And we did the same. I gazed out to sea. The lifeboat had almost reached the container ship.
‘I heard Edward say. “It’s got to stop.” Then Hugo said, “We’ve only just started. The situation is getting worse in Germany by the day. There are hundreds of them wanting to get out. We’ve got it all set up.” Your grandfather said, “I don’t think it’s right, taking their money like that.” Hugo laughed. “We’re doing them a favour, and the Nazis a public service. The Nazis want the Jews out and the Jews will pay anything to get out. You just bring the boat across to France. Max and I will do the rest.” Percy paused and took a breath.
‘What year was this?’
‘It was winter. Must have been either late 1938, or early part of 1939.’
I thought of that diary again. ‘My mother was with you, wasn’t she? Here on the beach. She overheard them?’
He looked sheepish and nodded. ‘We weren’t up to nothing, just talking.’
I believed him; times had changed.
‘We didn’t understand what they were talking about. We were just kids. It wasn’t until after the war it all came out what Hitler did to the Jews.’
But my mother had written it in her diary. Was that all she had written? Was it still on the houseboat, or had Deeta found it? Was that why she was killed? Was that why she had searched my houseboat? I couldn’t see how it mattered?
There was nothing wrong with what the three men had been doing, unless of course they had been helping the Jews to emigrate illegally for a fee, which seemed likely. Even then history had shown they had been saving them from a terrible fate. I said as much to Percy.
He turned to stare at me. I could see there was more.
‘After the war had started, and the radar station had been attacked in 1940, I was back here on the beach, walking home. It was dusk. There’d been an attack on the mainland and you could see the sky alight with fire. I remember thinking poor buggers. I stumbled on Edward and Max.
They were arguing. I don’t know what about. I heard Max say, “I’m going to the authorities.” Your grandfather strode off and that was the last anyone saw of him. He disappeared along with his boat. Drowned, though they never found his body.’
That had been a constant concern of my grandmother’s. What Percy was telling me had all happened a long time ago, but the past, as Percy had reminded me, is never very far away.
‘What happened to Max?’
‘No idea. Never saw nor heard of him again.
But if you now say he was German…’
‘I don’t know if he was for sure, but Deeta was and Weber is a German name. Perhaps Max was English, went to Germany after the war, married and settled down there.’
‘Could have done,’ Percy mumbled. I could see he wasn’t convinced, and neither was I.
We turned round and started walking back. The lifeboat had reached the container ship, but we couldn’t see what was happening. It was too far away.
‘He didn’t sound German,’ Percy went on.
‘They all talked nice, you know, posh like.’
Percy fell silent. His wrinkled face was glum.
His eyes troubled. I thought over what he had told me. Had they really been helping to rescue Jews from Hitler’s clutches, not only in 1939, but later, after Hitler had closed the borders?
Percy was talking about overhearing this second conversation after the radar station was bombed, which was after Dunkirk. Northern France would have been occupied. It would have been highly dangerous. What did Max mean about going to the authorities? As I had said to Percy, it was a long time ago. I brought my mind back to the present. What I had to ask Percy was delicate, and I didn’t want to cause the old man any further distress, but I had to know.
‘Percy, did you see how Deeta was killed?’ I asked gently.
Percy shuddered. ‘Strangled with bare hands by the looks of it.’
Like Westnam. So someone had been facing her. Had it been someone she knew? Or had it been a stranger who had struck up a casual acquaintance with her and then attacked her?
‘Was her rucksack beside her?’ She’d been carrying it when she had left my houseboat.
Percy frowned in thought. ‘Yes. It was open and some of her things had spilled out onto the beach.’
‘Did you see a small maroon book, like a diary?’
I didn’t hold out much hope of him remembering in the shock of discovering Deeta’s body.
‘Can’t say that I did.’
I would need to return to the houseboat and check if it was still there. We had reached the car park. I was worried about Percy. He was very pale and shaky.
‘Would you like me to see you home?’ I volunteered, but he refused my offer.
