Nothing Ventured(66)
William looked up at his boss, tears streaming down his face.
“What’s wrong, William?” asked Hawksby, sitting down next to him.
“How long have you known?”
Hawksby didn’t reply immediately. “Since the theft of the Rembrandt, we’ve done regular background checks on everyone who works at the Fitzmolean, and her father’s name popped up. I discussed the problem with Bruce after you started seeing her, and we both assumed she must have told you about her father.”
“I’ve only just found out.”
“I’m very sorry,” said Hawksby, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We all know how you feel about her, and Jackie warned us that it could be serious.”
“I’ve just discovered how serious,” said William. “Now I don’t know what to do.”
“If I were advising you, I’d suggest you tell your father everything. He’s a shrewd and thoughtful man, and one thing’s for sure, he won’t just give you the answer you want to hear.”
“Do you remember the case, sir?”
“Not well, but I do recall the two officers involved, Stern and Clarkson. DI Stern retired soon after the trial ended, and frankly it wasn’t a day too soon. But now you know, what are you going to do about it?”
“Go home and wait for Beth to get back from Pentonville.”
“Why not go straight to the prison? Be there when she comes out, so you can take her home.”
William didn’t answer, just sat staring into the distance as if he hadn’t heard him.
“And if you’re going to make it in time,” added Hawksby, looking at his watch, “you’d better get a move on.”
“Of course you’re right, sir,” said William. He jumped up, grabbed his coat, and dashed toward the door, only turning back to say, “Thank you.”
Once he was out on the street, William hailed the first taxi he spotted.
“Where to, guv?”
“Pentonville prison.”
“That’s all I need,” mumbled the cabbie as William climbed in the back.
“What’s the problem?”
“There couldn’t be a worse journey for a cab driver.”
“How come?”
“If you take someone to Pentonville, you never get a return fare, because most of them are in for life!” William laughed, which he wouldn’t have thought possible only a few minutes ago. “Are you checkin’ in or just visitin’?”
“Picking up my girlfriend.”
“I didn’t know there were women prisoners at Pentonville.”
“There aren’t. She’s visiting her father.”
“Nothing serious, I hope.”
“Murder.”
The long silence that followed allowed William to compose his thoughts, and plan what he would say when Beth saw him standing outside the prison. She would be shocked at first, possibly unable to believe he wanted to share her problems, and not walk away.
The cab swung off the main road and headed down a side street toward a high brick wall that almost blocked out the sun. They came to a halt at a barrier, when the driver said, “This is as far as I’m allowed to go.”
William stared up at a vast wooden gate. A sign outside read HMP PENTONVILLE.
“Will you be going in, guv?”
“No, I’ll wait outside.”
“Do you want me to drive you both back into town?”
“Not possible, I’m afraid,” said William after he’d checked the meter and handed over his last couple of pounds. “I’ve barely got enough to cover the bus ride back.”
“Have this one on me, guv. I’ve got to go back in any case.”
“That’s very generous of you, but it could be some time before—”
“Not a problem. And it might make up for me not minding my own business.”
“Thank you,” said William, as a side door opened that allowed only one person at a time to leave the prison. A trickle of visitors began to emerge onto the street.
For many of those who had been visiting relatives or friends this was just another Saturday afternoon. But some crept away with their heads bowed, while others clearly wanted to escape as quickly as possible. Mothers, fathers, wives, girlfriends, some carrying babies, all of them with a story to tell. And then she appeared, looking drained, tears streaming down her face. When Beth first saw him she froze, clearly horrified that she’d been found out.
William walked quickly toward her and took her in his arms.
“I love you,” he said, “and I always will.”
He felt her body slump, and he almost had to hold her up.
Several visitors walked past them as she continued to cling on to him, like a prisoner who had just been released.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, not letting go of him. “I should have told you when we first met, but it became more difficult as each day passed. I didn’t plan to fall in love with you. Can you ever forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” said William, taking her hand. He opened the cab door for Beth before joining her in the back.
“Where to, guv?”
“Thirty-two Fulham Gardens,” he said as Beth rested her head on his shoulder.