he’s already been interviewed by the local CID, and he refused to cooperate.’
‘Maybe I can sweet-talk him into admitting something,’ said Tina with a slight smile.
‘Maybe you can. I’ll see what I can arrange,’ Goodman answered tightly, as if it was an inconvenience.
Tina was used to certain people taking an instant dislike to her – it was the kind of thing that happened when you’d attracted the sort of headlines she had – but she was a little surprised by the cold reception she was getting here. She’d expected more from a man running one of the country’s toughest prisons. ‘Thank you, I’d appreciate that. As for Mr Garrett, I understand he wants to cooperate with the inquiry into the Stanhope attacks.’
‘Yes. He made contact with one of the prison officers this morning, after he saw footage of the bomb in London on the news. He said that he knew who’d done it, but refused to talk to anyone other than you.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Do you have any idea why that might be?’
Tina shook her head. ‘No. I’ve had no contact with him whatsoever. I’m not even working on the inquiry. At least I wasn’t until an hour ago.’
‘I’m just hoping that he’s not going to attempt to’ – Goodman paused, clearly looking for the right word – ‘manipulate you.’
‘I’m not easily manipulated, Mr Goodman. Tell me, does Mr Garrett sound genuinely interested in cooperating?’
Goodman thought about this for a moment. ‘I think the altercation he was involved in scared him. It shocked all of us. Both men were very lucky not to have been more seriously injured.’ He paused. ‘But Mr Garrett worries me. He’s quiet, he’s controlled, and he’s well behaved and polite to the staff. In that sense, he’s been a model prisoner – at least up until this latest incident. But there’s also no sense that he’s remotely concerned with the gravity of the crimes he’s committed. I’m a great believer in the power of rehabilitation, Miss Boyd, something which I know isn’t a particularly fashionable view among a lot of people in this country. But I believe we could gain a great deal from the Scandinavian model of treating prisoners as individuals who’ve made poor life choices, rather than as amoral monsters who need to be locked up for as long as possible. However, I believe Mr Garrett might be an exception to that rule. I very much doubt that he
can
be rehabilitated. I’ve spent enough time with him, and the psychiatrists who’ve interviewed him, to know he feels no real remorse for what he’s done. Given that it’s likely he personally killed at least five people, and was responsible for the deaths of many times that number, that makes him extremely dangerous. Coupled with that, he’s highly intelligent. Whether you’re easily manipulated or not, I’d bear this in mind when you’re dealing with him.’
‘Thank you, sir, I will.’
‘We’ve prepared an interview room in the Central Section for your meeting. He should be there by now, so if you’ve got no further questions, I’ll have you escorted down there.’
‘I think you’ve answered everything for me,’ said Tina, getting to her feet.
‘I must admit,’ said the governor as they shook hands a second time, ‘I’m surprised that he asked to see
you
here, and alone too. It seems odd to me, given your own involvement in the Stanhope siege.’
Tina swallowed her continuing irritation at the way she was being talked to. ‘It was my
involvement
that helped bring the siege to a successful conclusion, Mr Goodman.’
‘Surely over seventy dead civilians can’t be judged to be a successful conclusion.’
‘It can when you have five hundred hostages and a building wired up to be blown to smithereens. And whatever you or Mr Garrett may think, I’m good at my job.’
Goodman raised a sceptical eyebrow. ‘In my opinion, your methods leave a great deal to be desired, Miss Boyd, so I’d request that when in my
‘Maybe I can sweet-talk him into admitting something,’ said Tina with a slight smile.
‘Maybe you can. I’ll see what I can arrange,’ Goodman answered tightly, as if it was an inconvenience.
Tina was used to certain people taking an instant dislike to her – it was the kind of thing that happened when you’d attracted the sort of headlines she had – but she was a little surprised by the cold reception she was getting here. She’d expected more from a man running one of the country’s toughest prisons. ‘Thank you, I’d appreciate that. As for Mr Garrett, I understand he wants to cooperate with the inquiry into the Stanhope attacks.’
‘Yes. He made contact with one of the prison officers this morning, after he saw footage of the bomb in London on the news. He said that he knew who’d done it, but refused to talk to anyone other than you.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Do you have any idea why that might be?’
Tina shook her head. ‘No. I’ve had no contact with him whatsoever. I’m not even working on the inquiry. At least I wasn’t until an hour ago.’
‘I’m just hoping that he’s not going to attempt to’ – Goodman paused, clearly looking for the right word – ‘manipulate you.’
‘I’m not easily manipulated, Mr Goodman. Tell me, does Mr Garrett sound genuinely interested in cooperating?’
Goodman thought about this for a moment. ‘I think the altercation he was involved in scared him. It shocked all of us. Both men were very lucky not to have been more seriously injured.’ He paused. ‘But Mr Garrett worries me. He’s quiet, he’s controlled, and he’s well behaved and polite to the staff. In that sense, he’s been a model prisoner – at least up until this latest incident. But there’s also no sense that he’s remotely concerned with the gravity of the crimes he’s committed. I’m a great believer in the power of rehabilitation, Miss Boyd, something which I know isn’t a particularly fashionable view among a lot of people in this country. But I believe we could gain a great deal from the Scandinavian model of treating prisoners as individuals who’ve made poor life choices, rather than as amoral monsters who need to be locked up for as long as possible. However, I believe Mr Garrett might be an exception to that rule. I very much doubt that he
can
be rehabilitated. I’ve spent enough time with him, and the psychiatrists who’ve interviewed him, to know he feels no real remorse for what he’s done. Given that it’s likely he personally killed at least five people, and was responsible for the deaths of many times that number, that makes him extremely dangerous. Coupled with that, he’s highly intelligent. Whether you’re easily manipulated or not, I’d bear this in mind when you’re dealing with him.’
‘Thank you, sir, I will.’
‘We’ve prepared an interview room in the Central Section for your meeting. He should be there by now, so if you’ve got no further questions, I’ll have you escorted down there.’
‘I think you’ve answered everything for me,’ said Tina, getting to her feet.
‘I must admit,’ said the governor as they shook hands a second time, ‘I’m surprised that he asked to see
you
here, and alone too. It seems odd to me, given your own involvement in the Stanhope siege.’
Tina swallowed her continuing irritation at the way she was being talked to. ‘It was my
involvement
that helped bring the siege to a successful conclusion, Mr Goodman.’
‘Surely over seventy dead civilians can’t be judged to be a successful conclusion.’
‘It can when you have five hundred hostages and a building wired up to be blown to smithereens. And whatever you or Mr Garrett may think, I’m good at my job.’
Goodman raised a sceptical eyebrow. ‘In my opinion, your methods leave a great deal to be desired, Miss Boyd, so I’d request that when in my
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