by Salkeld, J J
Plouvin stood aside and the two officers walked into the hall. Barbara Plouvin was standing in the kitchen doorway.
‘You’d better come to the drawing room. David, why don’t you make us some coffee? I’m sure that we could all benefit from a cup.’
Barbara Plouvin made a sweeping gesture towards a large sofa, and the two policemen sat down. She sat opposite. Hall didn’t speak, but she didn’t fidget.
‘Yes, what is it? What do you want? Spit it out, man.’
Hall smiled. ‘We need a photograph of your husband.’
‘Well, you’ve had a wasted journey. I don’t have any. Have a look around if you don’t believe me.’
Hall smiled again. ‘Mrs. Plouvin, I need you to be very clear about what happens next, and the extent of powers that we have. Under the circumstances I’m not surprised that you don’t have pictures of your husband on public display, but I’m afraid I don’t believe that neither you, nor any family members, have any pictures of him at all.’
‘I’m not in the habit of lying, officer.’
‘You’d be surprised how often we hear that, and how rarely it turns out to be true. But if you don’t produce a good, clear, recent photograph of Rupert immediately we will get a Search Warrant, in fact we’ll get three.’
‘Three?’
‘Oh yes. I will send officers to your son’s school, and their rooms will be searched.’
‘You can’t do that.’
‘Funny enough, we hear that one all the time as well. Now, would you like to find us that photograph? A choice of two or three would be ideal. Nice, clear head shots are what we need.’
‘Well, I expect there are some on the computer, in the office, or somewhere. Shall I go and find some and email them to you?’
‘That would be fine, thanks.’
‘I’ll do it as soon as you’ve gone.’
Hall smiled again. ‘Mrs. Plouvin, this may come as a surprise to you, but most of the people that we come into contact with, in our line of work, are fundamentally dishonest. As a result we tend not to be terribly trusting. Now if I’d met you socially....’
‘You would never have met me socially.’
Hall carried on as if he hadn’t even been interrupted. ‘If I’d met you socially I’d happily wait for the pictures, but since I didn’t I’m going to need to ask for them now. So why don’t you and Sergeant Mann go and have a really good look. Ian will give you the email address to send the pictures to.’
They were gone for less than five minutes, and Mann nodded at Hall when he came into the room.
‘Is that all, Chief Inspector? I’ve got a lot to get on with today.’
‘I’m sure you have. And no, it’s not all. But I’m surprised that’s what you asked me. I expected a different question altogether, actually.’
‘Oh, really?’
‘Yes. In your situation I would have asked why we wanted a photograph of your husband. I would have been curious.’
‘Well, I’m not. I’m sure you have your reasons. As you have already pointed out I really don’t have any experience of dealing with your type of person.’
‘I’m sure that explains it. Anyway, just a few questions about your husband, and then we’ll be on our way. First of all, would you tell me about the circumstances around his decision to leave?’
‘I can’t see what this has to do with death of the man that you found beneath the stones.’
Hall didn’t reply, and Barbara went on.
‘Very well, if I must then. But I’m sure our lawyer will have something to say about such irrelevant, intrusive questioning.’ She glanced away from Hall, who was smiling encouragingly, to Mann, and immediately regretted her decision. He didn’t look encouraging at all. ‘There isn’t much to tell. I became involved with David some years ago, and when Rupert realised that our marriage was over he decided to do the sensible thing, and to go away. He decided on South Africa, I’m not sure why.’
‘And did this all happen quickly, or is it something that was discussed for some time?’
‘We discussed it, as a family, for a little while, but strictly in private. We didn’t even tell the boys. Rupert had left the country before anyone else knew, as it happens.’
‘And did you, or his brothers, take him to the airport?’
‘I didn’t. I’m not sure how it was arranged. As you may be able to imagine, Chief Inspector, it was a very difficult, stressful time. I had the boys to think about.’
‘Of course. So do you have much contact with your husband now, to talk about the boys, that kind of thing?’
Barbara Plouvin hesitated, and Hall was certain that he knew why. He gave her more time, but she still didn’t reply.
‘Would you like me to contextualise that question for you, Mrs. Plouvin? It might help you to decide how you want to answer. And you’ll see that my colleague is making notes of your answers to all my questions.’
She nodded.
‘Well, this may help. I hope it does. In an hour or two we’ll know if the man who has been living in South Africa, claiming to be your husband, is actually him or not. To be honest, I have to tell you that we’re expecting to find that he isn’t. Now, if that’s the case, we’re going to interview yourself, David, Christopher and possibly some other people under caution. Your solicitor won’t be able to do a thing about it, I promise you. So you might want to give me the same answer now that you give later, because a contradiction could be seen by a jury as incriminating.’
Eventually Barbara Plouvin replied. ‘Then I’ll wait until my solicitor is present.’
‘Why? I’m just asking a simple question about how much contact you have with your husband these days. It’s an innocent question, I assure you, and so long as you answer honestly I can’t see what the issue is. But lying would have potentially huge implications for you. Because, potentially, we’re now looking at a double murder inquiry here. And what that means is that even if someone had no direct involvement in the planning or commission of the killings, but is involved in a cover-up afterwards, then the charges that they’d face would be very serious indeed. Of course if that person was under pressure, perhaps they were physically intimidated by a partner say, then that would be seen as a mitigating circumstance, as would full and prompt co-operation. So long as it was at the first opportunity.’
