‘How?’ Adrian sounded interested for the first time.
‘Have you ever considered becoming a gamekeeper, rather than a poacher?’
‘Why would I want to be a grass? People are killed for less.’
‘Because together, we might do something worthwhile.’
‘You must be joking, Choirboy.’
‘I couldn’t be more serious. You could help me put the real criminals behind bars. The ones who supply drugs to children in school playgrounds, and ruin young lives. That might convince your girlfriend you’ve turned over a new leaf.’
Another long silence followed. William was beginning to fear his appeal had fallen on deaf ears when Adrian suddenly opened up.
‘What would I have to do?’
‘I need to find out the name of the man who controls all the drug operations south of the river, and where his main factory is.’
‘And I’d like a million pounds in cash and two one-way tickets to Brazil,’ said Adrian.
‘Two one-way tickets to Brazil might be possible,’ said William. ‘Now all we need to discuss is the price.’
‘I’ll let you know just how much I expect, Choirboy, but not before the magistrate lets me off with a warning.’
4
‘ROCKET,’ SAID A young man who was addressing a small group of schoolchildren gathered around the ancient steam engine, ‘was built in the 1820s by the renowned locomotive engineer Robert Stephenson.’
‘Robert Louis Stevenson?’ enquired a piping voice from the front row.
‘No,’ said the guide. ‘Robert Louis Stevenson was the distinguished children’s author, who wrote Treasure Island and hailed from Edinburgh, not Northumbria.’
William smiled as he stood at the back of the group listening to a lecture he’d first heard twenty years before, when his mother had taken him to the museum.
‘Mr Stephenson won first prize at the locomotive trials held at Rainhill in Lancashire in 1829, when—’
William’s thoughts were interrupted when he felt a gloved hand touch his shoulder. He didn’t look round.
‘Good of you to see me, Rocket Man,’ said a voice he immediately recognized. ‘All things considered.’
‘My boss is still determined to put your husband behind bars,’ replied William, not wasting any time on small talk.
‘Amen to that,’ said Christina. ‘But there’s not a lot I can do while we’re still in the middle of a rather acrimonious divorce, just in case you hadn’t noticed, Detective Constable Warwick.’
William didn’t correct her.
‘Five locomotives competed for the five-hundred-pound prize,’ continued the museum guide. ‘Cycloped, Novelty, Perseverance, Sans Pareil and, of course, Stephenson’s Rocket. Mr Stephenson’s 0-2-2 engine won by a country mile.’
William turned around to look at Christina. She was dressed in a low-cut cotton dress that stopped well above the knees and left little to the imagination. She was clearly on the lookout for her second husband.
‘Can you think of any other crimes, however minor, that he might have committed during the past five years?’ he asked.
‘Too many to mention, but you can be sure he will have covered his tracks more thoroughly than a Highland poacher. Though what I can tell you,’ she went on, ‘is that following the recent Rembrandt trial, Miles is no longer bothering to rob art galleries, or the homes of wealthy art collectors, as there isn’t an insurance company left that will do business with him.’
‘He’s not the sort of man to stand in line waiting for the next bus, so do you have any idea what his latest scam is?’
‘I only wish I did. Though I have a feeling Mr Booth Watson QC remains the common thread with the criminal fraternity. That man’s quite happy to represent any crook who can afford his fees. In fact, I suspect he does most of his networking during prison visits.’
‘Following Rocket’s successful trial, it became the accepted prototype for all steam engines, and remains, to this day, the most significant breakthrough in the history of locomotion.’
William tried a long shot. ‘Has your husband ever taken drugs?’
‘Marijuana occasionally, but who hasn’t? He’s certainly not an addict.’
‘You can still get six months if you’re caught in possession of marijuana, and added to his suspended four-year sentence—’
‘If he was caught, Booth Watson would appear on his behalf, and claim you’d lit the joint for him.’
‘Having captured the prestigious prize, Stephenson was awarded the contract to build seven more locomotives for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company.’
‘All I can tell you is that since I’ve moved out of Limpton Hall, Miles has started hosting all-night parties, and I’d be surprised if one or two of his friends didn’t snort coke or even worse. But you’d still have to get past the front gates to catch them at it, and so far, you’re the only policeman who’s ever managed that – and just in case you’ve forgotten, Miles was away at the time. In any case, I can’t see a magistrate issuing a search warrant on such flimsy grounds as you suspecting that somebody just might be smoking pot during a private dinner party.’
‘At the opening ceremony of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830, Rocket struck a local member of parliament while he was standing on the track, and his injuries sadly proved fatal.’
‘Mind you, I’m still in touch with our old housekeeper, so if I hear anything, I could let you know.’
‘Please do,’ said William, turning back towards the lecturer.
‘After Rocket completed its final run in 1862, the L and MR donated Stephenson’s masterpiece to the Science Museum, where it has resided to this day.’
‘Anything else, detective constable?’ asked Christina. ‘I’m already late for my lunch at the Ritz.’
‘If you were able to find out the date of his next party—’
‘You’ll be the first to hear, William,’ she said before slipping quietly away.
‘That’s the end of my little talk,’ said the guide. ‘If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them.’
Several hands shot up as William turned to leave. But then, all his questions had been answered.
William was waiting for a train at South Kensington tube station, on his way back to Scotland Yard, when he spotted him standing on the opposite platform, looking like any commuter on his way to work. William recognized him immediately; he was even carrying the same Tesco shopping bag. The moment their eyes met, Tulip immediately turned and began running towards the nearest exit. That was his first mistake. Instead of getting on the next train, he’d made a run for it.
William charged up the escalator steps two at a time. As he approached the barrier, he saw Tulip handing his ticket to a collector, who, after checking it, looked puzzled. William didn’t stop running and flashed his warrant card at the collector without breaking his stride. He began to gain on his prey, but then this time he was sober.
Each time Tulip looked back over his shoulder, William had gained a precious yard. But then he stopped to hail a passing cab and leapt inside. Tulip’s second mistake. William was just a couple of yards adrift when the cab moved off, and it had only travelled a hundred yards before it stopped at a red light. William treated the chase like an Olympic final, and was only a few strides from the tape when the light turned amber. He grabbed the cab door and was still holding on when the light turned to green, causing the driver to slam on his brakes.