Pauline Rowson - The Suffocating Sea

'Take some leave, go away until-'

'What? They catch Croxton? I might be on leave a long time. No, Barney, I'm not running away. I tried it several times when I was in those God-awful kids' homes, until I finally realized that running away got me nowhere. I was still bloody lonely. I've also tried to push the past away, but it's returned with a vengeance. I can't run away any more and neither can you. Don't look so surprised, you know what I mean. You can't bury yourself in work, trying to pretend that you can cope with your loss. I know that's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, me saying that, but believe me it doesn't work. I've had years of it. Your family needs you and you need them. You must grieve, not bottle things up, talk about Toni, mourn together and celebrate his life.'

'I just thought being here…I can't…'

Horton sat forward and said softly but firmly, 'It's OK, Barney. Go home.'

After a moment, Cantelli pulled himself up and nodded sadly. Horton watched him go with a heavy heart. He needed a breath of fresh air. He said to Walters, 'I'm going to talk to Janet Hassingham.'

'Well, she's not at Gilmore's. Seaton said she left there an hour ago, but he gave me the number of her apartment.'

'Did she say where she was going?'

'Home. She couldn't work with all the distraction.'

And that suited Horton fine, he thought, hurrying out of the station. As he made for Admiralty Towers he wondered if he should tell Uckfield or Dennings, but the thought of his mother made him hold back.

It was two thirty when he pulled into the car park at the back of the building and before he could climb off the Harley the rear door opened and Janice stepped out. From where he was parked he didn't think she could see him; she certainly gave no indication of it as she made for a small silver car in one of the bays. He froze as his copper's nose told him something wasn't right. In her left hand she was carrying a large briefcase, which looked as though it contained a laptop computer, and in her right she was wheeling a suitcase. Was she going away for the Christmas holidays? It was possible. Why then did Horton get the feeling that she was running away? Was that just his overripe imagination?

He thought about the sighting of her on the CCTV recording the night Rowland Gilmore had died and her appearance at Horsea Marina when Tom Brundall's boat had been set alight; had Janice Hassingham had a hand in their murders? She could have poisoned Rowland Gilmore and thrown a lighted match on to Brundall's boat. He frowned. There was something bugging him and then with a shock he realized what it was. Both Janice and Selina had entered the warehouse before Sebastian, but when had they come out again? Damn, he should have asked. It was a glaring oversight on his part. His head was too full of theories. If Cantelli had been firing on all cylinders he would have asked. There was no time to call in now because Janice was pulling out of the car park. Horton followed at a discreet distance. He was surprised when she turned right into Queens Street and headed towards the harbour, rather than left and out of the city.

Just past Oyster Quays she indicated right and after a short distance swung into the Wightlink Ferry car park. He pulled up on the opposite side of the road as she spoke to the man on the gate who directed her into one of the many already packed boarding lanes. She wouldn't get far on the Isle of Wight, he thought, unless she had a private aeroplane waiting for her at Bembridge or Sandown Airport to take her on somewhere. Or perhaps she was going to meet Croxton on a boat in one of the marinas there. That would certainly fit with his theory about Brundall and Sherbourne's killer travelling back and forth to Guernsey by boat. Maybe she was just spending the Christmas holiday on the Isle of Wight and he should let her go, but something told him he had to pursue her, even despite or perhaps because of a sense of excitement mixed with foreboding.

He craned his neck to see the electronic sign in front of the car park, which told him the next sailing was at three o'clock and it was already five minutes past three. The ferry was running late, probably because of the high winds and the sheer number of Christmas holiday passengers. He could see it now coming into the port and knew it had a twenty minute turnaround time to unload and load cars.

He watched Janice hurry across to the ticket office and then saw her re-emerge and climb into her car. He called Walters and asked him to check the CCTV recording for the times that Selina and Janice left the warehouse and call him back. Then he waited until the first cars started loading and swung into the car park. He didn't want to alert the staff to the fact that he was a police officer and on duty, so wearing his helmet he dashed into the ticket office, removing it once inside, and praying he'd get a ticket for the same ferry even though it was crowded. His luck was in. A few minutes later he was on board and they were pulling out of Portsmouth Harbour.

He found Janice in the main passenger lounge at the opposite end of the ship to the cafe. Taking care not to be seen by her he positioned himself at one of the tables where he was alone, keeping the back of her head in view, and when the safety announcement was over he called Trueman. For once he was grateful for the noise of the overexcited screaming children who were running up and down the aisles; they would drown out his voice.

'Is there an Isle of Wight number on Sebastian Gilmore's mobile phone bill? The code's 01983.'

'I'll check and call you back.'

Knowing that Janice couldn't get away on board the ferry, Horton waited until they were in the Solent and the crowd at the cafe had died down before fetching himself a bottle of water and some sandwiches. He wasn't sure when he'd next get the chance to eat. Janice was still there when he returned to the same table. The captain announced that the crossing would be slightly choppy, and a couple of car alarms were sounding off on the decks below as the ship began to roll a little. He called Walters. 'Well?'

'I've looked until my eyes feel as though they're going to pop out of their sockets but I'm buggered if I can see either of them leave that warehouse at any time. They could have slipped out at the same time as the forklift truck and been hidden behind it.'

That was a strong possibility. 'Check the recordings in the reception area and see if they re-entered the office block. And find out where Selina Gilmore is.'

Horton bit into his sandwich. So, the only person who came out after Sebastian Gilmore was the square-set man wearing a cap. Could this have been Selina? The build was wrong but she could have been padded out, and if she were wearing flat shoes instead of her usual high-heeled boots then the height wouldn't be far off. But why kill her father? Had Sebastian threatened to tell the police about his part in the killings and Selina thought it would ruin the business and her career?

Was this square-set man Janice Hassingham or a relative of Lynmor's? Perhaps it was an employee and perfectly innocent, or it could be an employee with a grudge against Sebastian. Gilmore's death might have nothing to do with Brundall's and Rowland Gilmore's. But no, that couldn't be.

His mobile rang. It was Trueman. 'There's no Isle of Wight number on Gilmore's mobile account.'

Damn. Was this a wild goose chase? He rung off with a sinking heart thinking that it was, and was mightily glad he hadn't said anything to Uckfield. Best stay on the ferry as she docked at Fishbourne and then return to Portsmouth. He sat back feeling despondent. Munching his sandwiches, he ran through the facts. What was Selina's part in all this? Had she really gone to Tri Fare? Was that connection between Anne Schofield and Rowland Gilmore important? Was he completely hoisting up the wrong mainsail?