Page 62 of My Lord
Burrows had the good grace to look embarrassed. “Is there somewhere we can speak that’s private?” he asked.
“This is it,” Mackenzie said holding out his arms to the room.
Burrows looked at Gabriella as she passed and continued to look at her while she entered her office. Mary coughed and he turned his attention back to us.
“Well?” Mackenzie asked.
“Erm, Harry Denmark was found to have a large amount of barbiturates in his system. Did he take any recreational drugs?”
I scowled at the ridiculous question. “How would we know?” I said.
“You visited him, both of you.”
“As Lord Duchoveny said, how would we know? Unless you’re implying we were all sitting around a table taking drugs. I’m pretty sure he didn’t share his private life with me or you, did he?” Mackenzie turned his attention to me.
I shook my head. “Do you believe we had anything to do with his death?” I asked.
“No. I do believe that he stumbled upon some information while asking questions about you two. I wish I could be more forthcoming than I am, all this bullshit just ties us up in circles,” Millward said. “May we?” He indicated to the chair he was leaning against. I nodded and we all sat.
“Unless you’re going to beforthcomingwe’re done here,” Mackenzie said.
Millward nodded. “Harry Denmark stumbled into an investigation of a peer of the realm and the Russian mafia. An investigation that I’m part of. What complicated things was another name was thrown into the mix, Duncan Wilson. I need to know what your relationship to any of these people is to rule you out, but the fucking annoying thing is, I can’t divulge why.”
“I can tell you our involvement,” I said.
I still held the Ziploc bag with Stanton’s incriminating photos and had placed it face down on the desk. I turned it over and slid it slightly towards the middle of the desk. Millward’s eyes grew wide but when he reached for it, I pulled it back.
“Let me tell you what I know. Lord Stanton, and that’s the person you're talking about isn’t it?” I didn’t wait for an answer. “Stanton has afriendJeremy Daughton, you recognised him in those photos, didn’t you?” Again, I didn’t wait for an answer.
I reached for the water that sat on the table and poured myself a glass. “Stanton and Daughton have a loan business, totally illegal I should imagine, initially set up to bail out Lloyds Names. They charge extortionate interest rates and, I suspect, it’s a perfect way to launder money. Stanton introduced me as a possible candidate to assist in some investment in the UK. I declined. I passed him on to a very straight old chum who will be knocking on your door the minute he smells anything fishy.
“Here’s the funny part. Stanton has a penchant for beating up women, as you just saw in those photographs.” I tapped the documents. “Mackenzie and I have managed to acquire the evidence, enough for us to present to Stanton and have him shut down his loan business. Thus, saving the tax payer a vast amount of money in investigations and a failed prosecution. Let’s be honest here. Your frustration comes from theold boys’ networkthat is protecting him, isn’t it?”
“And at least it releases your family from his clutches, doesn’t it?” Burrows asked not answering my question. I ignored him believing it to be an assumption. They would have known my role in bringing down the firm.
“Duncan Wilson moved into my mother’s complex. She believed he stole a piece of art from her. I fear she is losing her marbles since it transpired, she had asked him to take it to London for valuation. He didn’t call himself Wilson, though. Why is he connected?”
Millward shook his head. “I can’t tell you that, I’m sorry. It’s vital that we learn whether he’s connected to Stanton and Daughton or not.”
“Wilson, or whatever his name is, works for the government in some form, doesn’t he?” Mackenzie asked. There was no answer. “When Harry started to ask about Daughton, and we know his real name, and then added Wilson into the mix, you panicked, I’m guessing. Harry is murdered, possibly, and you’re assuming that it’s because he uncovered something he shouldn’t have.” Mackenzie leaned forward and reached for the water while silence ensued.
“Throw in that Gabriella Collingsworth had her bag stolen in rather strange circumstances after leaving a company connected with Trymast, a company that holds several military contracts, did you, then, assume we were involved with them as well?” I asked. It seems we had nailed it. Burrows simply sighed.
“The man who snatched her bag works for Stanton. I don’t think it’s connected other than retaliation in some way when you pissed him off,” Millward said. “Other than that, I can’t comment.”
It was all the answer that we needed. “I’ll have a copy of these sent over to you, Detective Millward. I have the originals, and there is one other copy in a very secure location. Harry Denmark was an old school friend, one, however, I hadn’t seen in a long while much to my shame. I feel somewhat responsible for his demise, not in the way you expected, of course. I don’t have his home telephone number, but I wondered if you’d be able to pass on my condolences to his family? I’m sure you’ve spoken to them about us and I would hate for my name to be slurred any more than it currently is.”
Millward nodded. He looked at Burrows and both rose. “I can’t apologise for wasting your time because we have learned some valuable information. I also can’t promise this will be our last visit. Unfortunately, I’m sure you know how this shit works, someone has to take the blame.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “Even if that party is innocent?” I asked.
“I’m not suggesting you’ll take the blame. I’m suggesting that someone upstairs who wants to protect Stanton is hankering after putting the blame on Wilson, and Idon’tbelieve in convicting innocent men. Be a shame if those images got into public domain. That kind of thing tends to have theold boysnetwork distancing themselves, leaving theirfriendwide open with no protection,” Millward said. He nodded at us both and then walked away.
We sat in silence until he was gone. Mary waved her Dictaphone as soon as the lift doors closed behind them and Gabriella left her office to join us.
“Oh my God, boys, what on earth was all that?” she asked. Mackenzie and I filled her in on the past few days.
“And I’m a culprit, they made me record it,” Mary shouted over.
