‘I doubt that,’ says Andrew Everton.
‘Doubt away, dear,’ says Elizabeth. ‘It won’t change the facts. You didn’t find the forty thousand pounds paid to Carron Whitehead. You didn’t find the five thousand pounds paid to Robert Brown Msc. You didn’t find the connection to Jack Mason’s construction companies. You didn’t really find anything.’
Andrew Everton tries to form a reply. ‘I’m … I’m going to need those names. The details. Where you found them.’
‘There’s the answer to your question about how we can help you, and’ – Elizabeth takes out a file from her bag and puts it on his desk – ‘we can start with this.’
Andrew Everton looks at the file in front of him. ‘It’s all in here?’
‘It is,’ says Elizabeth. ‘And it’s all yours. But I will need a couple of favours in return.’
‘Yes, you have that air about you,’ says Andrew Everton. ‘If I can help, I will.’
‘Jack Mason bought Heather Garbutt’s house,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Over the odds too. Why do you think that might be?’
Andrew Everton has no answer. ‘Honestly? I wasn’t aware of that.’
‘Perhaps you should have been?’
‘Perhaps I should,’ says Andrew Everton. ‘Agreed.’
‘Now that you know,’ says Elizabeth, ‘what do your detective instincts tell you?’
‘That perhaps he was hiding something there? Or knew that Heather was hiding something there?’
‘That’s what my instincts tell me too,’ says Elizabeth. ‘It feels like it wouldn’t do us any harm to go digging to see? If you could arrange that?’
Andrew Everton thinks for a moment. Elizabeth suspects there are all sorts of forms he would need to fill in to make this happen. Protocols.
‘I think I could,’ says Andrew Everton. ‘I think that sounds a very good idea. See what we can see.’
‘See what we can see,’ agrees Elizabeth. ‘I knew we’d get along.’
‘What was the other favour?’ asks Andrew Everton.
‘There’s a money-launderer trying to kill me,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Trying to kill Joyce too, but that’s between us. I wonder if you might spare a couple of officers to guard us for a while?’
‘A money-launderer?’ says Andrew Everton.
‘Best in the world, they say. Let’s hope he’s not such a good assassin.’
‘Let me look into it,’ says Andrew Everton. ‘That might be quite hard to explain away.’
‘I’m sure you’ll try your best,’ says Elizabeth. ‘And you might just catch the biggest money-launderer in the world in the process. That feels like something that would be good for your career.’
Andrew Everton smiles. ‘This has been an unexpected pleasure.’
‘Well, strap in,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Next time I see you I expect you to have a spade in your hand.’
Elizabeth stands to leave. This has all been most satisfactory. If anyone can get permission to dig up a back garden, it’s a chief constable. Andrew Everton rises with her.
‘Before you go,’ says Andrew Everton, ‘I have a question for you.’
‘People usually do,’ says Elizabeth. She senses Andrew Everton is nervous. ‘Fire away.’
‘I need an honest answer,’ says Andrew Everton.