Wednesday morning. County Hall was a pleasant Art Deco building with a sharply modernist extension tacked on behind. She was directed to the modern bit, where Frank Weller, Craig’s boss, came down to collect her himself.
The words ‘Old School’ screamed at her. He was wearing an old fashioned suit and had severely parted greying hair with wings over the ears. He smiled gravely as he shook her hand and took her up to his office. He’d managed to make that look old fashioned too, no mean feat in that building. He sat behind his desk, putting a formal distance between them.
‘Craig’s told me you worked for the NHS in London, but whereabouts exactly?’ He was pleasantly spoken with a slight Devonian accent.
St. Stephen’s, she told him. She described her fictitious job, glad she’d boned up on it. He listened carefully, then fired some fairly searching questions at her. She felt glad that she’d worn a skirt and matching jacket, not casual… then realised with a slight shock that she was taking this seriously, as though she really wanted the job…
‘What made you leave?’ he asked.
She told him about the messy relationship. He asked about her qualifications, then whether he could phone her department head.
‘Of course,’ she said. She took out notebook and pen and wrote down the prearranged number. ‘That’s her direct line,’ she said.
He took it, said, ‘Miss Hale, it’s my impression that you would fit in here very well, although as I’m sure Craig told you, there is no specific post as yet. If you’ll leave your address, I’ll be in contact with you.’
He stood up, shook hands with her again and showed her to the door. ‘I expect you’d like to see Craig. He’s three doors down.’
She thanked him and went to look for Craig. His name was on the third door, which was open, so she tapped on it and went in.
He looked up from his desk and grinned. A woman of around forty eyed her curiously from the other desk. Craig introduced her as Tina, then suggested they go for a coffee.
He waited until they were in the lift before asking, ‘So how did it go?’
‘Well, I thin… although I’d have appreciated some warning about his idea of informal.’ She told him how rigorous it had been.
‘That’s good,’ he said. ‘It means he’s taking you seriously.’
The lift opened and he took her along to the refectory. ‘Did he ask about where you were before?’
‘Quite a bit.’
He bought her a coffee and they sat down. He took a sip, said, ‘Look, if you
did
get it, could you cope with that much work – a new job, remember – as well as all the BTA stuff?’
‘I don’t see why not…’ She looked at him curiously… ‘Why – d’you really think there’s a chance?’
He nodded vigorously. ‘I do, yes. And it might be sooner than you think. I know he’d like to get someone in and trained up.’
‘Can he do that?’
‘He’ll find a way.’
There was a slight pause. He looked at her speculatively and she had the sudden feeling that he was going to ask her out, but all he said was,
‘Haven’t you got an interview at the hospital tomorrow?’
She nodded. ‘Nothing like as good as this, though. Clerical assistant.’
‘What’ll you do if you’re offered it?’
She grinned. ‘Well, I’d rather have too many offers than too few… I’ll worry about it if it happens. Oh,’ she said, ‘I know what I was going to ask you – does Hannah work there? At the hospital, I mean. Only, she said she saw me there last week…’
‘She’s a Health Visitor, so I suppose she would be there sometimes.’ He paused. ‘What time were you there?’
‘Around midday.’
‘She was probably visiting one of her patients. What time’s your interview tomorrow?’
‘Half nine. And then I’m meeting Ron at his place in the afternoon.’
‘Well, I wish you joy of that.’
‘Thanks,’ she said drily. ‘Anyway –’ She finished her coffee – ‘I’d better be going. Thanks for fixing this up, Craig –’ spoken this time with more sincerity.
‘My pleasure.’ He finished his own coffee. ‘And I’d better get back before Tina throws a wobbly.’ He stood up. ‘Tell me what happens tomorrow, won’t you? And I’ll let you know if I hear anything here.’
She nodded. ‘All right.’
They walked to the door. ‘Can you find your way out?’
‘Sure – just down there, isn’t it? Thanks, Craig.’
She smiled and walked away. She had the feeling he was watching her go, but didn’t turn round to check.
*
Back in the flat, she phoned Herry and asked if she could come to his office in the morning, to cover the time of her supposed interview, in case Hannah was there again. ‘We need to talk, anyway,’ she said.
He agreed. He sounded rather subdued, she thought.
