A Perfect Likeness (25 page)

Patricia Grimes looked at her shocked sister and without diverting her eyes confirmed she was. She also admitted to being involved in the preparation of the cocaine for onwards selling.

‘Patricia, you are telling me that Alan and you were drug dealers?’ said her sister. She was shaking as she spoke, barely managing to complete the sentence. ‘How could you? This is terrible. I would never have thought you could have done such a horrible thing.’ She got up to leave. ‘I’m not staying here to listen to this, it’s a disgrace for the family.’

‘Sis, please don’t go. Alan is dying and I’ve got nobody else to turn to. I know what we were doing was wrong and we hated ourselves for doing it. But they got Alan when he was a user and then there was no way out. Alan said they would rather kill him, and me, than let us go. Please stay, I need you.
Please
.’

She sat down again and took hold of her sister’s hand without saying anymore.

‘Mrs Grimes, who are, ‘they’?’ asked Fraser.

‘I don’t know. Alan said it would be better if I didn’t know. But he was very frightened of them.’

‘Where did he get the cocaine from?’

‘I don’t know that either, but I think it might have been from Draycliffe. Every so often, three weeks or so, he would say he was going to the marina for a night fishing trip. He’s never liked fishing. Liked boats even less, but he had to go and I never queried why. It was always well after six in the morning before he came home. I could never go to bed until he got back. I was frightened for him, especially when the weather was not that good. He returned with a large quantity of the drug that we broke down into individual doses. We repacked them into eight packets for Alan to deliver to his men. He would then take the money back to his boss, or bosses. Also in Draycliffe, I presumed. I never knew how much money was involved, but we were never short.’

Her sister shook her head. ‘I don’t believe this. Thank God Mum and Dad are no longer here, it would have been too much for them to cope with.’ But she continued to hold on to her sister’s hand, giving gentle squeezes when she felt her sister was in need of additional reassurance.

‘Mrs Grimes,’ continued Fraser. ‘I appreciate you being so open with your answers. We will be needing to talk to you again at greater length and, of course, obtain a full statement. In the meantime we need to carry out a search of your house and secure it until we have completed our investigation. Do you understand?’

‘Yes, Sir. I understand.’ She took her house keys out of her handbag and offered them to Fraser.

‘No, Mrs Grimes. I would like you to accompany us. Maybe it will be a little later this morning, once we’ve had a chance to see how your husband is progressing. We have already placed a guard on your house.’

Mrs Grimes looked at him, uncertain as to why a guard was necessary.

‘Just in case, Mrs Grimes. The people you work for may try to gain access once they find out what has happened. Just one more thing I must advise you of. You have been aiding your husband in the distribution of a dangerous drug. A very serious offence and charges
will
be made against you for your part in the operation. I must say you have been most cooperative and, if you continue to be so, it could be of great benefit to you. Now I think you should go back to your husband and we’ll talk again later.’

*

Edward Page was opening the mail when the phone rang. He looked at his watch and let it go on to the answer-phone.

‘Edward, I know you are there, it’s Tom and you’d better pick up the phone. It’s urgent.’

Page did as instructed, appreciating the anxiety in Rawston’s voice. ‘What’s so urgent, Tom?’

‘Have you seen the morning papers, the nationals?’

‘Didn’t stop to get them. Why?’

‘It would appear Alan Grimes, not that his name has been mentioned, failed to stop at a police check whilst carrying out one of his deliveries and crashed his car after being chased. The report says the suspect is from Stawley Park so it has to be Alan. I haven’t tried to make any contact for obvious reasons. He’s in a critical condition with a less than fifty percent chance of survival. At least that’s what the papers are saying.’

‘Right, Tom, get them all straight over to the office. I’ll call Sylvia.’

The Star Boats’ office remained closed while the Pages and Rawston were discussing the incident, its possible effects and the action to be taken. Alan Grimes could not be allowed to talk to the police. He would not talk to the police. The organisation would take care of that.

