Found Guilty at Five (10 page)

E
IGHTEEN

T
HE ATMOSPHERE AT THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF
N
EW
Brooms was unusually sombre. Sheila Stratford, Floss Cullen, Dot Nimmo, Paula Hickson and Andrew Young had arrived on time, and at once realised that Lois was not in a happy mood. The team had been with her long enough to know the signs. No smiles, no pauses for a short gossip while they drank their morning coffee. Business only. Their rotas were gone through at top speed, and the general impression was that Lois was anxious to end the meeting as soon as possible. She had explained that she might not be available on Monday, and thanked them abstractedly for turning up on a Saturday.

Hazel Thornbull, who managed the New Brooms office in Tresham, arrived fifteen minutes late, and was treated to a glassy stare from Lois. Her apology seemed not to register with the boss, and she sat down quietly, listening to the others’ contributions.

Finally, a long silence was broken by Dot Nimmo, the most cocksure of the lot, who said in a loud voice, “Right. Now, Mrs. M, time to tell us what’s up. You never know, we might be able to help.”

The rest held their breath, waiting for an angry outburst from Lois. Instead, she slumped in her chair and sighed heavily.

Floss was first on her feet. She went over to Lois and patted her shoulder. “Come on, Mrs. M. Take your time, and don’t worry about Dot. You know what she is. She means well. If we can help, you know we will.”

Sheila, an older woman, said that perhaps Lois would like her mother to come in? Lois sat up straight, rubbed at her eyes and cleared her throat.

“For God’s sake, no!” she said. “Home truths from my mum are the last thing I need. Sorry everyone. I will just explain a bit.”

In a few short sentences, Lois explained that she had heard from Jamie saying he had at last received a short message from Akiko. Her voice had been strained, and although she insisted she was fine, she would not be able to see him for a while. “He’s convinced that she’s locked up somewhere,” she added.

“And I suppose Jamie’s determined to find her? Is that what you’re thinking, Mrs. M? Jamie getting out of his depth and in danger? I suppose the fuzz aren’t on to it?” asked Dot. From a lifetime of encounters between her gangland husband and the police, she had no great faith in either criminal or cop.

Lois did not answer. She thanked the team for their support, and sent them away in a very worried frame of mind.

*   *   *

“N
EVER MIND ABOUT
D
OT
N
IMMO,”
D
EREK SAID AT LUNCHTIME.
“You knew what kind of a person she is when you first took her on. I want to know what news there’s been from Jamie. How did he sound, and have there been any developments?”

“He was all right, but jumpy,” Lois replied. “Naturally enough, considering how worried he obviously was. He wouldn’t tell me much. When he got the last message from her, he hardly recognised her voice, she was so stressed. He still thinks the most important thing for him is to find her, and I didn’t get much further with telling him it was madness to try and tackle it on his own. Everybody has bad patches, I tried to tell him. Give her time, I said.”

Gran had kept quiet for as long as she was able, but now burst forth. “Why doesn’t he go to the police?” she shouted. “We’ve got a policeman in the family now, and Lois’s admirer is a top cop. Isn’t that enough? For two pins I’d go to Tresham myself and demand to see Cowgill. I shall tell him everything.”

“No need for that, Mum,” Lois said. “I have already made an appointment to see Inspector Cowgill. He’ll be here late this afternoon.”

“But what will you tell him?” said Derek. “Everything? Or are you going to tell him not very much, and carry on ferretin’?”

“I shall keep him informed,” said Lois sniffily. “So, can we get on with our work now?”

“I’ll say n’more,” Derek answered. “But just promise me you won’t go getting yourself mixed up with violent criminals. Leave it to them that know how to deal with it. Promise?”

Lois said that she would do her very best not to get mixed up with criminals of any kind. “I have quite enough to do keeping my clients and my girls happy,” she said. “There’s this complaint from a client about Dot Nimmo that I have to deal with. And don’t look like that, Mum. I’ve told no fibs, nor shall I tell any. You can be satisfied with that.”

There were indeed no lies in Lois’s report, but she was expert at adjusting the truth. If pursuing her ferretin’ saved her youngest son from harm, she would not hesitate to do it.

*   *   *

I
N
L
ONDON,
J
AMIE HAD HARDLY SLEPT, AND THIS MORNING
decided to make a start by going down to the Wilmore Hall. That was where Akiko was last seen by him, and there were one or two people there who might help in his efforts to trace her. She had been particularly friendly with one of the women who acted as chair shifters on stage.

He remembered the woman well. She was tall and blonde, what his Gran would have called “bottle blonde,” and no longer young. She had obviously taken to Akiko, and said frequently that the foreign girl needed taking care of. More care than most performers, she had confided to Jamie. “She looks scared most of the time,” she had said. But the woman had left, given in her notice, and the manager had no forwarding address.

Disappointed, Jamie got himself a sandwich and coffee and took them to a seat in the corner of the restaurant, where he could observe the comings and goings. He had brought the
BBC Music
Magazine
with him, so that he could eavesdrop whilst pretending to read.

“Jamie Meade! What are you doing here?”

Jamie looked up and saw a familiar face. “Inspector Cowgill! I could say the same to you. Are you here for the afternoon concert, or on duty?”

