The Suffocating Sea Read online

  Cantelli said, 'Do you remember a man called Tom Brundall?'

  'Course I do,' Toni Cantelli said so vehemently that Horton could see it surprised his son. 'He was a nice man, very intelligent, and quiet, like Rowley. We used to exchange the odd crossword puzzle, but it's Tom Brundall I've got to be grateful to. He helped me to really get the business going.'

  Barney's mouth fell open. Even Horton couldn't hide his surprise. 'What do you mean?' he asked, recovering first.

  Toni chuckled. 'I thought that would make you sit up. Tom was a genius when it came to money and I needed to borrow some to expand the business. I wanted to open another café at Southsea, the one Isabella runs now.' He dashed a glance at Barney. 'The lease was due on the building, just along from the pier, and there were a couple of people after it, but I wanted it. I knew it would be a good little earner and it is. I didn't like to go the bank. Tom loaned me the money.'

  Cantelli's jaw dropped open in mid chew. 'You've never said!' he declared, astounded and shocked.

  'Why should I? It's never mattered before and I hope it doesn't now.' He threw Horton a worried look.

  Horton hastily said, 'It's fine.'

  'I paid it back in a year,' Toni Cantelli declared proudly.

  Horton noticed that the old man was beginning to look very tired. Barney could see it too. Horton flashed him a look, which he knew Barney would interpret as 'nearly done'.

  'Tom left fishing not long after Rowley; he was never really suited to it. He was a wizard with figures. Should have been Chancellor of the Exchequer, wouldn't be in the mess we are in now if he had been, but like poor little Rowley, Brundall's dad was a fisherman and so Tom had to become one too. Soon as he saved enough money he got out.'

  The old man sank further back on his pillow and closed his eyes. Barney stood up. 'We'll be off now.' He flashed a look at Horton who rose and grabbed his coat.

  'I'm not tired.' Toni's eyes snapped open. 'You just made me think back down the years, that's all, and I felt sad.'

  Horton apologized. He didn't want to leave Barney's father feeling that way. 'You've been a great help, Mr Cantelli.'

  Clearly with an effort the old man stirred himself, and gave a tired smile. 'You're welcome, son. Only don't you want to know about the other one?'

  Horton froze. He felt a shiver of excitement run through him. 'What other one?' he asked his pulse quickening.

  'I forget his name. What was it?'

  'Take your time. I can come back.' Though Horton silently prayed that he wouldn't have to. This was new information and he knew that it was important. That sixth sense, or copper's intuition, call it what you may, was back with him with a vengeance. He knew Cantelli could feel it too.

  Toni Cantelli said, 'There were four of them on the boat.'

  Four! Horton had thought only three: Seb, Rowley and Brundall. Sebastian Gilmore had said nothing about a fourth man. Why? Horton felt his heart racing.

  'I can see him as clear as I see you, but I'm blowed if I can remember his name.'

  'What did he look like?' asked Horton, his mind leaping in a direction that he could hardly take in. Could it have been the man he had seen with his mother on the quayside at the Camber? But why should it be? Why did he keep returning to that image? Had something in this case triggered that memory? It had to be.

  Toni Cantelli said, 'He was good-looking, dark-haired, smart dresser, restless eyes.'

  That wasn't enough to go on. The description fitted hundreds of men. Then why did Horton feel it must be the man with his mother? Did wishing it make it so? Shit, he was clutching at straws.

  'Don't worry, it'll come to you,' Horton reassured, though he wished Mr Cantelli had remembered his name. Still, there was one man who could give him a full description and a name: Sebastian Gilmore.

  Horton pressed his hand on the old man's shoulder. 'You've given us valuable information, Mr Cantelli, and I'm grateful. We can easily get his name.'

  'When you do, tell me, otherwise it'll worry the devil out of me.'