‘I’ll be all right,’ he replied sadly and began to shuffle away. He had only gone a few paces when I hailed him.
‘You mentioned the three men: Max, Edward and Hugo. My grandfather was drowned. Max disappeared. What happened to Hugo?’
Percy turned to face me; his lined old face was drawn and fearful. ‘Hugo Wildern was hanged, for being a German spy.’
CHAPTER 14
Percy’s words gnawed away at me. It would have made more sense if Max had been arrested for treason, not Hugo though I was viewing this with the benefit of hindsight. Max, I guessed from Percy’s conversation, had betrayed Hugo to the authorities, but for what?
Telling the Germans about the radar station? It was possible. Had Max been the spy and not Hugo, which seemed more likely. In that case Hugo had been falsely betrayed. But what did this have to do with me? Nothing I told myself but still I headed for the library.
Before I reached it I glanced across the road at the village hall. The doors were open and a policeman and policewoman stood at the entrance talking to a couple of middle-aged men.
Opposite, outside the bakery, a small crowd had gathered, they were gossiping and glancing across at the police officers. The little coffee shop in the bakery was doing a roaring trade, as was Bembridge itself. Far from putting people off coming to the village the murder had attracted more visitors.
I could find no record of Hugo on the Internet for having been tried and hanged for treason.
Four people had been convicted under the High Treason Act: William Joyce, commonly known as Lord Haw Haw, John Amery, Walter Purdy and Thomas Cooper. Theodore Schurch was convicted under the Treachery Act of 1940. Of these men Purdy and Cooper had their sentence commuted and were eventually released. Amery was executed on 19 December 1945, Joyce on 3
January 1946, both at Wandsworth Prison, and Schurch on 4 January 1946 at Pentonville Prison.
I could check with the Public Record Office but Percy must have got it wrong. It was probably the gossip at the time. Percy always did like to embellish. I looked under German spies and agents but whatever happened to Hugo Wildern it was never recorded.
I glanced at my watch and saw that it was time I made for Camp Hill Prison. The thought brought me out in a cold sweat. Long before I reached the prison gates my heart was pounding violently. I stepped inside the magnolia-painted visitors’ room and my stomach heaved at the prison smell and the fact that I was once again incarcerated. I told myself that at least I could walk out of here a free man. Yet, I wasn’t free.
Rowde was pulling the strings and I could do nothing but jerk in his direction.
Ray greeted me with smile and a ‘what the hell are you doing here?’ kind of look whilst the screws eyed me with suspicion. When I had telephoned to arrange the visit I had made up a story about Ray asking me to call on his brother in Portsmouth who had Multiple Sclerosis (that much was true, apart from my visiting him) and that Ray’s brother had pleaded with me to pass on a personal message for forgiveness. They’d argued bitterly and fought physically before Ray had been caught and sentenced for burglary, and it was time to kiss and make up. I was sure they didn’t believe a word of it but here I was, so I didn’t care much what they believed.
‘Who worked you over?’
were Ray’s first words.
‘Rowde, or rather one of his thugs.’
Ray raised his eyebrows. The screws hadn’t commented on my battered appearance.
‘Rowde’s after me for the money I don’t have,’
I said, making sure the prison officer was far enough away not to hear my lowered tones. ‘I was banged up with him in Brixton for a while.
It wasn’t a very pleasant experience.’
‘He’s a head case. A vicious sod.’
‘With a long memory, it seems. He wants the money and unless I give it to him by Tuesday morning he’s threatening to harm my sons. I believe him. I’ve got to find out where that money is. It’s my only chance, short of killing Rowde, and I’ll do that if I have to and willingly serve time for it if it means my boys are safe.’
Ray rubbed his large fleshy nose. His malleable face screwed up with thought or concern, or both, I wasn’t quite sure. Thief he might be but he wasn’t, and never had been, violent. I told him about DCI Clipton’s heart attack and Joe’s murder but I said nothing about Westnam. Then I told him that I’d been to see Roger Brookes’
widow and daughter.
