Joint Enterprise (The Romney and Marsh Files Book 3) (22 page)

‘So I see. Any idea who they were?’

‘None at all. And I wouldn’t know any of them again. That’s not me being uncooperative, it’s the truth.’

Romney sighed heavily. ‘Are we going to find anything of the film here?’

She shook her head. ‘They took them all.’

‘Did they say anything that might help me find them?’

Again she shook her head. ‘I might recognise a voice if I heard it again, but that’s about it.’

‘Then unless you want to confess to stealing the film from the castle using violence yourself
, there’s nothing that I can charge you with. Why did you say that the man knocked unconscious at the castle wouldn’t press charges?’ She said nothing; just smoked and stared. ‘Why take the film in the first place? And who are the Animal Rights Enforcers?’

‘Do you know the sick film that that pervert is making? He’s glorifying animal abuse. Bestiality. With all the weirdoes in the world
, it’ll probably turn into some kind of cult movie that will sanctify that kind of depraved behaviour for generations to come.’

Romney thought her reaction might be a little over-dramatic. ‘I can accept there are some warped or just bored individuals out there who might participate in that sort of thing, but do you really believe there is some sleazy underbelly of society that is crying out for an excuse to have sexual relations with farm animals?’

For answer, she held up one hand and counted off her fingers as she said, ‘Paedophilia, necrophilia, pseudonecrophilia, coprophilia, teratophilia...’ His blank look stopped her.

‘Just out of interest, what are the last two?’ he said.

‘Coprophilia is the fondness for other people’s shit. It’s a fetish. Teratophilia is when people are sexually aroused by deformed or monstrous people. And there’s acrotomophilia. Do you know that?’ Romney shook his head embarrassed by his naivety and feeling a little queasy at the images his imagination, unbidden, had conjured up for him. ‘Acrotomophilia refers to the sexual attraction to amputees. Would you agree that all of those are completely wrong, abnormal?’

‘Of course,’ he said. But he was also thinking that simply having knowledge of these practices was stretching normal. He couldn’t help wondering how this woman, who could not have been out of her twenties for long
, was such an authority on weird sex.

‘They are all sexual practices
which are growing in popularity. And they’re growing in popularity because of the availability through various forms of media for people to engage and connect with them and other like-minded individuals. These things snowball, Inspector. So in answer to your question, yes, I for one worry very much about the effect that the cinematic aggrandisement of bestiality would have on an impressionable and bored society. It’s a big enough problem as it is.’

‘Is it?’ said Romney, unable to keep his surprise.

‘Yes. Try the Internet. It’s not unusual.’ Romney thought that he wouldn’t. It would be more than his job would be worth to be caught surfing the world-wide-web on his station computer for information on sheep-shagging. And who would ever believe him that he was simply doing some research? Pull the other one.

‘And the Animal Rights Enforcers?’

She waved it away. ‘It’s just me and a few sympathisers. Nothing for the police to worry about. We’re not about to start a campaign of letter bombs or anything like that. I just made the name up. It was all about stopping this film.’

‘You’ve certainly put the wind up the director,’ said Romney
, with some pleasure.

‘Crawford? Wanker. He has no idea of the Pandora’s box he prising the lid off and he doesn’t give a shit for the wider consequences of his stupid little film. He’s just after his awards.’

‘You sound like you know him well?’ said Romney. She caught herself then, realising she was in danger of betraying others perhaps. There was a timely tap on woodwork and a disappointed looking Grimes put his head around the door. ‘Anything?’ said Romney.

‘Nothing of the missing film, gov, but we did find this?’ he held up a little plastic bag with a substance in it. Ms Barnes groaned. Romney put out his hand for it and told Grimes to get everyone outside and back in the vehicles.

When Grimes had gone, she said, ‘Are you gonna bust me for a little bit of weed?’

Romney looked like he was giving it some serious thought. ‘No,’ he said. ‘I could, but I’m not going to. You look like you have enough problems right now. You want to tell me anymore about the film archivist up at the castle?’ She shook her head and in doing so confirmed something of Romney’s suspicions. It was enough. He didn’t want to badger her for it or blackmail her over the drugs. While he could think of occasions and individuals that he could happily have exploited by such a find, strangely, it didn’t seem appropriate in this instance. It would have made him feel shabby.

The two liveried vehicles had already departed by the time Romney got back out in the fresh air. Grimes was trying to make friends with one of the tethered dogs. It looked like it would like nothing better than to rip the policeman’s throat out.

‘Sorry a
bout your face,’ said Romney. ‘If it’s any consolation to you, I will find the people who did it.’

With a hint of genuine appreciation for his sentiment
, she said, ‘Very gallant and well intentioned I’m sure, Inspector, but you are forgetting one thing, perhaps?’

‘Which is what?’

‘I couldn’t possibly press charges, could I? Because then I’d have to come clean about the film and where would I be then? Deeper in the do-do. There’s one thing that you could promise me, though.’

‘What’s that then?’

‘If you do ever find out who did this to me and my property, don’t be as polite, patient and considerate with them as you have been with me.’

When they were both sitting back in the car
, Grimes said, ‘Are we not at least going to nick her for the weed, gov?’

‘And how do you think that would look?’ said Romney. ‘All that manpower and time just to make an arrest for possession of a bit of puff that would probably only result in a caution. I don’t need that attention. Better to come away empty-handed. Now, what you need to focus on is giving me a better ride out of here than you did coming in. Understood?’

Grimes nodded seriously, stared down the length of the impossible task in front of him and realised his palms had begun to sweat.

***

13

Romney, Marsh, and Spicer sat around a couple of tables that had been pushed together in the CID meeting room. Hot drinks in mugs that didn’t match and a half-empty packet of biscuits occupied the middle ground. Grimes finally arrived for the little end of day conference.

