He was what she had wanted, from the age of seventeen. She had never loved anyone else. The tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She couldn’t speak; just one more step and she would be in his arms.
Vic Morgan drove his Rover straight at the heavy white gates at the main entrance to Kenwood House. The impact sent shock waves up his spine, but the gates remained closed.
Fuller and Reynolds ran from their patrol car. Morgan was now slamming his shoulder into the gates — and one finally gave way and swung open. Morgan ran back to his car and drove through.
‘Crazy son of a bitch.’
Fuller ran back to the patrol car and followed Morgan through, up the driveway to the house, which was suddenly lit up starkly by their headlamps. Morgan was already running to the back of the house, Fuller and Reynolds close behind.
Morgan stopped at the top of the hill and looked. He could see Dolly, alone on the footbridge, looking into the water.
Fuller took a hold of his arm. ‘I’ll take it from here, Vic.’
Morgan threw him off and started running down the hill toward Dolly. As he reached the flatter ground, Fuller caught him up.
Morgan kept his voice low. ‘I think she’s got a gun. Go round to the right. Come from behind her.’
Fuller knew it was pointless to argue. He waited for Reynolds to join him, then they split up, moving round the lake to approach the bridge from the opposite side.
Where the hell was Rawlins?
Morgan stepped onto the bridge. Dolly turned to face him. She didn’t seem surprised.
‘Hand over the gun, Dolly. Please, just give me the gun.’
She lifted her arm, holding the gun out. Then she dropped it, her arm remaining stretched out to him for a moment.
Morgan stared at her. His mouth twitched.
‘Why?’
Dolly turned away, facing the water.
Morgan moved in closer. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her. He picked up the gun and put it in the pocket of his overcoat.
Again he asked her, ‘Why? Just tell me why?’
Her voice sounded as if it belonged to someone else, a stranger, distant, expressionless. ‘We didn’t stand a chance. It was the only way.’
She was shivering. He thought he heard her whisper she was sorry. He was sorry too. He felt such a fool; she had made him look such a bloody fool, but then that’s what he was.
He looked down and saw the body floating in the filthy water. Harry Rawlins lay face down, arms outstretched, as if reaching for the safety of the bank.
Morgan looked up. Fuller was standing at the opposite end of the bridge. Morgan walked over and handed him the gun. He spoke quietly, almost in a whisper.
‘Take it. She’s killed him — he’s in the water under the bridge. Wait.’
Fuller stepped back, as if frozen by Morgan’s command.
Morgan took off his overcoat, wrapped it round Dolly’s shoulders, and gently guided her away from the bridge. She was shivering, her hands icy cold to the touch.
Glancing back, Morgan nodded to Fuller, said he would take her to the car. Reynolds now appeared at the side of the bridge. Fuller pointed beneath the bridge. Reynolds stepped down the side and saw the floating body.
As Morgan and Dolly moved away from the bridge, he felt her ease away from him slightly, as if she wanted to walk alone, without his help. She held her head up proudly.
Reynolds was now knee-deep in the stagnant water. He reached for the body and grabbed hold of the left leg, pulling it toward the bank. Fuller stepped down into the water to help him. Together they dragged the body closer to the bank and turned it over.
Harry Rawlins was dead. On his face was a peaceful, almost serene smile.
Fuller was shocked. He straightened up, as if the body was contagious.
Dolly turned midway up the hill and gripped Morgan’s coat tightly round her for warmth. She looked back to Fuller, their eyes briefly met, and she gave him a small nod, like a tiny salute. That, too, unnerved him. He watched her continue her walk to the waiting patrol car, head held high.
Fuller sighed. It was finally over. He looked back down to the body as the water lapped round it. Then it started to rain, small drops at first, then the sky opened up and it was coming down in torrents. The wind seemed to shift the water, and the body moved slowly with it. It was as if, even in death, Rawlins was still trying to get away.
Afterword
Detective Inspector George Resnick died the day after he learned that Rawlins had finally been buried. The only mourners at Resnick’s funeral were DI Alex Fuller and Victor Morgan.
Morgan received a large share of the reward money from the underpass raid, and donated it to charity. He closed the investigation bureau and retired. He never made any further contact with Dolly Rawlins.
All the men involved in the jewel raid received lengthy sentences.
Bella O’Reilly caught a plane to Mexico. She never made any further contact with Dolly Rawlins either.
Shirley Miller was buried alongside her husband, Terry Miller.
Dolly Rawlins was arrested and charged with the murder of her husband. This was later dropped to manslaughter. She was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment and taken to Holloway.
The bulk of the money stolen from Samson’s Security Company in the underpass raid was recovered with the help of Dolly Rawlins. The cash was stashed under the stage at a drill hall.
There was never any acknowledgment that the women had been involved in the raid. The widows took their secret to the grave — or to prison.
Audrey did as Dolly requested but she would have a long wait for her promised security.
The police never recovered the £8 million worth of gems stolen from Amanda’s nightclub.