‘Never mind that. Chatsworth Iron & Steel – they usually keep a couple of hundred thousand in their vault on a Wednesday night, don’t they? You’d better get down there quick. They almost lost it.’ There was a hoarse chuckle. ‘Poor old Maxie. Talk about the best-laid schemes …’

But Miller had already cut him off and was dialling the best-known telephone number in England furiously.

The main C.I.D. office was a hive of industry when Grant entered at two a.m. and Miller got up from his desk and went to meet him.

‘Well, this is a turn up for the book and no mistake,’ Grant said.

‘You’ve had a look at Chatsworth’s, sir?’

‘Never seen anything like it. Any chance of a cup of tea?’

Miller nodded to a young D.C. who disappeared at once and they went into Grant’s office.

‘What about the guard?’

‘I’ve just had a ’phone call from the man I sent with him to the Infirmary. Apparently his coffee was laced with enough chloral hydrate to put him asleep for twelve hours so he still hasn’t come round.’

‘Who have we got in the bag?’

‘Joe Morgan for one.’

‘Have we, by George?’ Grant’s eyebrows went up. ‘We certainly don’t need a scratch sheet on him. One of the best petermen in the game. Was Johnny Martin with him?’

Miller nodded. ‘That’s right.’

‘I thought so – they usually work together. Who else?’

‘We found a nasty-looking piece of work lying in the basement passageway. He’d taken quite a beating.’

‘Is he okay now?’

‘Alive and kicking, but making things awkward for us. Jack Brady’s running his fingerprints through C.R.O. now. We found their transport, by the way, parked in a monumental mason’s yard in Brag Alley at the other end of the tunnel which they used to gain access. No sign of a wheelman.’

‘Maybe they didn’t use one.’

‘Could be – I’ve put out a general call anyway, just in case.’

The tea arrived and Grant drank some gratefully, warming his hands around the cup. ‘Fantastic, Nick – that’s the only word for it. This thing was planned to the last inch, you realize that don’t you? They’d have been in London by morning. God knows where after that.’

‘Except for an elusive someone who shut the strongroom door on Morgan and Martin and left this other bloke lying unconscious in the passageway.’

‘Your informer, presumably. And he mentioned Vernon?’

‘As far as I’m concerned he did. Vernon’s the only Maxie I know and planning a job like this would be right up his street.’

Grant emptied his cup and sighed. ‘I suppose you think it’s Craig?’

‘I can’t see who else it could be.’

‘No, I suppose not.’

‘Do I pull him in for questioning?’