Part 6 (1/2)
Suddenly, she started her car, skidded forward, slowed momentarily, then swerved towards the exit. He fell back against the wing of his own car, aware that she had come close to hitting him in her eagerness to escape. To escape him. That was it, of course. That was the true measure of the contempt she held him in on his brother's account.
She could not bear even to speak to him.
CHAPTER.
SEVEN.
Derek decided it would not be politic to take any more time off that week. Thursday's edition of the local newspaper reported Colin's court appearance, but if anybody at Fithyan & Co. knew they were related-as he was sure some did-they said nothing about it.
On Sat.u.r.day afternoon, he drove to Lewes and presented himself at the prison gates amidst a ragged band of wives, girlfriends and children. They were admitted, after considerable delay, to a large bare-walled room with chairs and tables arranged in rows. Seated at the tables, looking variously eager, ashamed and indifferent, were the husbands, boyfriends and fathers, rendered indistinguishable by their blue-grey prison fatigues.
This was the first such visit Derek had ever embarked upon. Colin had been granted bail last time and had specifically asked to be left alone during his subsequent confinement. It was a request Derek had been happy to comply with. But there could be no such embargo now.
There were things to be said and this was the only venue in which they could be said.
Colin was sitting at the far side of the room, staring blankly into s.p.a.ce. He did not seem to see Derek until the last moment, then started violently, made to rise, thought better of it and subsided into his chair with a sigh.
”h.e.l.lo, Derek. Pleased you could make it.” He smiled weakly.
”h.e.l.lo, Colin. How are you?” As Derek sat down and examined his brother, he suddenly regretted the question. Such an enquiry was H A N D I N G L O V E.
37.
always plat.i.tudinous, but now it seemed downright insensitive as well.
”Wonderful,” said Colin. ”This place is like a health farm, only a d.a.m.n sight cheaper.”
”I . . . er . . . I was sorry they refused you bail.”
”Pull the other one. You were relieved. I would have been, in your shoes.”
Derek laughed nervously and glanced around. At the tables on either side, inmates and visitors were trying inarticulately to pretend they understood each other, while behind them a warder paced gloomily around the room and cast bored glances up at the clock on the wall.
”Thanks for trying anyway,” said Colin. ”I might not show it, but I am grateful.”
”Least I could . . .” Derek sat forward in his chair, resolving to say what had to be said without further prevarication. ”Dredge thinks you should plead guilty to the handling charge.”
”Dredge is an old woman.”
”He's your solicitor, Colin. And he has your interests at heart.”
”Maybe. I wouldn't know. I used him when I bought the lease of the Treasure Trove and he made heavy enough weather of that.”
”Why are you using him now, then?”
”Because he was the only solicitor I could think of when the police said I could call one. Now I find he thinks I'm guilty just like they do. The question is, Derek, what do you think?”
Derek took a deep breath. ”You tell me.”
”What do you mean by that?”
”I mean you denied everything last time as well.”
”And?”
”And it wasn't true, was it? You were in it up to your neck.”
Colin frowned, started to say something, then stopped and grinned. ”You're right. I lied. I make a habit of it. You should know.
You of all people.”
”Exactly.”
”But I'm not lying this time.”
”How am I to know that?”
”Because you know me. I'm a liar and a bit of a rogue and a worse brother than you deserve. But I'm not a fool. Never have been.
Agreed?”
”Agreed.”
38.
R O B E R T G O D D A R D.
”Then would I really leave my calling card at a house I intended to break into? As clues go, it's a pretty glaring one, isn't it?”
”I gather from Dredge the police don't think you were the person who actually broke in.”
”No, they don't. They think I paid some young tough to do it. Or agreed a price for the Tunbridge Ware with somebody who I knew would do it. Either way, they think I'm behind it. But they've as good as told me they'll drop the aiding and abetting charge if I'll name my accomplice. Dredge reckons I might wriggle out of conspiracy as well on that basis. And be looking at no more than five years for handling if they can nail somebody else for burglary and murder.”
”But you're not willing to do it?”