Page 43 of Next in Line

‘The CPS have finally fixed a date, September fourteenth. So as long as you’re still willing to plead guilty, we should have you out of here by Christmas.’

‘Or possibly earlier.’

‘You’re planning to escape again?’ asked Booth Watson, who didn’t like being taken by surprise.

‘No. What I have in mind requires me to remain inside,’ said Miles. But he had no intention of letting BW know what he had planned for Khalifah.

‘Dare I ask?’ said Booth Watson, trying to remain calm.

‘Not until I’ve got Hawksby by the balls and he’s begging me to “enlighten” him.’

Booth Watson was about to ask … when there was a loud rap on the door.

‘Time’s up,’ said the duty officer, who remained standing in the doorway.

Booth Watson was lost for words, and even forgot to ask Mr Harris to witness Miles’s signature on the three documentsthat would have made it possible for him to book a one-way ticket to Hong Kong.

Miles rose from his place on the other side of the table and left without another word. He stepped out of the glass chamber, where Harris was waiting to escort him back to his cell. ‘Damn,’ Miles said after he’d walked a few paces. He turned around but BW had already disappeared.

‘Anything wrong, Mr Faulkner?’ said SO Harris, as a double-barred gate was locked behind him.

‘Nothing that can’t wait until next week.’

CHAPTER 17

WILLIAM GAVE HIMSELF THIRTY MINUTESto make the short journey.

It hadn’t come as a surprise to receive a summons to the palace to attend the ceremony. The commander had already fully briefed him on the role he would be expected to play. When it came to an award for bravery, he’d told him that Her Majesty would not allow any other member of the Royal Family to take her place for the presentation. After all, the medal bore her name.

He drove out of Scotland Yard and headed in the direction of Whitehall. He turned left at Trafalgar Square, passed under Admiralty Arch and onto the Mall. When the lights at the end of the Mall turned green he circled the statue of Queen Victoria, before coming to a halt outside the North Centre Gate of Buckingham Palace.

A guard checked his name on a clipboard, then directed him through the left-hand archway into a large quadrangle. Following his instructions, William parked his Mini next tothe commander’s Jaguar. Once again, the Hawk had beaten him to it.

He got out of the car, unsure where to go until he spotted the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in full dress uniform, striding out ahead of him; a man who clearly knew where he was going.

When William reached the vast double doors that heralded the state entrance to the palace, his name was taken once again before a page, bedecked in gold – who could have stepped out of an earlier century – led him silently up a wide, red-carpeted staircase, to the first floor.

‘If you go through the Long Gallery, sir,’ said the page, ‘the Throne Room is on your right.’

William glanced at his watch; there were still twelve minutes before the ceremony was due to begin, so he walked very slowly down the centre of the Long Gallery. The room was as wide as a country road, and the walls that towered high above him were littered with pictures. He stopped to admire so many paintings that until then, he’d only seen inThe Queen’s Pictures, a book his father had given him when he was a boy. He came to a halt when he reached Van Dyck’sCharles IandHenrietta Maria.He had to take a step back to fully appreciate the large portrait, almost colliding with another guest.

‘Good morning, sir,’ said DS Adaja.

‘Morning, Paul,’ said William without turning round. ‘Beth’s going to be so envious,’ he added, unable to hide a smirk.

‘I doubt she’d even have made it to the Throne Room,’ said Paul. ‘And neither will we if we don’t get a move on.’

William reluctantly followed him, trying to take in a Canaletto and a Van Dyck before he finally entered the Throne Room. Once again, the phrase, ‘took your breath away’, seemedinadequate for what he saw in front of him. He stood for a moment and admired the vast crystal chandelier suspended from the high ceiling in the centre of the room, but then his eyes were drawn to the two high-backed red thrones perched on a raised dais at the far end of the room, on which only two people were entitled to sit. The huge room was filled with long lines of gold chairs that he guessed could seat a couple of hundred guests, but on this occasion, only those in the front row would be occupied. He walked slowly down the red-carpeted aisle towards the thrones. Once he had reached the front row, he spotted the Commissioner and the Hawk deep in conversation. He took his allotted seat at the far end of the row, next to Rebecca. Another ‘Good morning, sir,’ before he smiled at Ross, who was seated on her right. William was about to ask him a question, when everyone fell silent, and rose from their places. He glanced to his left, to watch his boss make her entrance.

So tiny, was his immediate thought, as the Queen walked past them. He wondered if she would sit on her throne, but she came to a halt on the step leading up to the dais, and turned to face her audience.

A gentleman usher indicated with a slight wave of the hand that they should all be seated, while another handed the Queen her speech. William remained standing.

‘First, may I welcome you, and say how glad we are you were all able to join me for this special occasion.’

William couldn’t help wondering who would have a more pressing engagement.

‘We have all gathered today to acknowledge the service given by a remarkable individual, who can surely be described as no ordinary woman.’ She paused to turn a page of her script. ‘When she was called upon to do her duty, she did nothesitate to put her life on the line. As a result of her extraordinary courage a ruthless terrorist was brought to justice.’ The Queen looked up and smiled. ‘So, it gives me considerable pleasure to award Detective Sergeant Jacqueline Michelle Roycroft the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, allowing her to join that select group of police officers who have received the honour and, in her case, the first woman.’

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