Mac and Kendal arrived at Randall’s farm as darkness was closing in across the countryside. Floodlights greeted them as they arrived at the head of the drive and pulled up at the gate. Mac got out and announced them and the gates swung wide.
Randall waited for them at the open door. ‘Gentlemen, what can I do for you?’ he examined the ID. ‘Two inspectors. I must be important.’
‘May we come inside? It’s a bitter night.’
‘Oh, I don’t really feel the cold. Say what you have to say.’
Kendal fumed.
‘I believe you know a James Duggan,’ Mac said.
‘James Duggan? Yes, I believe I do. Why?’
‘He was killed tonight. His car was hit by a lorry.’
‘Really? Oh, that’s sad. I understand he had family.’
‘He was on his way to see me when it happened,’ Mac continued, trying hard not to feel provoked by Randall’s tone. ‘He said he had some information to give me. It concerned you.’
‘Really? And did he say what? Was it anything important?’ Randall spread his hands wide. ‘Obviously not, since you’ve not come with a warrant to search.’
‘Should I get one?’ Mac asked. ‘What would I find?’
‘What would you be looking for? I live a quiet life here, few visitors and, these days, few intrusions from the outside world.’
‘And does the quiet life suit your family? Your wife and son?’ Kendal asked him.
‘Oh, my wife is away, visiting her mother. Our son is with her. So, Inspector, what else do you want to know? Did Mr Duggan hint at what it was he had to tell?’
Mac was truly irritated now. Rina had warned him that the man was a slime ball and now he agreed with her estimation.
‘According to information received,’ he said, ‘about eighteen months ago your son was abducted. You paid a ransom and he was returned, but for a man like you: rich, used to getting his own way, I can understand how all of that must have rankled. In fact, I’d go as far as saying it enraged you. You talked to James Duggan, involved him, searched for this abductor and I believe you know who he is.’
‘If that were true, Inspector, would I not have passed that information on to the authorities?’
‘A reasonable person might. A normal man would be helping us to find Travis Haines. Duggan wanted to do just that. He was coming to me to tell me what he knew.’
‘Oh, Inspector, what makes you believe I’d trust Duggan with anything, even if there was anything to tell? The man was a fool.’
‘He knew you were only telling him part of the story.’ Mac was guessing now. ‘He sent a friend to you a few days ago, hoping, perhaps, that you’d tell her more. Maybe see her as less of a fool.’
‘And that would be? Oh, the redoubtable Mrs Martin, I suppose. Yes, she turned up here with some story about Duggan’s son being kidnapped twice. I told her it was nonsense.’
‘Mr Randall, I don’t think you did.’
Randall shrugged. ‘Her word or mine, Inspector? I think, if you stop and analyse, you might realize that this sounds like some overblown tabloid tale. I know nothing about this Haines man. I understood that Duggan’s son was a troubled soul who took drugs and that his father couldn’t come to terms with that, so he fantasized, cast his child as the victim. And as for Mrs Martin and that magician friend of hers. Well, Inspector, a widowed lady who runs a menagerie of a guest house and her strange friend who’s never held down a proper job. Can you imagine how they’d stand up to cross examination?’
‘Mr Randall …’ Mac began again but Randall was closing the door.
‘Good night, Inspectors, pleasant dreams.’
Reluctantly, angrily, Mac stalked back to the car, Kendal a step behind.
‘Well, that went well,’ Kendal said.
‘Oh, we should have thought it through better,’ Mac said. ‘What did we expect him to say? Think we can get a warrant?’
‘On what grounds?’ Kendal sighed. ‘I’ll see what I can do. As it is, we’ve got an RTA and a lot of rumours. Mac, how reliable is this Rina Martin? What Randall was saying, any of it true?’
Mac smiled. ‘From his perspective, all of it,’ he said. ‘And none of it. You underestimate Rina at your peril and I’d trust her word and her memory above just about anyone’s. Randall overplayed his hand by telling her anything. Thought he was being clever. Rina reckons he was showboating, showing how much he’d achieved. When she didn’t applaud he threw a strop. Now he’s decided she wasn’t worth his time.’
‘Lucky her,’ Kendal said sarcastically.
‘I do hope so,’ Mac said. ‘I hope he keeps with that decision, for Rina’s sake.’