Page 89 of Traitors Gate

‘And you were convinced by the man who took his place this morning?’

‘Completely taken in,’ admitted the Governor. ‘He was every inch a Lord Chamberlain. Gilbert and Sullivan couldn’t have cast him better.’

‘Can you describe him?’ asked William, still on the move.

‘About six one, sixtyish, well-built like a former athlete. He was wearing a black velvet-collared overcoat, grey scarf and a bowler hat, and as it was raining at the time, he put up his umbrella as he got out of the car.’

‘But once you were inside the building?’

‘You must remember, Superintendent, once you’ve entered the Jewel House, it’s almost pitch black. The only lights are directed on to the cases containing the Crown Jewels. In fact, now I remember, while the sword and crown were being transferred into their boxes, he stood some way back.’

‘No doubt to avoid being picked up by any CCTV cameras. It’s clear now that everything had been planned down to the finest detail. You’ve got to hand it to him,’ said William.

‘We did,’ said the Governor, with some feeling.

‘What about his voice, accent, demeanour, didn’t anything cause you to think twice?’

‘On the contrary,’ came back the Governor. ‘He was to the manner born, even wore an Old Harrovian tie, which I knew was the Lord Chamberlain’s alma mater.’

A thought crossed William’s mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

‘And when Haskins immediately recognized his driver, I assumed …’

‘Haskins?’

‘The Chief Yeoman.’

‘I need to speak to him immediately,’ said William as they reached the Jewel House. ‘Immediately.’

49 MINUTES

Danny screeched to a halt when he reached the spot where Paul had seen the two cars driving away in the opposite direction. Paul leapt out of the car and turned a slow circle as he scanned the landscape. To his left, the Tower, behind him Tower Hill tube station, while in front of him was a fine example of early English architecture, next to which was a large blue sign with an arrow pointing to the nearest NCP car park.

‘That has to be where they’ve dumped the two cars,’ said Danny, his eye following the direction the arrow indicated. He was about to take off when Paul said, ‘I don’t think so.’

He was staring at the church noticeboard on the other side of the road. All Hallows by the Tower. He started to run across the zebra crossing with Danny following in his wake.

48 MINUTES

The Governor introduced William to the Chief Yeoman, and even before he had a chance to ask his first question, the oldsoldier said, ‘I should never have allowed this to happen on my watch.’

‘I don’t think anyone will blame you, Haskins,’ said the Governor. ‘After all—’

‘Alarm bells should have rung the moment I first saw Harris driving the Lord Chamberlain’s car.’

‘Why?’ said William. ‘It was the usual car with the correct number plates, so why should you have been at all suspicious?’

‘Because Phil Harris invited me to a farewell party that had already taken place.’

‘How do you know that?’ asked William.

‘Because one of my mates attended the bash and hasn’t stopped telling everyone since. Held at Buck House with …’

‘So you’ve known Harris for some time?’ said William as an out-of-breath Jackie appeared by his side, a bulky file under one arm.

‘For the past eleven years, so I didn’t need much convincing.’

‘But what about the Lord Chamberlain?’

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