‘Not much,’ he said eventually, when they were out of earshot of the vendor. He lounged against a stretch of guardrail, watching the stream of traffic heading south towards Whitehall. ‘One blustered and bullied, one didn’t. In the end, they did what civil servants always do: they gave nothing away.’
Riley turned to him, her ice cream forgotten. ‘So Radnor gets away with it? That sucks.’ She took an angry bite of the cone, scattering flakes of chocolate and startling an elderly Japanese tourist standing nearby.
‘What did you expect – a happy ending?’ Palmer turned his head and looked at her with a level gaze. ‘Actually, he won’t get away with anything. They weren’t just civil servants.’
‘So who, then?’
‘At a guess, they come from under a stone on the other side of the river – the one with tacky bits of green on the front.’
‘Oh.’ Riley finally understood. ‘Radnor’s old firm.’
‘Yup.’ He studied his cone and licked around the middle. ‘Not the kind to mess with.’
Something in the tone of his voice drew Riley’s attention. When he talked like this, it usually came from the darker side of Palmer’s experiences, the same part which recognised that pragmatism sometimes overruled what normal society might judge to be right and just. Still, for Palmer to find a suit scary was saying something. She let it ride.
Palmer finished all but the nub of his cone, dumping the rest on the pavement, where it was quickly pounced on by a watchful pigeon.
‘You’re not allowed to feed them,’ advised Riley sternly. ‘They’re vermin, didn’t you know?’
Palmer took out a handkerchief and wiped his fingers. ‘Give me them any day,’ he said softly, ‘compared with some.’
‘So what happens now?’
‘Well, there won’t be a trial.’ He studied his fingers. ‘What could they charge him with? Treason? I doubt it. Fraud? Who did he defraud – they’re all gone. Theft? Proving it would be a nightmare. He’d die of old age first.’
‘What about murders? The man on the border, and Gillivray and Cecile Wachter?’
‘Says who? The border guards pulled the trigger, not Radnor. And he’ll have already taken care of the men who were with him that night. As for the others, I think Rubinov will cop for them.’ He shook his head. ‘There won’t be a trial, but it doesn’t mean Radnor will get away with it.’ He gave an almost undetectable nod back towards the hotel. ‘They’ll see to that.’
He strolled away and Riley hurried to catch up with him, scattering a handful of pigeons in her wake. As they flapped away, she had visions of a dark night and blurred figures in a bleak landscape, and justice being done. Justice of a sort, anyway. Damn it, this wasn’t right.
‘And you’re happy with that, are you?’ She knew she was being unfair. It wasn’t Palmer’s fault that politics intruded where justice should have its say.
‘Happy, no. But there are some battles you can’t win. Best let it go. Get on with something else.’
He was right, of course, she knew that. She shivered and wondered why it was so chilly in spite of the warm sun. She needed something else to think about. Something lighter and easier and totally mundane, to repel the shadows. Thankfully, John Mitcheson would be back soon and she could stop thinking about work for a while. That would certainly help.
‘So where are we going?’
Palmer gave her a sideways look. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m going for a massage and some kip. This has all been too bloody tiring. I’m not as young as I used to be.’
Riley dug her fingers into his arm. ‘Ixnay, Palmer,’ she muttered. ‘You owe me a dinner, remember? The one you never turned up for? But never mind, lunch will do just as well. In fact, I haven’t done lunch in ages. Or tea. The Ritz for tea would be nice.’ She smiled brightly, determined not to let the day end on a downer. If she did, tomorrow was going to be all the more difficult. ‘How about The Greenhouse?’
‘Can’t. You have to book.’
‘Really?’ She was surprised Palmer would know such a thing, and wondered who he’d taken there. ‘Okay, how about somewhere a little different, then? I know - there’s this brilliant little sushi place off Leicester Square. You like raw fish, don’t you? It’s supposed to be good for you.’
