Page 47 of An Eye for an Eye

‘If you don’t believe me, guv,’ said Mumford, as he opened the small drawer in his bedside table, ‘I’m happy for you to read the letter Mr Faulkner sent me, as well as show you the photograph of the Monet.’

He handed the envelope over. Ross studied the familiar hand and the photo for some time before passing them both to Rebecca.

Mumford was still smiling. ‘It’s not as good as the Murillo I did that ended up in the Prado, which was what got me banged up in the first place.’

Ross would, as William had suggested, have liked to extract Mumford’s toenails slowly, one by one, but he suspected Rebecca wouldn’t approve.

Both Chief Superintendent Warwick and Inspector Hogan returned to the Yard empty-handed.

•••

‘Have you forgotten, Mumford,’ said Booth Watson, ‘that I told you never to call me under any circumstances?’

‘But Inspector Hogan visited me in prison this morning and asked some awkward questions,’ insisted Mumford.

‘I warned you he would, and gave you the answers.’

‘I know, but he threatened to …’

‘Sticks and stones,’ said Booth Watson.

‘But I had to admit it was my drawing.’

‘Proving nothing,’ said Booth Watson. ‘They don’t have a shred of evidence that would stand up in court, otherwise he would have arrested you.’

‘I’m meant to be getting out of here in a month’s time, Mr Booth Watson,’ Mumford reminded him.

‘And you still will,’ responded Booth Watson, ‘as long as you can keep your mouth shut.’

‘Not a word, I promise you,’ said Mumford. ‘I’m a great admirer of Mr Faulkner.’

‘And if it should ever cross your mind to turn Queen’s evidence,’ said Booth Watson, ‘you ought to be aware that Mr Faulkner considers the death penalty shouldn’t have been abolished for sheep stealing.’

‘Got the message,’ stammered Mumford.

‘And one more message before you go,’ said Booth Watson, ‘and I mean go – don’t call this number again unless youwant a visit from someone a lot more unpleasant than Inspector Hogan. Think about it.’

Mumford thought about it.

•••

The full team met later that afternoon in the Hawk’s office. Once William and Ross had delivered their reports, the Commander knew he’d been left with a difficult choice. ‘My personal responsibility is the allocation of time and resources – neither of them infinite – for any particular project, so I have to decide if pursuing Faulkner is the best use of our time, and whether we should be concentrating on more important issues.’

‘Like what?’ said Ross jumping in.

‘Like being responsible for the Saudis when they land on our shores in just over three weeks’ time, while our masters attempt to close a deal worth billions. Should anything go wrong there, the consequences will be far more lasting than trying to put Faulkner behind bars for another twelve months. It doesn’t help that we have almost no proof he was involved in any crime in the first place, or even if itwasa crime. Meanwhile, Simon Hartley is languishing in a foreign jail for a murder he didn’t commit, while Inspector Hogan is meant to be protecting the one witness who could be responsible for saving his life.’

Ross frowned. ‘So Faulkner gets away with it yet again?’

‘Not for much longer, I suspect,’ said the Hawk, ‘because the more Faulkner believes he’s invincible, the bigger risks he will take, until he finally takes one risk too many. What we have to decide, at this moment in time, is what our first priority should be: Faulkner and a drawing that is alreadyback in place, or Hartley, who is still in jail, and a Saudi contract that would guarantee thousands of jobs for our fellow countrymen.’

‘I reluctantly agree with you,’ said William, taking them all by surprise, ‘though after all my wife has been through because of that man, it isn’t always easy to see the bigger picture.’

‘Understandably,’ said the Hawk, ‘and—’

‘I don’t agree,’ said Ross, butting in. ‘I know it could be said that I’m also personally involved, but don’t expect me to be pleased that we’re letting Faulkner off the hook.’

‘Not for too long, I suspect,’ came back the Hawk. ‘Paul, what do you think, as you’re not someone who’s personally involved?’

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