Ploughing Potter’s Field. Phil Lovesey

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       4

      Three-thirty, Oakwood High Security Mental Hospital, Cambridgeshire, RECREATION SIX.

      The same three players, Rattigan, Denton and myself.

      I reached into my briefcase, brought out some papers, two packs of Rothmans and a micro-cassette recorder.

      Then turned to Rattigan. ‘There’s one or two things I’m obliged to explain regarding your participation in the programme.’

      ‘Can’t wait.’ Rattigan was already unwrapping one of the blue and white boxes.

      I cleared my throat, anxious to get the script right. ‘Now that you’ve officially consented to my visits, I’ll be asking you a series of questions prepared by various agencies in order to gain a greater understanding of antisocial behavioural disorders. In addition to this, I’ll also be asking some questions I’ve formulated myself in order to help with my own studies in the field of forensic psychiatry.’

      ‘Blah, blah, fucking blah.’

      I placed the micro-cassette on the middle of the table. ‘Are you aware of what this is?’

      He looked at the black plastic box for a few seconds. ‘It’s a penguin, isn’t it? A tiny penguin with a lemon up its arse, watching Pinocchio in a large block of flats in West Croydon.’

      ‘Each meeting will be recorded for subsequent transcription and analysis on this tape recorder.’

      At which point Rattigan lit up. ‘Just shows how wrong you can be, eh?’

      I switched on the machine, relief flooding over me when I realized the damn thing was working properly. Next I reached for a green sheet of A4 headed ‘Analysis of Institutionalized Offenders – History, Profiling and Sociopathic Behaviour Traits’, and began working my way through the answer boxes.

      ‘Name?’

      ‘King of Sweden.’

      I put down Francis James Rattigan. ‘Age?’

      He exhaled violently. ‘You’ve got my details! Go to the fucking governor’s office and sort this shit out!’

      ‘Age?’ I repeated, unmoved.

      ‘Hundred and seven.’

      I put down the pen. ‘Frank.’

      ‘Adrian?’

      ‘Refusal to cooperate will be taken as reluctance to comply with the programme.’ I was surprisingly cool, amazed the corporate bullshit came so easily. I’d done what Fancy had told me to the last time, left Adrian Rawlings in Dr Allen’s office, waiting for collection.

      ‘F602 GPW.’

      The combination seemed familiar, but I hadn’t asked him for his number yet. ‘Age?’ I repeated, keeping up the show.

      ‘F602 GPW.’ His eyes scanned my face intently. ‘Yours, innit? Your motor. Dark-green Vauxhall Cavalier. GB sticker on the back. Go anywhere pleasant?’

      The penny dropped. I tried not to appear unnerved. ‘I don’t see that’s relevant, Frank.’

      ‘Bollocks, you’re crapping yourself. Can see it, can read faces, fear. Your fucking wheels. I got your wheels. How much longer before I get your phone, fat-boy? How much longer before I’m ringing your missus up while you’re hard at work in the nuthouse, eh?’

      ‘Age?’

      He smiled, then sighed. ‘Fifty-seven. Born twenty-eighth of March, nineteen-forty.’

      I filled in the form, inwardly cursing its designers. Rattigan was right, why the bloody hell wasn’t this done before the interviews took place? And how in God’s name had he got my numberplate? The pen shook slightly. I wanted answers to these ludicrous questions, but knew the cassette was recording my performance as well as his. For some reason I couldn’t bear to have Fancy listening to an actual recording of a balls-up. Stick to the script. Stick to the bloody script.

      ‘Offence?’

      ‘Whose?’

      ‘Yours,’ I replied, staring at the little box, awaiting his response.

      ‘I chopped up some tart who should’ve known better.’

      ‘Better?’ I’d deviated here, drifted from the protocol, suddenly anxious to press him for more about the murder of Helen Lewis.

      ‘What goes around, comes around, sweetie.’

      ‘Meaning?’

      ‘She deserved it. We all deserve to die. Just got to want it badly enough.’

      ‘So what had she done to deserve it?’

      ‘More a case of what she hadn’t done.’

      ‘Which was?’