“The latter,” said the inspector. “But seeing you is a bonus. I have to get back to Farnden by four, to keep an appointment with your mother. I’ve other business in London, but thought I’d take the opportunity of doing a spot of investigating backstage. Our missing persons people are on the job, of course, but I am pursuing the stolen cello at the moment. My belief is that Akiko has taken off somewhere to get away from questions and pressures. That cello was probably like a child to her. Such an important piece of her life, you know. If we can get it back, it would mean everything to her. I’d give her time, if I were you. This is an odd place, isn’t it? All corners and cupboards and stairs.”

Jamie nodded. “You’re right. But it’s an important venue. I have had to cancel another performing date, unfortunately.”

“Perhaps that is just what Akiko needs,” Cowgill said gently. “Time to recover. I must be away now. Meeting your mother at four for a conference, which should be productive. Keep in touch.”

“Um, yes,” Jamie said noncommittally. “Mum’s always keen to help.”

“I have great faith in your mother,” Cowgill said seriously. “She has a gift for what your father calls ferretin’, and most times she knows when it is time to bring in the police.”

After the inspector had gone, Jamie thought about what he had said. He had been at pains to give the impression that he did not regard the Japanese girl’s absence as a first priority. No doubt he would persuade Mum to take the same view.

N
INETEEN

C
OWGILL RANG THE BELL AT
M
EADE
H
OUSE JUST AFTER
four o’clock, and, as he expected, Gran opened the door.

“Good afternoon, Inspector. Does my daughter know you’re coming? She doesn’t tell me anything, as you know.”

Cowgill smiled his cool smile, and said that Lois was expecting him. At this point, Lois appeared.

“Thanks, Mum. You can get on now. I’ll take the inspector into my office.”

Gran scowled. “Dismissed, eh? Well, I suppose you won’t mind if I bring in a tray of tea?”

“That would be very nice,” Cowgill said, warming up. “I have had a tiring journey coming down from London. Leaves on the line, or some such ridiculous excuse.”

Lois said nothing until they were safely settled in her office, Gran had brought in tea and was back in her kitchen. Cowgill looked at Lois’s frowning face, and opened the conversation.

“So here I am, Lois. Sorry I’m a little late, but it is good to see you again, and looking as lovely as ever, if I may say so.”

“You can say what you like. But I’m in no mood for compliments. I asked you to come because I think Jamie may be acting foolishly in trying to find Akiko. He is convinced she is being held somewhere against her will, and means to find her.”

Cowgill nodded wisely. “As it happens, I met him in London this morning. Extraordinary. Bumped into him at the Wilmore Hall. He seemed in reasonable spirits, considering. Told me nothing. But you can tell me more.”

Lois took a deep breath and, comforted a little by the thought of Cowgill being on the job, began. “I am worried that her family might be involved in all of this. Jamie has said that her father dotes on her, and he may well be suspicious of her falling for an Englishman. Do you think that may be so?”

“Could be, my dear. But doting fathers are not confined to Japan. I remember feeling very worried about my own daughter marrying a struggling artist, but they’re doing fine. Not all of us have the good fortune to welcome a policeman son-in-law into the family!”

“Okay, okay! I know we’re lucky with Matthew. But returning to Akiko, she has disappeared for some reason, and Jamie is convinced that it was not her own idea.”

“Right, Lois dear. I must say that I got that impression from him. We have two courses of action. First, we must advise Jamie not to try to contact Akiko’s father. He could well spread unnecessary concern there. If he does get a lead on where she might be, and in danger, he is to contact me. As I said to Jamie this morning, we have to remember that she may well be missing in the sense that she does not
want
to be found. Many of our so-called missing persons have vanished deliberately for a variety of good reasons. Naturally we shall keep our ears open, but at the moment we have no real evidence that she is in trouble.”

“Yeah, well. She’s Japanese, isn’t she?”

“What difference does that make?”

“Think back, Cowgill. You must be old enough to remember. Burmese prison camps? Japs defeated? Honour needing to be defended? All of that?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” he answered sharply. “And old grudges are passed down from generation to generation, I know that. Has Jamie ever mentioned Akiko’s family being connected to wartime prisoner-of-war camps? Maybe grandparents, or other members of her family?”

“Just once. And then it was a passing reference. She had mentioned something, but he hadn’t really registered what she meant. I am afraid we still know very little about her. But if this is what it’s all about, we have to consider it, I suppose.”

“I am considering it, but there is no need to spread alarm unnecessarily. We shall pursue the subject discreetly, I can assure you. Meanwhile, you must try to find out exactly what Jamie intends to do, and make sure he is not acting foolishly.”

“Easier said than done,” said Lois gloomily.

A knock at the door produced Gran to collect the tea things. “Still chewing things over?” she said. “It’s my opinion that we should leave it to you, Inspector Cowgill. I have always had absolute confidence in the police. When I lost my cat, years ago, they found it for me in a couple of days. You should be able to find a foreign girl cellist without too much trouble. Then we can all get on with things, and stop footling about with other people’s lives.”

Inspector Cowgill smothered a smile. He could see Lois was boiling, and attempted to intervene. “Thank you for your vote of confidence, Mrs. Weedon,” he said. “You can rest assured we have matters in hand. I am sure things will be sorted out very soon.”

“Here, Mum, take this and leave us in peace.” Lois thrust the tray at her mother and all but pushed her out of the room.

“God, as if I haven’t got enough trouble, without a mother with loopy opinions under my feet the whole time. Sorry about that, Cowgill.”

“Not so loopy, my dear,” he said mildly.