Hannah, Marc, Sophie, Alan and Ron were arrested that afternoon under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and taken to Exeter Police Station
Hannah had seemed ready to fight, but Marc calmed her down, and then asked about their son. Social Services would be taking care of him, he was told. For how long? They didn’t know.
They decided to interview Hannah first. She was brought to the small, windowless room, which had a tape machine on the table, but not much else. Brigg asked her to sit down. She refused and demanded a lawyer. He explained that under the Act, they were not obliged to provide one.
‘I don’t believe you,’ she said.
‘I have a copy of the Act here, if you would like to read it.’ He held it out to her. ‘I’ve marked the relevant passages.’
She snatched it from him, sat down and began reading.
After a few minutes, Brigg said, ‘I believe you’ve had ample time now, Ms Bell. We’d like to ask you –’
‘You can ask, but I don’t have to answer.’
‘Then perhaps you’ll listen.’
For a moment, Rebecca thought she was going to clap her hands over her ears and start singing La La La, but she didn’t. She sat staring down at her hands on her lap. Brigg spoke quietly.
‘Yesterday, in the flat above your charity shop in Decker Street, we found the bodies of Craig Holland, Malcolm North, Will Cummins and Emma Read.’
Her head snapped up and she said again, ‘I don’t believe you,’ but with perhaps less conviction.
‘They’d been poisoned with cyanide, apparently by their own hands, although we have our doubts about that. We also found a makeshift laboratory hidden between the walls of the bathroom and the bedroom. Inside, in a small freezer, were live cultures of an exceptionally dangerous virus.’
‘What virus?’
‘That, I’m not at liberty to say. What I
can
tell you is that three weeks ago, the government received a threat to infect the public with this virus unless they doubled the aid budget to Africa. What I need you to tell me Ms Bell, is who else is involved?’
She looked back at him for a long moment, then, ‘I know nothing about it, and that is all I’m going to say until you provide me with a lawyer. Oh –’ she looked with loathing at Rebecca ‘– There is one more thing. If my friends
are
dead as you say, then I hold
you
personally responsible and will not rest until you have been exposed.’
And with that, she folded her arms and was as good as her word. After ten minutes, she was taken back to her cell.
Marc was next. He, too, asked for a solicitor, but only after he had sat down. On being told he couldn’t have one, he simply nodded as though it was nothing more than he’d expected. On being told about the bodies, he sat up and his mouth fell open –
‘
You’re
kidding
…’
Rebecca said, ‘No, Marc – I found them myself.’
He shot her a fleeting glance – he’d avoided looking at her up till now.
‘Why should I believe you? How do I know it isn’t some sort of trick?’
Brigg said, ‘I have the post mortem reports here if you want to see them.’
‘They could be forged – all right, all right, I accept it. What do you want from me?’
Brigg told him about the hidden lab, the virus and that threat to release it. ‘What I want, Mr Bell, are the whereabouts of the virus, and who else was involved.’
‘I’ve absolutely no idea,’ Marc said, and started to get up. ‘Can I go now?’
‘Sit down or I’ll have you cuffed,’ Brigg snapped. Then, ‘Mr Bell, you don’t seem to have grasped the seriousness of this. There’s a very real risk that this virus is still out there somewhere and we’re going to do whatever it takes to find it before it can infect the public. So, for the sake of these innocent people, not to mention your wife and son, please tell me what you know.’
‘Sorry, still can’t help you.’
‘You were friendly with Craig Holland, I believe?’
Marc thought about this, then nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘Doesn’t it surprise you to learn he was involved with a terrorist plot like this?’
‘I thought you just said you weren’t convinced by his suicide.’
‘We’re not, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t involved in the first place. Emma and Will must have been, since the lab was in their home, and we’re as sure as we can be that Craig and Malcolm were as well. Would you have said Craig was the suicidal type?’
‘No…’ he hesitated, then, ‘I didn’t think so, but there is one thing I can tell you about him…’
They waited.
