Read The Summons for Free Online

people can’t?”
    “You’ve got to hear it from them, Mr. Diamond. The whole incident is under wraps.”
    He stopped himself from asking, “What incident?” To pump Julie for information that he could get legitimately would be unfair. He knew what he must do. The repugnance he felt at facing Tott was a personal matter. His self-esteem had to be weighed against whatever had happened to the man’s daughter and the fact that for some arcane reason his cooperation was indispensable.
    Julie said simply, “Will you come back to Manvers Street with me and hear what they have to say?”
    “All right, Sarge. You win.”
    In the car she told him they had made her up to inspector last November. He said it was not before time. And he meant it.
    Five minutes later, practically vomiting with revulsion, he was eye to eye with Tott, that relic from the days when top policemen were indistinguishable from First World War generals. The others around the oval table were Chief Inspector John Wigfull, Inspector Julie Hargreaves and Inspector Keith Halliwell. The reception he was given was so unlikely that it was alarming. Tott got up, came around the table and said how deeply they were in his debt for coming. Not only did he grip Diamond’s hand with his right, but held his elbow with his left and squeezed it like an overzealous freemason.
    Halliwell’s greeting was a tilt of the head and a companionable grin. Wigfull summoned up the kind of smile the losing finalist gives at Wimbledon.
    Diamond gave them all a sniff and a stare.
    Tott turned to Wigfull. “Why don’t you see what happened to the coffee we ordered?”
    Wigfull reddened and left the room.
    Tott said immediately the door closed, “Mr. Diamond, this won’t be easy for any of us. John Wigfull is the senior man now. He’s running the show.”
    “Seeing that I’m no longer a part of the show, I don’t have any problem with that,” said Diamond.
    Tott lowered his face and brought his hands together under his chin. The body language was that of a penitent at confession. “I ... I want to make a personal statement. It would be remarkable if you didn’t harbor some resentment against me for matters I hope we can set aside tonight. I want to assure you that my involvement is quite unsought on my part. But I thought I should be here when you arrived. I owed it to you.”
    “To me? I can’t think why.”
    “And to my ... to someone else. Avon and Somerset Police are seeking your cooperation. I, personally, want to appeal to you—no damn it— beg you to listen sympathetically, and as we parted on less than friendly terms when we were last in this room together, the least I can do is—”
    “Point taken, Mr. Tott,” said Diamond. “I said what I felt at the time. I didn’t expect to be invited back, but here I am.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Now will somebody tell me why?”
    Tott was overwrought. His voice was faltering. He said, “I think it best if I leave that to Chief Inspector Wigfull. He should be back any second.”
    Tott and Wigfull. What a team! Diamond couldn’t think of any two people outside prison he’d rather avoid.
    A cadet came in with coffee and cheese and ham sandwiches. Wigfull glided in behind him and took his place at the table. Diamond noted sardonically that Wigfull’s elevation to head of the murder squad had produced one interesting change: his mustache had been trimmed. These days he was more like the former English cricket captain than the Laughing Cavalier.
    “I believe you’re going to brief me, John.”
    “Presently.” Wigfull waited for the cadet to leave. When the door was closed he glanced toward Tott, an observance of courtesy or bootlicking, depending on how you viewed it, and received a nod. “Ten days ago, as you know, that is on October the fourth, John Mountjoy escaped from Albany.”
    “You say ‘as you know,’ but I know damn all,” said Diamond.
    Wigfull gave him a disbelieving look. “It’s been in all the