The Diamond Chain

by Patrick Slaney

  ‘Yes, that’s fine. I look forward to seeing you then sir.’ Delighted that I could see him so soon; I hung up.

  Next I phoned Willem.

  ‘Hi Willem, are you busy or can I talk?’ I asked when he answered.

  ‘Just a minute I will go into my office and close the door.’

  I heard the door close, and he came back on the line.

  ‘OK Vince, I am alone now. Tell me all your news.’

  ‘Well I am back in London as you can probably guess. Yesterday went extremely well in Cape Town. Using the listening device I actually heard Jacques Fortuin mention the name ‘Caas Teifel’, so he obviously knows him.’

  ‘In what connection did he mention Caas Teifel’s name,’ Willem inquired.

  ‘His actual words were - “that he had a number of things to sort out before Caas got to Cape Town”. He didn’t mention Caas’s surname, but I think that it is safe to assume that it is Caas Teifel. What do you think?’

  ‘Yes I agree with you Vince. Caas is not a terribly common name. Is there anything else that you picked up?’

  ‘I haven’t had the opportunity to listen to the tape yet, but there could be something else on it as I recorded for at least another half an hour.’

  ‘It sounds as if you got on remarkably well for an ex-army man. Congratulations, you may even solve this case,’ Willem’s voice had a jocular tone.

  Why was it that people thought that once you left the army you were no good for any job in civilian life! Even though I sensed Willem was joking, it still hurt that he had such views. Perhaps I was being oversensitive.

  ‘Have you heard that they have arrested a man in connection with Brian’s murder?’ I asked him.

  ‘Yes, Sir Montgomery told me when I talked to him yesterday. At least that is one of Sir Montgomery’s problems out of the way.’

  ‘Let’s hope that it is. The old man doesn’t deserve all the troubles that he has had recently.’

  ‘You’re right Vince. Anyway I must go as I have a visitor. Talk to you later.’

  The phone line went dead, so I switched off.

  I just had time to pick the kids up from school before catching the tube to Baker Street to see Sir Montgomery.

  He was sitting in the same place as before, with a pot of tea in front of him. He didn’t get up as I arrived at the table, so I just shook his hand and sat down opposite him.

  ‘Cup of tea Vince,’ he asked me after I sat down.

  ‘Thanks sir that would be particularly welcome.’

  The tea poured and milked he sat back in his chair.

  ‘The last time we met Vince you gave me your input first, so I suggest that we repeat the process. When you’re finished, I can fill you in on the news from this end.’

  I leant forward towards him so as he could hear me above the noise of the room. ‘I won’t bore you with a lot of unnecessary details sir as I spent a lot of the time I was there doing the leg work required to get the results. It all proved to be worthwhile as I have found the Fortuin’s holiday home in Hermanus, and I have also found where they are staying in Cape Town.’

  ‘Are they not staying at their house in Hermanus?’ Sir Montgomery interrupted me.

  ‘No, the house in Hermanus was empty, although Moira’s car was there. That was how I proved it was their house. They are currently staying in a house in Cape Town, overlooking Table Bay, which I was extremely fortunate to trace.’

  I explained in some detail how I had recognized Moira in the restaurant and had followed them back to the house in Camps Bay.

  ‘That sounds quite clever Vince. It was a brilliant piece of luck that you spotted them in the restaurant?’

  ‘Yes, if I hadn’t bumped into them, I would never have found them, so I am glad that they decided to go out for a meal,’ I agreed.

  ‘Did you find out anything else while you were in Cape Town?’

  ‘Yes. I visited the Royal Cape Yacht Club and the Secretary confirmed that the yacht is definitely booked in under the name of Caas Teifel. I also managed to link Jacques Fortuin with Caas Teifel using an electronic listening device that Willem helped me get hold of,’ I smiled at being able to give him these latter ‘tit bits’.

