The Longest Pleasure by Douglas Clark

Author:Douglas Clark [Clark, Douglas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 2019-03-07T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Green was thoughtful on the boat journey to the island. He stood on deck silent for some time, allowing the breeze to ruffle his hair and clothing, as though wrestling with some mental problem. Eventually he joined Masters who was sitting on a slatted seat on the lee side, smoking and watching the movement of the water as the tub-like vessel nudged its way towards Cowes.

“George.”

“Yes, Bill?” Masters moved to make room for Green.

“We’ll be working on the Chief Constable of Hampshire’s patch. Is he going to like it?”

“As to that, I can’t say, Bill.”

“You didn’t phone him to say we were coming?”

“No. But I’m not disregarding the courtesies. Bob Wigglesworth has sent a Home Office circular letter to all authorities.”

“Saying what?”

“Basically to warn them that there is a widespread botulism outbreak which could reach their patches and to be on the look-out and to liaise with Health Authorities if their drills for coping with such emergencies are a little rusty.”

“Does it mention us?”

“Anderson saw it and says it leaves us free to operate where we like. It apparently says that you and I are co-ordinating the enquiries . . .”

“Into the criminal background?”

“Lest there should be criminal activity is how it has been worded. All authorities have been required to offer us full co-operation at any time during the investigation, which is of a national character, etcetera, etcetera.”

“So nobody will mind us just dropping in?”

“In theory, no. In practice . . .” He shrugged. “We’ll try to oil the wheels, Bill, and not to be too imperious.”

“Good. But it has occurred to me that since you’d had one brush with these people . . .”

“Of a very minor nature.”

“But duly reported by PC Plod and his sergeant in case of repercussions.”

“I suppose so.”

“And if, on top of that, this longshot of yours should fail . . .”

Masters looked at him and grinned. “Bill, I believe you are anxious that I should not make myself look a proper Charlie—as indeed I would if, after being angry with some of their people, I then fell down on the job. Is that it?”

“Something of the sort.”

“What are you suggesting? That I play this low-key?”

Green nodded.

“Are you really frightened I’m making a nonsense of this?”

“Not frightened you’re making a nonsense of it. I’m just frightened of the case itself. We’ve never had one like this before—as important as this, I mean, where we’re faced with tracking down a multi-murderer who may be killing people as we sit here. I said it was a bastard right from the beginning, and everybody else—you, Anderson, Doris, Wanda, everybody—says there’s need for speed. As if we didn’t know.”

“What’s your point, Bill?”

“There isn’t any case, George. Nothing to get to grips with. Even you recognise this. You must do, otherwise you wouldn’t have been rabbiting on about longshots as you have been doing all day, and although you often play hunches, not even you would have contemplated playing this one if there’d have been one single, solid fact to work on back home.

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