still pur suing your investigations and request an adjournment?'
'I'm going to do exactly that.'
'Thank you for answering - between the three of us only.'
'Am I then to assume,' Tweed began, his voice sharper, 'that I am still in charge of the investigation? That would be most unusual.'
'You are to assume that, yes. I know it's unusual - there are people who would call it irregular. But there could be political implications, now we know it was murder. You see, Jeremy was very bright technically.' He paused. 'I have again to ask you to keep this just between the three of us.' He paused. 'A couple of days before Jeremy travelled to Alfriston he discovered my office was bugged.'
'And you'd discussed confidential matters in that room?' asked Tweed.
'Heavens, yes, I had. Thought I was safe there. So Jeremy removed all the listening devices. I decided not to report it to anyone.'
'Why?'
'Because I was beginning to wonder who I could trust.'
'Even among Cabinet members?'
'If you don't mind, I'd sooner not answer that question.
But I've been doing all the talking. Have you something you'd like to ask me?'
'Yes, I have. Do you know why Jeremy Mordaunt travelled down to Alfriston? Who he was going to see?'
'I have absolutely no idea. I kept him on a loose rein - he was clever and wouldn't tell me certain things until he had the complete story. I have made enquiries.'
'What about?'
'Discreetly, about who lives in that part of the world. So far I have only come up with Lord Barford. But since he gave up the job as chief of the Special Branch hasn't he retired?'
'One would expect him to have done that.'
'Oh, there is something else.' Thunder checked his Rolex watch. 'I'll have to go shortly. A Cabinet meeting.' He looked at Paula and smiled. 'You wouldn't care to come and keep me company - to prevent me from being bored stiff?'
'I don't think they'd welcome me,' she said, returning his smile.
'Before we go,' Tweed said, 'what was the something else?'
'I'd appreciate it if you'd liaise with Chief Inspector Roy Buchanan about your investigations. It would go some way to regularizing the situation.'
'I was going to do that anyway.'
They left the library. Thunder collected his coat, and they walked into the street. As they did so a limo pulled up at the kerb. Thunder swore, apologized to Paula.
'I did tell them to send an ordinary car for me. All this pomp and circumstance is so idiotic. Now, thank you both so much for giving me your time. And I've enjoyed your company.' He whispered the rest as the chauffeur opened the door with a flourish. 'Which is more than I expect to do when I get back to Downing Street. . .'
'You have your lunch with Aubrey Barford,' Tweed reminded her as the limo moved off. 'Is there time for us to walk up St James's Street before you get a taxi?'
'Yes, there is.' They began to stroll. 'Well, that surprised me. I expected him to rave.'
'He can, I've heard. If a subordinate isn't quick enough or forgets something. And Thunder is the right name for him when he's speaking in the House of Commons. A magnificent orator. I've heard gossip that there's a cabal of Ministers plotting to remove the present PM - so they can instal Thunder in his place.'
'What did you think of his story about Jeremy locating and then removing the bugs from his office?' queried Paula.
'Gavin Thunder has an ingenious brain.'
CHAPTER 5
At about the time Tweed and Paula entered Marlows a helicopter landed at Heathrow. Two passengers emerged and parted company as the sun came out. Both were men of the same height and in their forties. Here the similarity ended.
The athletic man with blond hair that gleamed in the sunshine boarded the motorized passenger trolley which had driven out as the chopper was landing. He radiated wealth. Clad in an Armani suit, he wore Gucci shoes, a Chanel tie and carried an expensive brief-case.
Once aboard the executive jet and settled in his seat he heard the engines starting up. An
'I'm going to do exactly that.'
'Thank you for answering - between the three of us only.'
'Am I then to assume,' Tweed began, his voice sharper, 'that I am still in charge of the investigation? That would be most unusual.'
'You are to assume that, yes. I know it's unusual - there are people who would call it irregular. But there could be political implications, now we know it was murder. You see, Jeremy was very bright technically.' He paused. 'I have again to ask you to keep this just between the three of us.' He paused. 'A couple of days before Jeremy travelled to Alfriston he discovered my office was bugged.'
'And you'd discussed confidential matters in that room?' asked Tweed.
'Heavens, yes, I had. Thought I was safe there. So Jeremy removed all the listening devices. I decided not to report it to anyone.'
'Why?'
'Because I was beginning to wonder who I could trust.'
'Even among Cabinet members?'
'If you don't mind, I'd sooner not answer that question.
But I've been doing all the talking. Have you something you'd like to ask me?'
'Yes, I have. Do you know why Jeremy Mordaunt travelled down to Alfriston? Who he was going to see?'
'I have absolutely no idea. I kept him on a loose rein - he was clever and wouldn't tell me certain things until he had the complete story. I have made enquiries.'
'What about?'
'Discreetly, about who lives in that part of the world. So far I have only come up with Lord Barford. But since he gave up the job as chief of the Special Branch hasn't he retired?'
'One would expect him to have done that.'
'Oh, there is something else.' Thunder checked his Rolex watch. 'I'll have to go shortly. A Cabinet meeting.' He looked at Paula and smiled. 'You wouldn't care to come and keep me company - to prevent me from being bored stiff?'
'I don't think they'd welcome me,' she said, returning his smile.
'Before we go,' Tweed said, 'what was the something else?'
'I'd appreciate it if you'd liaise with Chief Inspector Roy Buchanan about your investigations. It would go some way to regularizing the situation.'
'I was going to do that anyway.'
They left the library. Thunder collected his coat, and they walked into the street. As they did so a limo pulled up at the kerb. Thunder swore, apologized to Paula.
'I did tell them to send an ordinary car for me. All this pomp and circumstance is so idiotic. Now, thank you both so much for giving me your time. And I've enjoyed your company.' He whispered the rest as the chauffeur opened the door with a flourish. 'Which is more than I expect to do when I get back to Downing Street. . .'
'You have your lunch with Aubrey Barford,' Tweed reminded her as the limo moved off. 'Is there time for us to walk up St James's Street before you get a taxi?'
'Yes, there is.' They began to stroll. 'Well, that surprised me. I expected him to rave.'
'He can, I've heard. If a subordinate isn't quick enough or forgets something. And Thunder is the right name for him when he's speaking in the House of Commons. A magnificent orator. I've heard gossip that there's a cabal of Ministers plotting to remove the present PM - so they can instal Thunder in his place.'
'What did you think of his story about Jeremy locating and then removing the bugs from his office?' queried Paula.
'Gavin Thunder has an ingenious brain.'
CHAPTER 5
At about the time Tweed and Paula entered Marlows a helicopter landed at Heathrow. Two passengers emerged and parted company as the sun came out. Both were men of the same height and in their forties. Here the similarity ended.
The athletic man with blond hair that gleamed in the sunshine boarded the motorized passenger trolley which had driven out as the chopper was landing. He radiated wealth. Clad in an Armani suit, he wore Gucci shoes, a Chanel tie and carried an expensive brief-case.
Once aboard the executive jet and settled in his seat he heard the engines starting up. An
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