‘I see.’
‘And this is that first opportunity, Mrs. Plouvin. Is there anything that you’d like to tell us about the level, type and frequency of contact that you’ve had with your husband over the last two years?’
This time Barbara didn’t hesitate. ‘No, that’s all highly personal, and nothing to do with you, whatever you say. My husband is alive and well. Of course he is. This is all rubbish. You’re just trying to blacken our name, because of some agenda of your own. Jealousy, I shouldn’t wonder.’
‘We’ll leave you to it, then. You will be contacted very shortly to arrange for your written statement to be taken.’
Hall stood up, and Mann did the same.
‘One thing before you go, Chief Inspector.’
‘Yes? How can I help?’
Mann thought, as he often did, that Hall really looked as if he meant it. A suspect could call him every name under the sun and he’d still retain that same calm, friendly manner.
‘What is it that has lead you to develop this crackpot theory that someone is impersonating Rupert?’
‘I shouldn’t really tell you this, but we had a tip-off.’
Mrs. Plouvin looked relieved.
‘Is that all? Probably just some crackpot in the village.’
‘I don’t think so. The call was anonymous, but we have reason to believe that the caller was actually a person who has been impersonating your husband for the past two years.’
‘But why would he implicate himself?’
‘That’s an excellent question, Mrs. Plouvin. I don’t know for certain, but I’d say that the man involved doesn’t expect to be caught, and that he’
s realised that it wouldn’t be sensible for him to carry on playing his part in the deception. Fraud is one thing, conspiracy to murder quite another. He may well have already left South Africa. And his motivation for blowing the whistle on the deception was probably simple enough. Would you like to know what we think it was?’ Barbara Plouvin nodded, very slightly. ‘One of my officers spoke to this man on the phone, and inadvertently revealed the amount of the monthly allowance that is supposed to be paid to Rupert. My guess is that our man was actually receiving a very much smaller amount, and that someone else was pocketing the difference. It’s a funny thing, but in my experience fraudsters hated being conned. It’s an affront to their professional pride, you see.’
For the first time Hall could see real anger in Barbara Plouvin’s eyes, and he was pretty sure that, this time at least, he wasn’t the cause.
They were back in the car, and clear of the yard, before Mann spoke again.
‘Why don’t we take them straight in? They’ve got time to get their stories straight now. And you told her how we know about Rupert. What’s the strategy, boss?’
‘I want to see what line Jenkins tries to get them to hold. I’ve got a feeling that I know how he’s going to get them to play it from here, and if I’m right we can use that approach to concentrate our effort where it’s needed. I don’t want to do it this way, but the bosses have their red pens poised, Ian. They really do. So we need all the help we can get, even if it does mean that we have to take a more unconventional approach.’
‘Sorry, mate, I’m not with you. How is Jenkins going to help us?’
‘He’s going to say that there’s no connection between the fact that someone is impersonating Plouvin and the rest of the family. In other words they’ll concede that aspect, although they’ll claim it’s nothing to do with them, but that in itself will save us a huge amount of work. I’m pretty sure that they’ll say that Rupert left in the way they claim, because they have to try to hold that line, and that they’ve had no face-to-face or telephone contact since. It’s all been done through third parties, lawyers and all that. And no doubt that will be backed up perfectly by their email and phone records, though I’d say that will actually help us argue our case.’
‘How so?’
‘Because if they knew that the man in South Africa was an imposter, and maybe even that Rupert was dead, then they’d know that any personal contact was impossible, wouldn’t they? My guess is that they’ll all say that Rupert told them he didn’t want to have any further contact with them, something like that, and they’re just respecting his wishes.’
‘So where is Rupert, then? Under the stones as well?’
‘Nice idea, and I certainly wouldn’t put it past them. It might fit with their place in the world as well, somehow. Did that archeologist say that they’d surveyed the whole site before they dug that hole?’
‘I don’t remember.’
‘No, I don’t either. Get on to him, would you, and find out. If he didn’t cover the whole area let’s see if we can borrow his ground radar, or whatever it is, and the Prof can have the dubious privilege of working alongside our very own Sandy Smith for a day or two. And may God have mercy on his soul. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. First of all we need to get quick confirmation that Rupert Plouvin has been impersonated from the family, and then find out what happened to him. And even then, if he’s dead, we need to make a firm connection with Morrow. There’s still a hell of a way to go.’
‘I’ve got the feeling though, Andy. The hairs on the back of my neck were up when we were in there with her just now.’
‘That’ll be a draught, mate’ said Hall, laughing. ‘I do know what you mean, though. It’s just that thin veneer they’ve got, isn’t it? People like the Plouvins, put them in a council flat with a fifty inch plasma lighting the room and pizza boxes on the floor and all of a sudden they’d fit right in. He’s pissed up and out of it half the time by the looks, neither has worked a day in their lives, and she’s left one brother for the other.’
