Page 4 of End Game (William Warwick #8)

‘You could ask your father to supply one. After all, he’s in charge of security.’

‘I don’t want him to know what I’m up to,’ admitted Artemisia, as she looked over Ross’s shoulder. ‘Which is why I need you and not my father.’

He grinned. Unlike the commander, Ross had never exactly followed the rulebook to the letter.

Even his recent reprieve from traffic couldn’t hold him back.

He remained silent for a few moments, before he said, ‘You’ll have to get hold of an official accreditation badge that will allow you access to the athletes’ village at any time. ’

‘How do I get one of those?’ asked Artemisia.

Ross lowered his voice and said, ‘First, you’ll have to find a competitor who …’

···

Across the other side of the garden, William was chatting to his mother, Mary, while Beth was deep in conversation with Christina and her husband, Wilbur.

Beth and Christina’s friendship had been long and not always smooth.

Christina had lived an unusual life, that included a brief and tumultuous marriage to Miles Faulkner, and there had been a time when Beth was never quite sure if she could trust her – but since marrying Wilbur Hackensack twelve years ago, her friend had been transformed.

They had been working together at the Fitzmolean Museum for several years now, with Beth as director and Christina as chair of the board.

‘I’d love to know what those two are scheming,’ said Beth, as she looked across at her daughter and Ross.

‘No good, would be my bet,’ suggested Christina, with a grin.

‘So dare one ask,’ said Wilbur. ‘How’s the special exhibition coming along?’

‘So far so good. All being well, The Hermitage Comes to the Fitzmolean will be opening in two months’ time,’ replied Beth.

‘I can’t believe it’s finally happening.

It seems years ago that I first wrote to the director of the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg to suggest an exchange of Dutch paintings for a dual exhibition.

Back then, I didn’t even receive a reply. ’

‘But that was before London landed the Olympics,’ said Christina.

‘That reminds me – the Russian Ambassador has invited me to a gala reception at the embassy next month, and they’ve asked for a list of people who should be invited.’

‘Yes, I know,’ said Christina. ‘My invitation arrived this morning.’

‘A gala reception came as a surprise, considering how uncommunicative most of our exchanges with the Hermitage have been so far.’

‘A goodwill gesture, perhaps,’ suggested Christina.

‘I don’t think you’ll find the word goodwill in a Russian dictionary,’ chipped in Wilbur. ‘And one thing’s for certain, they don’t make gestures.’

‘It’s probably nothing,’ said Beth, ‘but …’

‘What does William have to say on the subject?’ asked Christina.

‘I haven’t mentioned it to him,’ admitted Beth. ‘He’s got enough problems of his own at the moment. And, to be honest, I don’t really know what I’m concerned about. It’s just an uneasy feeling that something isn’t quite right.’

‘Why not have a word with Ross?’ said Christina.

‘He’d tell me I’m just overreacting,’ Beth said, as she looked across at William’s mother on the other side of the garden.

···

‘What’s Ross up to these days?’ asked Mary.

‘Still issuing parking tickets to anyone caught on a double yellow line,’ said Alice, ‘although I know he’d much prefer to be chasing real criminals.’

‘And Jojo?’

‘She’s about to graduate from the Slade School of Fine Art,’ replied Alice, as she glanced across at her stepdaughter. ‘But as she’s been offered a modelling job by Chanel, all that potential may no longer be quite so promising.’

‘But Jojo told me that once she’d graduated, she plans to become an out-of-work artist.’

‘And she would have done,’ responded Alice, ‘if she hadn’t been offered an extortionate sum just to walk up and down a catwalk modelling clothes neither of us could afford.’

‘Pity,’ said Mary, ‘as I think she’s got a real talent. In fact, we have one of her paintings hanging in our drawing room.’

‘I think she’s hoping the income from modelling can support her while she tries to establish herself in the art world,’ said Alice.

‘Let’s hope so. And how’s little Jack faring?’

‘No longer little,’ said Alice. ‘He’s starting secondary school in September – can you believe it? He’s already taller than me.’

Mary followed Alice’s eyes to where Jack had joined his step-sister and some of the police officers. ‘And is he as bright as his mother?’ she teased.

‘No, just as stupid as his father,’ replied Alice. ‘He wants to be a policeman and join that lot over there.’

···

Jojo was chatting with Detective Inspector Paul Adaja and Sergeant Jackie Roycroft, while her little brother stared up at them in awe.

‘How are the preparations for the Olympics going?’ asked Jojo.

‘We won’t know the answer to that question,’ responded Paul, ‘until after the curtain comes down on the closing ceremony and the Games have moved on to Rio de Janeiro.’

‘It must be great fun,’ enthused Jojo, ‘being participants in something this huge.’

‘It’s the most exciting thing ever ,’ added Jack.

Paul smiled down at him. ‘That’s one way of looking at it.’

‘We’re not participants,’ said Jackie Roycroft. ‘We’re onlookers whose only job is to try to anticipate any problems that might or might not arise in over thirty different venues in fifty-one different languages.’

‘So fun certainly isn’t the word that springs to mind,’ added Paul.

‘Well, I will be a participant,’ said Jojo, taking them all by surprise.

‘Doing what exactly?’ asked Jackie.

‘It’s a secret,’ whispered Jack, grinning up at his sister.

‘And as you’re in charge of security,’ said Jojo, smiling at Jackie and Paul, ‘I’d rather assumed you’d already know.’