‘The daughter, Joanne, is living with a man called Jamie Redman. I asked about him in the local pub and learnt that he’s a “flash git” according to the barmaid, and not that well liked.
He moved to the Cotswolds with Joanne three years ago and doesn’t quite blend in with the local gentry and county set.’
‘So?’ Ray took a cigarette from one of the packets I had brought him and lit up.
‘He smells dirty. The barmaid says he’s into importing and exporting classic cars. Joanne’s well off in her own right. Daddy sold his business to a conglomerate and she split the money with her mother. She’s not right either, Ray. The whole set-up stinks. Mother and daughter have a secret that they’re very afraid I might discover.’
Ray squinted his eyes as he exhaled. ‘And how will this lead you to the money?’
‘Christ knows!’ I cried, flinging myself back in the chair and pushing a hand through my hair.
The screw eyed me with suspicion. Ease up I told myself. I tried to relax and look natural. ‘If I could find out why Andover could so easily blackmail Brookes it might lead me to him. I need you to ask around about Jamie Redman. Is he clean? Has he any dodgy associates? Is he known to anyone?’ Ray may be inside but there was a hell of a lot he could find out by asking certain inmates.
‘You’ve got it.’
‘And quickly, Ray. I don’t have much time.’
‘I’ll call you as soon as I can.’
‘Good, your brother will be pleased.’
‘Yeah, thought he might be. Is our time up already, Mr Harris? Doesn’t it fly when you’re enjoying yourself.’ Ray scraped back his chair.
‘Thanks for the fags, Alex, and the message. You’d better give me your number so that I can call you and find out how Eric’s doing. He’s going into hospital, Mr Harris.’
‘Oh yeah?’ Harris didn’t look convinced. That was his problem. As long as Ray could get to a phone then I didn’t care what he thought.
I gave him Scarlett’s mobile number, told Ray that he’d get my neighbour and that she would come and get me or take a message. I could see that he read between the lines, incorrectly as it happened. All I had to do now was tell Scarlett.
First, though, I dived into Newport and bought myself a mobile phone. I had resisted for as long as I could, but I was getting weary of finding a pay phone and felt the urgent need to keep in touch with Scarlett. If Ray had any news to impart, I needed access to it immediately.
I drove back to the houseboat checking my mirror continually for any signs that I was being followed. I wasn’t. The police didn’t seem interested in me, but still I rounded the bend onto the Embankment cautiously and scanned the horizon for any sign of police cars. There were none and only one car I didn’t recognise parked in the lay by opposite my houseboat. It was an expensive BMW with tinted windows. It didn’t look much like a police detective’s car and it wasn’t Detective Chief Inspector Crowder’s.
As soon as I stepped into my small forecourt I could see that the front door had once again been forced open. It hadn’t taken much because after the break in I had only put a couple of bolts on the inside. I was beginning to wonder why I bothered. I might as well leave it open.
My heart started knocking against my ribs. Was I about to be arrested? Maybe I should simply turn and drive away. But what if Rowde was inside waiting for me? I couldn’t risk not seeing him. I had to know that my family were still safe.
I pushed open the door. Rowde was picking over the debris of the lounge that I hadn’t bothered to tidy up. Fury seized me at the sight of his smug countenance and I lunged forward shouting:
‘Where are they, you bastard?’
Marble man struck me before I had even reached spitting distance of Rowde. I fell heavily to the ground, jarring my back on something.
Winded though I was I still managed to gasp, ‘If you so much as hurt one hair of their head I’ll –’
‘What? Beat me to a pulp? I doubt that.’ Rowde laughed.
Marble man looked like he was coming back for seconds; I tensed myself but Rowde shouted,
‘Leave him. I think he’s got the message.’
‘I’ve got two more days, not counting today, to get your money. Why have you taken Vanessa and the boys now?’ I struggled up, trying not to wince at the pain.
‘The deadline’s been cancelled.’
