finlay brought from Dr Armstrong’s house?’

  ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea, Nell. The more copies, the greater the risk.’

  ‘Could I borrow yours?’

  Toni paused before replying. Nell was being persistent. There had to be a reason. ‘What did you want to know?’ she asked.

  ‘We discussed its similarity to “The Project” papers that were found in Switzerland last year, but I couldn’t help noticing it’s much thicker.’

  ‘Don’t forget it’s doubled in size due to the attached translation.’

  ‘Yes, I know, but it’s still much bigger. “The Project” is something we knew about but I’ve heard it said several times that it is more of a philosophy than a plan. It had no detail. I know I’ve only had the briefest of look through it but, like I said earlier, I’m convinced the extra material on the Al Anfal document Finlay found is that missing information.’

  ‘You’re probably right…’

  ‘So, I think you should allow me to study it further.’

  ‘It’s toxic, Nell. Those soldiers were all killed to stop them talking about it. I’ve been warned off, Miles Chadbourne knew about it and now he’s gone missing.’

  ‘Don’t you think I know that? It’s too late now to say we’re not all at some kind of risk, so I think we should know exactly what we are dealing with.’

  ‘I thought you said last night that you’d learned something about it?’

  ‘I may have exaggerated slightly.’

  Toni stood and walked to the security door. It was firmly closed and yet, without thinking, she still tested it. Nell was right in what she was saying. And she made the valid points that they were already exposed and only a detailed analysis of the document would answer questions they both wanted answering. ‘I’ve been wondering something…’ she began.

  ‘Why Doctor Armstrong changed his mind about destroying it?’ Nell interrupted.

  Toni’s lips curved into a broad smile. ‘You’ve been reading my thoughts as well?’

  Nell didn’t respond to the joke. ‘You told me Finlay had agreed it would be destroyed because it was so dangerous.’

  ‘That was what Armstrong recommended to him.’

  ‘And subsequent to that, he changed his mind. I’d like to know what he read that caused that to happen.’

  Toni reached down, opened her briefcase and pulled out the two-inch-thick document. She was persuaded. And she knew very well that Nell wouldn’t give up until she gave in.

  She placed the papers on the desk, straightened them neatly, and sighed. ‘So would I, Nell. So would I.’

  Chapter 52


  The burner phone started ringing for the third time. If it was Toni, she was trying hard to get hold of me.

  ‘Are you going to answer that,’ spat Jenny.

  I didn’t answer. I wasn’t really in the mood to talk to anyone and, if I was going to deliver on my promise to get Kevin’s kit to him, I needed to be on the road soon.

  The previous evening had been a disaster, possibly the worst time Jenny and I had experienced in the whole of our life together. I’d stumbled clumsily over my choice of words when I sat her down and explained what had happened during the interview with Mellor. And then, as we’d talked and I tried to put a positive spin on things, she’d asked questions I couldn’t answer. The grazes on my hands had only served to make things worse. Circumstances created suspicions. Her questions became more hostile and I reacted by becoming defensive. It wasn’t long before tempers became frayed, things were said in the heat of the moment and, finally, she had stormed out of the house.

  I’d gone after her, my thoughts a confused mixture of fear and anger. Drawn by the sound of her sobs, I’d found her sitting on the pavement, feet in the gutter, seemingly not caring who might see her. My attempts at reassurance were brushed aside as I stood accused of being unfit as a father and as a husband. Her words cut into me like a knife.

  And then came the silence.

  Which, in many ways was worse. At least when we were arguing, I had an idea where I stood and I had a chance to express my views and to defend myself. The silent treatment was new. But it told me something; it told me just how bad things had got if my wife felt unable to speak to me.

  Neither of us slept much. Although we shared a bed, Jenny kept her distance and her back toward me. I dozed, but every time she moved I was aware of it. I simply lay there, brooding, wondering if I was a pawn in a game being played by forces beyond my understanding, and torn between my desire to help a friend who needed me and a family I was responsible for.

  I felt I could I could handle it, I could juggle the pieces until they fell into place, and that was what frustrated me when Jenny challenged that belief. All I wanted to do at the moment was to try and persuade Kevin not to keep running.

  ‘If I stay there is no chance … none,’ I’d pleaded. ‘If I go, there is a chance I can persuade him to return to clear his name.’

  But Jenny was having none of it. We’d eaten breakfast in relative silence, each of us talking to Becky and baby Charlotte but not to each other. It was only when she had returned from the school run and the phone had started ringing that she opted to speak.

  I’d put a small shovel in the boot of the 2CV while she was out. I estimated it would take at least an hour to recover Kevin’s kit and then at least another four hours to get to the bothy in Wales. I was pretty sure I could remember how to find it, but I knew I was going to have to take a circuitous route in case Mellor was minded to have me watched. If I had been him, it’s what I would have done. But I also knew that surveillance operations took time to organise, which was why I had tried to impress on Jenny the need to act without delay. With less than twenty-four hours having passed since Kevin’s escape from custody, I knew the enquiry team focus would be on trying to locate him. His haunts, relatives, friends and associates would all be checked. That would tie up a lot of manpower, so putting together another team to follow me would be a significant task.

  The phone started ringing again. This time, Jenny just looked at me, as if challenging me to answer it.

  ‘I need to move today, Jen,’ I said, once more. ‘Before the might of the Met can swing into action.’

  As I pressed the button to answer the call, she turned her back on me and walked off towards the kitchen. I felt alone, very alone.

  It was Toni. ‘Where are you?’ she asked.

