by Bill James
When she had gone, Ember went into the loft at the Monty and looked out a Heckler and Koch pistol, new, of course, and able to fire untraceables. Almost everyone had switched to H and Ks these days, including the police.
Chapter Ten
Harpur read the front page of the Evening Register to Iles in the Assistant Chief’s suite. He liked being read to sometimes and would sit contentedly listening with one eye shut. A while ago, he’d told Harpur that this took him back to childhood and his mother going through the Uncle elephant story books for him at bedtime.
‘A very flattering comparison, sir, if I may say,’ Harpur had replied, ‘– your mother.’
‘Oh, I didn’t much like her. The tales were good, though. Not everyone likes Uncle, the elephant. They find him arrogant and vain. For myself, I loved him. Yes. He warred constantly against evil, as represented by the Badfort Crowd. Perhaps that won me. Did your mother ever read to you? What would it be, form articles from the Racing Times?’
Now, Harpur began: ‘ “Marina Murder and Mayhem, by crime correspondent Kate Mead.
‘ “A prominent local businessman was shot dead yesterday near his luxury home and only a few hundred yards from his marina office complex. Two of his associates, with him at the time, were severely injured and rushed to hospital where they remain in a critical condition. Because of its ruthlessness and expert planning, detectives believe there could be a gangland element to the shooting.
‘ “Police were today examining a burned-out car possibly used in the attack. Marina residents and office staffs are shocked by the outburst of violence in a normally quiet, prestige area. Detective Chief Inspector Francis Garland, who is in charge of the case, said: ‘This was an appalling crime in one of the city’s most sought after districts. It is essential that the attacker or attackers are detained very soon.’
‘ “Hilaire Wilfrid Chandor, 41, the dead man, had recently arrived in the city from London to establish a property business, H.W.C. Developments. The two men injured are executives of the company.
‘ “The shootings took place at lunchtime yesterday. Mr Chandor usually left the office at a little before 1 p.m. and walked to his home in Cape Matapan Terrace, which he occupied with his partner, Fiona Raegi and their son, Lance, aged seven, who attends Mayflower Preparatory School. Ms Raegi has a part-time post in H.W.C. Developments.
‘ “Neighbours say Mr Chandor was almost always accompanied by at least two members of the firm, as if for security. Police are investigating whether he had received threats, possibly from business rivals and perhaps with a London connection.
‘ “A near neighbour who did not wish to be named told the Register: ‘I heard a car outside at about 1 p.m. and then the sound of what I thought at first to be fireworks. I went to the window and saw Mr Chandor lying on the pavement. There was a blood patch on the pavement near his head. Two other men lay close by. One of them attempted to get to his feet but fell back. Mr Chandor and the other man were totally still. The car I’d heard had disappeared. I went to the telephone and dialled 999. The police arrived within five minutes.’
‘ “Although business rivalry is regarded as one possible motive, DCI Garland said he was keeping an open mind at this stage. Nothing was taken from any of the men and robbery has been discounted. Police would not disclose the make of car found burned out. DCI Garland said the efficiency of the attack could suggest a professional hit man or team.
‘ “Ms Raegi and Lance were being comforted today by relatives and neighbours. A member of the family said Ms Raegi was too upset to talk to the Press at this juncture. Cape Matapan Terrace is a quiet side road of red-brick, marina-style town houses. It is believed Ms Raegi was in the kitchen at the rear of the house when the shootings took place and did not know of the attack until neighbours alerted her.
‘ “Although police would not comment on the nature of the injuries, the Register understands that Mr Chandor was killed by two bullets in the head. The two colleagues injured are Mr Rufus Vincent Esham, 37, Personnel Manager for H.W.C. Developments, and Maurice Spencer Corl, 43, Director of Strategic Planning. Both are in Intensive Care at Paston Hospital. Mr Esham was hit in the abdomen and Mr Corl in the chest. Paston confirmed today that both men remain critical.
‘ “Police say they have little to go on at this juncture except the abandoned car but are conducting house to house inquiries on the marina. It is likely the attacker or attackers switched vehicles in their getaway and that the torched vehicle was stolen.
‘ “It is not clear whether property was Mr Chandor’s only business activity. It is believed he might have wished to diversify and that this could have brought him into confrontation with established local firms. Mr Chandor had previous business interests in the Eltham district of London.
‘ “The local business community were shocked by the incident at Cape Matapan Terrace. Because of his comparatively recent arrival in the city, he was still not very well known, but one prominent local businessman who also wished to remain anonymous said: ‘He had seemed to be settling in very well. This is a very regrettable setback and will cause all members of the commercial community considerable anxiety.’ ” ’
Iles, back to two-eyed mode, said: ‘Hint, hint. But, OK, she’s doing her best to tell what has to be told, yet can’t be, because there’s too much unknown. Someone hires a marksman, or marksmen, to take out Chandor and those guilty by association, Col?’
