Lost Voyage
Page 26
Marvik said, ‘Colbourne and Marwell – false names like those of their boats.’
‘Yes. They were there to stage that little scenario, which they did admirably, and then leave.’ To Helen, he said, ‘We had no idea how long you would be on board Bradshaw’s boat.’
‘You should have done,’ she retorted. ‘You couldn’t think I’d let a man like that grope me?’
‘You left sooner than anticipated. When my officers felt the movement of the pontoon they began that dialogue. And the fact that you hid on that fishing boat meant you overheard what you were meant to hear.’
Strathen spoke. ‘Did you have anyone watching Helen’s flat?’
‘No. Gavin wasn’t there and we didn’t know who was involved, why or how. Helen called you, Marvik, and you came to the rescue. You found Bradshaw’s body and when we knew he’d been killed I stepped in to make it official. But if anyone was still watching that house, which they were, they’d have seen you with Helen and wouldn’t have suspected that you had any connection with the authorities, only that you were there because of Helen.’
‘It worked,’ Marvik said, thinking back to his conversation with Elmsley.
Strathen, rather scathingly, said, ‘You gambled with Helen’s life. She’s not part of your team.’
‘No, she isn’t. Would you like to be?’ he addressed her directly.
‘Me! I can’t do anything. I’m not a Royal Marine Commando.’
‘No, but you have other talents.’
‘Like what?’ she scoffed.
‘We can discuss that.’
Helen looked puzzled and intrigued. She shrugged. ‘I’ve got nothing else to do now that I’m unemployed.’
Strathen said nothing and drank his coffee. But Marvik didn’t think he was comfortable about that. Marvik examined how he felt about Helen being involved with the Squad. It depended on how Crowder saw her role. But however he did, and whatever Crowder offered Helen, it was nothing to do with him or Shaun. It would be Helen’s decision alone.
Marvik watched the white light of the lighthouse on the long stone breakwater, one long beam followed by one short beam. No one spoke as he motored closer to the port and swung the boat into its more sheltered waters. The police launch was mooring up on the visitors’ berths of the marina, which he had left two hours ago. He throttled down and eased the boat on to the pontoon. Strathen alighted and tied off. Marvik silenced the engine. Still no one spoke. Crowder’s phone went. He stepped out on to the deck to answer it. Returning, his face grim, he said, ‘Stephen Landguard and his mother, Meryl, have been found. Meryl in the garden, strangled. Stephen in the house. No visible signs of death. Looks like an overdose.’
Marvik nodded solemnly. Another person he had failed to save.
Crowder turned to Helen. ‘We’ll get you a hotel room for now.’
‘Where?’
‘Southampton. Unless there’s somewhere else you’d like to go?’
‘No, that will be fine,’ she said with a glance at Strathen.
There would be a full debriefing somewhere in a neutral and secure location. Marvik knew they’d see Helen again.
She rose and picked up her rucksack. Her eyes flicked between them. She made to speak, then decided that perhaps there was too much to say and she didn’t know how to say it anyway. To Strathen, Crowder said, ‘There’s a car waiting to drop you back to Cuckmere Haven.’
‘Thanks.’
Strathen turned to Marvik as they watched Crowder and Helen walk down the pontoon towards the marina car park. ‘She’ll be OK,’ he said. Marvik wasn’t certain if Strathen was really reassuring himself.
‘Are you coming back here tonight?’ Marvik asked.
‘No, I’ll head home.’
‘I’m also leaving. No need to stay here any longer.’
Strathen understood, as Marvik knew he would. There was no need for him to explain that he needed to put distance between himself and the place where so many deaths had occurred. As Strathen walked away, he said, ‘Let me know when and if you want that disk opened.’
Marvik nodded. He cast off and swung the boat out of Newhaven Harbour into the black expanse of the sea and headed for the Solent, the Isle of Wight and the solitude of his cottage.