Chapter Seven
Magee spent the remainder of the morning puzzling over Rees Smith’s intervention. He didn’t believe in coincidence, not when it came to crime, but neither could he think of any good reason for there to be a connection. By early afternoon, he reasoned he had to question Nick Price, no matter how much he’d prefer otherwise. The Rees Smith conundrum would have to be placed on the back-burner.
As Melissa drove up Lewes High Street, north past the Neville Estate and onwards towards the villages of Offham and Cooksbridge, Magee sat in the passenger seat in quiet contemplation of what the consequences of his visit may be. Twenty three years ago, fresh out of Hendon, he’d been eager to prove himself. Too eager perhaps, since it had led to a fight in the street with Nick Price. It was a fight that Nick Price appeared not to have forgotten. His eyes glazed over as he stared vacantly out the car’s window, his mind lost to the past.
At Cooksbridge, the level crossing barriers were down, and a queue of cars stretched back over a hundred yards. As they waited for the London train to come through, Melissa broke the silence by asking, ‘So, what’s the real Nick Price like then, sir? Is he just like he’s portrayed in the newspapers? Mean and nasty?’
Magee would have preferred not to answer. ‘I couldn’t say I really know him. We first met when we were teenagers. Nick Price was a foul mouthed, uncouth yob and I had a bit of a ding-dong with him.’
‘Sounds intriguing. Are you going to tell me more?’
‘No, sorry. I’m not.’ Magee sunk back into the car seat.
As the train passed, and the barriers lifted, Melissa said, ‘I can’t picture you as a teenager, sir.’
Magee snorted. ‘Cheeky pig! I’m not old. I’m only forty-one. And I’m still fit for my age. You know I go for a run up on the hills most weekends. It’s just that you’re twenty years younger than me, Melissa. It’s a big age gap, that’s all.’
‘I know that, sir. It’s just that you’ve been in the Force since before I was born, haven’t you? It makes you seem old, a different generation. Like my uncle, he’s always harping on about his long service.’
‘You’re comparing me to Superintendent Vaughan? Thanks a bunch. He must be well into his fifties.’
‘I didn’t mean it that way, sir. It’s just that I feel I’m only just starting out in life.’
Magee screwed his eyes shut and thought about how time flies. ‘Is that supposed to make me feel better?’
‘No, sorry. Anyway, you were stationed in London when you met Nick Price?’
‘Limehouse, in the East End. Nick Price considered it to be his territory. He thought he owned the place. His manor as he referred to it. It was a very different world back then.’
‘This was back in the sixties?’
‘Yes. Summer of sixty-nine, if I remember correctly. I was just nineteen. Price was the same age.’
‘I like that. Summer of sixty-nine. It sounds like a line from a song. Are you nostalgic for those days, sir?’
Magee shook his head sagely. ‘Some pretty dreadful things used to happen back then.’
‘Such as?’
Magee shrugged. ‘You must have watched police dramas on television that are set in those days. The storylines might be dramatized, but some of the things portrayed are pretty true to life.’
‘You had some bad experiences?’
‘Guess so. I was no different to the others.’
‘Corruption? Gangland killings? Backhanders to the police?’
Magee caught Melissa’s enquiring stare. ‘I think we should change the subject. And keep your eyes on the road please.’
‘I won’t tell anyone. Promise’
Magee snorted. ‘I don’t doubt that, Melissa. It’s just that I don’t appreciate slurs on my character.’
‘We’re supposed to be a team, aren’t we?’
‘That may be so, but it doesn’t entitle you to delve into my private life.’
‘I thought we were talking about work.’
‘Sometimes work crosses the boundary into one’s private life.’
‘Now you’ve got me intrigued. Come on, sir, spill the beans.’
Magee shook his head. ‘Sorry, Melissa. On a more fortuitous day perhaps. Anyway, we’re nearly there now. You can see Price’s house through the trees over there to the right.’
Melissa glanced quickly to where Magee pointed but returned to her conversation. ‘But there’s bad blood between you and Nick Price?’
