by Adam Carter
“I need to know the truth.”
“You want me to promise you I haven’t gone back to my former ways? You can’t take my word that I’m honest now and you want to extract some sort of blood-binding promise from me?” She paused. “Feel free to deny any of that.”
I gritted my teeth. “I know it’s not a nice question.”
Her laugh was strangled. “Not nice? Matthew, finding a dead fox in your back garden is not nice; having your roof leak during a storm is not nice; running out of digestives at the least opportune moment is not nice. Having the man you love accuse you of being a crook is downright rude,” she shouted. Quickly, she collected herself, although I could see she was still seething. “I meant loved, of course. Past tense.”
That she admitted to loving me at all broke my heart. It was the one thing I had never been able to admit to myself about her. And there could be no lasting relationship formed without trust. Since I didn’t trust anyone, least of all myself, it seemed I was destined never to love again.
“I should go,” I said, rising.
“Yes. You should.”
“Shen, I …”
“Now.”
Bowing my head, I left her at the table, only afterwards thinking that I should have offered to pay the bill. I found Holbrook waiting in the car. She smiled as I approached, although that expression quickly died when she saw the thundercloud above my head.
“Sorry,” she said. “I was hoping it would have gone better.”
I turned the key in the ignition and ignored her entirely.
We drove without purpose, although I suppose I was headed back for the station. I no longer had any idea what I was going to do with the investigation, or with Shenna, but it was the first time in my entire career that I found I really didn’t care. Whatever happened, it would end badly.
“You know something?” Holbrook said. I could tell by her tone she wasn’t about to placate me with pleasantries, which was good considering the mood I was in. I hoped she had sense enough to talk about the case, since that was all I should have been concentrating on anyway. “I’ve been thinking about what we said in this car when we left Payne’s.”
I tried to think back, but there was an awful lot said back then. “What?” I asked.
“About getting everyone together? About sorting out this mess by shoving everyone in the same room and bashing some heads together?”
“I’m not sure we phrased it quite like that, but yes; it would certainly help matters some. I feel like just throwing the book at everyone and letting good old Judge Anderson arrange the nooses.”
“Then let’s do it.”
“Let’s do what?”
Holbrook smiled. “Let’s get this investigation sorted in the weirdest style none of our suspects could ever anticipate.”
That was the point at which I came to realise Jane Holbrook was sometimes possessed of a very vicious streak indeed. In the frame of mind I was in, I would have agreed to using cattle prods and a very deep pit, so whatever Holbrook had in mind I was already all for it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
I’d put in a few calls and knew the plan was going to take precision timing. Holbrook had decided to allow me to play the frontman, which was generous of her since technically it wasn’t even my case. She was around, somewhere, likely getting into position, and as I arrived at the museum it was with a stomach churning in anxiety over everything that could go wrong. It was a good idea – I wouldn’t have agreed to it if it hadn’t have been – but it was also incredibly barmy.
I met Elizabeth Payne at the door. She did not look happy to have been dragged all the way to the museum, but when I called her I was betting on her being too deeply involved in this mess to easily back out. She gave me a greeting which was about as abrupt as I had expected, but the thought of tidying up this entire investigation in just one day kept me relatively happy.
“You said this was urgent,” she said sniffily.
“I also said I couldn’t explain everything right away.”
She was nervous, but that did not make her guilty. I had a vague idea of what was going on with the woman, just as I had a vague idea of what all our suspects were involved in. Proving it all was why Holbrook and I wanted everyone in one place.
We entered the building together and I took Payne downstairs, which surprised her.
“We’re not going to where the diamond was displayed?” she asked.
“I don’t recall. Which floor was it displayed on again?”
She raised her chin and said nothing. It had not been my intention to make her reveal she knew more about the diamond’s former location than she let on, but it was not a crime to have visited a museum once or twice.
Waiting for us on the stairs was Shenna Tarin. Her face fell when she saw Payne, and Payne drew herself up straighter.
“I didn’t realise this was going to be one of those types of dates,” Shenna said sourly.
“Detective Blake, what is she doing here?”
“Who’s she?” Shenna shot back. “The cat burglar’s mother?”
“I need her,” I said once but looked at each of them in turn. My meaning was clear: I needed them both.
“Well,” Payne said, “Just so long as you admit she’s the likeliest one to have stolen the Teardrop.”
“Just because I know how,” Shenna said, folding her arms, “doesn’t mean I did.”
“Are we talking about diamonds or men?”
Shenna started then, probably would have struck Payne if I hadn’t been suddenly standing between them. It was me Shenna had the affair with, not Watts, but I was getting the impression Payne may have thought there was something between the two of them. “We’re not here to bash each other,” I told Shenna. “Just trust me on this.” I once more looked to them both in turn. “We do this properly and by the end of the night I’ll have made an arrest. Are you both all right with that?”
Shenna seethed, but nodded.
“It’s always good,” Payne said, “to put criminals where they belong.”
“Good,” I said. “Now, come with me.”
We continued down the stairs and came to a door marked ‘staff only’. Here we met Benny Shoreham, standing there with his mop and bucket and trying not to look terrified.
