mobile.”
“We need to find him, as soon as we can, but I don’t want to make it official yet. I’ll get Winsome to ring around his family and friends, see if anyone knows where he is.”
“I was thinking of dropping by DCI Banks’s place – both of them – just to have a look around…you know…make sure nothing’s been disturbed.”
“Good idea,” said Gristhorpe. “Are you sure you’re all right on this?”
Annie looked over her shoulder. “Of course I am, sir,” she said. “Why shouldn’t I be?”
Out in the street, Banks tried knocking on a couple of neighbours’ doors, but only one answered, an elderly man who lived in the house opposite.
“I saw you going into Roy’s,” the man said. “I was wondering if I should ring the police.”
Banks took out his warrant card. “I’m Roy’s brother,” he said, “and I am the police.”
The man seemed satisfied and stuck out his hand. “Malcolm Farrow,” he said as Banks shook hands. “Pleased to meet you. Come inside.”
“I don’t want to intrude on your time, but –”
“Think nothing of it. Now I’m retired every day’s the same to me. Come in, we’ll have a snifter.”
Banks followed him into a living room heavy with darkwood and antiques. Farrow offered brandy but Banks took only soda. Much too early in the afternoon for spirits.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Banks?” Farrow asked.
“Alan, please. It’s about Roy.”
“What about him? Lovely fellow, that brother of yours, by the way. Couldn’t wish for a better neighbour, you know. Cheerful, considerate. Capital fellow.”
“That’s good to know,” said Banks, judging by the slight slur in his voice and the network of purplish veins around his bulbous nose that Malcolm Farrow had already had a snifter or two. “I was just wondering if you had any idea where he’s gone?”
“You mean he’s not back yet?”
“Apparently not. Did you see him leave?”
“Yes. It was about half past nine last night. I was just putting the cat out when I saw him going out.”
Just after the phone call, Banks realized. “Was he alone?”
“No. There was another man with him. I said hello and Roy returned my greeting. Like I said, you couldn’t wish for a more friendly neighbour.”
“This other man,” said Banks. “Did you get a good look at him?”
“Afraid not. It was getting dark by then, you see, and the street lighting’s not very bright. Besides, to be perfectly honest, I can’t say my eyesight’s quite what it used to be.”
Probably pissed to the gills, too, Banks thought, if today was anything to go by. “Anything at all you can remember,” he said.
“Well, he was a burly sort of fellow with curly hair. Fair or grey. I’m sorry, I didn’t notice any more than that. I only noticed because he was facing me at first for a moment, while Roy had his back turned.”
“Why did Roy have his back turned?”
“He was locking the door. Very security-conscious, Roy is. You have to be these days, don’t you?”
“I suppose so,” said Banks, wondering how the door had come to be unlocked and the burglar alarm unarmed when he got there. “Where did they go?”
“Got in a car and drove off. It was parked outside Roy’s house.”
“What kind of car?”
“I’m not very good with cars. Haven’t driven in years, so I haven’t taken much of an interest. It was light in colour, I can tell you that much. And quite big. Looked expensive.”
“And they just drove off?”
“Yes.”
“Had you seen the man before?”
“I might have, if it was the same one.”
“Was he a frequent visitor?”
“I wouldn’t say frequent, but I’d seen him a couple of times. Usually after dark, so I’m afraid I can’t do any better with the description.”
“Was either of them carrying anything?”
“Like what?”
“Anything. Suitcase. Cardboard box.”
“Not that I could see.”
That meant that Roy’s computer equipment must have been taken later, by
“We need to find him, as soon as we can, but I don’t want to make it official yet. I’ll get Winsome to ring around his family and friends, see if anyone knows where he is.”
“I was thinking of dropping by DCI Banks’s place – both of them – just to have a look around…you know…make sure nothing’s been disturbed.”
“Good idea,” said Gristhorpe. “Are you sure you’re all right on this?”
Annie looked over her shoulder. “Of course I am, sir,” she said. “Why shouldn’t I be?”
Out in the street, Banks tried knocking on a couple of neighbours’ doors, but only one answered, an elderly man who lived in the house opposite.
“I saw you going into Roy’s,” the man said. “I was wondering if I should ring the police.”
Banks took out his warrant card. “I’m Roy’s brother,” he said, “and I am the police.”
The man seemed satisfied and stuck out his hand. “Malcolm Farrow,” he said as Banks shook hands. “Pleased to meet you. Come inside.”
“I don’t want to intrude on your time, but –”
“Think nothing of it. Now I’m retired every day’s the same to me. Come in, we’ll have a snifter.”
Banks followed him into a living room heavy with darkwood and antiques. Farrow offered brandy but Banks took only soda. Much too early in the afternoon for spirits.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Banks?” Farrow asked.
“Alan, please. It’s about Roy.”
“What about him? Lovely fellow, that brother of yours, by the way. Couldn’t wish for a better neighbour, you know. Cheerful, considerate. Capital fellow.”
“That’s good to know,” said Banks, judging by the slight slur in his voice and the network of purplish veins around his bulbous nose that Malcolm Farrow had already had a snifter or two. “I was just wondering if you had any idea where he’s gone?”
“You mean he’s not back yet?”
“Apparently not. Did you see him leave?”
“Yes. It was about half past nine last night. I was just putting the cat out when I saw him going out.”
Just after the phone call, Banks realized. “Was he alone?”
“No. There was another man with him. I said hello and Roy returned my greeting. Like I said, you couldn’t wish for a more friendly neighbour.”
“This other man,” said Banks. “Did you get a good look at him?”
“Afraid not. It was getting dark by then, you see, and the street lighting’s not very bright. Besides, to be perfectly honest, I can’t say my eyesight’s quite what it used to be.”
Probably pissed to the gills, too, Banks thought, if today was anything to go by. “Anything at all you can remember,” he said.
“Well, he was a burly sort of fellow with curly hair. Fair or grey. I’m sorry, I didn’t notice any more than that. I only noticed because he was facing me at first for a moment, while Roy had his back turned.”
“Why did Roy have his back turned?”
“He was locking the door. Very security-conscious, Roy is. You have to be these days, don’t you?”
“I suppose so,” said Banks, wondering how the door had come to be unlocked and the burglar alarm unarmed when he got there. “Where did they go?”
“Got in a car and drove off. It was parked outside Roy’s house.”
“What kind of car?”
“I’m not very good with cars. Haven’t driven in years, so I haven’t taken much of an interest. It was light in colour, I can tell you that much. And quite big. Looked expensive.”
“And they just drove off?”
“Yes.”
“Had you seen the man before?”
“I might have, if it was the same one.”
“Was he a frequent visitor?”
“I wouldn’t say frequent, but I’d seen him a couple of times. Usually after dark, so I’m afraid I can’t do any better with the description.”
“Was either of them carrying anything?”
“Like what?”
“Anything. Suitcase. Cardboard box.”
“Not that I could see.”
That meant that Roy’s computer equipment must have been taken later, by
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