The Dunbar Case(27)
‘Go along with what Hector’s asking you to do.’
They’d obviously had this out before because Kristine’s voice was resigned. ‘If Hec and Joseph get their hands on that money they’ll bugger up everything Dad’s trying to do. They’ll finance a bloody crime wave.’
‘You know Twizell’s got a parole hearing next week?’
Kristine looked alarmed. ‘You didn’t tell me that.’
‘He won’t pass it,’ Templeton said. ‘They never get anything out of the first hearing and we can delay the next one if we have to.’
Well, I knew something he didn’t know.
Templeton went on, ‘We won’t let them do what Kristie says. They’ve already started to borrow money and make promises to people you don’t break promises to. If they think they’re close to getting the money, they’ll get themselves in deeper. When they don’t get it, and everyone knows they haven’t got it, they’ll be finished.’
‘Ms Tanner,’ I said, ‘have you got a deal with the police about your father?’
‘She has,’ Templeton said.
I looked at Kristine. She nodded. ‘Rod’s way’s safer for Dad and for me.’
Templeton picked up his beer can and lifted the tab. ‘It’s safer all round.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ I said. ‘From what I’ve seen of undercover cops they don’t always know themselves what side they’re on.’
‘I know,’ Templeton said.
~ * ~
11
Templeton explained that the way the brothers had taken him on as a driver-cum-heavy indicated how much pressure they were under. He said the police had arrested the man they were using and it hadn’t taken long for Templeton, hanging around with attitude and a fake criminal record, to be recruited.
‘You’re playing a dangerous game,’ I said, ‘you and Ms Tanner.’
‘Stop calling me Ms Tanner, for God’s sake. Makes me sound like some old maid.’
‘We know that,’ Templeton said, ‘but if things work out right…’
I couldn’t see it happening but hope has its place. The Twizell case had never seemed completely straightforward and now there were a lot of balls in the air, perhaps too many. But I couldn’t back out. The Tanner threat was real enough. Going along with them would put that on hold for now and was worth doing on that account. And I still had work to do to earn my fee from Wakefield. I said I’d think it over and let them know. Templeton helped Kristine into her coat and we all exchanged mobile numbers.
‘By the way,’ I said, ‘do either of you know anything about a private detective named Pete McKnight being killed in Newcastle last night?’
‘Heard it on the news,’ Templeton said. ‘I don’t know anything more. I could keep my ears open. Friend of yours?’
‘No, a friend of Kristine’s brothers, or at least working with them.’
‘They don’t have any friends,’ Kristine said. ‘Just each other, and not always that.’
They left. I heard two engines start. At least they weren’t travelling around together. From what I’d heard about the Tanners having eyes and ears far and wide, that would’ve been fatal. Dangerous enough as it was, but perhaps less so if the Tanner influence was waning. Templeton struck me as knowing what he was doing, but love is blind. Was he in love?
I tidied up a bit and was getting ready to go to bed when my mobile rang.
‘Mr Hardy, this is Courtenay Braithwaite. Your client, Professor Wakefield, has asked me to make some recommendations to Corrective Services about Twizell.’
‘Yes.’
‘I’m inclined to do it. I didn’t tell you, but I always felt there was something odd about the whole matter.’
‘Odd?’
‘As if the whole story hadn’t been told.’
‘Is it ever?’
‘Sometimes. Anyway, you can tell Twizell I’ll do what I can.’
~ * ~
‘What does that mean,’ Twizell said, ‘he’ll do what he can?’
‘I don’t know—talk to the right people, email them ... Are you behaving yourself these days?’
‘I’m a fucking choirboy.’ He laughed. ‘Hey, you know what I mean.’
It was the first sign of humour I’d seen from him. The little hint of good news seemed to have improved his mood out of all proportion. It’s like that in prison, no matter how long or short the sentence—you inflate the smallest flicker of hope, particularly if it carries the promise of getting out.