But why should she do that? I thought shed fallen over herself to make sure Mid-York CID were fully involved?
Oh aye, she did, agreed Wield. Im not suggesting owt sinister. Its just that, once you get into Security, youve got to tread very carefully. It were all right long as she were around, but likely she could see Pete were so obsessive, he wasnt going to stop picking away at things just because the CAT team had moved on.
Ellie sipped her cappuccino. It left a smudge of creamy brown foam along her lip. She had the kind of strong facial structure which age only improved and the kind of figure which only strong will power in the matter of cream doughnuts and buttered crumpets kept this side of orientally voluptuous. Looking at her, Wield thought of the old gay jokedoesnt it sometimes make you wish you were a lesbian?
She licked her lip and said, This have anything to do with that bullet Tig found? Pete seemed to think that was a bit of a mystery.
A mystery susceptible of more than two explanations can hardly be deemed mysterious, said Wield.
He caught Pascoes intonation so perfectly that Ellie laughed out loud.
Thats what he decided, was it? she said.
He certainly got his two explanations, evaded Wield. Look, Ellie, I really dont think theres owt much to worry yourself about. Give it time. Hell be back soonwhen he rang through yesterday he said he felt he were superfluous to requirements
Hanging around like a yard of foreskin at a Jewish wedding, was how he put it to me, said Ellie.
Wield grinned.
Me too. Another one from the wit and wisdom of Fat Andy, I think. Anyway, like I say, hell be back in a day or two. And when he is, theres such a backlog of stuff piling up, hell not have time to worry about owt else.
I hope youre right, Wieldy, said Ellie. But all this Templar stuff in the papers todaydo you think that it could be connected with the Mill Street explosion?
The papers had all been running the Mazraani killing on their front pages for a couple of days now. Several of them had used blurry images taken from the video, though none had gone so far as to show the severed head. The Voice had gone as far as showing the moment of first impact, and the same paper had come closest to expressing approval of the killing with the headline NOW ITS YOUR TURN!
Reaction in the Muslim community, already heated by news of the murders, was brought to boiling point by this and other ultra-nationalist responses. A protest march to the Voice offices in Wapping might have caused a riot if a strong police presence had not prevented right-wing youths from getting closer than shouting distance to the Muslim marchers. Thwarted of its hoped-for images of violence, the Voice had compensated with a front-page photo of the protesters under the headline
RIGHT TO DEMONSTRATE? YES! But where were they when Stan Coker died?
It was only today, however, that the media had made the connection between the cryptic message about the new knighthood and the Manchester killing. CAT had kept the lid on the contents of its audio tape, but a second message to the media reading, If the State cannot protect us, then we must look to those who can, signed Hugh de Payens, Grand Master, The Order of the Temple, had let the cat out of the bag, and already thered been some speculation about a possible connection with the Mill Street bombing.
Possible, but far from sure, said Wield. But as far as Petes coming homes concerned, I dont see it making any difference. Hes a man who likes to be useful. If them daft buggers are just letting him tread water, he wont want to hang around.