  I explained I was at home and, so as not to give anything away, added that I wasn’t likely to be going anywhere soon.

  ‘Have you seen the news?’ she said. ‘The Commissioner has been on saying that no stone will be left unturned in the search for PC Jones.’

  ‘That was to be expected. Nobody likes to have that kind of egg on their face for long.’

  ‘I have news.’

  ‘So do I. Mellor pulled me for an interview yesterday. I’m suspended – and banned from entering any police premises without his permission. And he suspects I was involved in Kevin’s escape.’

  ‘Were you?’ she asked.

  ‘Of course not, I had no idea. I only went to see him about getting a decent barrister to represent him. Mellor thinks we were hatching an escape plot.’

  ‘Commander Grahamslaw told me this morning. The news I have is that I asked Nell and Stuart to check Sandra Beattie’s house. They found another listening device like the one from Kevin’s.’

  ‘Where was it?’ I asked.

  ‘Behind a plug socket, like the first one. And that’s not the half of it. Both devices were part of a batch provided to the Met for evaluation. Guess which department of the Met they were issued to?’

  ‘I’m not in the mood for games, Toni. Just spell it out.’

  ‘OK, sorry. I guess now isn’t the best of times for you. Both devices were supposed to be in the stores belonging to the police Complaints Branch.’

  ‘Mellor’s department? How did you find out?’

  ‘Stuart and Nell did some digging.’

  ‘CIB should have a log – a register to sign them out?’

  ‘They do. According to the log they should still be in the store.’

  ‘So Mellor or someone in his office might have been doing something he doesn’t want a record of?’

  ‘Yes. That’s the conclusion we came to as well. Maybe he was fishing for something on Kevin? Commander Grahamslaw tells me that CIB sometimes do that if they think an officer is bent and they’re looking for the evidence.’

  ‘Kevin isn’t bent, and even CIB have rules about that kind of thing.’

  ‘But you know as well as I do that the decision to give you immunity from prosecution last year wasn’t agreed by everyone.’

  ‘So Mellor has been looking to put that right? You know what this means, don’t you?’

  ‘What’s that?’ Toni asked.

  ‘Mellor may have overheard or even recorded what happened the day Sandra Beattie was killed.’ A crash from the kitchen told me that Jenny was nearby, probably listening, or possibly just making me aware that she was there.

  ‘Yes … again, that was what Nell and I thought.’

  ‘But he couldn’t admit to having placed an illegal listening device in the home of a fellow cop as that could really weaken his case.’

  ‘It might. Grahamslaw thinks, in terms of legal arguments, it might be more complicated than that.’

  ‘But if he has a recording that exonerates Kevin, what would that matter if the bug was legal or not. Kevin would be off the hook.’

  ‘But Mellor would be in deep shit. Something like that could cost him his career.’

  ‘I really don’t give a damn about Mellor’s career. If there’s a recording, we need to get hold of it, and I need to tell Kevin about it.’

  ‘Can you get a message to him?’

  ‘I think so. There may be a way through a mutual contact.’

  ‘Well, I suggest you do that. In the meantime, Nell is already trying to trace the transmission route for the bug and the recipient receiver. If we can, we’ll try and find that recording.’

  As I ended the call, Jenny appeared in the doorway behind me. ‘You’d better go and give Charlie a kiss,’ she said, softly.

  I frowned, confused by the apparent change in her mood. ‘I was listening,’ she said, before pausing for several seconds, appearing to search for the right words. ‘One of the things I prize about you, Bob, is your loyalty. I can’t ask you not to be loyal to your oldest friend, can I? If there’s hope for Kevin, then maybe you should try and talk him round.’

  I reached for her hand and squeezed it tight. ‘I won’t take any risks, I promise.’

&
nbsp; ‘You’d better not. Where is he hiding out?’ she asked.

  ‘Best I don’t say, but it’s a long drive. I’ll probably be away overnight.’

  Jenny sighed deeply. ‘Just remember, it’s not just me you need to be thinking of. There are two little girls here who are depending on their dad being around as they grow up. We don’t want to be visiting you in some prison somewhere.’

  Chapter 53

  Howard scowled as Petre’s fist connected once more with his victim’s face. This wasn’t going to be as straightforward as he’d expected.

  His telephone began to ring. He lifted it from his jacket pocket, checked the screen and recognised Grady’s number.

  ‘Enough,’ he said, raising a hand to indicate that the beating should cease. ‘Get him into the car.’

  He pressed the phone’s answer button. ‘Where are you?’ he demanded.

  ‘Getting supplies from the local town.’

  ‘Jones is at the bothy?’

  ‘Making his plans to sort out some Superintendent from the Met Complaints Unit.’

  ‘Let him, it will keep him busy. Is Finlay on his way?’

  ‘Apparently so. He’s taken the bait and should be here within the hour.’

  ‘Excellent.’ Howard allowed himself a smile. Borrowing Petre Gavrić from the Cristea clan had proved to be a good decision. The Serbian was ruthless as well as resourceful, and his limited English had not proved to be a problem. The way he had worked with Grady and Cathy at the Magistrates’ Court had been testament to his considerable experience.

  They now had Jones where Howard wanted him; Finlay was about to be the same, and in the back of the Range Rover was the only other loose end. At last things were coming together. Finally he could end this time-consuming game. Finally the clean-up operation would be brought to its conclusion.

  ‘How long before you get here?’ Grady asked.

  ‘Tomorrow morning. We need to pick up some kit and I still have a few questions to ask of Miles Chadbourne.’

  ‘How’s he holding up?’