by Roy Lewis
‘That is not so,’ Carmela replied quietly. Her eyes seemed to be searching him, as though calculating. ‘Earlier, I was not … what is the word … explicit? When I said I was not of the police. In fact, I work for the Italian military.’
‘Really? In what capacity?’ Godfrey asked.
‘I am a senior officer in the Carabinieri Art Squad. We investigate theft and the trade in illicit looted artefacts.’
There was a brief silence. Godfrey slowly finished his glass of champagne, laid it down. He glanced at his companions, raised an eyebrow, then topped up his glass. There was very little left in the bottle.
‘Didn’t I hear you were asked to show your collection on television?’ Cardinal asked. ‘You refused, didn’t you? You didn’t want the collection shown?’
‘Yes, that’s so … Another glass of champagne? I could call for another bottle.’
Cardinal glanced at Grout, shook his head and refused. He spoke to Carmela. ‘Interestingly enough, it was Professor Godfrey who first put us on the track of the Eagle of Milan.’
‘Is that so?’ Carmela asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
Godfrey frowned. ‘The Eagle of Milan? Did I? I don’t recall—’
‘You’ve heard of it, of course.’
Godfrey sipped his champagne and made no immediate reply.
‘Well, perhaps DCI Cardinal is overstating matters,’ Grout said by way of explanation to Carmela. ‘Professor Godfrey was sort of instrumental in the matter, since an interview with him led to my meeting a former student of his, Philip Proud.’ He smiled at Godfrey. ‘He spoke highly of you, for helping him get his degree.’
‘It was the least I could do,’ Godfrey muttered in a self-deprecating tone but he was clearly uneasy.
Grout stared at him coldly. ‘I suppose it was … in view of the fact that, in my view, you could well have had a hand in the disappearance of the manuscript.’
‘Me?’ A sudden chill seemed to descend in the room. There was a long silence. Godfrey sat stock still, opened his eyes wide and stared in bewilderment at Grout. Slowly his glance travelled to Cardinal, his expression showing amazement at what Grout had said. ‘I beg your pardon? What are you trying to suggest? That I had anything to do with that tawdry business? I was his supervisor! What possible motive would I have for such behaviour? Proud’s thesis was destroyed in some student prank, a rag – even though there might have been some malicious intent behind it, some trouble over a woman—’
Carmela was frowning. ‘I do not follow this discussion. What does this have to do with the flight of the Eagle?’
Cardinal waved a dismissive hand. He shrugged. ‘Perhaps DS Grout is testing an hypothesis. Merely theorizing. But you see, signorina, we’ve reached an impasse in our investigation. There is a link missing. But I begin to see what my colleague is driving at. We need to go back to the beginning. Back, to trace the sequence of events that led to a murder in Northumberland, and ending here in Amsterdam with the murder of a man I’ve been hunting down for years. In which your Eagle of Milan seems to have played some kind of role.’
‘So I’m to be made a stalking horse, a target, an excuse, for ridiculous accusations, just to get you out of an investigative difficulty?’ Godfrey asked aggressively.
‘Very good, very good, Professor Godfrey, a convincing challenge but let’s not get too excited; Grout is raising a mere suggestion, and it may well have truth in it. But let’s hear DS Grout out, shall we?’
‘I would like that,’ Carmela said quietly. ‘I fear I still do not understand. …’
‘And I fail to see. …’ Godfrey began, but Grout cut in over him.
‘Your presence here in Amsterdam, it’s probably just a coincidence, of course, but it sets me off on a new train of thought, sets up a new kind of perspective for us. Let me explain.’
Cardinal was listening intently as Grout spoke.
‘Professor, you indirectly led me to the thesis of Philip Proud. And now you’re here on your lecture tour. Is it merely chance that the man we were looking for, Gus Clifford, was also here? Waiting for a meeting? And Signorina Cacciatore, she tells us there are rumours in the air. Representatives of the museums are gathering. Here in Amsterdam. Some of them, she tells us, are, shall we say … somewhat shady. Working on the fringe of illegality. But it’s as though there might be a kind of auction going on. Something Clifford would not have wanted. But then, he’s dead now.
