Chapter 41

Tuesday morning I spent visiting a gun dealer in Mayfair selecting a suitable weapon. A mate of mine from my army days, also now in Civvy Street, gave me the address of a trustworthy and reputable dealer.

My preference was for a Glock, similar to the one that I had borrowed in South Africa from Laurie, and I was able to buy one at a reasonable price. He was also able to provide ammunition for the gun. Not having my licence, I couldn’t take the gun with me. I asked the dealer to phone through the details to Hampstead Police station as previously arranged with Inspector Baird. I could pick up my licence that afternoon when I met the Inspector. It was comforting to know that I now was able to shoot back if I was fired on.

I stopped for lunch in a pub in Hampstead and worked out what I was going to discuss with Inspector Baird. I would need his assistance in London, especially in tracking the Pendleton boat. I would have to convince him that it would help him solve his murder inquiries by getting involved.

At 2:00 p.m exactly I announced my arrival to the desk sergeant, who, as usual, told me to go and take a seat in the waiting area. I heard him notifying the Inspector of my arrival. This time I didn’t have long to wait before he came for me and we went into his office closing the door behind us.

‘First things first Vince, here is your gun licence it just needs you to sign there,’ he pointed to where I had to sign. ‘I will take the duplicate for our records and you are all set to go.’

“Thanks Inspector. I hope that I won’t have to use a gun, but it helps my confidence considerably to know that I will be able to defend myself if I ever need to.’

‘Is there anything else that you want me for Vince. It is getting close to when the diamonds will arrive in Europe, and you will be able to close the net.’

‘Yes Inspector, I would like your help in tracking the arrival of the diamonds.’

I then told the Inspector what I had found out about Ronald Pendleton, and my hunch that they would be transferring the diamonds from Rotterdam to London on his boat Casino Royale. I also told him how ideal the Pendleton property at Henley-on-Thames was as a drop off point. To capture the Inspector’s attention, I told him that Mr Pendleton could be the brains behind the whole operation, and also might be the person who ordered the killing of Brian Fortiscue and John Power. That certainly got his attention.

‘So Vince, you think that Ronald Pendleton is in charge of the smuggling racket, and he will be sending his boat to pick up the diamonds in Rotterdam early next week. Where do Caas Teifel, Harold Fortiscue and Edward Crawford fit into all this?’

‘I believe that Caas Teifel is purely the supplier and the gateway through which the goods come into London; however, I also know he was involved in the murder of Phillip Fortuin.

‘OK, that takes care of Mr Teifel. What about the others?’ the inspector interrupted.

‘Harold Fortiscue owes Ronald Pendleton a lot of money through his gambling debts. Edward Crawford was bank rolled by Ronald Pendleton for his business, and for the purchase of Charlton Football Club, so he owes him big time. The fact that Ronald Pendleton is the Chairman of Crawford’s company, Charlton Diamond Traders, shows he is also in control there.’

‘How do you want me to help Vince?’ the Inspector asked me, sitting further back in his chair and revolving his pen with both his hands. ‘I haven’t said that I will help, mind you. I haven’t decided yet whether you are on the right track; however, just in case I agree with you, what would you like me to do?’

‘My biggest concern is that I will lose track of the diamonds after they get to Rotterdam. There are a number of possible routes from Rotterdam to London, and I personally can only cover one. If they do use the Casino Royale it will simplify everything considerably as they will be going on a predetermined route. If they don’t use the boat, people will have to be stationed at the appropriate ferry ports to try and spot them landing in the UK.’

‘Let’s assume that they do use their boat; what then?’ the Inspector was clearly starting to believe that there might be some truth in my hunch.

‘Are you able to have a transponder placed on board the Casino Royale so as it can be tracked if it travels to Rotterdam or maybe even Amsterdam?’

‘I can do anything Vince if I believe that it is going to help in my current investigation of two murders.’