“Hey, Benny,” I said. “You set?”
“What’s this respectable young man doing here?” Payne asked defensively.
“Benny’s a cleaner here,” I said. “He’s been very helpful with our enquiries. Haven’t you, Benny?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That’s a good lad. Shenna, I’m not sure whether you and Benny have met. It’s been a long day and everyone’s been a bit vague on whether they know each other.”
“We met at the diamond, apparently,” Shenna said, extending her hand to the young man. “Charmed, Mr Shoreham. And my apologies for having forgotten you.”
He nervously took the hand and limply shook it. “Yes, ma’am.”
I must admit to taking great delight in the next part. “Miss Payne, Mr Shoreham.” I watched them shake hands as well, saw also the warning glower from Payne as she greeted her own future stepson.
“Now we’re all acquainted,” I said, clapping my hands, “what say we go through that door?”
“Where does it lead?” Payne asked.
“Down.”
It was dark beyond the door, but I had brought a torch so it did not matter how deep we progressed. There was a lot of storage area down in the basement, with most of the artefacts boxed up or covered with protective sheets. I led my retinue through all of this, for I had a destination in mind and none of the exhibits meant anything to me. After a few minutes, we arrived at a large metal wall upon which was embedded a great wheel. Before the wheel, sitting on a packaging crate, was a red-faced middle-aged gambling addict.
“Blake?” he asked, his face falling when he saw my company. If possible, it flared even redder. “What are these people doing here?”
�
�Right,” I said, relishing the introductions I would once again have to make. “Watts; Benny, Miss Payne, Shenna. Benny, Shenna, Miss Payne; Watts. Now we all know one another.”
“Of course I know him,” Payne said tartly. “This creature is my ex-husband.”
“Well, you didn’t recognise your fiancé’s son, so I didn’t want to presume.”
“This is an outrage,” Watts stormed as he got to his feet. “These must be all the prime suspects in the theft of my diamond. Why have you brought them all down here? Why have you asked me to meet you down here? What’s she even doing anywhere near jewels?”
“You talking about me?” Shenna asked defensively.
“No, dear,” Payne said, “I think he means me.”
“Good to see we’re all making friends,” I said. “Now, hopefully we won’t have to wait much longer for … Ah, Mr Harkett.”
“Sir?” Bob Harkett said, appearing behind us then with a torch of his own. “I was instructed by my manager to come down here to the vault.”
“That would be because I asked him to ask you,” I said. “Come in, come in. Harkett; Miss Payne, Benny Shoreham, Shenna Tarin and Ralph Watts. Everyone; Bob Harkett. Now, how about that door?”
“The vault door, sir?”
“Yes, Mr Harkett. The vault door.”
“I regret I don’t have the key, sir.”
“Well I do.”
It was not a key, but a number-punching device, and I had already spoken with the museum’s manager and obtained the code. The manager was as eager as any of us to get the matter sorted. I did not like to think what the theft would do for his insurance, but just for the sake of reputation it would be good to get someone behind bars.
I entered the code and there was a deep beep as it was accepted. I could actually hear the locking bolts move as the door unlocked. It was a powerful, satisfying sound indeed. Taking firm hold of the vault door, I tugged at it, and it slowly ground outwards. Shenna stepped forward to give me a hand and together we managed to get the thing open. I was amazed at how thick the door was and could not imagine even a barrage of grenades penetrating it. But then, I guess that was the idea.
I stepped inside, knowing sooner or later someone would follow. It was dark within, but I found a light switch to illuminate a fair portion of the area. It was vast inside the vault, far larger than I had expected, but for my purposes it was perfect. Rows of racking filled most of the space, upon which were stored boxes and sacks which without doubt contained priceless pieces of history. Items of greater size were stored towards the rear of the vault, and I could imagine if the shelving was cleared out there might well have been room for the Eiffel Tower. Well, perhaps if it was broken into pieces.
“This is some vault,” Shenna said. I was not surprised she had been the first to follow me in. I turned to see the others were tentative about moving any farther, although of them all it was Shoreham who seemed to be debating on whether to follow us.
“Come on in,” I called. “Trust me, in this vault I can prove who stole the diamond. Unless you’re guilty, you have nothing to fear.”
“Well,” Payne said haughtily, “I certainly don’t have anything to fear. And you didn’t steal it, did you, Benjamin?”
Shoreham shook his head.
Payne strode into the room, Shoreham at her heels. That left only Watts and Harkett outside. Neither appeared happy at the prospect of undergoing whatever process I had in mind for them, although they both came in regardless. Which was a shame. If even one of my suspects had remained outside, I might have been able to work out just who the culprit was.
The only flaw in my plan was that I was still assuming the guilty party was one of my suspects and not someone else entirely. But I had a gut feeling it had to be one of them; which was a pleasant way of saying if it turned out to be someone else I hadn’t a clue where to begin.
I watched them all enter. Behind them, the vault door fell closed and I adopted a look of horror.
“The door,” Shoreham said, the first to notice. He ran for the exit, Payne only seconds behind, but was too late. With a dull thunk the door closed and we were sealed inside.
