Dead Man's Time

But just rattle his cage, let him know we think he may be involved. It’ll make him nervous – and the
more nervous he is, the more likely he’ll make a mistake.’
    ‘Could we get surveillance on him, chief?’ Guy Batchelor said. ‘Or a phone tap?’
    ‘We don’t have hard enough evidence to justify the cost of surveillance,’ Grace said. ‘And I’m afraid a phone tap is a non-starter at this stage.’
Surveillance was extremely costly in terms of specialist manpower and Grace could not see the ACC sanctioning it. The criterion for obtaining a phone tap order was evidence that a human life was in
immediate danger. It had to be signed by an ACPO and the Home Secretary or a Secretary of State. He turned to DS Potting, who had been given the action at a previous briefing of seeing if any
activity had taken place on the dead woman’s credit cards or bank account.
    ‘Norman, do you have anything on her credit cards?’
    Again, Grace noticed a quick, almost imperceptible, glance between the old detective and Bella Moy.
    For some moments, Potting’s gloom lifted, as he looked distinctly pleased with himself. ‘I do, chief. During the twenty-four hours between the night of August the 21st and 22nd, two
hundred pounds was withdrawn from Aileen McWhirter’s bank account with her debit card. During this same period, three hundred pounds was withdrawn on her Amex card, three hundred pounds on
her MasterCard and two hundred and fifty on her Visa. All CCTV footage from the cashpoints has been checked. In each case the money was withdrawn by someone with their face hooded.’
    Grace frowned, then said, ‘The estimated value of the articles stolen from the victim’s house is in the region of ten million pounds. It seems odd that anyone would bother with such
relatively small amounts of cash in addition, with the risks involved.’
    ‘Well, chief,’ said Potting, ‘to me that would indicate hired thugs. They’re either on a flat rate or a small percentage of what they nicked. So they helped themselves to
a bit more, perhaps?’
    ‘Quite possible,’ Grace agreed. ‘Her brother, Gavin Daly, is a major player – or was – in the antiques world. And his son, Lucas, has the business now. Any thoughts
on whether either or both of them might have had a hand in this?’
    ‘I’ve interviewed the old man and the son, boss,’ DS Guy Batchelor said. ‘Gavin Daly’s grief seems pretty real. The son seems pretty upset too. He doesn’t
have a record but Operation Reduction have had an eye on him for some time.’ Operation Reduction was the long-term operation of the Brighton Drugs Squad.
    ‘Can you tell us more on that?’ Roy Grace asked.
    ‘They’re building a file on him. He’s running his father’s shop in the Lanes and he’s married to the television news presenter Sarah Courteney.’
    ‘She’s a bit of all right, she is!’ Norman Potting said. ‘Phwoar!’ Then Grace noticed Bella glare at the detective and he fell silent, blushing slightly.
    ‘But no history of involvement with robbery?’ Grace asked Batchelor.
    ‘No, but I did find one thing, running a search on him through the serials. Two years ago a crew were called to his home – his wife had phoned for help saying he was attacking her.
He was arrested, but subsequently released, because she refused to press charges.’
    Roy Grace nodded. ‘Useful to know. Thanks, Guy.’ On the long list of members of the human species that the Detective Superintendent despised were men who hit women.
    ‘The only other person with regular access to Mrs McWhirter’s property,’ Guy Batchelor continued, ‘is the housekeeper who comes twice a week. She’s seventy-five,
bless her, and has worked for Daly and his family for thirty years. Other visitors to the property include the gardener, who’s almost equally ancient, the milkman, the newspaper boy, a
plumber called Michael Maguire, who did some work on a toilet about four months ago, and a builder, Bryan Barker, who did some roof-tiling work in April. We’re checking them all
out.’
    ‘Good. Thanks, Guy.’ Grace turned to the Press Officer. ‘What’s the situation on press and media interest, Sue?’
    ‘I’m getting a lot of calls and emails asking whether we’ve established a motive, other than burglary, and if we have any suspects.’
    ‘At this moment I’m regarding Amis Smallbone as a Person of Interest, but no more than that,’ he replied. ‘I don’t want that