‘You know he worked in Africa for nearly three years?’
‘Yes,’ Rebecca said, although she hadn’t known it was that long.
‘Well, he fell in love with, and married, a woman out there. An African woman. They planned to come back here. Then, she got AIDS. I mean, she must have had it all the time, but the symptoms only showed after they got together – Ah!’ he said spitefully, looking at Rebecca, ‘That’s got you worried, hasn’t it?’
She felt her scalp prickle as the blood drained away… ‘Pretty unlikely, I’d think,’ she said, as coolly as she could, ‘given Craig’s state of rude health. Let’s stick to the subject, shall we?’ A thought occurred to her. ‘If what you say is true, why was Craig so against
Open
Door’s
policy? Getting Africans over here for treatment, I mean.’
‘Because it wouldn’t have made any difference in her case. She
did
have treatment, over there, but it was too late. She died very soon after the symptoms showed. Also, because he was a humanist and knew that a great many more AIDS victims can be treated if it’s done over there.’
Brigg came in – ‘Are you suggesting that his bereavement might have made him suicidal?’
Again, Marc hesitated… ‘He never really got over it,’ he said at last. ‘It never occurred to me before, but maybe it’s possible that the combination of that and – I don’t know, remorse? – might have pushed him over the edge.’
‘What about Will and Emma, and Malcolm?’
‘I didn’t know them so well, so I can’t really answer.’
‘Where were you on the evening of Wednesday the 20th?’
He looked away as he thought about it… ‘Wednesday… I was at home.’
‘All evening?’
‘Yes.’ He nodded.
‘Can anyone vouch for that?’
‘My wife.’
‘Anyone else?’
‘Not really.’
‘Were you ever in Will and Emma’s flat?’
‘I don’t th… No, I wasn’t. The shop, yes, but not the flat.’
‘The basement?’
‘I didn’t know there was one.’
‘How well did you know Malcolm?’
‘I told you just now, not very well.’
‘Mary Broomfield, d’you know her?’
‘No – wait… the name is familiar… no, I can’t place it.’
‘She’s a member of
Open
Door
in Bath.’
‘Then I expect that’s why it’s familiar.’
‘Tell me about your membership of
Direct
Action
Africa
.’
*
Grunt of amusement – ‘You
have
been busy, haven’t you? What can I say? A youthful fling in my Uni. days. I grew out of it, the Direct Action bit, anyway. Not about my feelings over Africa.’
‘Ever been there, Africa?’
‘You obviously know I have. A year’s VSO.’
‘Is that how you met your wife?’
‘No, as I’m sure you also know. I met her in
Direct
Action
Africa
when I came back.’
‘Sophie Rene?’
‘What about her?’
‘Where did you meet her?’
‘Direct Action Africa.’
‘So you know her quite well?’
‘Not really. As I’m sure Ms Hale here told you – is that her real name, by the way? – nobody knows Sophie that well. She’s a very private lady.’
‘But like your wife, she has a propensity for violence.’
Marc laughed out loud. ‘You know as well as I do – Inspector Brigg, is it? – that neither of them are truly violent. They both tried to defend themselves when grabbed from behind by a policeman.’
He was gaining the upper hand, and to Rebecca’s relief, Brigg abruptly stopped.
‘That’ll be all for the moment Mr Bell. I’d like you to reflect on what you’ve told us. You’ll have plenty of time – we’ve been given seven days to hold you.’
For the first time, Marc looked truly angry...
‘You
can’t
…’
‘We can, and will, if we think it’s necessary. The Prevention of Terrorism Act is very powerful and wide-ranging.’ Brigg held Marc’s eyes. ‘And I am determined to find this virus before it can kill anyone.’ He pressed the buzzer on the table and the two policemen waiting outside came in. ‘Take him back to his cell.’
Marc didn’t move, just sat staring back at Brigg…
‘Come along, sir - ‘ One of the police took his arm and he angrily shook it off –
‘All right, I’m coming.’ He got up and stalked out.