Magee nodded. ‘You saw his reaction to me at the Conners house the other day. That’s why I’m a bit apprehensive about meeting him now, in his own home. Without armed back-up, that is.’
‘But you’re going in, aren’t you?’
‘No choice, Melissa. Not now, not with our precious Home Secretary’s interference. That sort of pressure makes the top brass react irrationally. Our dear Superintendent Vaughan wants me to explore every possible angle; “Don’t leave a stone unturned” is how he put it.’
‘And Nick Price is a stone that needs turning over?’
Magee shrugged. ‘Who knows? He’s got some dark secrets in his past; I know that for a fact. I’m going to give him a shake, see what falls out. Turn right here at the Rainbow Inn, his estate’s just a hundred yards further along. Next right. This is it; Price’s Folly. It used to have a quite acceptable name for a country house. Conyboro Hall. Then it became Conyboro School. He bought the place about three years ago and renamed it after himself of course, pretentious git that he is.’
But Melissa wasn’t listening. As she drove up the tree-lined drive, she looked in awe at the estate with its coach house and stables to the left, formal lawns to the right, fields and woods in the distance.
‘Wow! This is beautiful,’ said Melissa.
‘It certainly is. You can’t see it from here, but there’s a swimming pool just round the corner from those lawns, and there’s a lake down the bottom of the fields.’
‘You’ve been here before, sir?’
‘Many times, yes. When it was a school. Every summer there’d be a fete here, to raise money for new equipment for the kids. Those lawns would be decked out in stalls and refreshment tents, people were allowed indoors if it rained.’
‘I had no idea it was here.’
‘There’s no reason to. The summer fetes stopped once Nick Price bought the place. It’s strictly private property nowadays and I get the impression he’s not too keen on advertising its presence.’
The drive swept around to the left then opened up into a large parking area in front of an imposing Victorian red brick manor with wings on each side. Magee’s stomach knotted as he got out of the car and advanced towards the double-width front door. To his dismay, two security men, each restraining a Doberman on a chain leash, came out to greet him.
‘This is private property,’ the larger of the two guards grunted. ‘No visitors allowed.’
Magee held up his warrant card. ‘I don’t doubt it. Just tell Mr Price that we’re here to see him.’
‘You don't have an appointment,’ the other guard growled, in unison with his dog.
‘It's just a social call. Nothing official.’ Magee waved his warrant card in the direction of a CCTV camera perched to the side of the entrance.
‘Mr Price doesn't socialize with pigs!’ It was the first guard talking in a grunt again.
‘Now, now. That's not very friendly. I was led to believe that Mr Price was a decent upright citizen with nothing to hide. So Paul Mansell says anyway.’ Magee directed himself to the camera, ‘Paul could be in trouble, Mr Price. Maybe you can help him. I gather you're fond of him. He's a potential suspect in a murder case.’
The two guards seemed about to hurl more abuse at Magee when an electronic bleep behind them caught their attention. They turned to see a green light flashing on an intercom unit, and promptly walked off with the dogs without a further word.
‘Guess we let ourselves in.’ Melissa said as the guards disappeared through an open ar
chway in a nearby hedge. As she put her hand on the door handle she said, ‘I think I'm in the wrong game, sir. I could do with a house like this; my one bedroom flat in King Henry’s Road is far too cramped.’
‘It would cost too much, Melissa, and I don’t just mean in terms of money.’ He had meant it to be an astute remark, but it came out sounding paternal.
Melissa shrugged her indifference.
‘You're obviously still at an impressionable age, Melissa. You'll grow out of it by the time you're lumbered with a mortgage and the responsibility of children.’
‘Lumbered is the word, sir. You won't catch me in that situation.’
‘Huh! You wait and see. Life has a nasty habit of trapping you just when you least expect it, or want it, for that matter.’
‘I can wait. There's far too much to enjoy in life. Marriage is at the bottom of my list of things to do. Who needs a man anyway? Life finishes with marriage.’