But Palmer had already detached himself from her arm and was walking away, laughing and shaking his head.
‘Palmer, wait. A girl’s got to have more to look forward to than NHS scams and illegal fruit-pickers, you know.’ She stopped suddenly. ‘Massage? Did you say massage? Who by? Palmer…’
END
PRAISE FOR ADRIAN MAGSON’S WRITING
NO PEACE FOR THE WICKED (Gavin & Palmer 1)
"...a real page turner... a slick, accomplished writer..."
Reviewing The Evidence
NO HELP FOR THE DYING (Gavin & Palmer 2)
“Gritty and fast-paced detecting of the traditional kind, with a welcome injection of realism.”
Maxim Jakubowski – The Guardian
NO SLEEP FOR THE DEAD (Gavin & Palmer 3)
"As with all Riley Gavin & Frank Palmer stories, action packed from start to finish...touches of humour...guaranteed to keep you reading.
Monsters & Critics
NO TEARS FOR THE LOST (Gavin & Palmer 4)
"This intelligent crime novel... should garner this British author a larger following in the U.S. The crisp writing and fresh characters make this stand out from the mystery pack."
Publishers Weekly (US)
NO KISS FOR THE DEVIL (Gavin & Palmer 5)
"... a gem of a writer. Magson has a unique voice and his characters are unforgettable. If you've not read him before, you need to start right now."
Crimespree Magazine
"With plenty of crisp dialogue and tense moments, the plot hurtles forward at a furious clip. A strong choice for all mystery collections."
American Library Association - Booklist Magazine
DEATH ON THE MARAIS (Insp. Lucas Rocco 1)
"...this book captures perfectly the rural atmosphere of France... Littered with characters and oodles of charm, this is a brilliant debut, a great read and terrific fun. Excellent!"
Books Monthly
DEATH ON THE RIVE NORD (Insp. Lucas Rocco 2)
“…a darker and subtler novel than Death on the Marais… The novel is ingeniously plotted and works up to an unexpected climax… A thoroughly enjoyable read from an accomplished crime writer… “
Historical Novel Society
"France’s answer to Jack Reacher – tall, dark, broad and dedicated to right wrongs. C’est magnifique’!"
Crime Squad.com - Author of the Month.
DEATH ON THE PONT NOIR (Insp. Lucas Rocco 3)
"Rocco is every bit as strong as Martin Walker's Bruno Courreges... with an authentic sense of place. I'm extremely glad this is a series and will certainly be back for the next."
Linda Wilson - Reviewing the Evidence.com
“…a rapid storytelling pace and intriguing collections of characters. The colorful French backdrop and Magson’s attention to the details of the country’s political history are welcome bonuses.”
J. Kingston Pierce - The Rap Sheet
RED STATION (Harry Tate 1)
“The nail-biting suspense, high-octane action, and keep-’em-guessing plot set this book apart from the usual spy thriller, but it’s smart, tough, fearless, quick-thinking superspook Harry Tate who puts it in a whole other league. Superb!”
Booklist (American Library Association)
“This is an assured polished piece of writing. Magson lays down the ominous sense of betrayal carefully as anything you’d expect to read in a Fleming or le Carre. So I can’t wait until the next Harry Tate thriller.”
Shots Magazine
TRACERS (Harry Tate 2)
Starred review! “With high-octane action, steadily building tension, and a plot packed with twists, Magson’s second Harry Tate novel suggests the best of Ken Follett or Robert L
udlum but with a touch more substance.”
Booklist Online (American Library Association)
“... if you enjoy a well-written, uncomplicated plot free of foul language and gratuitous sex, this is for you. Snog Marry Avoid? Definitely snog. (Harry's) a man I'd like to get to know better."
The Sun.
DECEPTION (Harry Tate 3)
“Well constructed and exciting, with plenty of strong dialogue and plot twists to keep the reader guessing, and probably guessing wrong.”
Kirkus Reviews
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