Next, she tried ringing round the rest of the team. She only got through to two, and only one had made much progress. Dan in Plymouth had joined the BTA branch and been to a meeting. He gave her what names he could, but hadn’t made any solid contacts.
‘Not for lack of trying,’ he told her, ‘but all they’d offer me was helping out in the charity shop.’
‘Take it,’ she said.
‘Oh, I did, and had a good look round. Nothing there, so I’m going to phone the Membership Secretary tomorrow and ask if I can do any leafleting.’
Josh in Bristol however, had, like her, managed to get onto the committee – in his case of the
Anti
-
Slavery
League
. He gave her all their names and those of the other members he’d spoken to.
‘I have to say they seem a pretty harmless bunch,’ he said. ‘Complete fruitcakes, most of them, but in a nice kind of way.’
She told him to keep digging, then, after ringing off, compared the names to Herry’s list. No matches.
Her phone went and she thought it must be one of the people she’d been trying to phone, but to her surprise, it was Marc.
‘We were wondering if you’d like to come and have dinner with us,’ he said, ‘on Saturday. Sorry about the short notice.’
‘That’s very kind of you,’ she said. ‘I’d love to. Is it just the three of us?’
‘Four – Craig’s coming.’
Aha
… To react or not to react? She wanted to go,
must
go, but her persona would say something, wouldn’t she?
‘That’s very nice,’ she said slowly… ‘It’s not a set-up, is it?’ ‘
Course
it
is
… ‘Because I’m not sure I’m in the mood just now…’
Marc laughed. ‘Of course not. We wanted to welcome you, four’s a better number than three and Craig’s my closest friend on the committee.’
‘Then I’d love to come,’ she said. ‘Sorry to sound suspicious, but… you know…’
He assured her that he
did
know, and they fixed a time.
She put the phone down, made herself a coffee and thought about it...
Had Craig asked Marc to set it up? She was sure she’d felt coming-on vibes from him the last couple of times they’d met – although he wouldn’t be so crass as to expect a payback for trying to get her a job, would he? She didn’t think so.
Maybe Marc was behind it – she’d seen for herself what a slick operator he was… Or maybe Hannah had floated the idea to Marc because
she
wanted a better look at her, after all, it had been she who’d been the most suspicious and hostile…
Did she really think it was Hannah? She was very committed, both to BTA, and some kind of link-up with
Open
Door
… How did that fit in… ?
Or could it be Craig, pretending to come on to her because he wanted to keep tabs on her… too far-fetched?
Maybe, but it did beg another question – what was she going to do if Craig
did
try to take it further, asked her into his house, for instance? Well, she wouldn’t go, her recent unhappy break-up would provide cover for that – although she didn’t want to put him off altogether. No, keep him interested, see what emerged from this dinner…
She gave it up and went out to get a few things from the mini-market, then tried to phone the rest of her team again when she got back. This time she had better luck. And so had they…
Mike in Gloucester had got himself onto the BTA branch committee, while Stella in Bristol had been asked out, by one of the BTA committee, no less. Not entirely surprising, since she was a BEBAG (Blue Eyes Blonde And Gorgeous). She’d accepted, and her new beau had been most forthcoming about his fellow members. Apparently, one of them, who’d always been outspoken about Britain’s responsibility to Africa, had become withdrawn and ‘a bit funny’ lately. Rebecca told her to follow it up for all she was worth, and liaise with Josh.
Greg, who was trying to penetrate
Open
Door
in Bath was not having much luck, although he had managed to get some names.
Penetrate
was perhaps an unfortunate word, since the entire committee of
Open
Door
was female, as was virtually all the membership. And as she thought about it, it had been Hannah, Sophie and Shirley who’d been so strongly for the link-up…
It was too late to swap Greg and Stella, especially as Stella was doing so well in Bristol… maybe she could ask Brigg to send one of the other women down, Naomi, perhaps…
Yeah, and Greg could make himself useful here checking the gardens and sheds she hadn’t got round to yet… she told him to come to Exeter while she arranged for Naomi to take his place.
Then she compared all the names they’d given her with Herry’s list, and this time did get a hit – Mary Broomstock, an
Open
Door
member, was also a virologist at the lab in Bath General Infirmary…
She phoned Brigg.