Magee was surprised at the reaction. ‘You think so? That's a bit cynical isn't it, for one so young?’
‘I call it realistic. I know what I want to do in life and it certainly doesn't involve being chained to a desk or mortgage company.’
‘You're living in a dream world.’
Melissa sighed. ‘I wish I could.’
‘It doesn't exist, you’d better get used to it.’
‘Beg to differ, sir, but it does.’
‘You think so? Where exactly?’
‘Well, countries like Thailand. They offer warmth, clear blue skies, magnificent scenery, unbelievably clear tropical waters and a freedom to do whatever you want.’
‘Really?’ Magee shook his head in disbelief. ‘I’m not convinced. You'll have to tell me more about it sometime. Come on, enough malingering, push the door open.’
As they stepped into an entrance hall, a maid dressed in a black uniform appeared and held open the door to reveal a large inner hall with a galleried landing running around the first floor level.
‘Wow!’ Melissa craned her neck to take in the splendour of the mansion. ‘I could just see myself living here. I wonder how much the rent would be.’
‘Dream on,’ Magee whispered in response.
‘This way, please. Mr Price will join you in a minute,’ the maid said, holding open another door and ushering them into the forty-foot long lounge. Last time Magee had been in the room, it had been scruffy and had had enough chairs and sofas to cater for forty children. Now, it was rather tidier, and decorated in a style more appropriate for a country house home. As Melissa appeared fixated taking in the delights of Victorian plastering, Magee wandered across the room to the bay window, through which there was a panoramic view of the Ouse Valley down to Lewes and his beloved hills in the background.
Moments later the door opened and Nick Price entered wearing a mean expression on his face, and said, ‘So then, we meet for the second time in a week. You looking for a re-match?’
Magee stood firm, but squirmed as Nick Price moved closer, staring threateningly into his eyes.
‘I don’t want any trouble, Mr Price.’ Magee was already regretting coming without the support of ten men armed to the teeth and wielding pickaxe handles.
Nick Price stopped dead in his tracks just inches away from Magee. ‘Constable Jack Magee,’ he muttered. ‘You know something, I swore to myself I’d kill you one day. Very slowly and very painfully.’
‘I’m a Detective Chief Inspector now.’
‘Well bully for you, Magee. You’re still the same asshole who laid into me when I was on the ground!’
Magee felt his face burning. ‘I can only apologize for that incident.’
‘Incident?’ Nick’s fists tightened into a ball. ‘You call that an incident? I nearly died because of you, you fuckhead!’
Magee leant back slightly as Nick Price, face reddened, menacingly moved an inch further forward.
‘Daddy!’ A sharp voice came from a doorway to the side of the room. ‘What’s happening? Who are these people?’
Nick Price bit his lip and whispered, ‘We’ll sort this out later, Magee.’
Magee breathed a sigh of relief as Nick Price backed away from the confrontation.
Nick smiled in his daughter’s direction and said, ‘Nit! Didn’t know you were in the library. Allow me to introduce you to Detective Chief Inspector Jack Magee. Magee, this is my daughter, Nittaya.’
Nittaya shook Magee’s hand and beamed a radiant smile. ‘Pleased to meet you,’ she said.
‘Likewise,’ Magee responded. ‘And this is Detective Sergeant Melissa Kelly.’
Nittaya shook Melissa’s hand, turned to Magee and asked politely, ‘Have you been offered coffee?’
‘Umm, no, we hadn’t got that far.’
‘Annie,’ Nittaya called to the maid who was waiting in attendance by the door. ‘Would you bring us some coffee please?’
‘Sure, Miss Nittaya.’
‘There you are, Daddy, that’s how you should behave. Now, let’s all sit down like adults.’ They followed her instructions. Nittaya sat on a sofa next to her father, and linked arms.
Nick Price smiled as he looked at his visitors. ‘Nittaya is my pride and joy, Magee. Along with her brother, Somsuk, of course. They’re both following in my footsteps, in the property development business. Doing really well, so far, too. She’s got far more of a brain than me, haven’t you, Nit?’
