Next in Line (William Warwick, #5)(71)

‘So, we’re down to a shortlist of about a hundred thousand,’ said William.

‘But I know you have a unit at Scotland Yard whose sole purpose is to keep an eye on anyone with terrorist connections. And let’s face it, Superintendent, you now have one big advantage. You know exactly when and where he’s planning to carry out the bombing.’

‘Possibly,’ said William as he placed the brochure in an inside pocket. ‘If your information turns out to be accurate, you can be assured I’ll personally inform Mr Booth Watson of the valuable role you played in preventing a serious terrorist attack, and recommend he raises the matter with your trial judge before he passes sentence.’

‘That’s the last thing I want you to do,’ said Miles, once again taking William by surprise. ‘But if my information turns out to be kosher, the next person I’ll want to see won’t be Booth Watson but your father, as I have something even bigger to offer him.’

William could not come up with a suitable reply. ‘I can’t make any promises, but I will pass your message on to him,’ he said eventually as Rebecca continued to write down every word. ‘Is there anything else you want to tell me before we leave?’

‘No, but you can be sure I’ll be watching the Last Night of the Proms on the television in my cell, Superintendent. I can never resist joining in the chorus of “Land of Hope and Glory”.’

It was now William’s turn to take Faulkner by surprise. ‘What was the book you were reading when we came in?’

‘Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig. Are you familiar with his work?’

‘Can’t say I am,’ said William.

‘Then I can recommend him. When you’re stuck in here all day,’ said Miles, looking around the crowded shelves, ‘you read a lot. Usually a chapter is more than enough for me, but that was until I came across Zweig, who can transport me out of this place for hours at a time. It’s about the only good thing that’s happened to me since you dragged me back from Spain.’

‘Unless it turns out that you’ve foiled a terrorist attack, and saved countless innocent lives,’ suggested William as Rebecca closed her notebook.

‘Before you leave, Superintendent, may I be allowed to give you one piece of advice?’

Rebecca quickly reopened her notebook and took out her pen.

‘Please tell your wife not to trust Christina under any circumstances.’

William had at last found something on which he and Miles Faulkner could agree, but Rebecca closed her notebook and they both left without offering an opinion. Once the door was closed behind them, he turned to Rebecca and said, ‘How much of that did you believe?’

‘Every word. Not least because there’s nothing in it for him to set you up. And if his intel turns out to be reliable, the judge would have no choice but to take it into consideration when he passes sentence. What I can’t be sure about is whether Mansour Khalifah or Tareq Omar – or both of them working in tandem – are setting Faulkner up.’

‘There’s only one way we’re going to find out,’ said William as they walked back across the yard. ‘One thing’s for sure, we can’t ignore the threat. The first thing I’ll have to do when we get back to the Yard is brief the Hawk.’

‘Did Faulkner have anything worthwhile to say?’ were the governor’s first words when they returned to his office. ‘Or was it a complete waste of your time?’

‘I can’t be sure,’ said William, ‘but for the moment I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.’

‘Pity. I was looking forward to putting him in solitary with only bread and water on the menu.’

‘Not yet, governor, because if his information turns out to be reliable, we might well be returning again in the near future.’

‘So be it. Goodbye, Superintendent. And remember to give my best wishes to your commander, as I won’t be seeing him on Saturday. We’ll be sitting on opposite sides of the ground – that’s assuming the idiot still supports Arsenal.’

‘I’ll pass on your best wishes, sir.’

‘Ten points if you remember which team I support, Constable.’

‘Tottenham Hotspur.’

‘Not bad, Superintendent. And you?’

‘Chelsea, sir.’

‘I will allow vagabonds, scoundrels and even perverts to enter my prison, but not Chelsea supporters. By the way, do you have any idea who Faulkner supports?’

‘Himself,’ replied William.

? ? ?

When William got back home that evening, he found James Buchanan had arrived from the States and was sitting in the kitchen with Beth and the children, having supper.

James leapt up, shook hands with William and said, ‘Good to see you.’

‘You too,’ said William as he sat down. ‘No doubt the children have been entertaining you.’

‘They sure have. I’ve been learning all about Artemisia’s new best friend – Princess Diana.’

‘The long or the short version?’ asked William.

‘I was about half-way through when you walked in,’ said Artemisia, ‘and was just about to tell James …’

‘James didn’t come to London to talk about Princess Diana.’