‘So let’s recap. Clifford was here, the Carabinieri Art Squad informants talk about some kind of important sale … and here we also have the man who supervised Philip Proud’s thesis, which the dead man at Chesters, Rigby, inspected – and which we think led to violence in the search for a long lost artefact: the Eagle brooch of the Duke of Milan. Oh, and there is also the coincidental fact that you yourself are a collector of ancient artefacts. …’
Godfrey shook his head in disdain. ‘This seems to me a mish-mash of supposition, a series of coincidences and unrelated facts – and what you seem to be seeking to tie me into I don’t understand. I’m on a lecture tour, damn it, and that’s all!’
There was a short, constrained silence. Then Carmela spoke. ‘You are a private collector who does not wish to expose his collection to the world. I think at some time I would like to inspect your collection, Professor Godfrey.’
‘It’s a private collection!’ he spat angrily. ‘I’ve simply never wanted publicity!’
‘That is what many private collectors say,’ she advised, ‘when they have something to hide.’
‘Particularly if the collection contains an important artefact … like the Eagle of the Duke of Milan,’ Grout added. He glanced at DCI Cardinal who raised an eyebrow, in silent assent. ‘Let me try to explain the way I’m thinking, Professor Godfrey. You see, we’ve been proceeding on the assumption that it was the antiques looter Gus Clifford who killed his associate Rigby. I’m largely to blame for that. I wanted it to be Clifford. The chief inspector also wanted it to be Clifford, he’s been chasing him for years. We wanted to pin the Rigby killing on him. Oh, we’re pretty sure he killed Rigby’s mistress in Sheffield all right, but my guess is that Clifford sought out this woman just to find out what Rigby was doing at Chesters. He found out, and then killed her to shut her up. Then he went after what Rigby himself had been after … the same thing, I wonder, the same thing you had been after in the first instance.’
There was a strained silence in the room now as Cardinal said quietly. ‘You’re talking about the Eagle brooch of the Duke of Milan.’
The professor was keeping his emotions under control. ‘I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about. I’ve heard vaguely the story of the Eagle’s disappearance—’ Godfrey said with the air of a completely surprised man, but Grout interrupted him again.
‘Vaguely? But you supervised Proud’s thesis! It won’t wash, Professor,’ Grout said. ‘DCI Cardinal and I, we’ve not had a chance to really discuss this, but I can now see where we went wrong in the beginning, and once we look back to the start of it, both of us could well come to the same conclusion, independently, even if all the pieces don’t yet fit into place.’
‘It’s still largely guesswork, of course,’ Cardinal said carefully.
‘But even if I say so myself, sir, it’s logical and intelligent guesswork,’ Grout insisted. ‘The fact is, on a more wide-ranging view of things, seeing the professor here, apparently innocently, after our recent experiences, I get the feeling that if we were to check through his collection of antiques I bet we’d find some stuff that’s of doubtful provenance. That’s probably why he was reluctant to have his collection displayed on television. After all, one would expect the professor would normally welcome such exposure. But he turned down the chance. I can guess why…’ He watched Godfrey carefully, waiting for a reaction. ‘Where did you get some of your stuff from? Joseph Rigby? Le Cochon? Some of the other dealers who are familiar to Signorina Cacciatore? We’ll soon find out if they have had dealings wi
th you. Now there’s been a murder involved, they’ll be keen to talk, to make a deal. … We don’t know how or when you made your contacts but we’ll find out.’
Godfrey remained silent, but his fingers were rigid as they grasped the glass in his hands.
‘I think your mistake, of course, was to let Rigby know too much. What happened? Did you approach him to break into Chesters Fort?’
‘Dear me, gentlemen, this really is—’
‘Uncomfortable? Oh come off it, Godfrey.’ Cardinal’s tone was suddenly harsh. ‘I’m with Grout on this. You read that thesis of Proud’s, you linked its finding with your own research and you guessed that the brooch stolen from Lodovico Sforza had eventually ended up in Chesters Fort.’
‘Probably cemented inside that legionary statue,’ Grout supplied, ‘where it had been hidden by Simon Bollands. You wanted it, you decided to ask Rigby to get it for you, not immediately, but near the time you planned your lecture tour. Because you wanted to take it into Europe, to fence it. It would be too big a prize for your own collection, but it would give you a huge financial boost … and it would make you rich.’