‘Tom, you remember when you joined us,’ said Edward Page. ‘I told you there was only one way out. You’re about to find out the truth of my words. I am afraid Alan has to be eliminated and his house gutted. I would suspect we’re too late for that though. It’s probably under guard or crawling with police investigators already.’

‘What about Mrs Grimes?’ asked Rawston.

‘We’re definitely too late. The police would have spoken with her already, but the papers have not indicated that the wife may be involved. Whatever she knows, the police now know. You can be sure of that. I am, however, confident she doesn’t know anything that could damage us. Alan was warned that to tell his wife anything would put both their lives in serious danger. I want you both to get over to Stawley Park straight away and see whether you can get to the house. No risks to be taken, we’ve enough problems as it is. I’ll contact London regarding Alan. Make sure you are back here by two-thirty.’

*

Rawston and Sylvia Page were not in a hurry to reach the Grimes’s house. They stopped often. They kissed and embraced. They talked and laughed, just like any other couple who were deeply in love. This love, despite warnings from Edward Page, had taken them over and they were making mistakes. They had become vulnerable.

‘Will you marry me, Sylvia?’ Rawston asked, not for the first time.

Sylvia Page threw her head back and laughed aloud. ‘Tom, you big oaf. How many more times are you going to ask me? You know it’s not possible. But I do like you asking me. It tells me you love me. Perhaps not as much as I love you but at least I know you love me,’ she said as she clung with both hands to Rawston’s left arm.

‘I’ll carry on asking until you say yes.’

They turned the corner and saw the police twenty yards ahead. ‘No chance,’ said Rawston. ‘The bastards have beaten us to it.’

‘Continue walking, Tom. And keep smiling. Let’s see if we can get there.’

A police van was parked across the entrance of the cul-de-sac and two uniformed officers were chatting alongside.

‘Good morning, Sir, madam,’ said the one holding the lead of the aggressive looking alsation that rose to its feet as Rawston and Sylvia Page approached. ‘I need to ask a question before letting you through. Are you residents or are you visiting someone?’

‘Er… neither,’ said Sylvia Page. ‘We just wanted …’

‘Sorry, madam,’ interrupted the second officer, ‘I’m afraid the close is not available for access at the moment. Do you have friends living here who you wish to visit?’

‘Okay, no we don’t, er… it’s not that important,’ said Rawston trying to think of a suitable response, ‘but we are getting married soon and we’ve looked in an estate agents window and seen a house in the close that we quite like the look of. Thought we’d have a discreet look before we make an appointment.’

‘Good idea, Sir. Yes, I do believe there is a ‘For Sale’ notice in one of the gardens, but I’m afraid I can’t let you through. Maybe later, or better still, tomorrow, should all be sorted out by then.’

‘Not sure this is the right place for us anyway,’ said Sylvia Page. ‘With all this police activity going on it must be a pretty bad area.’

The constable smiled politely and his colleague moved the van to allow another police vehicle to pass. Dogs barked from inside as it turned.

‘That’s the sniffers arriving,’ whispered Rawston as they walked away. ‘They’ll tear the house apart and won’t leave until they find what they’re after. Let’s get back to the office and make Edward’s day a little worse than it is already.’

After allowing them to get a suitable distance, the dog handler tapped the side of the police van. ‘That was the two we have been expecting, hope you got photo’s?’

‘Yep and took several extras of the chick, great legs.’

*

Patricia Grimes didn’t move from her chair for the duration of the police search. Her sister continued to comfort her despite her loathing for anything to do with drug dealing or anything remotely illegal. Patricia Grimes cooperated fully, showing where they kept their ‘mini lab’ for preparing the doses and the hidden wall safe containing the cocaine and money from sales. She didn’t have the code.

