‘Guilty.’
While some in the courtroom gasped, William breathed a sigh of relief. He would be able to return to work the next day, if not in triumph, then at least not having to admit to being a complete failure.
‘Will the prisoner please rise,’ said the clerk of the court.
Amhurst rose, his head slightly bowed.
‘Cyril Amhurst, you have been found guilty of a serious crime, for which I sentence you to one year in prison.’
William tried not to smile.
‘However, as you have up until now had an unblemished record, and this is your first offence, the sentence will be suspended for two years, during which time I would recommend you do not visit too many bookshops. You are free to leave the court.’
‘Thank you, Your Honour,’ said Amhurst, before stepping down from the dock and giving his counsel a long hug.
William shook Hayes’ hand, and thanked him for his gallant effort.
‘Your sister was quite brilliant,’ admitted Hayes. ‘With almost nothing to play with, she beat us two-one, and in the end she even had the referee coming down in her favour. I won’t make the same mistake if I come across her again.’
‘Nor will I,’ said William, before slipping quietly out of the courtroom. He found Grace standing in the corridor, waiting for him.
She gave him that grin he knew so well. ‘Got time for a drink, bruv?’
Over dinner that evening, William told Beth exactly what had happened in court. She burst out laughing and said, ‘You’re a complete idiot.’
‘I agree. I’m dreading going into work tomorrow. If I’m not back on the beat, I’ll certainly be put in the stocks.’
‘The laughing stocks would be my bet,’ said Beth. ‘I only wish I’d been there to see the look on your face when the judge decided to suspend the sentence.’
‘Thank God you weren’t. But if I ever come up against my sister again, I’ll make sure I’m better prepared.’
‘So will she.’
‘Whose side are you on?’
‘I haven’t decided yet, because you still haven’t told me how you got on when you visited Eddie Leigh in Pentonville.’
William put down his knife and fork and described the meeting in great detail. When he came to the end, all Beth said was, ‘Egg yolk. That more than makes up for your feeble effort in the witness box this morning. But do you think Leigh knows where the Rembrandt is?’
‘I’m fairly sure he does, because it turns out that he and Faulkner were at the Slade at the same time. But we’re the last people he’s going to tell. In fact I expect he regrets going as far as he did.’
‘Maybe you’ll learn more when you take the copy back to Faulkner’s home tomorrow.’
‘Maybe I won’t get past the front gate.’
19
WILLIAM SAT AT his desk nervously awaiting his fate. He was reading about the latest development in the Blue Period Picasso case when Lamont came barging into the room.
‘What was the outcome yesterday?’ were the DCI’s first words.
William took a deep breath. ‘Amhurst was sentenced to a year, but the judge suspended it for two.’
‘Couldn’t have worked out better,’ said Lamont, rubbing his hands gleefully.
‘What do you mean?’ asked William.
‘I won the squad sweepstake. One year suspended,’ he said as Jackie walked in.