“Oh no,” I said. “The door fell closed behind us. But don’t worry. Someone will be along shortly to let us out.”
“Be along?” Shenna asked. She did not seem worried in the slightest, although that was just her way. “Matthew, that door can’t be opened from the inside and there won’t be anyone by until morning.”
“I’ll get us out,” Shoreham said, producing his phone. After a few seconds he looked deflated. “No signal.”
“Vault’s too think for that,” Shenna said.
“Well, it looks like we’ll have to spend the night here then,” I said.
“It’s worse than that, Matthew. The vault’s airtight. By morning, we’ll all be dead.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Payne said. “This place is huge. There’s enough air here to last weeks.”
“Actually, no,” Shenna said. “Trust me. I know a thing or three about vaults.”
“You would.”
“Ladies,” I said, stepping between them once more. “The more we argue, the more air we use. Let’s have a think about this. Mr Harkett, is there any way out of this vault?”
“Me, sir?” the old man asked. “What makes you think I know anything about vaults?”
“No,” Shenna said. “There’s no way out. If no one comes by, we’re going to die here.”
“No,” Shoreham said, panic filling his face. He began hammering upon the door, screaming and cursing and crying.
“That’s not going to do any good,” Shenna said. “No one will hear you.”
“Then we should get comfortable,” I said, “while we have a think about what we’re going to do.”
“Do?” Shenna laughed. “Matthew, there’s nothing we can do. Well, except die, obviously.”
“Die?” Shoreham wailed.
“Oh, pipe down,” Payne said. “Detective Blake, I demand you get us out of here this instant.”
“Demand what?” Watts said in a half-strangled laugh. “Weren’t you listening? There’s no way out, Elizabeth. We’re stuck in here until we die. Blake can’t magic up an exit just by asking nicely.”
“I was not talking to you,” she replied acidly. “Kindly refrain from speaking to me again.”
“Kindly give me back my diamond.”
“What?”
“Well, you wouldn’t be here if Blake didn’t suspect you. And out of everyone here, you have the most to hate me for. Maybe you hired Tarin and got Bob in on it too, I don’t know.”
“Well, the nerve.”
Miss Payne stormed off farther into the vault, which was good since I wanted everyone separated anyway. All the better to unroll my plans for them.
I would have to take each of my suspects in turn, and since Payne was already riled up I reasoned it would be an idea to begin with her. Knowing they would not be able to escape, I left the others to their own devices and followed Payne. She was walking aimlessly around the vault, searching for another exit. I was tempted to explain to her the purpose of a vault and that the great big door at the front would be useless if there happened to be a metal ladder leading to a fire escape, but she seemed to be doing fine all by herself in figuring that out. I stood back and watched her for several more moments, before stepping in to talk.
“Bad luck, that,” I said. “The door closing behind us, I mean.”
“You,” she said, her eyes narrowing. If she could not batter down the walls with her venom, perhaps she thought she would have a better chance against me. “You’ve killed us all.”
Finding a wall of racking to lean against, I offered an annoying chuckle. “We’re not dead yet, Miss Payne. I’m sure we still have enough air left to us to get a few confessions off our chests.”
“Confessions? I have nothing to confess.”
“Everyone has something to confess.”
“I did not stea
l the diamond.”
“Nor did I. But I still have confessions.” When she did not reply, I said, “When I was six I stole a bar of chocolate. I felt so bad I went into law-enforcement to atone for my sins. After all these years, I still don’t feel I’ve done enough to make up for the crime I committed.”
Payne lost some of her bluster as she tried to work through what I was saying. “Are you serious?”
I was surprised she was even considering that. “Yeah,” I went with, seeing how far I could take this.
“Well,” she said, a little mollified now, “that’s a very sad story, Detective. But I still didn’t steal the diamond.”
“You’re very adamant you didn’t steal it, Miss Payne. No one else is denying it quite so vehemently.”
“Then maybe everyone else isn’t quite so suspected by you.”
“To be fair, they are.”
“Why would I want to steal it? Why would I want anything from that man? I have a new life, a new man in that life. Ralph can tie that diamond around his ankle and jump in the river for all I care. It’s all he has left, so he might as well.”
“You’re acquainted with his finances then?”
She paused. “No.”
“Yet you knew it was all he had left.” Things were beginning to click. “You never got your revenge, did you? You dropped charges from where he hit you and it’s been nagging you all this time. Stealing the diamond would have been your way to get him back. As you say, it’s all he had left. You don’t need the money, but taking it would remove the final thing he possesses. It would break him. You could steal it, toss it away, and be content to watch him flounder.”
Her eyes hardened. “I did not steal it.”
“Liz?” Shoreham called, walking in on us. “You back here. I … oh.”
“Oh,” I repeated. “Benny, I’m going to ask a blunt question. Did you steal the Teardrop?”
His eyes darted nervously to Payne. “No, sir.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Why didn’t you steal it? Miss Payne told you to get a job here so you could get close to the diamond. That much is obvious. She roped you in and put you in a position to take it. Why didn’t you?”