The Stone Wife
- Автор: Ловси Питер
- Серия: Peter Diamond #14
- Год: 2014
- Язык: английский
- Год: Sphere
- ISBN: 978-0-7515-5405-2
- Жанр: Полицейские детективы
Электронная книга - «The Stone Wife». Краткое содержание книги:
Meanwhile the small silver helicopter had swooped in and was hovering about fifty feet overhead, the pilot evidently taking stock of the scene below. The long grass in the marked, enclosed area was flattened by the action of the rotor blades. A few hats were dislodged.
Two men were seated at the front of the aircraft: the pilot and a passenger in a blue windbreaker and black knitted cap. If this was Bernie, he didn’t look bothered by the scene. In fact he was grinning. His face was close to the side window, getting a sight of what was going on.
‘Look at him, the smug bastard,’ the man with the leather shoulders said to no one in particular. ‘You can tell it’s a done deal.’
The helicopter descended the last few feet and touched down.
‘You know what’s going to happen?’ Halliwell yelled to Diamond. ‘Bernie will transfer to the Jeep and be driven off. They’ll have their discussion well away from all this.’
‘If they escape,’ Diamond said.
The door of the four-by-four opened and a short, slight figure in black jumped out and was practically knocked over by the downdraught from the rotor blades.
‘Bloody hell — it looks like a woman,’ Halliwell said.
No question about it. The headscarf she was wearing was wrenched off by the draught and a mass of blonde hair fanned out behind her. She looked far too young to be a landowner.
Her youth and gender didn’t stop a chorus of jeers from the crowd.
The door of the helicopter opened and Bernie jumped out, an agile, middle-aged man with cropped hair going grey. Years in a hard trade had left their mark. It was a weatherbeaten face, coarse-skinned and deeply creased. Several gold chains nestled in the chest hair revealed by his open Hawaiian shirt. His swagger suggested he would yield to nobody and certainly not a crowd of nimbys in a field he was shortly to claim as one more piece of his empire.
Without so much as a handshake, Bernie and the blonde climbed inside the Jeep and slammed the doors — the signal for the crowd to close in and try to stop them. But the blonde was having none of it — as she made clear by jamming her foot down and punching the horn. Her acceleration wouldn’t have disgraced a rally driver. The best the protesters could manage was to flail with their banners, and even then several slipped over. It was more by chance than design that nobody fell under the wheels.
With the engine revved to screaming level, the clear winner in this contest surged across the field to shouts of ‘madman’ and ‘swine.’ A few brave souls tried blocking the exit gate until it was obvious they were inviting serious injury, if not death, and they leapt aside. The targets of all the mayhem were through and away.
‘What did you make of that?’ Halliwell said. ‘Who the hell was she?’
‘How would I know? The crowd seemed to think it was the landowner, but she looked too young to me. Could be one of the staff. In any case, she’s a tough lady. She wasn’t taking prisoners.’
‘So what now, guv? We can’t give chase.’
‘While the chopper is here, we’re okay. He’s got to come back some time to return to London.’
Among the crowd the outrage at how dangerous the escape had been was giving way to disappointment. Some insisted they had made their point by being there. Others said they had been cheated out of a chance to put their arguments to Bernie Wefers — as if there was a code of behaviour for demonstrations and it had not been observed. Muttering groups discussed what to do next and a number gave up and left. Some looked over their shoulders at the helicopter, now standing silent, with the pilot still in the cabin.
As if they sensed the threat of damage or even injury, the two uniformed police officers moved towards the landing space and raised the fallen stake and forced it into the turf again. Then they stationed themselves inside the rope and started making calls on their hand radios.
A large section of the crowd remained, debating what to do next. The mood wasn’t friendly.
‘They’re looking for someone to blame,’ Halliwell said. ‘Might be wise to put your phone out of sight, guv.’
Diamond was checking once again for a text. He looked up and saw what his colleague meant. ‘A good moment to make ourselves known to the local fuzz, I think.’
They moved fast, brandished their IDs, and stepped over the rope. The men on duty greeted them as brother officers volunteering to help out. One said, ‘There’s a fair amount of anger out there. I asked for some back-up.’
His mate said with a grin, ‘Didn’t think they’d call up Avon and Somerset.’
‘Sorry, my friend,’ Diamond said. ‘We’re not the US cavalry. We’re on an enquiry. We’re going aboard the chopper to interview the pilot. But it’s nice to know we have you guys protecting us.’
The pilot appeared to be asleep. Diamond reached up and tapped the glass and pressed his ID against it when the pilot showed signs of life. The door opened, the steps were let down and they climbed up to the cabin.
‘Nothing to worry about. You’re in the clear,’ Diamond said, sensing this as a promising unplanned opportunity. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Sinclair. Percy Sinclair.’
‘Good to meet you, Percy. Any idea when Mr. Wefers is expected back?’
The pilot hesitated, torn between loyalty to his paymaster and submission to the law. ‘Couldn’t say, except he wants to be back in London before tonight, so he shouldn’t be all that long.’
‘We’ll sit down then.’ Diamond parked himself in Bernie’s seat and Halliwell squeezed through to one of the passenger seats behind. ‘Who was the blonde with the Jeep? Do you know?’
Percy Sinclair had decided to cooperate. ‘She’s the one selling the land. Miss Thompson. Her father died suddenly and left everything to her. She’s an air stewardess, I believe, with no interest in farming, so she wants a quick deal.’
‘She’s got guts, in addition to her other assets. I’d think twice about driving into a demo like that.’
‘They have to be confident in her job, don’t they?’
‘You have to be confident in yours,’ Diamond said. ‘You landed the chopper to perfection and there was a lot to put you off. How long have you been flying for Bernie Wefers?’
‘Couple of years, no more.’
A couple of years would be sufficient to get the pattern of Bernie’s trips.
‘You’ve got to know his sites like the back of your hand, I’ll bet.’
‘Most of them, anyway.’
‘All over Britain?’
‘Just about.’
‘We’re from Bath. Where’s the best landing spot there?’
‘Down there we always go to Castle Combe,’ Sinclair said. ‘He picks his hotels. If they’re comfortable and have a helipad he keeps going back. Do you know the Manor House Hotel?’
‘By reputation. Nine or ten miles from where we work.’
‘Yes, if he visits Bath, he’ll be driven in from there.’
‘Do you get to stay in the Manor House as well?’
‘I do.’
‘Lucky you. Have you done the trip recently?’
‘Two or three weeks ago, maybe. Bristol first, then Bath.’
‘Where do you stay in Bristol?’
‘Some way outside. Thornbury Castle. They have the helipad there.’
‘Not slumming, exactly. You say you were there recently. I expect you keep a log of your trips?’
‘I do.’ A cautious note had entered the pilot’s voice.
‘Do you have it with you?’
He was right back in his shell now. ‘I can’t show it to you without Mr. Wefers’ permission. He doesn’t allow me to discuss his business.’