  Barney promised he would. Horton left Cantelli with his father and thanked the pretty dark-haired nurse. When he looked back at the entrance to the ward, he frowned. Toni Cantelli looked a lot worse than when they had entered and that hadn't been too good to begin with.

  He stepped outside and switched on his mobile. There were no messages. He waited in the car watching the hospital visitors come and go thinking over the conversation with Mr Cantelli. Why had Sebastian Gilmore failed to tell them about the fourth member of his fishing crew? What was he hiding? What had happened to this fisherman? Was he the skeleton in the air-raid shelter? Damn it, he couldn't be, not in 1995, unless... Could he have returned and threatened to tell about the 'wrong' Rowland and Brundall had done? Had they killed him and stuffed his body in that shelter? It was possible. But what had been 'the wrong'?

  Horton let his mind go into free fall. Had Brundall and Rowland Gilmore killed his mother and this man knew it or had seen, suspected or even been involved in it? Had he tracked Rowland down some years later, and Rowland had summoned Brundall to help him deal with it? But where had this fourth man been from 1978 until 1995? Abroad? In prison?

  The car door opened. Horton pulled his thought back to the present.

  'Is your father all right?' He could see that Barney was worried.

  'I hope he's just tired, but I had a quick word with the nurse and she said she'd check him over. I'll call Charlotte and tell her Dad might not be up to much this visit.'

  'Stay and tell her. No, Barney, I insist. I told you that earlier.' Suddenly Horton felt it was important that Cantelli should be there. Horton had never known his own father, and maybe that was why he felt so strongly that Cantelli should be with his. Time, Horton recognized, was precious. He wished he'd had time to talk to his mother before she had disappeared, but then he had only been a child and he'd had no idea that when he left for school that morning, it would be the last time he would see her.

  'Are you sure?' Cantelli looked anxious.

  'Positive.'

  Cantelli's relief was palpable. Horton knew Barney wouldn't duck out of work without his agreement. Where Uckfield got the idea that Cantelli was lazy, Horton didn't know. Barney Cantelli was one of the most conscientious officers Horton had ever come across.

  Cantelli said, 'What are you going to do now?'

  'Have another word with Sebastian Gilmore. I'd like to know why he didn't mention this fourth man.'

  'Take the car.' Cantelli handed over the keys.

  They exchanged glances and in Cantelli's eyes Horton saw the fear of losing a loved one.

  On the way back to Gilmore's house, Horton replayed in his mind the conversation with Toni Cantelli and his interviews with Sebastian Gilmore. Gilmore had had plenty of opportunity to tell him about this fourth fisherman, particularly when they'd interviewed him in his office yesterday, so why hadn't he mentioned him?

  Would Dr Clayton have some further information on those bones tomorrow? He certainly hoped so, he thought, pressing the intercom and asking to speak to Sebastian Gilmore.

  'What do you want now?' Selina demanded in surly tones.

  Horton didn't answer. A few seconds later the gates slowly swung open and he drove up the tree-lined drive. Before he had stilled the engine Gilmore was striding towards him in the rain, looking like thunder.

  'I hope this is bloody important,' he roared.

  Holding Gilmore's glacial stare, Horton said, 'Who was the fourth man on your fishing boat?'

  Gilmore visibly started and seemed stunned by the revelation. Was that because Horton had discovered information that Gilmore had wanted to keep a secret? Or had Gilmore genuinely forgotten this fourth man?

  Recovering, Gilmore demanded, 'How do you know about him?'

  'Shall we go inside, sir?'

  There was a moment's hesitation before Gilmore swiftly turned and marched towards the house. Horton took this as acceptance and followed. He was intrigued by Gilmore's reacti
on, and excited at what he might learn. This time there was no lingering in the gymnasium; Gilmore thrust open a door beyond it on the right which led into a spacious and modern equipped study. He crossed to a cabinet on the far side of the room and poured himself a drink.

  Waving the bottle at Horton he said, 'Whisky?'

  Horton was surprised by the offer, but didn't show it. 'No. Thanks.'