Mann laughed. ‘It does sound familiar, Andy, now you come to mention it. And I suppose some of our customers do have ancient monuments in their gardens, too.’
‘What, like old Sierras on bricks?’
‘I was thinking more old washing machines, but aye, that’s pretty much the idea.’
‘The thing is though, Ian, this isn’t a bit of dealing, or thieving, or even battering someone who dissed your dog, this is murder. Potentially double murder. They can wave their coat of arms around all they like, but I bet when it comes down to it they’ll be grassing each other up as fast as they can, just like our regular customers do. Anyway, let’s hope so.’
Three hours later Jane sent round the email that Hall had expected to see. The South African Police had interviewed Plouvin’s South African lawyer, plus a bank teller who saw him regularly. There was no question that the man calling himself Rupert Plouvin was not the man in the photograph. The South African police were looking, but there was no sign of the man who had been passing himself off as Rupert Plouvin. Hall called Jane into his office.
‘How hard do you think they’re willing to work for us from here?’
Jane shrugged. ‘They’re friendly enough, but it sounds like we’re not exactly top priority.’
‘As expected then, really. I’ve worked on that assumption, anyway. And I doubt that whoever it was who’s been impersonating Plouvin knows much to interest us anyway. When you spoke on the phone he probably realised that he was involved in something serious, the murder of Rupert Plouvin, and when you told him how much cash he was supposed to be getting that probably decided him to make life just a bit more difficult for the Plouvins. But it would be useful if we could get some prints from the place he was living in. I don’t mind if we can’t identify him, but it would be good to have some additional evidence that it’s not Rupert Plouvin. Do you think they’d do that?’
‘I can ask.’
‘Great, do that. And afterwards I’d like you to join me for the interviews with the Plouvins. I think you’ll enjoy them.’
‘What time?’
‘I’m going to ask Mr. Jenkins to have his clients here this afternoon.’
‘He’s bound to say that’s too soon, Andy.’
‘And I’m bound to say that they’ll be arrested if they’re not here. And they will be. You can count on it.’
Jenkins and his clients were due to arrive at three-thirty, but it was almost five before Hall and Jane sat down with Jenkins and Christopher Plouvin. And as soon as the tape was running Jenkins intervened.
‘I have a statement from my clients here, which I think you will find useful, Chief Inspector.’
‘Then please read it to us, for the benefit of the tape, Mr. Jenkins.’
‘My clients were aware that the man purporting to be Rupert Plouvin in South Africa is an imposter. However, their belief is that the man in question, whom they have never met and have no knowledge of, is an employee of Rupert Plouvin, and has been acting on his instructions. They do not know where Rupert is at present, although none of them have seen or had contact with him since he left. They further believe that Cliff Morrow was known to Rupert Plouvin, and that it is possible that it was Rupert who killed him. Both David and Barbara Plouvin are willing to sign statements confirming that they saw the two men together just a week or two before Rupert left. They do not know the details of that relationship, but it seems likely to my clients that Morrow was attempting to extort money from Rupert Plouvin, for reasons unknown to them.’
Hall sat back. ‘Thank you for that, Mr. Jenkins. This does put a different complexion on things. Why don’t we take a five minute break now? I also suggest that we arrange for David and Barbara Plouvin to be returned home, and we will interview them tomorrow morning. However’ Hall looked at Christopher Plouvin as he spoke, ‘since we have Christopher here now I suggest that we continue with this interview at five-fifteen.’
During the break Jane
scanned the statement and sent it to the rest of the team. There wasn’t time to discuss tactics with Hall, and as they settled again she wondered how he would proceed.
‘Let’s start with your new, collective statement, shall we, Christopher? So you’re saying that you knew that the man in South Africa, purporting to be Rupert Plouvin, was actually an imposter.’
‘Yes, that’s right. We think he was hired by my brother.’
‘Let’s come back to that. But for now, tell me when you knew that your brother wasn’t in South Africa?’
‘I never knew that, not for sure, but soon after he’d gone we became suspicious.’
‘By we you mean yourself, David and Barbara Plouvin?’
‘That’s right, yes.’
‘And what made you suspicious?’
‘Just that he didn’t have any direct contact with any of us. It was all done via his lawyer out there. It seemed out of character. He had no argument with me, not really, so it just seemed odd that he’d take the same line with me. With David and Barbara it was understandable, but not to talk to me or his boys. Well, that seemed excessive.’
‘And where did you think your brother actually was? Still in Cumbria?’
‘We didn’t know. Possibly, I suppose.’
‘But none of you have seen him, or had any contact by phone, anything like that?’
‘I haven’t, and no-one else has said that they’ve seen him.’
‘So what makes you think that he might still be living locally?’
‘If I was him I’d want to see my children, that’s all.’
Hall nodded. ‘Let’s move on to this next point, shall we? Why did you think that this person in South Africa was acting with your brother’s knowledge? As his employee, in fact.’
‘It was just that he knew so much about my brother, and the circumstances of his leaving. My brother just had to have been involved. That’s how we all saw it, anyway.’
‘I see. So what kind of details were those?’