‘It’s a complex situation, sir.’
‘It shouldn’t be.’
Percy was accustomed to his chief’s curious reluctance to accept the world as it was. ‘There are several candidates for this one, sir.’
‘Huh! You already have a man in custody for the murder of James O’Connor. The death of his younger brother is surely a connected crime.’
‘That is what we expected to find at first, sir. It appears more certain with each passing day that the second murder has no connection with the first. Dominic O’Connor was six years younger than James and by his own declaration had not much in common with his brother. He had a different circle of friends and business acquaintances. It is possible that there is a connection between the deaths, but we now think that unlikely.’
‘But you still admit it’s possible the deaths may have a connection. My experienced nose tells me that we should explore this first.’ He jutted the sensitive proboscis aggressively towards his junior. ‘So give me your connection, and let me be the judge of the matter.’
‘Patrick Riordan, sir.’
‘Eh? Who? An Irishman, by the sound of it.’
‘You go to the heart of the matter with your usual perspicacity, sir. Mr Riordan is a former IRA killer who was released from the Maze under the general amnesty, sir. He was a known zealot who cared little for his own safety at the height of the Troubles. Because of that, the security service thought it politic to keep tabs on him, long after the Sunningdale Agreement and the peace settlement which most people on both sides accepted thankfully.’
Tucker showed unusual excitement. ‘Dominic O’Connor was Irish, you know.’
‘Yes, sir. His name and the fact that he was the younger brother of a famous Irish international rugby player rather suggested that to us. He was planning to employ professional protection at the time of his death.’
‘Was he really? Well, it looks as if this Riordan fellow got there first, doesn’t it?’
‘It was because of that thought that DS Northcott and I journeyed to Moss Side, Manchester, to interview Riordan on Tuesday, sir. Our findings were summarised in the email I sent you on Wednesday. But you were indisposed on Wednesday sir, weren’t you? As indisposed as a newt, one might say. You probably didn’t get round to reading my report.’
‘So tell me now, Peach,’ directed Tucker, between teeth which were dangerously clenched.
‘Pat Riordan is still working for the unofficial IRA. He regards himself as an avenger. I think he even uses that as an official title. It summarises the work he undertakes. He hunts down men whom the IRA regards as traitors and dispatches them. He regards this as legitimate vengeance and he claims it will encourage others to heed the message and rally to the Cause.’
‘He’s a dangerous man, Peach. You need to handle him very carefully.’
‘I shall take note of that, sir.’ The adjectives blindin’, bleedin’ and obvious flashed in quick succession through his active brain. ‘Riordan was seen in a hire car in Brunton shortly before Dominic O’Connor was killed.’
‘Then you have him, Peach! Pull him in and charge him! I’m happy to have been of service to you in this.’
‘I expect you are, sir. Unfortunately, we need evidence. The CPS would never sanction a prosecution on what we have at present.’
‘Bloody lawyers, Peach! How much simpler our job would be without bloody lawyers!’
‘It would indeed, sir. However, in this case there is also the fact that neither DS Northcott nor I were convinced of the man’s guilt. The bullet through the head is much more the approved method of terrorist dispatch than garrotting with electrical cable. People like Riordan seem to favour the bullet as being the soldier’s method. But we haven’t ruled him out. We’re still seeking evidence.’
‘I can’t think you’ve got anyone else who’s as strong a bet as this man Riordan. However, I’m a fair man.’ He looked truculently at Peach, as if expecting him to debate that. ‘I’m willing to listen to whatever other suspects you may care to parade before me.’
‘Very well, sir. As you are aware, sir, Dominic O’Connor was, on all the evidence we have, the victim of a surprise attack from the rear. Because of that, his killer could well have been a woman.’
‘Ah! A cowardly attack from behind. Could well have been a woman, as you suggest, Percy.’
Peach didn’t like the return of his forename with this anti-feminist assertion, but he bore it manfully. ‘O’Connor was a womaniser, which has the effect of increasing the female field. The widow of his elder brother, Sarah O’Connor, is a definite possibility. She’s quite a looker and she’s one of her brother-in-law’s more notable conquests. As you know, Dominic O’Connor ended their affair abruptly. Sarah O’Connor is not the kind of woman who would calmly accept being cast aside by a lover. She drives a distinctive blue BMW Z4 sports car. Such a car was seen within a mile of Dominic O’Connor’s house at eight fifty-five on Friday night.’
Tucker nodded sagely, slipping into his elder statesman mode. ‘Devious creatures, women. More devious than men, in my experience.’
Percy wondered what half the world would make of this profound philosophical proposition. ‘It’s circumstantial, sir. No more than that. Sarah O’Connor denies that her car left its garage on that night.’
‘Pull her in and break her down is my advice.’ Tucker shook his head, firmly rather than sadly. ‘Devious creatures.’
‘She denies that she was anywhere near the scene of the crime on Friday and says she has no connection with this death. The victim was a former lover and no more than that, as far as the law is concerned. Unfortunately, we don’t have the registration number of the Z4 which was seen in the area — we have to accept the possibility that this was a totally different blue BMW.’
‘I’m directing you to keep an eye on the woman. That is my official order.’
‘Right, sir. Keep an eye on Sarah O’Connor, the deceased’s sister-in-law and former lover. Your overview is every bit as useful as ever it was.’
Irony wasn’t a strong suit for Tommy Bloody Tucker. He said sagely, ‘I’ve always found that women couldn’t be trusted.’
Percy said, ‘I’ve made a note of that for the female members of the CID section, sir. There are two other women to consider. Womanisers like Dominic O’Connor tend to leave a trail of female suspects behind them. His PA might have been sweet on him at one time.’
Tucker nodded, frowning with concentration. ‘Men often leap into bed with their secretaries, you know. You should bear that in mind.’
‘What a useful piece of know-how, sir. I’ll relay it to the whole team at my next briefing. In this case, it may be the lady’s association with a different man than O’Connor which has a greater bearing on the case.’
‘Another man? This woman must be a real harlot. That makes her a promising suspect, you know.’
Percy was silent for a moment, contemplating the idea of the trim and efficient Jean Parker as a harlot. Then he roused himself and explained, ‘Mrs Parker was formerly PA to Dominic O’Connor’s predecessor as head of the financial division at Morton Industries. A man by the name of Brian Jacobs. He moved elsewhere after a bitter dispute with O’Connor, who seems to have done the dirty on him in a successful pursuit of his job. Jacobs has been eminently successful with his new firm and we believe he now plans to regain his old post and possibly a partnership at Morton Industries.’
T B Tucker leaned forward. ‘This makes him a suspect, you know. Have you considered that?’
Percy cast his eyes mentally to heaven but maintained an attentive visage for his chief. ‘In our view, it brings both Jean Parker and Brian Jacobs into the frame, sir. Either separately or in collusion. She admits to being his mistress and it seems they intend to marry. Neither of them has a satisfactory alibi for the time of death.’
Chief Superintendent Tucker wrestled for a moment with these complex possibilities. But all he produced was, ‘It’s a Jewish name, you know, Jacobs.’