‘Well Inspector, the yacht that is bringing the diamonds from South Africa will arrive in La Rochelle early next week. If the Casino Royale is the link between Holland and London, then she will have to leave her current mooring in Henley-on-Thames either next Sunday or Monday at the latest. If she doesn’t leave on either of those days, or before, then we have come to the wrong conclusion, and we will have to look at other options.’

‘OK Vince, what you are saying makes sense. I will arrange for a transponder, to be placed on the Casino Royale as soon as possible. I will also alert the river police to look out for the boat as it travels downstream. She will have to travel through a number of locks to get to the main part of the river so there will be no problem picking her up when she moves.’

‘That sounds fantastic Inspector and lifts a great weight off my mind. Let’s hope that she moves and we aren’t wasting our time chasing after shadows.’

‘If she doesn’t move Vince, we have another problem, but let’s deal with that as and when the situation arises.’

‘I will contact you next Monday Inspector to give you an update on the whereabouts of the Belle Diamant and to hear what has happened with the Casino Royale.’

‘Thanks for coming in Vince, just don’t go shooting too many people with your gun,’ he smiled as he shook my hand.

‘I’ll only use it as a last resort, but I feel more confident having it in my possession.’

I left him and travelled to Mayfair to pick up my gun and ammunition before heading for East Putney and home.

The following morning I phoned Willem to get a location for the Belle Diamant and also to update him on my successful meeting with the Inspector.

I had an unexpected bit of welcome news on the following Sunday. As I was travelling down through the South of England on Eurostar heading for Paris, my mobile rang.

‘Vince Hamilton here.’

‘Vince, Baird here. I’m sorry to call you on a Sunday morning, but I have some good news for you?’

‘That’s OK Inspector; I am actually on the Eurostar train to Paris. What’s up?’

‘Well your hunch proved correct Vince. The Casino Royale is on the move. I have just had a call from the river police, and they have told me that the boat left Henley-on-Thames at the crack of dawn and caught the first lock this morning. They are monitoring it closely until it gets to Greenwich. They will then track it using the transponder.’

‘So you managed to get the transponder on board the boat?’

‘Yes, the experts confirmed to me that they had placed one on board as early as last Thursday.’

‘That’s terrific news Inspector and thank you for letting me know. I will phone you tomorrow, or as soon as I know when the Belle Diamant is arriving in La Rochelle.’

‘Talk to you then Vince.’

What fantastic news, and thank goodness the police are involved. They have the resources to keep track of what is going on in London while I am involved in La Rochelle. I would tell the Inspector about the drugs as soon as the yacht arrived in France, and that probably would get him even more involved.

The good news I received travelling through Kent was counterbalanced by disappointing news that I got on the French side of the tunnel. My mobile went off again.

‘Vince Hamilton here.’

‘Good morning Vince, it is Willem here. Are you on the train?’

‘Yes, I am on Eurostar between Calais and Paris.’

‘I have some unfortunate news I am afraid. They have switched off the transponder on Belle Diamant, or it has stopped working. I went into to the office, to plot its position, only to find that there is no signal.’

‘Could it simply be your computer Willem?’

‘No, all the connections seem to be perfect, and it was working up to 7:00 a.m this morning.’

‘Do we still assume that they will head for La Rochelle Willem?’

‘Yes Vince, I think that is all we can do, and we already know roughly when they will arrive, so it is probably not a significant problem.’

‘Well I have just had some excellent news to counteract what you have just told me Willem.’

‘What’s your good news?’

‘Mr Pendleton’s boat left its mooring this morning and is on its way down the Thames. Inspector Baird phoned me to give me the news.’

‘So it is all starting to fall into place now Vince. We must make sure that we don’t screw it all up in La Rochelle after all your hard work.’

‘I’ll see you tomorrow in La Rochelle, Willem. I will book us into the same hotel so as you know where to find me.’

‘That’s great Vince, I’ll see you tomorrow.’

We had found one boat and lost the other, but we were still in control of the situation.