···

On the other side of the garden next to the drinks table, Peter was in conversation with Robert, his sister’s long-term boyfriend, who’d been around for so long he considered him one of the family. In fact, Peter could only wonder how long it would be before they became engaged.

‘And how’s work?’ Peter asked Robert. ‘Still hoping to become a Member of Parliament?’

‘No one’s asked me yet,’ admitted Robert, ‘but there’s still some time to go before the next general election, so watch this space.

With any luck, I’ll be a candidate for a safe seat next time round.

Of course, that’s no guarantee I’ll end up in Parliament, as it’s looking unlikely we can beat Cameron at the next election, but as Harold Wilson said, “A week is a long time in politics”. ’

‘What does Arte make of all this?’ asked Peter, as he glanced across to see his twin sister, head bowed, listening intently to Ross.

‘She’s incredibly supportive,’ Robert said warmly, ‘even if she is working for the opposition.’

‘The Tories?’ said Peter in disbelief.

‘No, the Daily Mail , who are almost as bad. But what about you?’ asked Robert. ‘Are there enough criminals to keep you well occupied?’

‘They are all innocent,’ protested Peter.

‘Have you managed to get one off yet?’

‘Not yet,’ admitted Peter. ‘I did manage to get a shoplifter off with a suspended sentence, but only because the prisons are so overcrowded.’

Robert was about to ask about Peter’s next case when he was interrupted by the tapping of a spoon on a glass.

They all looked around to see Assistant Commissioner Hawksby standing on a step at the far end of the garden, a champagne glass in hand.

Once he’d gained their complete attention, he stopped tapping and began.

‘It is my privilege to say a few words on behalf of the accused, but as I haven’t been able to come up with anything in mitigation, I shall move on to his prosecution, followed by a lengthy sentence that I feel confident you, the jury, will deliver on behalf of the Crown. ’

Laughter followed the Hawk’s opening remarks, accompanied by a prolonged round of applause.

‘I have, over the years,’ continued the Hawk, ‘watched William climb effortlessly up the promotion ladder from Constable on the beat in Lambeth to the dizzy heights of Commander in charge of the Olympics,’ said the Hawk, ‘and only time will tell how many more rungs of that ladder are yet to be scaled. In fact, I’m rather hoping to retire before I have to call him sir . ’

More laughter broke out, although the Assistant Commissioner hadn’t considered that particular line to be a joke.

‘Along the way, he has acquired a wife, who is successfully climbing an equally challenging ladder, a daughter who has already seen the inside of a prison cell, where she met her boyfriend, and a son who is following in his distinguished grandfather’s footsteps as a criminal barrister.

But, members of the jury, I feel the time has come to let you know the defendant left the Yard this evening before six o’clock, allowing hardened criminals a night off. ’

Cries of Shame! and Resign! greeted this revelation.

‘However,’ continued the Hawk, ‘when Commander Warwick returns to his desk in the morning, the countdown will continue on the most challenging assignment of his career to date, the outcome of which will decide if he continues to climb that ladder and reach even greater heights.’

‘Or slithers back down a waiting snake,’ piped up Ross, to even louder laughter.

‘Whatever the outcome,’ came back the Hawk, ‘I ask you all to raise your glasses to William on his fiftieth birthday.’

‘To William,’ went up the cry, followed by, ‘Speech, speech,’ from the assembled gathering.

William quickly tried to compose his thoughts, aware he was facing a very demanding audience. ‘Tonight,’ he began, ‘I thought I was going out for a quiet dinner with my wife.’

‘No such luck,’ shouted someone.

‘Had I known what Beth and her fellow conspirators had been planning, I would have stayed at work.’

‘In which case, we would have happily celebrated without you,’ said another, raising his glass.

William waited for the laughter to die down before he continued, ‘Let me begin by thanking the Assistant Commissioner for his few kind words,’ he paused, ‘very few. And my wife, who ditched me in favour of you lot, which means our dinner date may have to be put off for some time, as almost every one of us will be returning to work tomorrow to prepare for the greatest show on earth. I have no doubt that, as Ross has suggested, there will be several snakes awaiting us. It will be a challenge that no one has experienced in this country since 1948, long before any of us were born.’ He paused. ‘With one or two notable exceptions.’

This time, the cheering was prolonged.

‘I was six at the time,’ said the Hawk, ‘and could name every one of our gold medallists.’

‘No mean achievement,’ said Sir Julian, William’s father, ‘as I recall it was a record haul that year.’

‘Seeing so many of my friends here this evening only reminds me how fortunate I’ve been during those fifty years,’ continued William. ‘Two wonderful and supportive parents, an amazing and tolerant wife, as well as two children any father could be proud of.’

A round of applause followed, before William ended with the words, ‘And how grateful I am to have been allowed to do the job I’ve always wanted to do, and finally ending up in charge of security for the Olympics, which is a bonus.’

‘Perhaps not ending up,’ hinted someone.

William smiled, but didn’t respond, other than to say, ‘I ask you all to raise your glasses to the success of the Thirtieth Olympiad, in the fervent hope I will avoid any perils along the way and will make it to my fifty-first birthday.’

This time the applause lasted for some considerable time.

‘If he does,’ whispered Julian to his wife, as he raised his glass, ‘his chances of being Commissioner won’t be harmed.’

‘And if he doesn’t?’

‘I won’t be the only person retiring at the end of the year.’