  ‘You’ve done really well Vince and I am impressed. For your first job as an investigator, you have exceeded all my expectations, and, what’s more, you are worth every penny that I am paying you,’ Sir Montgomery leant forward and shook my hand. ‘Thank you very much.’

  I sat there glowing with pride. During my life in the army, I don’t think that anybody had ever praised me for a job well done. I must say I enjoyed the experience.

  ‘Now I had better tell you about the developments in my younger son’s case. I am hopeful that you may be able to help there too,’ Sir Montgomery became unusually animated, sitting on the edge of his chair, so he could be closer to me.

  ‘I’m puzzled; how do you think I can help?’ I hadn’t expected the conversation to go in this direction.

  ‘It’s complicated, but I will explain where I feel you might be able to help,’ he said, ignoring my interruption. ‘The man, who has been arrested for my son’s murder, is employed in one of the larger betting establishments. His name is John Power, and the police suspect that he was given the task of wiping out my other son Harold; however, he rather carelessly eliminated the wrong Fortiscue. Brian’s murder was a case of mistaken identity.’

  ‘That sounds almost unbelievable. You mean to say that Harold’s non-payment of his betting debts led to a hit man being put onto him, and he killed the wrong Fortiscue.’

  ‘I know that it sounds unbelievable, but that’s exactly what I am saying. But there’s more. It was Harold’s testimony to the police that revealed whom the murderer was. He says that John Power was making threats against him and had told him that, if he didn’t pay up his debts, he would be removed from the planet. A few days after the purported meeting between Harold and John Power, Brian was found dead.’

  ‘Has John Power no alibis to prove that he wasn’t involved?’ I asked, still amazed by the turn of events.

  ‘Evidently not, but he is claiming that he is innocent, and I personally don’t know what to believe. I am also slightly worried that the arrest is based on Harold’s testimony, and he only revealed all this to the police a few weeks after the event.’

  ‘What do you want me to do?’ I asked Sir Montgomery, not actually seeing where I could help.

  ‘I asked Inspector Baird if he could arrange for you to have a talk with John Power as a special favour, and he has agreed to allow you to see him. I told him that I would ask you, but I would understand if you refused and didn’t want to get involved. What do you think Vince? Can you help me in this?’

  ‘I don’t see what good it will do, but if you would like me to see him, I am willing to do it,’ I replied, genuinely at a loss as to how I could help.

  ‘Ok. I will call you tomorrow as soon as I can get hold of the Inspector. You would have to go to Hampstead Police Station where John Power is being held.’

  ‘I’ll hear from you tomorrow then,’ I got up to leave, still puzzled at the way the meeting had gone, and wondering what benefit there was in talking to John Power. Clearly Sir Montgomery suspected something that he hadn’t told me, and maybe he just wanted me to confirm his feelings.

  It was now rush hour and the tubes were packed. My lack of sleep from the plane flight the night before was catching up with me. It was a grumpy and tired Vince that returned to his family, had dinner and went to bed.

  Chapter 21

  Once my head hit the pillow I was gone, and, after a good night’s sleep, I was up and ready to take the kids to school the following morning. I didn’t even hear or feel my wife coming to bed.

  On my way back to the house, having dropped Michael and Victoria
off at their school, I picked up the newspaper to check if there were any further developments in the Brian Fortiscue murder arrest. Despite a thorough search, I failed to turn up any more information.

  I was just settling down to do the crossword with a cup of coffee by my side when my mobile rang.

  ‘Good morning Vince.’ It was Sir Montgomery.

  ‘Good morning sir. Have you any news for me?’

  ‘Yes Vince. I talked to Inspector Baird this morning, and he said that if you go to Hampstead Police station at 2:00 p.m today you can speak to John Power.’

  ‘Does he know that I am employed by you?’ I needed to clarify what story I was expected to tell the Inspector in case it conflicted with what Sir Montgomery had already told him.

  ‘Yes, he knows that you are a Private Investigator and are doing a job for me. You don’t have to hide anything.’