  Gilmore jerked his head at the burgundy leather sofa and as Horton sat, Gilmore settled himself in a matching leather armchair. Horton remained silent as Gilmore took a long pull at the drink. He seemed to be preparing himself for something, or was he just trying to get his story worked out? Was he about to lie?

  Finally, he said, 'The other man was Warwick Hassingham.'

  The name meant nothing to Horton. Had he expected it to? By the flicker of disappointment he felt inside him he guessed so. Perhaps he had been hoping to recognize it from his childhood. He must ring Barney so he could relay the name to his father.

  'Why didn't you tell me about him?'

  'I didn't think it important.'

  But Horton could see that Gilmore was uneasy. He knew that he should have mentioned this fourth man, and the fact that he had omitted to now looked suspicious.

  Horton said, 'I'd like to talk to him. Can you tell me where I can find him?'

  Gilmore gave a short mirthless laugh. 'You'll need the divers. Warwick drowned in 1977.'

  Horton only just hid his surprise. Toni Cantelli hadn't mentioned that. Perhaps he had forgotten the incident. It was possible. He was elderly and ill. Horton cursed silently. His surprise gave way to disappointment. This couldn't be their killer or the skeleton. And neither could it be the man his mother had run away with.

  Gilmore said, 'Now you know why I didn't think it important to tell you about him.' He took another swallow of whisky. 'Warwick's been dead a long time. He can't have anything to do with Tom's death or my brother's. But it was his death that made both Rowley and Tom chuck in fishing. It was never the same once Warwick went and, as I said before, Rowley never liked fishing anyway.'

  'How did he die?'

  Gilmore finished his whisky and poured another. Horton wondered how many he had consumed over the lunchtime. Still, it was none of his business, and Gilmore gave no sign of being even the slightest bit intoxicated. Pity, because if he were, Horton wondered if he might get more out of him. Then he saw that Gilmore needed these drinks to be able to cope with recalling the horror of Warwick Hassingham's tragic death. Suddenly he was no longer the giant but a big teddy bear that had had all the stuffing pulled out of it.

  'It was fifteenth August 1977,' Gilmore said, resuming his seat. 'When we left the harbour it was fairly calm, but there were storm warnings out for later that night. We reckoned, though, that we could get a good catch and return before the storm. But it came across quicker than anticipated.' He took a large gulp of whisky.

  Horton heard a door slam somewhere in the house and a car drive away: Selina's he guessed.

  Gilmore tossed back the remainder of his drink and sat forward, suddenly energized as though angry. 'The wind came up out of nowhere like a bloody tornado and the swell was fucking awful. We could barely keep on our feet. The sea was breaking over the vessel threatening to swamp us. Rowley was sick as a dog. Did I tell you he suffered from seasickness?'

  No wonder the poor bugger hated being a fisherman. Yet he had bought himself a yacht. But Horton knew that different boats cause different movements; perhaps he wasn't seasick on his yacht, or maybe he grew out of it.

  Gilmore continued. 'Then a distress call came over the radio. We weren't far from it, so we answered it to find a man alone on a motorboat. I could see immediately that his engine had gone. Bloody fool shouldn't have been out in that weather, but then some people are idiots.'

  Horton knew that all too well, having had to go to the rescue of stranded sailors himself.

  'We made an attempt to rescue him but a gigantic wave took hold of the bloody vessel and before we knew it the motorboat had been swamped and there was no sign of the man. Then Warwick saw him in the water. He threw him a line.'

  Gilmore rose and poured himself another drink. He was weighing his words carefully now, as though reliving a painful memory.