‘I’ll get onto Naomi now,’ he said, ‘and she can contact
Open
Door
this afternoon.’ He said he’d get back to her and rang off.
She wondered if they should have realised that they were a female orientated group, but when she checked their website again, she could find no reference to it.
But they’d have to have at least one male if they were involved – however bad the CCTV picture in the London post office had been, it was definitely a man. Unless he really was an innocent bystander…
Brigg rang back and said Naomi was phoning
Open
Door
now.
‘What’s your gut feeling about it?’ he asked.
‘I still think it’s here, although as I said before, it might be through a link-up with
Open
Door
.’ She told him about the meeting last night.
‘If there
were
a link-up,’ Brigg said, ‘then the hidden lab could be anywhere…’
‘Why not in the one Broomstock’s working in?’
‘Why not indeed? You’d better get Dr Smith onto it.’
‘I’m seeing him in the morning, is that soon enough?’
‘I think so, yes.’ He went on, ‘I’d also like to know how you think he’s coping…’ He’d told her about the recent putsch against Herry.
‘I haven’t seen him since Saturday,’ she said. ‘He did sound pretty fed up on the phone earlier, though.’
Brigg said, ‘OK, tell him about Mary Broomstock and the Bath lab – but could you also assess how he is, whether he’s up to the job? I still think he’s the best person – this Wade-Stokes sounds a complete shit –’
‘Not to mention his father-in-law,’ Rebecca interrupted, ‘Herry’s, I mean.’
‘If it
was
him behind it, we don’t know that. The thing is, Rebecca, we can’t risk him going flaky on us if there is an outbreak. If that’s at all likely, it might be better to change horses now rather than later. That’s what I want you to assess.’
‘I’m not sure I’m the best person…’
‘You’re the person on the spot.’
Herry was waiting for her in reception the next morning and took her to his office. He did look strained, she thought.
‘Is Tim around?’ she asked. ‘We need him for this.’
Herry called him in. They hadn’t actually met before, so Herry introduced them, then they sat down and she told them about Mary Broomstock and
Open
Door
– ‘Can you go up to Bath tomorrow and check it out?’
‘What, both of us?’ Herry asked.
Tim said, ‘I did do all the other labs on my own.’
‘Those were Uni. labs and you were checking them for security. Here, we’ve got a virology lab and a specific suspect. I want to know if the virus could be grown there – equipment
and
security wise – whether she could do it, and whether you think she is. That’ll need both –’
‘How’re we supposed to do
that
?’ Herry interrupted.
‘Do a Health and Safety check like before, ask her about her work, put her under a bit of pressure and see how she reacts. Just your impressions, that’s all I’m asking for.’
He shrugged. ‘All right.’
Tim said, ‘Shall I give them a ring to fix it up? It might seem less threatening coming from me.’
Rebecca nodded. ‘Can you do it now?’
He got up, hesitated, looked at Herry – ‘Can I have a word later?’
‘Sure.’
‘Anything relevant?’ Rebecca asked him.
He shook his head. ‘No.’
After he’d gone, Herry said, ‘You think this is a real possibility?’
She hesitated… ‘Well, if it is, I still think it’s being run from down here.’
‘Why – just out of interest?’
‘Because of the egg, because BTA’s still the most likely charity… and instinct, if you like.’
‘D’you actually suspect anyone in BTA?’
She shook her head. ‘Nothing I can put my finger on. But there’s an atmosphere of… I dunno… suspicion around them. Sometimes I think they’re watching me as much as I’m watching them.’
‘Anyone in particular?’
She started to shake her head again, then said, ‘No, that’s not true – it’s mostly the chairman’s wife…’
She told him about Hannah.
‘Is she the violent one?’
‘Yes, but it was a long time ago. Anyway, they’ve asked me to dinner on Saturday, so maybe I’ll find out more then.’
‘On your own? Isn’t that a bit risky?’
She laughed. ‘There’s someone else coming, another man. I wondered if it was a set-up, because he’s been coming-on to me a bit – in fact, I asked Marc, he’s the chairman, and he denied it.’
‘Well, he would, wouldn’t he? How sure are you about the come-on?’
‘Pretty sure - either he fancies me, or he’s investigating me.’ She told him about the job interview she’d had the day before.
He said, ‘If he does fancy you, I daresay you’ll find out soon enough.’