‘What?’ My head came up and my stomach heaved. The houseboat swam before me. My heart was pounding rapidly and I could hardly catch my breath. I looked up at Rowde’s smug expression. My eyes swivelled to marble man; fists clenched, he looked as if he was eagerly anticipating beating the hell out of me. Now I was praying that the police had found out about Deeta being on my houseboat and that they’d walk through that door. But the cavalry had never come to my rescue before, so why should it now?
‘I’ll get the money for you. Just let them go,’ I urged.
Rowde ambled around the dishevelled room finally settling himself opposite me on the bench seat.
‘I need time,’ I pressed.
‘Time is one thing you don’t have, Alex, and neither do I. I want the money now.’
I had to tell him about the plan I had hatched with Gus on our return from Guernsey, but I had to convince him it was the truth. I hesitated, looked distressed, (which was easy, because I was) and finally, after seeming to wrestle with my conscience, said, ‘It’s in a Swiss numbered account. I have to travel to Zurich to get it.’ I held Rowde’s gaze. He looked sceptical. ‘I could give permission for it to be transferred to you, but that way the money could be traced by the police. Still if that’s what you want, it makes no difference to me…’
‘We’ll go to Zurich.’
‘Only one problem, Rowde, I can’t travel on my passport. I’m out on licence. They’ll stop me.
And I’m being followed by the police.’
My heart gave a little whoop of joy as marble man looked decidedly uncomfortable.
Rowde glared at me. ‘How do you know?’
I laughed scornfully. Why hadn’t I thought of this before? To fight scum you’ve got to act like scum
– Ray’s words.
‘Give me credit for learning something whilst I was in prison, Rowde. I wasn’t always banged up with you.’ I wondered if he’d get the insult but he didn’t. ‘I not only know how to smell and spot a copper a hundred yards away, but I also know how to invest money. I’ll get you your three million plus interest and then you can bugger off into the sunset and leave my boys alone. I might even join you. No, on second thoughts you’re far too crude for me. Demanding money with menace is not my style. I don’t need it when I can use a computer.’
I saw him thinking over my words and the light dawned in his eyes. I don’t think I’d have been surprised to see pound signs roll in his pupils like a gaming machine
.
I said, ‘I’ll need a false passport to get out of the country. I take it you can organise that for me?’ I sat back and crossed my legs. I almost wished I smoked. I was doing my best Humphrey Bogart impersonation. ‘And I don’t want ugly guts there tagging along. It’s just you and me, Rowde.’
Marble man stepped forward, but a look from Rowde and he froze.
I had Rowde convinced. ‘There’s another condition. I hand the money over after you let Vanessa and my sons go, and I have spoken to them on the telephone, and Gus has confirmed they’re all right. If they’re not, or you foul up in any way, then the three million will stay exactly where it is. What do you want the most Rowde, money or murder?’ I held my breath.
After a moment Rowde nodded. ‘OK, when?’
‘How quickly can you get the passport?’
He thought a moment. ‘Monday morning.’
‘OK, call me as soon as you’ve got a name for me and then I’ll arrange the flights. You can meet me at the airport with the passports. I’ll telephone the bank to let them know I’m coming, and if you think that you can beat the account number out of me, and then just show up and forge my signature, think again. They also need my fingerprints and I don’t think even you’d get away with carrying in my dead fingers.’
I was bullshitting like mad but it fooled Rowde.
I wasn’t sure what I’d do when we got to Zurich and I didn’t much care, as long as Vanessa and the boys were unharmed.
‘Now I want to speak to them. Get them on the phone.’
‘That’s not part of the deal.’
‘There’s no money then and the police will be here in a minute.’
Rowde was punching in a number before I’d finished speaking. He spoke a few words and then handed over his mobile.
‘Vanessa!’ My heart leapt into my throat. The blood was pounding in my ears.
‘What’s happening, Alex?’
‘I can’t tell you now, but soon it will be over.
In for the Kill Page 14