‘ “Someone” being Trove’s woman?’
‘We have no Trove body, though.’
‘Chandor does some genuine property and building work. Classic.’
‘Ah,’ Iles replied. ‘Then again, perhaps Ralphy or Manse don’t like the potential opposition as Chandor tries to “diversify”, and act themselves, or put their people on to it. Plus, Chandor might have already given all kinds of actual, infuriating offence.’
‘What are you thinking of, sir – Manse’s staircase as glimpsed from Matilda’s little bedroom?’
‘Chandor could be the kind who dishes out plenty of disrespect and threats,’ Iles replied. ‘And then there’s Manse’s new chauffeur, isn’t there? Eldon. He looked capable and short-fused to me. I don’t suppose the girl herself can use an automatic, can she?’
‘Goss?’
‘She’s probably got a rough side. How else would she be with Trove?’
‘You, personally, thought Chandor should be removed, didn’t you, in the interests of order?’ Harpur replied. ‘The Forensic people say H and K shells, but everyone has H and Ks these days, haven’t they, as well as you – I mean, us?’
Iles glared, very two-eyed, across the desk. ‘Do I see a news pic of that fucker Garland?’ he said. ‘Yes, the word – fucker.’ Harpur was holding up the Register as he browsed the inside pages, accidentally and foolishly giving Iles a view of Page 1. There had been a time when Sarah Iles seemed to panic in her marriage and turned for a while to Garland and, of course, to Harpur. The ACC transformed himself into anguished shouter once more. ‘Garland – that smug-looking, lesser-breed sod. He’s another of your atrocious sort, isn’t he, Harpur? Tell me this, was he before or after you with my wife?’
‘Ralphy has a letter on Page 6 of the Register that –’
‘Sarah and I can smile together about those incredible, grubby episodes now. Oh, yes, we smile. Episodes. Episodes, Harpur. And you can tell Garland the same. That’s how we regard them. We are civilized, we are adult. We are strong. We have come through.’
‘That’s a quote, isn’t it, sir?’
‘But I don’t understand what in God’s name she could see in either of –’
‘Ralphy has a letter on Page 6 criticizing the water authorities for still not doing enough about river pollution and a heavy decline of trout population,’ Harpur said. ‘This is despite previous published appeals by him on the subject. He goes as Ralph W. Ember when writing to the Press.’
Iles nodded economically and swam gracefully back to the present, like a very hale fish. ‘Sometimes, only s
ometimes, Harpur, things work themselves out satisfactorily without too much involvement on our part,’ he said pleasantly, patiently, the voice of masterful overview – civilized, adult, strong, having come through.
‘Francis Garland believes it’s going to be very tough to fix these shootings on anyone.’
‘I believe it. If Francis can’t crack this, nobody will,’ Iles said. ‘He’s a very gifted officer.’
‘Oh, certainly, sir.’
‘I feel badly about Chandor’s woman, and the son – that kind of violence on our ground, Col. So sad.’ Iles paused. Harpur always worried about Iles’s pauses. Ferocious egomania and galloping self-pity could set in during even a very short break. The ACC re-upped the volume: ‘But, then, relationships are always liable to bring suffering as well as pleasure, aren’t they, Harpur? Aren’t they, Harpur? Aren’t they? Think of the pain you and that scheming lech, Garland, brought me through your despicable –’
‘On the other hand, perhaps Meryl Goss’s suffering will be a little less if she believes the people responsible for her man’s death have been adequately dealt with now,’ Harpur replied.
‘One dead, and those two so thoughtfully named lads, Rufus and Maurice, perhaps on their way out, or uncorrectably maimed. A primitive reaction by Goss, Col, perhaps via Goss’s bravos? Comfort from a kind of clever savagery? Yet, understandable? Understandable, I think. What’s your opinion, Harpur?’
‘Well, sir, I –’
‘The way I see it, too. Enforcement of the law has to be in good hands, of course, or society will founder. But occasionally those good hands should stay, at least as far as can be seen, wisely idle.’
‘And washed, like Pilate’s?’
‘I would never endorse fait néantism,’ Iles replied.
‘Oh, hardly, sir. I can’t see you going for anything like that. They wouldn’t know how to spell it on your CV.’
‘Which historical figure was it who advocated a policy of what he called “masterly inactivity”, Col?’
‘I don’t know whether the new Chief would accept that as the way to run his domain.’
‘No, you don’t know, do you, Harpur?’
‘He’s not like Mr Lane, easy to browbeat and –’
‘How about leaving me to educate the new Chief?’ Iles said.
‘You’ve had so much practice.’
‘His fucking domain? His?’
‘Well, he’s –’
‘Things are in goodish hands, Col.’