‘I assumed Harry was on holiday. She signed our daybook on her first visit, so I had something to copy. Unfortunately it looks as though I didn’t practise enough . . .’
‘You know what people get for fraud on this scale?’
Callum sat back in his chair and smiled. ‘Knowing the judiciary’s tendency to prioritise property over people, I’d say a couple of years.’
‘And that doesn’t bother you?’
‘Of course it bothers me,’ he said, as though speaking to a backward child. ‘What bothered me more was letting down the people who use this place, simply because a very busy young woman had forgotten to sign a cheque.’
‘You really couldn’t afford to wait another week or two?’
‘King’s Cross used to be the badlands, Kenny. Now it’s one of the fastest-growing areas in London. Our landlord has been looking for an excuse to kick us out for years. Default on the rent one more time and we were out on our ear.’
I raised my hands and clapped slowly and deliberately.
‘Nice story, Callum. The problem is, I’ve spent the last few years listening to people spin me tales like that. Ninety-nine per cent of them are bullshit.’
‘Why would I lie? The cheque was made out to Plan B. There was no way I could benefit personally.’
‘Of course you could. All you’d have to do is finagle the books so that an extraordinary payment could be made to the MD, or whatever it is you call yourself.’ Callum made to defend himself. I carried on talking. ‘Not that I think that’s what happened. You’re an obsessive, and like most obsessives you’ll do virtually anything to get what you want or protect what you’ve got.’
‘Some things are worth fighting for.’
‘Even if it leads to murder?’
‘What?’
It was the first time I’d seen Callum properly rattled.
‘Let me give you a different version of events,’ I said. ‘Let’s say that Harry, in a flush of generosity, did write you a cheque for twenty grand. And let’s agree that she also forgot to sign it. You give her a call to tell her that you can’t cash it and she says she’s changed her mind about the whole thing. You can’t accept this, so you turn up to see her in person to plead your case. Harry remains adamant and a row breaks out. You lose control and the next thing you know . . .’
Callum had been shaking his head throughout my alternative scenario. ‘And you really think that’s what happened?’ he asked.
‘Maybe not exactly, but something like it.’
‘It’s preposterous.’
‘People are capable of all kinds of things in the heat of the moment. You only have to read the papers to know that.’
More head-shaking from Callum. ‘Leaving aside the idea that I’m a potential murderer,’ he said, ‘why would Harry change her mind about donating the money?’
‘Any number of reasons. The pair of you could have fallen out as to what it should have been used for. Harry might have decided that she didn’t want to be involved in the centre any more. Hell, she may just have thought it was a shitload of cash and that she’d been a bit hasty.’
‘You didn’t know her.’
‘Seriously? That’s the best you can come up with?’
‘I don’t have to come up with anything, Kenny, because I’ve already told you the truth. If you don’t believe me then call the police.’
Callum pushed his phone towards the edge of his desk. Even though I did credit his story, why not call the cops anyway? I thought about Kaz and the people I’d met in the waiting room. If Callum went down, Plan B would close for sure.
Then I recalled Harry Parr’s putrefied body. I couldn’t be sure he was innocent of her murder and it looked as though the centre was doomed anyway. Why not allow due process to take its course?
Before I could come up with a definitive answer to these questions, a high-pitched electronic wailing filled the air.
TWENTY-EIGHT
I was first out of the door, with Callum only a couple of seconds behind. Frank Parr was coming up the stairs at speed. He stopped in his tracks. No doubt he was surprised to see me, and Callum’s appearance can’t have been what he was expecting. When Frank had last seen his ex-business partner, he’d been a walrus in a suit.
‘Sorry Cal,’ Truda shouted over his shoulder. ‘I told him you were with someone but he ran straight up.’
‘Not to worry, Truda,’ said her boss. ‘I’m sure Mr Parr isn’t here to cause trouble. Turn the alarm off and tell everyone there’s nothing to be concerned about.’
She nodded and descended the stairs.
‘Been a while, Frank,’ Callum said. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’
‘You know why I’m here.’
‘Actually, I don’t. But if you step into my office, then I’m sure we can discuss things in a civilised manner. Otherwise I’ll have to ask you to leave the building.’
Considering that I’d just accused him of attempting to defraud Frank’s dead daughter, Callum was remarkably composed. He stood aside to allow Frank entry. The intruder alarm stopped. Silence seemed weird in comparison.
‘Do take a seat,’ Callum said.
Frank removed his overcoat and sat in one of the armchairs. He hadn’t shaved that morning and looked as though he hadn’t slept too well the night before. Judging by the broken veins in his eyes, I’d have said that alcohol had played a part.
Callum occupied the other armchair. I sat behind the desk and palmed the cheque into my pocket.
‘First of all, I’m sorry for your loss, Frank,’ Callum said. ‘Harry was a remarkable young woman.’
‘And you’d know that, would you?’
If Frank was trying to provoke, he failed. ‘Our friendship wasn’t a long one,’ Callum said calmly, ‘but I like to think that we understood each other well enough.’
‘Kenny says that Harry told you she was planning to leave the company,’ Frank said. ‘My company,’ he added, as though there could be any mistake.
‘That’s right,’ Callum said.
‘And that she was going to work for you.’
‘She wanted to help Plan B.’
‘Why would she do that?’
Callum took a few seconds to respond. When he did it was with a question of his own. ‘You’re telling me that Harry didn’t discuss her plans with you?’
‘Of course she didn’t,’ Frank said. ‘Harry was one hundred per cent behind taking Griffin to the next level. Why throw all that over to help a bunch of dipsos?’
A muscle twitched under Callum’s eye. ‘I wouldn’t expect you to understand Harry’s motivations, Frank. Not from what she told me about the nature of your relationship.’
‘Meaning?’
‘Harry initially approached me because she wanted to find out more about who her father really was. She knew Frank Parr the media baron, but she didn’t know anything about Frank Parr the man.’
‘And I can imagine what you told her,’ Frank said.
‘Really? What’s that, exactly?’
‘About how I took advantage when you wanted out of the company. How she ought to get away while the going was good. Blah, blah, fucking blah.’
‘Not what I said at all.’
‘What, then?’
‘I told Harry the truth, Frank. Deep down you’re scared. Money can insulate you from your feelings but it doesn’t make them go away. And if you’re locked out then everyone else is locked out with you. Including your children.’