‘It’s an occupational hazard,’ she agreed.
He smiled rather sourly – ‘A not uncommon event, then?’ – and the thought flashed across her mind that he was jealous…
There was a tap on the door and Tim put his head round. ‘Tomorrow afternoon at three.’
‘Did they make a fuss?’ Rebecca asked.
‘Not a thing.’
After Tim had gone, she remembered what Brigg had asked her to do.
She said, ‘The boss told me about your run-in with your father-in-law. And the fact that His Nibs – Sir Colin – found out so quickly about your daughter.’
Herry said neutrally, ‘We don’t know for sure it was him.’
‘Who else would it be?’
‘Roland Wade-Stokes, or maybe even both of them.’
‘Whichever, it’s pressure you could do without just now.’
A weak smile – ‘I could do without it at any time.’
‘Indeed.’ She looked at him and said carefully, ‘Is it getting to you?’
His eyes had drifted away; now, he looked sharply back at her. ‘As Team Leader, you mean? Well, it hasn’t so far – if anything, it’s made me more determined to do it.’
‘Would it make things easier if we got rid of Wade-Stokes?’
He gave a short laugh. ‘Undoubtedly –
if
we had a made to measure replacement.’
‘Doesn’t he have a deputy?’
‘Yes, but she doesn’t have his experience. And believe it or not, he’s good at his job. It’s a matter of handling him, which I can, and will do.’
‘Good,’ she said.
He went on looking at her… ‘Did Brigg put you up to this?’
It would insult his intelligence to deny it, so she slowly nodded.
‘And have I passed?’
‘Yes.’
Shortly after that, she left and went back to the flat to answer her messages and talk to Brigg.
*
In the afternoon, she drove up the motorway to Tiverton to meet Ron. The sky was grey and heavy and looked like snow, although there was no sign of any yet. She turned off and found his house quite easily, a semi rather like Alan’s, although not so big. He greeted her effusively, asked her in and offered her coffee.
‘D’you mind if I use the loo while you’re making it?’
‘Sure. Up there –’ he pointed to the stairs ‘– second left.’
She climbed the stairs, waited until she was certain he’d gone to the kitchen, then went through every room.
His bedroom – tidy… two spares – his sons’, by the look of them… bathroom… and that was all. Nothing suspicious. There was a trap door above the landing, about three feet square… with a cobweb across the crack… she heard him come out of the kitchen, pressed the flush in the loo and went back down.
‘Ah, there you are,’ he was holding two mugs. ‘Let’s go in here.’
She followed him into the living room. He put one of the mugs on the small table in front of the sofa for her and went with the other to an armchair. She glanced quickly around as she sat. The room was tidy, like his bedroom, but hadn’t been redecorated for a while. The pictures on the wall were conventional – one of the Fighting Temeraire, another of Salisbury Cathedral.
Ron himself was not conventional. This afternoon, he was wearing a loudly checked jacket and a smoking cap, although she was sure he wasn’t actually a smoker. His spectacles dangled from his neck on their chain.
He fussed a little, asked if her coffee was all right – it was fresh brewed and delicious – whether she’d found his house easily. Then, after a slight pause –
‘So Rebecca, our charity shop… You think more could be made of it?’
‘Well, I went to see it as you know, and… it seems to me that its main problem is its location. I mean, only a few customers came in while I was there – it’s never going to do much better unless it moves.’
Ron took a mouthful of coffee, then carefully placed the mug on the floor beside him.
‘I did some checking this morning. We only renewed the lease a short while ago, and it’s got another eight months to run. As has our sub-let on the flat above it. Emma and Will, the tenants, are BTA members and I think you’d find the rest of the committee very reluctant to put them out of a home. Especially with a baby.’
‘Were they the couple in the front row at the meeting?’
Ron nodded and she said thoughtfully, ‘I thought they looked worried when I put the idea forward…’
Ron didn’t say anything. She went on, ‘Are you saying there’s no point in trying to improve anything about it?’
He shook his head. ‘No, I’m not saying that. Just that moving is out of the question – for the moment, anyway.’
‘OK, so what
can
we do?’
He said, not in an unfriendly way, ‘What do you think?’
‘Well, we could try and improve the quality of the goods and ask some more realistic prices – it’s all chronically underpriced.’
