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Day Three
Gandalph sat in the DCI’s office. Thurstan was pacing up and down by the window. He stopped. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Boss, it just sort of happened so quick. You either weren’t here or were holed up in your office with someone and he kept catching me on the hop.” He looked up at Thurstan in desperate apology.
“Somehow, he can be very persuasive, Boss, and I only went to meet him in Lark Lane because I thought he should know there was interest being shown by some sort of Government spooks, you know, the proper ones, the ones we’re supposed to know about. I thought he might be in danger if he didn’t.”
Thurstan sat down again. “Well, I’m annoyed you didn’t say anything earlier. It cuts down my options somewhat.”
The DCI rubbed a hand across his chin several times. “Look, at the end of the day, I got you involved in this and I apologise for that. I should have made a point of checking regularly with you instead of putting the burden on your shoulders.” He suddenly looked up over Gandalph’s head.
Outside, in the main room, someone held up a coffee mug and pointed at the smaller office. Thurstan acknowledged and held up two fingers.
Gandalph said, “It’s the other way around, Boss. You’ve just told them to ‘Fuck off’.”
Correction made, those in the main office on ‘brew duty’ walked off mimicking Thurstan’s signing ability and laughing.
Gandalph thought he needed to make up some ground with his DCI’s trust. “The landline the Lancashire bobbies gave us. They traced it to Wanderer Haulage and Transport Solutions. It’s the main company affiliated to Pilgrim and Hobo. Wanderer is registered to Ed Warren. Their HQ registered phone number is a different one so I called it and spoke to someone. I think it was his secretary. I asked if Ed still worked there and she said ‘Mister Warren? Yes, but he won’t be in until this afternoon.’ So I asked if he had a mobile and she gave me the number Lancs gave us earlier.”
He saw the question on the DCI’s face and became defensive. “First opportunity to tell you, Boss. I’ve only just done it about thirty minutes ago. I just felt the bobby at Lancs County wasn’t telling me everything. Anyway, that number on Frankie Ellis’s phone was Ed Warren’s landline, direct to his office. I verified it with the same woman.”
Thurstan shook his head. “Why on earth would he phone Ellis from his traceable landline? According to Pennyborough, everything else was done on the unregistered mobile?”
“Beats me, Boss.”
Thurstan twiddled his pen thoughtfully. “And you reckon Warren didn’t have the finances to buy these firms?”
“No, Boss. I can’t be certain though. It needs an expert on it.”
“Someone’s probably pay-rolled him then. I’ll speak to Lizzie and see if the FIU have the capacity to give this a good look.” He paused. “Have you told Nickson this?”
“I didn’t tell him about the landline connection but I did tell him Lisa MacMahon sold the companies to Ed Warren. He doesn’t know I already know Warren’s home address but it won’t take him long to locate the company HQ. It’s on the open internet.” He felt he was losing ground again.
Thurstan saw it and gave him a reassuring smile. “Not a big issue. We just have to get to Warren before Nickson and his little pal do.” He stood up and opened the door to be handed two coffees.
“Couldn’t find your cup, Boss, so you’ve got one of the spares,” the DC said.
Thurstan looked over at Gandalph. “Fancy a biscuit?”
“A Hobnob would be nice, Boss.”
Thurstan smiled at the DC. “Any chance of a couple of Hobnobs and three custard creams?”
He sat in the comfy guest chair, it was less formal and he thought it might help Gandalph relax a bit. “Right, Stephen. Let’s go through it again just so I’m clear on what we know and don’t know.” The biscuits arrived and he picked one and waved it around. “Pennyborough’s coughed being involved in the murder at the cottage and we have forensic on him anyway through the earring found there. He says Frankie Ellis was the one who did all the messaging between them and the paymaster.” He paused to munch on the biscuit.
Gandalph dunked a Hobnob and nodded in agreement.
Through a mouthful of custard cream, Thurstan continued. “Frankie gets greedy and arranges a meet with the paymaster which culminates in his getting one to the head. However, on his phone is the mobile number that called him last, probably to sort out the meeting, and a landline number that’s been traced to Ed Warren’s own office and according to the secretary the mobile number is the same one she’s got for him.”
A door tap and DS Alison Murphy entered with a sheet of paper in her hand. “I thought I’d print this off for you, Boss. It’s an email the SIO for the Ellis murder sent me. I’ve forwarded it to you but I know you often struggle to check your mail regularly.”
He took the paper from her hand. “Thanks, Alison. Any problems? I know I couldn’t remember her name but you found her ok?”
She grinned and did a skittish little sway. “It was fine. It turns out we were at training school together and we haven’t seen each other for years. We’re going to meet up for a drink next weekend.” She turned, took a custard cream and left.
He read the note then passed it to Gandalph. “Things get better. Our female murder victim’s thumb print was found on a packet of unused condoms in Frankie Ellis’s pocket, so that ties him in to our job even closer than just Pennyborough’s account.” He leant forward for the last Hobnob but his DC, seemingly unaware, got there first.
Thurstan dunked a solitary custard cream. “Tell Lancs County about your call and make sure we’ve all got the same info regarding Warren. They’re going to have to arrest him sometime soon.”