Godfrey finished his glass of champagne, but there was a slight tremor in his hand as Grout went on. ‘The trouble was Rigby got interested; you probably told him too much. His curiosity was aroused and he went to Proud, read the thesis for himself and got the message it contained. You learned of the visit and knew you’d better cover tracks in case others cottoned on, so you broke into Proud’s flat and destroyed the thesis in case Rigby, or others, got their hands on it. You didn’t want anyone else to see what it contained.’
‘We appreciate,’ Cardinal said sarcastically, ‘that you had to support his degree award thereafter. Otherwise, he might have been forced to rewrite it, or could have pressed for a closer investigation into its destruction.’
Godfrey began to rise to his feet. ‘I think this farce has gone far enough,’ he said thickly.
‘No farce,’ Grout said. ‘And you were far from laughing when you realized Rigby was after the legionary piece. Did you follow him out to Chesters Fort that night? Or maybe you went together. Whichever way it was, when he came out of the museum my guess is he told you he was keeping the statue, and what it contained. So you killed him.’
Godfrey stood staring at them. ‘I’m a bloody academic, not a killer,’ he snarled. ‘This is ridiculous. You’re making a mistake. This man Clifford you mentioned, I know nothing of him … all this other nonsense is fanciful.’
‘Clifford didn’t kill Rigby,’ Cardinal said, nodding to himself. ‘He couldn’t have done it. The time factor was against him. He’d called a meeting in London; he only cancelled it when he learned Rigby wasn’t coming. By that time Rigby was already heading for Chesters.’
‘Where you killed him,’ Grout murmured, glowering at Professor Godfrey.
‘As for Clifford, he didn’t even know about the da Vinci brooch at that stage. He didn’t know why Rigby had died.’ Cardinal glanced at Grout as he caught the hint of anger in his voice. ‘He went after Eloise Parker to find out what it was all about and she told him about the jewel. So he rewarded her by strangling her and then he left the country. He came after you.’
‘If this man Clifford was after me,’ Godfrey sneered, ‘why didn’t he turn up at Cologne?’
‘Why should he?’ Cardinal spoke reasonably, still pleased with himself. ‘After all, you’d used your lecture tour to cover your auction of the brooch … I doubt if you were reckless enough to bring it with you but here in Amsterdam, you could make use of the gathering of predatory museum suppliers to seek a deal… But Clifford was hovering too and finally guessed there’d be no need to face you until you came here, to Amsterdam. Where he could dispose of it.’
‘To a gentleman called Le Cochon,’ Grout added, ‘who was quite disposed to help us once he learned Clifford was dead. We were puzzled, you see, as to why Clifford waited in his villa, then came here and again delayed. Now we know why. He was waiting for you to arrive. Once you were on your way, he flew to Amsterdam. And that’s when you were lucky.’
Godfrey lit a cigarette. If his confidence was draining away he showed no evidence of it. His hand was steady; he was still very much in control of his nerves. ‘All right,’ he said calmly, ‘I’ll go along with your little charade. Tell me, just how am I supposed to be lucky at this juncture?’
‘It’s my guess,’ Grout said, ‘that Clifford intended meeting you with another man. A man called Schneider. He came ahead to fix a meeting with Le Cochon. Schneider was to come later so they would not openly travel together. But when he met you, Schneider was to be there.’
Godfrey laughed, somewhat raggedly. ‘This fellow Schneider … what part was he supposed to play in this—’
‘He was to kill you, after you’d made the brooch available to Clifford.’
The laugh died abruptly, and Godfrey stared at Grout then drew quickly on his cigarette. ‘You say I was lucky.’
‘That’s right. Because we got to the villa on the Bodensee before Schneider left.’ Grout hesitated, then went on, ‘I … I tangled with Schneider. He came off worst. The consequence was he just didn’t turn up in Amsterdam. So Clifford sought a meeting with you, without Schneider.’
‘And?’
Cardinal smiled thinly. ‘Time for you to talk to us. You tell us.’
Godfrey stared at him seriously. His broad handsome face expressed a certain disdain as he said, ‘I’ve got nothing to say. You two are the ones addicted to fairy tales. I’ve nothing to add to this romancing.’