‘I’m sure you’re right, but as Hannah said last night, I think we’d put people off by asking any more. Let me show you –’
He went over to the bookcase, pulled out an A-Z and came and sat beside her.
‘Here’s the shop,’ he said, pointing...
‘Mm? Oh, yes –’ She’d been distracted by the title of one of the books in the bookcase –
The
Black
Arrow
…
He hadn’t seemed to notice because he went on, ‘Here’s the Totnes Road Housing Estate, and here’s the Abbott’s Way Estate. As you can see, they’ve got us surrounded. I can take you there if you like, and you’ll see for yourself that they’re not the kind of people with money to spare…’
‘All right –’ She made herself smile and held up her hands in surrender. ‘I believe you.’
‘That’s a pass on the tour then, is it?’ He took the A-Z back to the bookcase, resumed his seat and went on, ‘The sort of nice middle class people who’ll pay three quid for a paperback go to the Oxfam shop in the High Street, where they can buy a nice Fair Trade coffee while they’re about it.’
‘Er, have you thought about moving there yourselves – when the lease runs out, I mean.’
‘The rent’s at least four times as much. We probably wouldn’t even cover it – we simply don’t have the same pull as Oxfam.’
She forced the book to the back of her mind… ‘But we’re doing the same kind of thing as Oxfam, aren’t we, and we’re local – isn’t
that
worth plugging?’
‘Of
course
it is – that’s what Craig’s trying to do with the MP. Raise our profile. But what you’re talking about would need a coordinator, and believe me, that would be a lot of work. Are you volunteering?’ he asked gently.
‘I take your point,’ she said. ‘I haven’t thought it through, have I?’
His smile made him look better – solemn and serious didn’t really go with long grey hair, bottle-brush sideburns and smoking cap.
She asked how much the rent was: what they paid the landlord, and what they got from Emma and Will… ‘I ought to know, but I couldn’t find it on either of the discs.’
‘I think Hannah deals with it,’ he said. ‘I’m sure she’ll tell you.’
‘I wonder why she didn’t say anything about it at the meeting?’
‘Probably didn’t want to pour cold water on your ideas.’
‘Mm,’ she agreed, not believing for a moment Hannah was in the least bit concerned about that. She went on, ‘I do think raising the profile is something we should be looking at. Maybe we should ask Marc and Craig what they think…’ She smiled suddenly – ‘I keep saying
we
, although I’ve only just got here. I’ve been a bit pushy, haven’t I?’
He said gently, ‘Let’s agree on beginner’s enthusiasm, shall we?’
She laughed, then looking at him, said, ‘Whereas, you really
are
local, aren’t you?’
He smiled again slowly and nodded as though he could see through her… ‘I’ve lived round here most of my life.’
‘Craig said you’re a teacher?’
‘
Was
a teacher,’ he corrected. ‘Although I still do a bit part time.’
‘What d’you teach?’
‘History.’
‘Locally?’
‘Bishop Amery’s. It’s a comprehensive in Tiverton.’
‘How long were you –
have
you been there?’
‘Most of my working life.’
She looked round the room. ‘Have you lived here long, in this house?’
After a pause, he nodded. ‘It’s the family home. I… stayed after my wife died because the kids like coming back. Also, I like it.’
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know about your wife.’
‘No reason why you should.’
Push
it
further
… ? ‘Have you got much of a garden?’
‘Small, but pretty.’
‘Can I see it? I love small town gardens, I had one where I lived in London.’ Pause… ‘It was the hardest thing about leaving my partner.’
‘All right.’ Again, his slow smile made it seem as though he was reading her mind…
He got up and she followed him down the passage, through the kitchen and utility room to the back door.
It
was
a pretty garden, though not spectacular, and she made what she hoped were the right noises. She’d seen what she wanted, nowhere for a hidden lab downstairs, or in the garden – the shed was much too small.
She asked him if Malcolm lived in Tiverton as well and he nodded.
‘Is he a teacher?’
‘No, he’s an engineer as a matter of fact.’ He looked at her quizzically and she realised she had to say something to justify her questions.
‘I was impressed by what he said at the meeting, about the difference between BTA and
Open
Door
. I thought he judged it exactly right.’
‘Ah,’ Ron said with a sly grin, ‘Well, as I expect you know, he’d been primed.’