  'Warwick always was a mad sod. He leaned over the edge of the Frances May – that was our fishing boat – and tried to grab the other man...' Gilmore paused. His eyes seemed to stretch back down the years. He took a gulp of his whisky, and said, 'A wave took him. He wasn't clipped on and he wasn't wearing a life jacket. Warwick went over just as Rowley and Tom grabbed hold of the man. They didn't know what to do. But in fact there was nothing they could do. They hauled the man aboard and Warwick went. He was found some weeks later, I forget how many. What was left of him was buried in Kingston Cemetery. I don't think Tom or Rowley ever forgave themselves for it.'

  And was that the wrong that Gilmore had referred to and Brundall wanted to confess to; that they had let Warwick Hassingham die? Horton would have believed it except for two things: the skeleton and the mention of his mother.

  'Why didn't you tell me this yesterday, or this morning?'

  'Why should I?' Gilmore glared at Horton. 'Warwick died a long time ago.'

  Gilmore was right. And they had a skeleton in Rowland Gilmore's garden that, according to Kenneth Gutner, was a lot more recent.

  'What happened to the man you rescued?'

  'He was taken to hospital suffering from shock, hypothermia and some pretty nasty cuts. I've no idea where he went after that. He didn't even bother coming to Warwick's memorial service, the ungrateful sod.'

  'And his name?'

  'Don't know. If I did know it I've forgotten it. It happened a long time ago.'

  Horton eyed Gilmore closely. The man's expression was impenetrable and yet Horton sensed something – a lie? Unease? Evasiveness? Surely Sebastian Gilmore would remember the name of the man who had effectively killed Warwick? Sebastian recalled exactly what this man had suffered when rescued, so why not remember the name? Horton had a funny feeling about this. Something didn't smell right.

  'You said Warwick's body was washed up some weeks after the incident; how was he identified?' After weeks in the sea, Horton knew that there wouldn't have been much left of him.

  'Warwick loved his rings. He always wore a gold sovereign ring on the third finger of his right hand and a signet ring with a diamond in it on the little finger. They were on what was left of his hands, and the police matched dental records.'

  'I'm surprised he was buried. Being a fisherman I would have thought the sea—'

  'His mother's wishes,' Gilmore interjected, with an expression of disgust. 'Old Ma Hassingham said the sea had claimed him but she was dammed sure she wasn't going to let it swallow up what remained of him. Poor old bitch. She died eight months later.'

  Horton left a short pause before asking, 'Do you have a photograph of Mr Hassingham?'

  Gilmore looked surprised. 'No. What would I need that for?'

  He wouldn't, but Horton wouldn't mind seeing one to check if it had been the man with his mother on the Camber. Not that it really mattered now because Hassingham had nothing whatsoever to do with his mother's disappearance.

  'You bought your brother out of the business in 1978. How much did you pay him for his share?'

  Sebastian looked surprised and then angry. 'That's none of your bloody business.'

  'Did you know he gave away half a million pounds to the church when he entered the ministry?'

  Sebastian remained silent, glaring at Horton.

  'Is that how much you paid him?' Horton persisted.

  Sebastian Gilmore rose and made for the door, which he threw open. 'If you want to ask questions which have nothing whatsoever to do with my brother's death, then you can damn well do so with my solicitor present – that kind of information is personal.'

  Oh no, it isn't, thought Horton, pausing before rising. 'Thank you for your co operation, Mr Gilmore,' he sai
d pointedly.

  Gilmore showed him out in silence. Horton wondered why he was so touchy about the money, as he ran to the car in the slanting rain and bad-tempered wind. Was there something there that Sebastian Gilmore wanted to hide?

  With Warwick Hassingham dead, that left Sebastian Gilmore as the only surviving member of that crew. Was he in danger? Gilmore was nowhere in sight. Had Brundall and Rowland's death anything to do with when they had all been fishermen together? Or did it have something to do with his mother? And now there were more questions nagging at him: who was the rescued man and what the blazes had happened to him?

  Sixteen

  They were questions he put to Uckfield an hour later. 'Has that got anything to do with this case?' Uckfield declared with exasperation, his eyes flicking impatiently beyond Horton into the busy incident suite.