‘No matter,’ Cardinal shrugged. ‘We can make guesses. Any other suppositions, Grout?’
The detective sergeant kept his eyes fixed on Godfrey. ‘I think Clifford took a room in this hotel because he knew Godfrey would be here. I think that at some time last night he either broke into this room and searched it for the jewel or otherwise faced Godfrey and demanded it, threatening him with exposure or perhaps death. Either way, it ended with Godfrey striking him down, from behind, of course. As he did Rigby, at Chesters. Modus operandi.’
‘A professor of history overcoming a professional criminal? Really…’ Godfrey began to laugh but there was a false note to it.
Quietly, Grout said, ‘We’ve already seen an example of your nerve this evening, Professor. You’ve faced us with complete calm, most of the time.’
‘Because I’ve nothing to hide.’
‘You’re a good actor, Professor,’ Grout continued. ‘You’re used to an audience, at university, on television. You’re controlled. I don’t think you’d have found difficulty in convincing Clifford you were scared, or submissive, or under his control. And when he relaxed, you struck him.’
‘This is all a lot of nonsense.’
‘The city would be quiet enough in the early hours,’ Cardinal said. ‘It wouldn’t be difficult for a big man like you to haul an unconscious man back to the car he had hired. You could have placed him in the passenger seat, driven him to the Amstel, and … there he was. Dead in the car you pushed into the canal. Out of your way. And with no connection between the two of you, apparently.’
Godfrey breathed deeply and stubbed out his cigarette with fierce, controlled jab. ‘Or in reality. But that’s the point, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘That’s the crux of the whole matter. There is no real connection between this Clifford and me. All you’ve said is nothing more than supposition, wild guesswork.’
‘Agreed,’ Cardinal said calmly.
Godfrey laughed, some of the confidence leaching back into his tone. He stood up, reaching his full height and his ease of manner seemed to grow also. ‘There’s also another matter. This isn’t England. Even if you could prove I’d done all you say, you have no jurisdiction over me. I can walk out of here at any time, free as a bird.’
‘Correction,’ Cardinal said. ‘You could try. But take the sergeant here. He’s a big chap. Maybe he’d stop you. Illegal, yes, but in a good cause. Besides, where could you run? We�
��d be on to you within minutes. I only have to make one phone call and I’d have the immediate co-operation of Interpol, the German, Austrian and Dutch police. They’re already working with us. We can get them to serve a European Arrest Warrant. The fact is, Professor Godfrey, you’re stymied. You haven’t a chance. You’ve a lot of questions to answer. We’ll be looking at your collection. And at your recent movements. We’ll be talking to the dealers who’ve congregated here in Amsterdam. And to Carmela’s informants. And who knows what will turn up in due course, when we take a close forensic look at Clifford? Will we find his prints in your room? Will we find traces of you in the car in which he died? Who knows? Who knows what will turn up to trap you?’
Godfrey stared at the two police officers. His face was expressionless. ‘You still can’t get over the basic problem. You said yourself … all this is guesswork, supposition. You can’t prove a damn thing.’
Cardinal finished his drink, climbed awkwardly to his feet and looked around the room with a self-satisfied air. ‘You know, Professor, I’m just a plodding jack, that’s all. And the kind of dogged, detailed work we now need to do is right up my street. And as we’ve said, who knows what we’ll find?’
Godfrey seemed turned to stone. In a hoarse voice he said, ‘You’ll never be able to prove all this. You’ll never pin it on me.’
Grout smiled. ‘We think otherwise. Then … well, we’ll just have to see, won’t we?’
Carmela Cacciatore rose to her feet. There was an excited light in her eyes. ‘After all these years. …’ she murmured. She turned a dazzling smile upon Professor Godfrey. ‘I have found this discussion most interesting. My colleague Arnold Landon is presently in Northumberland. I will contact him immediately. We have good relationships with the Northumberland police. I will advise him to immediately seek their assistance, in a search of your premises, to create a catalogue of your private collection of artefacts, check upon the provenance of all such articles. It’s likely what we seek – Beatrice’s da Vinci brooch so beloved by the Duke of Milan – may well be elsewhere, a bank deposit box perhaps? Who knows? But my colleagues in the Carabinieri Art Squad, they have much expertise in such matters.’