  ‘I have heard that the police don’t like Private Investigators. Did he react positively or negatively about me seeing John Power?’

  ‘You have one enormous advantage with Inspector Baird. He is also ex-army, and he was delighted to hear that you were too.’

  ‘That bit of news cheers me up a bit. I’ll let you know how I get on.’

  ‘OK Vince, I’ll talk to you later.’

  Even though Sir Montgomery had asked me to talk to John Power, I had hoped that it would prove impossible. It was now a reality so I would have to prepare mentally to meet him. The fear factor had been reduced by Sir Montgomery’s last bit of information that the Inspector was an ex-army man. It should help in developing some sort of working relationship with the police.

  As I was waiting on the platform for the next tube to take me into Central London, my mobile rang.

  ‘Hello, Vince Hamilton.’

  ‘Hi Vince, Harold Fortiscue here,’

  I froze. He was the last person in the world that I expected to phone me.

  ‘Hi Harold, what can I do for you?’ I said cheerily. The safest action would be to have cut him off, but, for reasons of curiosity, I didn’t. ‘I’d like to meet you to talk about my father as I am extremely worried about him,’ Harold sounded decidedly hesitant.

  The tube train came. I decided to miss that one and get the next as I wanted to sort Harold out.

  ‘I am extremely busy Harold, and I have promised my family that I will spend the weekend with them. I don’t think I have time to see you until next week.’

  ‘It must be today Vince. How about meeting me later on this afternoon?’

  I was torn between wanting to see him and the threat he presented. He could be a murderer who might want me out of the way. Probably unwisely, I decided to meet him.

  ‘I’ll see you for a few minutes at 5:00 p.m. We can take the City Ferries boat that leaves Westminster Pier, and can talk while the boat travels to Tower Pier. We’ll have about twenty minutes, which is all I can spare.’

  If I met him in a place where there were plenty of people, nothing much could happen.

  ‘Will you not meet me somewhere quiet where we can talk things over? The boat is going to be terribly noisy and public.’

  ‘No Harold, if you want to see me then that is the arrangement. I’m sorry, but that’s it.’ I used my best parade ground voice.

  ‘OK. I will see you on the ferry at 5:00 p.m.’

  I was probably being stupid; however, the risk would be minimal on a ferry, and I wanted to hear what he had to say.

  I reached Hampstead Police Station at five past two, slightly late for my appointment. On asking for Detective Inspector Baird, I was shown to an area where I was told to wait. Fifteen minutes later I was directed down a corridor where I found a door with the Inspector’s name on it.

  The Inspector turned out to be a very homely looking man in his fifties, still with a full head of hair, 50% grey and the rest a mousie colour. His piercing eyes scanned me as I entered his office. Dressed in a baggy grey suit, that had seen better days; he affably rose from behind his desk, to greet me.

  ‘Major Hamilton. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’

  ‘Inspector Baird, I appreciate you allowing me to meet John Power, and I must apologise for being a little late. Please call me Vince.’ I shook the outstretched hand.

  ‘Well Vince I have to tell you up front that I have an ulterior motive in having you come to see John Power. When I heard that you were conducting an investigation for Sir Montgomery Fortiscue I wanted to talk to you.’

  ‘Inspector, I have been trying to work out in my own mind how my investigation could be connected with the murder of Brian Fortiscue. So far I haven’t found a connection.’

  ‘Perhaps you are missing the most obvious connection because you are immersed in the detail of the whole mystery.’

  ‘And what’s that?’ I asked him.

  ‘The name ‘Fortiscue’ is the connection. They deal in diamonds, and one of them has massive gambling debts.’ He had a note of triumph in his voice as he leant across the desk tapping his finger on the top a number of times.

  ‘But Brian was only a lecturer,’ I was still confused by the link.

  ‘Think of diamonds and it brings to mind lots of money. If somebody owed you a lot of money, and they dealt in diamonds, what would you do Vince?’

