‘And what a sweet touch that remark is. They broke the mould the day they made you.’

‘That’s my story and I’m sticking to it,’ Manton said stubbornly.

‘Until Jack Brady regains consciousness. What happens if he tells us something different?’

‘Maybe he won’t come round. He fell a long way.’

‘Tell me again what happened after the fall. I like that bit.’

‘Garvald had a car parked round the back. He thought Brady was dead so he carted him away over his shoulder. Said he was going to dump him somewhere and make the whole thing look like an accident.’

‘And you and Donner and Stavrou just stood around and watched?’

‘Garvald told us to stay out of it. He said he might just as easily swing for two as one.’

‘Which frightened you all to death, I’m sure.’

The door opened and Nick entered. ‘How’s he doing? Still the same yarn?’

‘Word for word. He and Donner must have been doing their homework together.’

Nick handed him a foolscap form without a word. Grant read it quickly and started to laugh. ‘This is fine by me. Let our friend here see it, then take him downstairs and book him.’

He slapped the form down on the table and walked out without a word to Manton who picked it up with shaking hands, a frown on his face.

City Police

PRISONER’S VOLUNTARY STATEMENT

In all cases where a prisoner is arrested on a charge of felony, or other serious charge, the Officer arresting should at once, when charging him, warn him that he is not obliged to say anything, but that anything he may say may be taken down in writing and used in evidence. Having administered this caution, the Officer will write on this form as nearly as possible, word for word, any statement bearing on the charge which the prisoner may make. This statement must then be forwarded through the Superintendent of the Division to the Chief Constable to be retained by him until the trial of the prisoner …