Page 48 of Next in Line

‘However,’ said Rebecca, ‘the truth is that Milner never takes a taxi when he’s on duty.’

‘You’d better be able to back up that statement with hard facts, DC Pankhurst,’ said the Hawk. ‘Otherwise it will be your word against his.’

‘I had a feeling you might say that, sir,’ said Rebecca, ‘so with DCI Warwick’s permission I took a week off my normal duties and went undercover.’

‘For what purpose?’

‘To follow a week in the life of our most senior royalty protection officer.’

William allowed himself a smile as Rebecca opened an even thicker file in front of her. ‘Every morning at around eight, eight fifteen, Milner leaves his home in Barnes and takes the train to Victoria using his police permit.’

‘As he’s entitled to do,’ said the Hawk.

‘On arrival at Victoria,’ continued Rebecca, unperturbed, ‘he then walks the half mile to Buckingham Gate. If he has an appointment with HRH, he walks across to York House, often accompanied by DI Reynolds, the Prince’s PPO. OnceHRH leaves York House, Milner hot foots it back to Buckingham Gate. On two separate occasions during that week he took the train from Paddington to Windsor using his authorized travel card. On arrival, he walked from the station to the castle and disappeared into his office, not to be seen again until he left at around four thirty, when he took the train back to Barnes. During that week, he didn’t once take a taxi, but it didn’t stop him claiming £529 in expenses,’ said Rebecca, handing over fourteen expenses claims for the Hawk to consider. ‘They’re not only claiming expenses for journeys that never took place, but along with his cohorts, they’re coining in around quarter of a million a year, with no one else to check on them.’

The commander studied the claim dockets for some time before he said, ‘Excellent work, DC Pankhurst. But it’s still not enough. What else do you have to offer me?’

‘Nothing else, sir. However, the chief came up with something that needs explaining.’

Everyone around the table turned to face William.

‘I found this locked in the top drawer of Milner’s desk,’ said William, placing an expenses docket in front of the commander.

‘What does this prove?’ asked the Hawk, after carefully checking several expenses claims.

‘It’s not the claims Milner did make that we should be looking at,’ said William, ‘but the half-empty expenses book with his signature already on every page, only waiting for the details to be filled in. He’s like a man at the roulette table who knows which number the ball will land on. He’s perfected a system that always pays out, even when it lands on zero.’

‘Believe me,’ said the Hawk, ‘that man could still bluff his way out of that. No, I need a silver bullet that Milner won’t be able to put back in the chamber.’ The commander noticeda grin appearing on DS Adaja’s face. ‘You’ve been unusually silent, Paul. Can I assume you’re about to produce that bullet?’

‘And the gun to fire it with,’ said Paul. ‘However, you’re never going to believe what I’m about to tell you, sir, despite the fact that you’ve dealt with some of the sharpest criminal minds in the game.’

‘Stop wasting my time,’ said the Hawk.

‘For the past month, I’ve been taking a particular interest in a certain Sergeant Nigel Hicks.’

‘And what’s so special about Sergeant Hicks?’

‘He’s been the Royalty Protection forward liaison officer for the past eleven years.’

‘How fascinating,’ said the commander, stifling a yawn.

‘It would be, sir, if only Sergeant Hicks existed.’

The look on the Hawk’s face didn’t suggest that of a seasoned poker player. ‘Details,’ he demanded, sitting bolt upright in his chair.

‘Sergeant Hicks retired eleven years ago – and died a couple of years later. He was buried at his local church in Sevenoaks.’

‘You have proof, of course?’

Paul produced a photograph of Hicks’s headstone and handed it over to the commander.

NIGEL HICKS

1918–1981

‘You’re not going to tell me that—’

‘He still receives his full salary, and last year somehow managed to claim over £70,000 in expenses, without actually turning up at the office.’