‘Alan said it was better I didn’t know it’, she said. ‘Likewise, I don’t know the names of his agents. I do know he had eight. In Bournemouth, Southampton, Winchester, Torquay, Exeter, Salisbury, Plymouth and Bristol. He always gave me a quick call after completing each delivery to let me know he was safe. He knew I worried all the time he was out. Once all the deliveries were made he would go to the address in Draycliffe, hand over the money and get paid. I don’t know where the office was, except it could be near to the marina. He said he had to park there once and walk across the road. It was not possible to park anywhere else.’

It took less than five minutes to get the safe opened. It contained only cash, almost £150,000. The police discovered nothing in the house other than what had been pointed out to them.

*

On their return to the hospital, Patricia Grimes and her sister were met by an intensive care nurse.

‘Mrs Grimes, the surgeon asked me to take you straight to his office on your return. He needs to speak with you. Not good news I’m afraid.’

Patricia Grimes braced herself for the anticipated news.

‘Please sit down, Mrs Grimes. As you know, your husband has been on the ventilator since the operation and this has been breathing for him. I am afraid Alan suffered a rapid deterioration during the last two hours and there was nothing we could do to save him. I am very sorry, Mrs Grimes.’

‘I understand,’ said Patricia Grimes, ‘may I see him please?’ She was struggling to keep control of herself. Alan was dead, but she felt a duty not to cry. He wouldn’t have approved.

‘Yes, of course. We’ll go now.’

As they approached intensive care they were passed by two white coated staff who had just left the room where Alan Grimes was. They acknowledged with a nod and a polite smile. The surgeon stopped and turned. They had the correct identity tags, but he didn’t see the names, nor did he recognise them. And their pace had quickened on passing.

‘Anything the matter,’ asked Patricia Grimes.

‘I don’t know but I don’t think those two people should have been in this area. And where’s the policeman? Wait here Mrs Grimes.’

He entered the intensive care room to find both the policeman and the nurse on the floor, unconscious but alive. He raised the alarm and checked Grimes. He had been shot in the head. The police officer stirred as other staff rushed into the room.

‘Take care of these two,’ he ordered. ‘The nurse appears serious. The patient has been shot, but he was already dead. I’ll be back once I’ve dealt with his wife.’ He decided there was no point in giving chase as he wanted no further confrontations that may endanger either the patients or staff.

‘Sorry, Mrs Grimes, please come back to my office. There’s been an incident.’

‘What’s happened? I want to see my husband, now.’

The surgeon took hold of her arm. ‘Please, Mrs Grimes, it’s best you come with me. I’ll explain what has happened and then you can see your husband.’

Her sister took her other arm and Patricia Grimes was guided back to the office. She was going to let Alan down, she couldn’t help herself. Her head began rolling from side to side and her legs barely able to keep her upright. Without her two supports she would have collapsed.

‘Sit down please. I just need to make a quick call. How are the nurse and the police officer?’ he asked. ‘And where is the nurse now?’ He acknowledged the information received and replaced the receiver. ‘Mrs Grimes, those two people we passed in the corridor were not members of staff. They attacked and injured the police officer and the nurse. He’s regained consciousness but the nurse is more serious with a possible fractured skull. I am very sorry, but they then shot your husband.’

‘No, no,’ she screamed. ‘Why, he was dead anyway?’ She broke down and her sister placed an arm around her, squeezing her close. ‘Come on, Patricia. You’ve been so brave, please try and keep going.’

The surgeon waited a few moments before continuing. ‘Please remember, Mrs Grimes, your husband had already died so he would not have been aware of what was happening, or felt anything.’

‘Why would anyone do such a thing. Alan was already dead, so why murder him?’ asked Patricia Grimes’ sister who was also struggling to cope with the situation.

‘Clearly the murderers were not aware that Alan had already died and it was essential, for whatever reason, that he was not allowed to live. We shall have to wait for the police to advise further. I’m going to ask a nurse to stay with you for a short while so I can check whether it is alright for you to see your husband.’