As soon as the door closed, Brigg turned to her. ‘D’you think it’s true – about Holland?’
She nodded. ‘It fits. He told me he was widowed.’
He picked up the phone and keyed in a number. Rebecca heard the click as it was answered and the scratch of a recorded message.
‘Dr Smith, it’s Commander Brigg. Could you phone me back please, as a matter of urgency? Thank you.’ He gave his number, put the phone down and turned to Rebecca.
‘I’ll get Holland’s blood tested this evening.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
He said, ‘I take it he didn’t use a condom?’
She shook her head.
‘Despite what we know about him now, would you have said he was basically … an honourable person?’
She thought for a moment… ‘Yes, I would.’
‘Then it’s unlikely he’d have had sex with you if he’d known he was HIV positive.’
‘Except… What if he’d known what I was doing?’
‘Do you think that?’
‘I’ve been going over it and… he might have.’
‘Why?’
She took her time answering... ‘When I look back, it seems to me that he was treating everything, including our relationship, as though it was all a big joke.’
After a pause, he said, ‘If he did know what you were doing, it begs the question
how
?’
‘I’ve no idea. I’ve been over that too, and I’m sure I didn’t give anything away.’
‘It’s something we should –’
The phone went and he snatched it up… ‘Yes, thank you for getting back to me, doctor. We have a problem…’ He quickly explained and asked if a test could be set up immediately… ‘Yes, I will be, thank you very much.’
He turned back to Rebecca. ‘He’s arranging for Tim to test Craig’s serum now, and we should have a result in two to three hours.’ He looked at his watch. ‘By ten, hopefully . He’ll phone me.’
‘Thank you,’ she said again.
‘The very least I could do. Now – first impressions on the Bells? Feel free to intuit.’
She forced herself to concentrate…
‘I think Hannah was genuinely surprised, even though she was trying to cover up. Marc, I’m not so sure about.’
‘Even though he
did
clearly react?’
‘Perhaps a bit too clearly?’
‘Perhaps. Always difficult to judge with news as shocking as that.’
She went on, ‘There’s also the fact that he tried to make out that Craig
was
suicidal, after first pretending to say he wasn’t.’
‘That could be your interpretation…’
‘And you’d think, as a father himself, he’d pick up on the unlikeliness of Emma and Will leaving their baby like that.’
‘Yes, you would, wouldn’t you? But if he
was
the one who killed them, it would mean that, as a father, he’d leave another baby in that position. It’d make him pretty cold blooded, wouldn’t it?’
‘I think he is, rather,’ Rebecca said. ‘Although he’d have known about the woman from the shop calling in.’
After a pause, he nodded. ‘Shall we see the others tonight, or leave it till tomorrow? What d’you think?’
He was asking if she felt up to it.
‘Tonight,’ she said.
Sophie came straight in and sat down before she was asked. She stared at Rebecca, a faint smile on her face.
‘Why am I not surprised?’
‘I don’t know. You tell me.’
She made a moue. ‘Because there’s always been a something a bit too – er – angel cake about you, I suppose.’
‘Were you surprised to be arrested?’ Brigg asked.
Her eyes snapped over to him. ‘Obviously. Prevention of Terrorism Act, I was told. I can’t wait to hear what I’ve been up to.’
Brigg told her about the bodies, the lab and the threat to release the virus. Rebecca studied her face. Her lips tightened, she blinked a few times then pulled out a handkerchief and blew her nose, although Rebecca could see no sign of tears. Brigg went on,
‘I’m sure you can appreciate our determination to find the virus before it can be released, so I need you to tell me everything you know about it.’
‘Would you believe me if I said I don’t know anything?’
‘Persuade me.’
She regarded him in silence for a few moments before saying, ‘I’m not sure I can. What virus is it by the way?’
‘I’m not at liberty to say.’
‘Are you making the assumption the virus is still out there?
