‘Fair enough. Guess I’ll just have to try and get as much done as possible tonight – after I’ve typed up my notes.’

Jane picked up the typewriter from the Colonel’s desk with a sigh and moved it to her desk.

‘Is there anything I can do to help you?’ Katie asked.

‘Are you authorised to use the office PNC?’

‘Yes. You want some checks done?’

‘Yes please.’ Jane grabbed a pen and piece of paper and wrote the details down. ‘I just need a printout for Thomas Anthony Ripley, IC1, born 10.8.34, and a search on an Aidan O’Reilly, but I don’t have a date of birth or any other details for him, and he could be anywhere between thirty and fifty.’

‘You’ll probably get loads of hits for O’Reilly. It’s a pretty common Irish name.’

She handed Katie the details. ‘I know, but the only way I’m going to narrow it down is by a process of elimination. Did you say Kingston was in his office?’

Katie nodded. Jane grabbed her pocket notebook, and Rachel’s, from her shoulder bag and went to knock on Kingston’s door.

‘I think I should tell him about my enquiries today. At least I’ll get some genuine appreciation from him,’ Jane said with a smile.

Katie felt herself reddening.

‘You’d better bloody not, you bitch!’ she muttered to herself.

Chapter Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Jane sat opposite Kingston as he carefully read her notes of the conversation she’d had with Rachel Wilson.

‘These notes are very detailed and interesting, especially what was said by M1 on the Monday and today – you’ve done really well, Jane.’ He smiled.

‘Thank you, sir. I also have the original notes Rachel made about what she lip-read on the Monday, and the descriptions of M1 and M2 that she wrote down for me today.’ She handed them to Kingston.

‘I don’t mind you calling me Stewart when we’re talking one to one like this or off duty.’ He read Rachel’s descriptions.

‘It was all from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.’

‘How reliable do you think her lip-reading is?’

‘Very reliable, she’s been doing it for years, though she did say that making out names can be difficult. But she was certain M2 was called Tommy and reasonably sure M1 said the names Webley and Judge.’

Kingston looked at the notes. ‘The way I’m reading it, M1 would cover the back of the van with another person who’s probably the loose cannon, M2 would cover the front with Webley, and Judge was the getaway driver in the Cortina.’

‘Yes, that’s what I thought as well.’

‘Which adds up to five people being involved. But all our witnesses said there were only four, and one man covered the front – not two.’

‘It’s possible the other man never went on the robbery.’