Quintin Jardine - Stay of Execution

Blue, the Siberian husky, was in his usual place in front of the fire as they went into the bay-windowed room. Steele walked round the couch and knelt beside him, ruffling his thick fur. ‘How’re you doing, boy?’

‘Missing his dad, I’m afraid,’ said a voice from the door. Virginia Whetstone seemed to have shrunk in twenty-four hours, but as she moved into the room they saw that she was wearing sheepskin moccasins, with virtually no heel. She was dressed in black jeans and a crew-necked sweater, and her hair was tied back in a pony-tail. Like her sister-in-law, her grief showed around her eyes. ‘I took him for a walk this morning, though; or rather, he took me. Did Aisling offer you tea?’ she asked.

‘No,’ Rose answered, ‘but we’re fine, thanks.’

The widow nodded, and sat in the chair beside the dog. The superintendent took a seat close to her on the couch, and Steele joined her.

‘How are your investigations proceeding?’ Mrs Whetstone’s voice seemed stronger as she turned to business.

‘We have reached a conclusion,’ Maggie Rose told her. ‘We’re going to report to the procurator fiscal that your husband probably took his own life. There was a slight doubt cast on that by the post mortem, but on balance that’s how it looks.’

The woman drew in a breath and gazed directly into the detective’s eyes. ‘I see,’ she said evenly. ‘And if I choose to contest that?’

‘I should tell you to consult your solicitor about that, but. . You could ask the fiscal to hold an inquiry into your husband’s death under the 1977 Act. He has the discretion to do that, and it would allow you to have all the circumstances examined in open court, before the Sheriff. You could have legal representation; you’d hear evidence in open court, and be able to cross-examine witnesses. Also you’d be able to give evidence about your husband’s state of mind, and maybe even introduce other people who knew him.’

‘Are you suggesting that I should do that?’

‘It’s not for me to make such a suggestion; I’m only telling you that it’s a possibility. But before you go down that avenue, there are some things we have to discuss with you. Did you know that your husband was ill?’

Mrs Whetstone’s look of blank astonishment answered for her.

‘I’m afraid so,’ Rose continued. ‘He had lung cancer, sufficiently advanced for the pathologist to take the view that it would have proved fatal.’

‘My God,’ the woman whispered, ‘poor Ivor.’ She looked at the detectives. ‘But even so, my husband was a man of some determination. I don’t believe he would just have given up. . if he knew about it.’ She shook her head. ‘He was never very good at keeping secrets from me, you know.’

‘The pathologist did say that he might not have known about it.’

‘Then what makes you so sure he killed himself?’

‘That’s the other thing we have to tell you; it relates to your husband’s job.’

‘Well? As they say. . shoot.’

‘Have you ever heard of the Bonspiel Partnership?’ asked the superintendent.

‘The what?’

‘The Bonspiel Partnership; it’s one of your husband’s clients. Did he ever mention it to you?’

‘Never. I’m quite certain of that. It’s hardly a name one would forget. Why do you ask?’

‘Because the Bonspiel Partnership does not exist: yet it appears that your husband approved lending facilities of up to a million pounds and that the full amount was transferred to an offshore bank account.’

‘I don’t believe it.’

‘It’s true, I’m afraid. It was revealed by an internal investigation at SFB. The offshore account was in the name of Victoria Murray. The money’s moved on since then, and the bank’s view is that it will probably be untraceable.’

Mrs Whetstone gasped. ‘That’s impossible.’

‘No, it isn’t.’ She held up the document case she had brought from the car. ‘All the papers are in here. I have to ask you again, Mrs Whetstone. .’

‘I won’t listen to any more!’ the woman shouted; her eyes were blazing.

Rose waited for her to subside. ‘I have to, I’m afraid. To be honest, I’d be justified in making this a formal interview, given the information I’ve seen, but I’m bending over backwards not to do that. I just need you to answer this question. Did you know, or did you have any reason to believe, that your husband might have been defrauding his company?’

‘No, I did not,’ she replied stiffly. ‘You can show me all the evidence you like, and I still won’t believe it.’

‘I’m not going to do that. I’ll report to the fiscal, and he’ll make the decision on how to dispose of the case. I’m sorry, but I cannot justify taking this investigation any further.’

‘What would you expect him to do?’

‘I can’t say; it’s his decision.’

‘But based on your experience. .’

‘Each case is different, Mrs Whetstone; but informally, between you and me, I’d expect him to close the file. On the basis of the information that I’ll put before him, I’d expect him to write it off as suicide under pressure of imminent incrimination.’

‘Without an inquiry?’

‘Your husband wasn’t in his workplace, and he wasn’t in custody; therefore an FAI is discretionary, not mandatory.’

‘But if I pressed for one?’

‘He might order it. Bear this in mind, though: at an inquiry before the Sheriff, your husband would effectively be in the dock. All the evidence against him would be led. On top of that, the Sheriff would probably ask you to give evidence about Ivor’s demeanour in the days before his death; that would lay you open to aggressive cross-examination, should the bank instruct counsel. Before you do anything, think about the box you’d be opening.’

‘Besmirching Ivor’s memory, you mean? That’s a box he’d throw open himself.’

‘And your son? How would he feel about it?’

Virginia Whetstone pursed her lips. ‘That is another matter. I have still to speak to Murphy, I’m afraid. When Bert called him at the distillery he was told that he and a couple of colleagues have time off, and that they’ve gone into the mountains. They’re not due back until today. The company know what’s happened; they’ll make sure he calls me as soon as possible, but I don’t expect to see him before Saturday. Monday won’t be too late for me to speak to this fiscal man, will it?’

‘Not at all. I won’t be making my report until tomorrow.’

‘I could consult my solicitor, couldn’t I?’

Rose nodded. ‘That would be a sensible thing to do. If he wants to speak to us, and he probably will, tell him to ask for DI Steele.’

‘Not for you?’

‘I’m going to be busy tomorrow, I’m afraid. I have an in-tray to empty before five.’

The DCC was tidying his desk, and thinking about the road home, when there was a knock at his door. The status light outside had been set to red, ‘busy’, but he pushed a button in his desk and turned it to green, ‘come in’.

His visitor was the head of CID. ‘Red lights mean nothing to you, do they, Dan?’ said Skinner, amiably.

‘Depends where they are. Traffic lights I generally take note of, but houses down in Leith I avoid like the plague.’

‘I wish all our officers could say that.’

A smile seemed to ruffle Pringle’s heavy moustache. ‘Are you suggesting that some of our colleagues might not be above accepting sexual favours, Bob?’

‘I know of at least one who has done in days gone by, but he knows I do, so it won’t happen again.’ He grunted. ‘Anyway, he’s probably fucking past it by now. . or words to that effect. What have you got for me, Dan? Whatever it is, it had better not take long.’