‘We have to.’
‘In doing that, you’re also assuming that Craig and the others were murdered, aren’t you?’
‘Do you think he was the suicidal type?’
‘I take it you know his history?’
‘Tell us.’
She repeated, almost word for word, what Marc had told them.
‘Are you saying you
do
think he might kill himself in this way?’ Brigg asked. ‘You knew him fairly well, so Rebecca tells me.’
More thought, then, ‘The truthful answer is no – although you can never truly know a suicidal mind. There’s another thing, I can’t believe that Emma and Will would leave Sam like that.’
It was the first time anyone had referred to the baby by his name, Rebecca reflected. Brigg went on,
‘Even though all four of them were dedicated –
committed
– to your cause?’
‘Even so. I’m afraid you may be right about this virus being still out there, Commander.’
He nodded slowly at her. ‘Assuming, for the moment, that you’re telling us the truth, Ms Rene, can you think of any other member of BTA, or anyone at all, who might be behind this?’
She looked away, apparently giving the matter genuine thought. ‘Again, the answer is no. Hannah and Marc are the obvious ones – they’re here somewhere, I imagine? – but I’ve known them a number of years now and I simply don’t believe it.’
‘Both you and Hannah have records of violence against the police.’
She gave a mirthless smile. ‘I wondered when that would come up. Hannah always was a bit hot headed, although she’s grown up now. Me? Yes, I stamped on a policeman’s instep when he grabbed me –
groped
me – from behind. It hurt him a lot, I’m glad and I’d do it again. With any other kind of male, it would be considered a perfectly reasonable reaction. I don’t see why it should be different for a male police person.’
Rebecca found herself agreeing with her on this point. She had a thought –
‘D’you know Mary Broomfield?’
Sophie started, said carefully… ‘I’ve met her, yes. Why?’
‘How did you meet?’
‘At an
Open
Door
meeting.’
‘Are you friends?’
‘We see each other sometimes.’
Rebecca left it, although she was sure from the reaction that there was more. ‘What about Alan and Ron?’
‘As suspects?’ Another pause. ‘Alan’s too conventional and, frankly, lacks the imagination for something like this. Ron, I’m not sure about.’ She looked at Rebecca. ‘As you discovered for yourself, he’s not what meets the eye.’
‘Why do you think he chooses to look like that?’
‘You’ve asked that before, and I don’t know.’
‘You’re a social worker, you meet a lot of people – speculate.’
A faint smile. ‘I’m not sure that qualifies me. OK. The obvious explanation would be that he’s compensating for some inadequacy.’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t believe that. Don’t jump to conclusions, but I think he’s been deeply hurt at some stage in his life and he’s trying to hide.’
‘Like Craig?’
‘Same sort of thing perhaps, but different response.’
‘You don’t know how he was hurt?’ she asked.
A shake of the head. ‘Not even that he
was
. It’s guesswork.’
‘Could whatever it was have led him into something like this?’
She turned her head away for a moment. ‘For being part of it, maybe. But cold-bloodedly killing the others – I have great difficulty with that.’
‘But wouldn’t you have difficulty believing
anybody
capable of it?’
A wan smile. ‘I think you’re probably right there.’
‘He was a friend of Malcolm’s, wasn’t he?’
A nod. ‘Yes.’
‘Close?’
‘At the meetings, they always seemed to gravitate together. Outside, I don’t know.’
‘Are you surprised that Malcolm was part of this?’
She took a breath. ‘Perhaps not as much as with the others… there was always… What was that phrase? Something of the night about him.’
‘A cold person?’
‘Yes, you could say that – I’ve had a thought,’ she said suddenly…
They waited…
‘Is it possible that one of them decided they couldn’t go through with it, and killed the others along with themselves to stop them doing it?’
Rebecca decided to go along with it. ‘Who d’you have in mind?’
‘I’d think Craig more likely – in that particular scenario.’
‘But would
he
leave the baby, Sam, like that?’