‘And far more social grace,’ Nittaya added. ‘Why were you being so aggressive just then?’
‘It’s nothing, Nit. I just got riled about some unfinished business with Magee.’
‘From the bad old days?’
‘Yeah, from the bad old days.’ Nick cringed, as though he knew a reprimand was coming his way.
‘Apologize,’ Nittaya said.
‘What?’
‘I said, Daddy, apologize to the nice police officer for your aggressive behaviour.’
‘But . . . but . . .’
Nittaya stared her father straight in the eyes and said, ‘No “buts”, Daddy. Go on, apologize.’
Nick Price turned to Magee in apparent desperation. Magee, for his part, was dumbfounded. Never had he expected to see Nick Price tamed by a woman; no matter that she was his daughter. No matter that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
‘You too, Chief Inspector. You must have done something to upset my father, so it’s only fair that you apologize as well.’
‘Nittaya,’ Magee responded in a courteous fashion. ‘The apology is due solely from me, not from your father. This unfinished business your father refers to, it’s entirely my fault it’s been brought into your house.’
Nittaya nodded her satisfaction then turned to her father. ‘Well?’
Nick bent his head like a scolded kid and muttered, ‘Sorry, Magee.’
‘There we are then,’ Nittaya said with a smile. ‘Shall we start the conversation again?’
‘Have you got kids, Magee?’
‘Yes. Two.’
‘And can they wrap you around their finger like this one?’
Magee smiled in response. ‘It’s been known.’
‘She’s everything to me,’ Nick said as he caressed his daughter’s head. ‘Her mother had the same effect on me.’
Magee frowned. ‘Had?’
‘We were together for less than three years before I lost her. That was eighteen years ago, still seems just like yesterday.’
Magee could see a far away look forming in Nick Price’s eyes. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘Truly, sorry. I didn’t come here to intrude.’
‘No. No, I’m sure you didn’t,’ Nick replied as the maid came back in to the room with a tray of coffee. ‘You said something about Paul being in trouble?’
Magee cleared his throat. ‘The other night, as you know, Todd Conners was murdered. We picked up Paul Mansell in the neighbourhood. He admits he was sitting outside, in his car, watching a neighbour’s house for half the evening. He says that he was working on a case.’
‘So?’
‘You knew Conners. You’ve done business with him I assume?’
‘Yes, indeed. He’s just helped Somsuk and Nittaya put together a project in Brighton. So what?’
Magee decided to go straight for the jugular. ‘I understand that Paul Mansell has worked for you on and off over the years. I'm working on the theory that you and Conners fell out over some business matter and that you sent Mansell over to teach him a lesson.’
Nick Price remained impassive. ‘Todd’s an old mate, Magee. I don’t murder friends. Nor anyone else for that matter.’
Magee continued unperturbed. ‘I believe Conners was murdered by Mansell on your instructions. Mansell is now playing a silly game with me, pretending he was there on some domestic divorce investigation.’
‘Murdered?’ Nittaya gasped. ‘Paul, a murderer? On Daddy’s instructions? That’s absurd, Chief Inspector.’
Nick Price said nothing, and sat expressionless.
‘I shall be tracing Todd Conners' business affairs thoroughly,’ Magee continued. ‘And if I find something that went wrong, and that you were involved, then both you and Mansell may well be charged with murder.’
Nick Price had sat in silence, his face set in stone. Once Magee had finished his accusations, he broke into a smile. ‘Very good, Magee! You almost had me going there for a minute. Problem is, it’s nothing but tosh, isn’t it? My deals don’t go wrong. Especially not with Todd, he stood to clear a couple of million on our recent deal. I had no gripe with him, or him with me. And any money he made out of me over the years, whether up front fees or backhanders from suppliers, was well earned. He was straight with me, Magee, he didn’t hide any side deals he had going, we’d share them anyway, people just expected him to want them. So then, you said that this was an unofficial visit, right? There's no arrest warrant or search warrant I take it?’