  ‘I would make sure that I got my hands on some diamonds if I couldn’t get the money.’

  ‘I rest my case. Anyway, don’t waste time thinking about the link now Vince, let’s get on to the business of the afternoon. Perhaps you could start by giving me any details of your investigation you are at liberty to divulge. In return, I will let you have a chat to John Power.’

  I decided that being frank with Inspector Baird would gain me a very useful ally. So far I had remarkably few people on my side. Leaving out the bits in Rotterdam, I gave him a summary of what I had found out so far and what I suspected was happening.

  ‘It all sounds frightfully logical Vince, and you seem to have done remarkably well so far. Just be extremely careful how you handle the rest of the chase. They will get more dangerous the closer they come to the shipment date and how large a threat they rate you. If they find out that you are on their tail they will come looking for you,’

  ‘Thanks for that word of warning Inspector. I can assure you that I will be on my toes and will be extremely careful.’ The inspector had been sincere in his warning, and I took it to heart.

  ‘Let’s go and see Mr Power now and see what you think of him.’

  He led me down a dark and dingy passage, through a heavy and secure door that had a number of locks in it, and brought me to an interview room. He told me to sit on a chair placed behind a small table. He went off to get the prisoner. The room was very basic and was painted a decidedly inhospitable white, which had changed over the years to a grubby grey. Neon strip lights added to its austerity.

  A few minutes later he reappeared, leading a man of about thirty years of age with red curly hair, dressed in jeans a tee-shirt and a green wool jumper. He looked remarkably Irish. The man looked distressed, which wasn’t helped by the fact that he had no belt on his jeans and no shoe laces in his runners. This caused him to shuffle along.

  ‘Come and sit down here John,’ the Inspector directed him to sit in a chair opposite me.

  ‘John, I am now going to leave you with this gentleman here,’ he pointed at me. ‘An officer will be watching through the door so don’t get up to any fancy tricks.’

  John Power was looking at the Inspector while he issued his instructions in a decidedly subservient way. He now turned to look at me with his hands entwined pressing his fingers together in a nervous mannerism.

  The Inspector went on, ‘you claim to be innocent John, but, as you know, we have incriminating evidence against you. Please explain to Major Hamilton what you have told me, and it may help your case.’r />
  With that, the Inspector asked the officer beside the door to open it, and the two of them went out leaving me to it.

  ‘Have you a smoke for me,’ John Power asked in a strong Irish brogue before I could even start.

  ‘No, I am afraid I don’t smoke, and I have none on me,’ I explained.

  ‘That’s alright then,’ he said meekly.

  ‘Are you going to tell me your story John? You don’t mind if I call you John?’

  ‘That’s my name isn’t it?’

  ‘Sorry, yes of course it is. Just tell me your story.’

  How could this pathetic, weak and apologetic man be a cold blooded killer, or was he just putting on an act for my benefit?

  ‘I am innocent Major and don’t know how they have come to the conclusion that I killed Brian Fortiscue. I didn’t even know the man.’

  ‘I thought that you did know him?’

  ‘No, I only had dealings with his brother. I am employed as a runner for a firm of bookies that is part of the Star Casino Group. I collected Mr Harold’s bets and delivered stuff to him. When he started owing the boss a lot of ‘quids’ I was told to go to his house and collect the money.’

  ‘How did he react when you went to see him about paying his debts?’

  ‘Not very well I am afraid. He started shouting and roaring at me and threw me out.’

  ‘So what happened then,’ I asked, forming a picture in my mind of the scene that transpired.

  ‘My boss went to see Mr Harold’s father to see if he would pay us. He had bailed his son out a couple of times before and was seen as a soft touch.’

  ‘I gather that this time his father didn’t bail him out; so does he still owe the same amount of money?’

  ‘Yes, he still owes about four hundred thousand pounds, but he has promised to pay it in a few months’ time.’

  ‘I take it that your boss doesn’t trust him to pay at a later date,’ I suggested.