‘He’d know Rose was coming in the morning, and besides, he’d be saving a lot of other lives by doing it.’
Brigg came in. ‘You’re talking as though you know this actually happened –
do
you, Ms Rene?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. Your sidekick asked me to speculate, and that’s what I was doing. And it
does
seem the most obvious conclusion. Have you had another demand from anyone?’
‘No, but I wouldn’t necessarily expect one yet.’
Sophie shrugged and sank back into her seat. ‘Well, obviously you have to keep looking, but if it
is
what happened, it would get you off the hook, wouldn’t it?’
Brigg looked back at her almost lazily. ‘We’re not off the hook so long as there’s the slightest chance of the virus still being out there. Where were you on Wednesday night, Ms Rene?’
‘The day before yesterday, you mean? I was with a friend. We spent the night together.’
‘Who?’
‘I can’t tell you that.’
Brigg studied her. ‘Not much of help if we don’t have a name.’
‘They’re married.’
‘We can be very discreet.’
‘I still can’t tell you.’
Brigg went on, ‘You see, it could have been
you
who put the cyanide in the bottle
after
you’d opened it and poured yourself a glass.’
‘
Me
?’ She sat bolt upright again…
‘And then afterwards you could have wiped the bottle and put Craig’s prints on it – they were the only ones we found –’
‘But why would –?’
‘Craig’s prints on the other glasses, message on –’
‘Then why weren’t mine on them as well?’
‘You wiped them clean,
then
put the others’ prints on. Then, message on computer, make sure you take
your
glass with you, and away.’
‘Oh, don’t be so ridiculous…’
Brigg went on, ‘Perhaps it was the other four who couldn’t go through with it - it’s as plausible an explanation as the one you offered. So you can see why we really do need your friend’s name. D’you want some time to think about it?’ He reached for the buzzer –
‘No. It’s all right, I’ll tell you.’
They waited.
‘Mary. Mary Broomfield.’
‘I thought you said your friend was married?’
‘She is. To another woman.’
‘Then why –?’
‘They went through a bad patch and her wife left. Now, she wants to come back. Mary can’t decide what to do. I promised her I wouldn’t muddy the waters.’
‘Will she confirm this?’
‘If absolutely necessary.’
‘It is.’ Now, he did press the buzzer.
As soon as she was gone, he phoned Naomi and told her to arrest Mary Broomfield. ‘Get Stella to come over and help you with the interview. Call me as soon as you’ve got Broomfield in custody.’
‘What do I tell her?’
‘Nothing – except that she’s being arrested under the Act. I’ll tell you what questions to ask.’
He finished and turned back to Rebecca. ‘What do
you
think?’
She took a breath. ‘I believed her at first – she was very plausible.’
‘Wasn’t she just?
I’m
afraid
you
might
be
right
,
Commander
…’ he mimicked, ‘Beautiful… What about the all the stuff on Malcolm and Ron?’
‘I believed that at first – it made sense. Now… well, it all depends on what Mary Broomfield says, doesn’t it?’
‘Yeah, but do we believe
that
? They may have cooked it all up between them, including the reluctance to name each other…’
‘Why?’
‘Because she’s very,
very
cute, that’s why.’
Rebecca said slowly, ‘If –
if
– she’s telling the truth, her scenario would work, wouldn’t it?’
‘Which scenario?’
‘That one of the four poisoned all of them, to stop them going through with it. Which would, as she said, get us off the hook.’
‘And which makes it such a tempting bait to dangle in front of our noses… I think I prefer my scenario – they wanted to drop it and someone else disagreed.’ He let out a breath and slumped… ‘Let’s have a break, shall we?’
They were on their second coffee when the phone rang. It was Naomi. She’d arrested Mary and Stella was on her way. Brigg told her what had happened so far.
‘Tell her about the virus and the deaths, let her dig her own grave a bit, then hit her with what Sophie Rene told us. The shock might just make her come clean.’