Magee shook his head in reply.
‘Good. So what the fuck do you really want?’
‘Daddy!’ Nittaya yelped.
‘Sorry, Nit.’
Magee was surprised at the reaction, for not only had Nick Price taken the accusations calmly, he’d dismissed them as the idle threats they were. ‘Why did you take a liking to Paul Mansell when he was a lad?’
‘Paul was very disturbed when he came to work with me,’ Nick replied. ‘Guess I saw a piece of me in him. I felt sorry for him.’
‘It must have cost you an arm and a leg to get him off the charges hanging over him. That last bit of trouble he got into was pretty severe. How did you wangle it?’
Nick Price laughed before he replied. ‘You don't seriously expect me to answer that do you, Magee?’
Magee allowed a smile. ‘It was worth a try. Never mind, it will keep.’ Magee paused to consider a new tactic. ‘Paul's devoted to you, isn't he? I believe he would say anything to protect you. Difficult to find the truth in such circumstances, isn't it?’
‘That's your problem, Magee, not mine.’
‘Are you a Mason?’
‘A Mason? No,’ Nick replied, his face expressing a little confusion.
‘Are you a Buddhist?’
‘What is this? Twenty questions? No, I'm not a Buddhist! I've never been religious in any way. Why are you asking me these stupid questions?’
‘Todd Conners was on his way to a Masonic do. His throat was slashed with a knife; the handle was carved in the shape of a Buddha. I’m looking for a connection to you.’
Nick Price’s eyes darted to the floor momentarily. He shook his head, grimaced and looked up at Magee. ‘No, sorry, it means nothing to me.’
‘What about a connection to Mansell?’
‘Nah, no way. Paul’s no Mason. Sorry, Magee, your trip seems to have been wasted.’ Nick stood up, indicating that the interview had come to its conclusion.
‘On the contrary, Mr Price, at least we've been able to eliminate one theory. Eh, Melissa?’
‘Yes, sir,’ Melissa put in, a blank look on her face. ‘Absolutely.’
‘Thanks for the coffee. It's been a pleasure talking to you,’ Magee said rising to leave.
‘Goodbye, Magee. A word of advice before you go, though. Don't bother hounding Paul. He's innocent. He wouldn't get involved in a murder, he’s stayed clean for years. Don't waste your time on him, you'll only frustrate yourself.’
‘I'll think about it,’ Magee said at the door. ‘It was charming to meet you, Nittaya.’
Once back in the privacy of their car, Magee turned to Melissa and smiled like the Cheshire Cat. ‘Well, that was worth the visit, wasn’t it?’
‘Was it? You did a nice bit of verbal sparring, I’ll grant you that. And you came out alive.’
‘And?’
‘There’s more?’
‘You didn’t notice?’
‘I noticed Nittaya. She’s a beautiful young woman, isn’t she? With that name, and her brother’s too, I assume her mother was Thai.’
‘Sorry?’
‘Thailand, sir. Nick’s wife must have been a Thai.’
‘I’ve no idea. Did you notice his reaction?’
‘Um, sorry no, my mind must have been on other matters. What did I miss?’
‘He was rattled when I mentioned I was looking for a connection. It meant something to him, something personal. It made him feel uncomfortable, I could see that in his eyes.’
‘So, you still think he’s involved then?’
‘I don’t know. Not with the murder, no, I think not. But there’s something fishy about the connection between Price, Mansell and Conners.’
‘Fishy?’ Melissa repeated, snorting with laughter. ‘Have you been watching too many black and white detective films?’
Magee cracked a smile himself. ‘I’m not that old, Melissa. There’s nothing wrong with my choice of vocabulary.’
Melissa couldn’t keep a straight face as she mimicked an old fashioned actor’s voice, ‘I say, Watson, fishy business this, what?’
‘All right, all right!’ Magee laughed at himself. ‘Come on, let’s get out of here before he sets those dogs on us.’