Sergeant Harris saw her sitting at the front counter desk looking pristine and calm.
He paused briefly and spoke softly. ‘Good girl.’
‘Thank you, Sarge.’
A team led by Metcalf had raided Clifford Bentley’s flat that afternoon. He was asleep in bed and the officers had to wake him. When asked where their son John was Renee said she hadn’t seen him since the previous afternoon when she had left to go to a funeral and Clifford said it was the same for him. He maintained that he paid his respects to the passing funeral procession, and then returned to the flat without John to spend the afternoon and night caring for his very sick son David. He didn’t know what time his wife got home from the funeral as he had already gone to bed and was in such a deep sleep he didn’t hear her come in.
Whilst Metcalf spoke with Clifford and Renee two officers searched David’s room only to discover he was not there and there were signs that he had taken clothes and a number of personal belongings with him. This was news to Clifford, who was now totally dependent on Renee to confirm his alibi and back him up. He then said John had taken David away for a few days as a surprise break to help him get better.
When Metcalf said that it was a trip that John would not be coming back from there was a look of horror in Clifford’s eyes and Renee demanded to know what he meant. She listened wide-eyed and motionless as Metcalf explained about the explosion, and the certainty that John had died in it whilst Clifford had done a runner.
The fact that John was dead, as a result of a plan probably hatched by Clifford, was too much for Renee to comprehend. She could not, as she had done so often in the past, protect her husband again. With her hands clenched in an attempt to control herself Renee told Metcalf that Clifford had not been at home on the Sunday afternoon or evening, and had definitely not been there when she got back from the wake sometime after midnight. She added that David was at home when she left for the funeral. When questioned about the whereabouts of her youngest son Renee claimed that she had no idea where he was, but he had left home on the afternoon of the funeral to get away from his brother and his father who had always manipulated, bullied and controlled him. She gave Metcalf details of a taxi firm David had used to book a taxi to take him to Heathrow Airport, but she was adamant that she had no idea where he was going from there as he hadn’t wanted her to be put in a position where Clifford or John could force it out of her.
Clifford was enraged when he was arrested, and demanded to know why Renee didn’t tell him about David. Renee had just smiled cynically, asking why he was suddenly worried about a son he’d never cared for or shown any real love to. She told him she hoped that David would at last find a decent and happy life.
It was early evening when a live press and TV news conference was held at Hackney Police Station in the main CID office. The packed room fell silent as DCS Metcalf entered and Sergeant Harris closed the doors behind him to stop anyone else entering the already crammed room.
Metcalf stood firm and upright next to a large projector screen. Harris turned on the projector and a picture of the Metropolitan Police Force Crest and the two fallen officers came up on the screen.
Metcalf cleared his throat. ‘It is with deep sadness that I have to inform you of the tragic loss of Detective Chief Inspector Leonard Bradfield and Detective Constable Kathleen Morgan during the explosion at the Trustee Savings Bank in Shoreditch. Our thoughts and sympathies are with their families at this time of loss. I have only the highest praise for DCI Bradfield: his professionalism and leadership were beyond reproach, as was the devotion to duty of all the officers who took part in Operation Hawk, some of whom were badly injured. They are all examples of police officers who, on a daily basis, display outstanding courage in the face of danger.’
The flash of cameras was relentless. As Metcalf paused to take a breath he was met with a flurry of questions from the journalists, who wanted to know more about the case and the suspects.
He held his hand up. ‘The incident is under investigation, so as I’m sure you all appreciate I am restricted in what I can say. However, I can tell you that two suspects were killed in the explosion, but their identities have yet to be confirmed.’
Yet again there were further interruptions from the journalists, who wanted to know if there were only two bank raiders, and if more why and how had they escaped.
Again Metcalf held his hand up. ‘We believe that at least two suspects escaped during the aftermath of the unexpected explosion. One man, who was a lookout, has since been arrested and is being interviewed as we speak.’