‘What are you looking so pleased about?’ said Romney.

‘I think my system is finally getting back to normal. I’m officially back on solids.’ He collapsed himself into the remaining chair and reached across for the biscuits. He came away with two and began a noisy crunch that distracted thought and that at least two others in the room found mildly irritating.

‘What are you talking about?’ said Romney. ‘You’ve been eating all day.’

‘I don’t think he means what goes in, sir,’ offered Marsh, with faint disgust.

‘Oh, blimey, spare us
, will you?’ said Romney.

‘Sorry, gov. You asked.’

Romney shook his head. ‘So, after a promising lead we are back to square one with the missing film. But, perhaps we can generate some questions that might lead to some answers that might get us a little further forward. Feel free to contribute.’ He paused and awaited their input. Grimes leaned forward and withdrew another biscuit from the pack, which then fell into three pieces as he was bringing it to his mouth. Romney watched him with disdain as he picked crumbs out of his jumper. Spicer chewed the end of his pencil and knitted his brow to give the impression of great and deep thought, but he remained silent.

Marsh said, ‘How did whoever raided the farmhouse know the film was there? Why did the raiders want the film? What are they going to do with it?’

‘Good. Thank you. That’s somewhere to start,’ said Romney. ‘Given the timing of the raid, I would imagine that whoever it was found out who had the film the same way that we did. When I say who had it, I mean the Animal Rights Enforcers, not the exact geographical location. If they’d known that beforehand then presumably they would have snatched it earlier.’ He waited for any argument. There was none. ‘So, we must consider how they found out exactly who Animal Rights Enforcers are and where they are located. Claire Wright, the journalist, didn’t give me the impression she’d had anyone else asking about her sources.’

‘Why did the raiders want the film?’ repeated Marsh.

‘It’ll be worth something to Crawford and his production company to get it back won’t it?’ said Spicer. ‘Perhaps whoever took it has the intention of selling it back to him, claim some sort of reward, or just rip him off for it. That’ll depend on how badly he wants it back, I suppose.’

‘Badly, appare
ntly,’ said Romney. ‘The chief constable, his uncle, is on to the super on a daily basis for updates and progress reports. Anyway, if that’s the case then I’m sure we’ll hear from Crawford. But it’s a bit of a stretch of the imagination. There can’t have been that many people who knew the film had been taken and even fewer who would want to then appropriate it for themselves for financial gain and even fewer still who would resort to violence to get it.’

‘Maybe,’ said Spicer, ‘but it only takes one person to see the opportunity.’ Romney conceded the point with a little inclination of his head.

‘Maybe Crawford wouldn’t tell us, gov,’ said Grimes spitting crumbs. ‘What if someone is going to ransom it back to him, but makes it a condition of the sale that we’re kept out of it?’

‘That’ll suit me,’ said Romney. ‘I’m getting a bit sick of his bloody film, but it seems a bit too Hollywood. We’re not talking
about the kidnap of a celebrity’s child. It’s only a bit of film.’

‘What about Samson Security?’ said Marsh. And the table went quiet. All eyes turned on her.

‘What about them?’ said Romney.

‘They’ve been embarrassed by the theft and as the company contractually in charge of security on the film set they would have a very big interest in recovering the film and something of their name, not to mention avoiding any penalties or legal action that the production company might legally be entitled to bring. I don’t know, but
maybe they could be sued for what happened.’

‘That’s a good point,’ said Romney. ‘They would have a very keen interest to get it bac
k, but would they stretch to a night-time raid and violence?’

Marsh drew a deep breath. ‘This might not be a popular thing to say,’ she said.

‘Don’t worry about that,’ said Romney.

‘We all know who is in charge of the security operation up there. And we all know what he has proved himself capable of. He will have lost a lot of face over this. If the question is, would he be capable of sanctioning the recovery of the film by violent means and maybe dish out a bit of retribution for his trouble and embarrassment into the bargain? then I think his reputation speaks for itself. Speaking personally
, I wouldn’t put it past him to get involved in something like that himself.’

A long pause followed before Romney said, ‘You’re right, it might not be a popular thing to say, but it needed saying and it’s definitely not something we can ignore. I suppose the proof of that pudding will be in whether the film miraculously turns up back at the castle. In the meantime, Sergeant Mars
h, I want you to liaise with Crawford. He seems to like you. See if he’s had any ransom demands, or if he’s heard anything at all. Go and see him. If he’s going to lie to you, make him do it to your face. What about Edy Vitriol’s film stars? How many have you spoken to?’

‘Four including Annie Moses. They are all saying much the same thing about his offer. None of them gave me the impression they wanted him dead. I asked the other three where they were on the night he was stabbed. They’ve given me alibis. I haven’t checked up on any of them.’

‘OK. Leave the others for now. In the morning go and see Crawford. Take Grimes with you. You were quite pally with Wilkie, weren’t you?’ said Romney turning to Grimes.

Grimes looked like he’d been accused of something sordid. ‘I wouldn’t say pally exactly, gov.’

‘While Sergeant Marsh is talking to Hugo Crawford about his film I want you to go and see Wilkie. Be friendly. Sound him out about things. He might hint at something with you that he wouldn’t with the rest of us. I think I’ll take a trip up to the radio station and talk to the guy who interviewed Vitriol for his radio programme. See if there is anything he might be able to contribute. He must have been one of the last people to have spoken to Vitriol before he died. Any questions?’

‘What was the motive of the Animal Rights Enforcers for taking the film in the first place?' said Marsh.

‘Animal Rights Enforcers is just a couple of deranged women who think that if Hugo Crawford’s film gets made and released it’s going to be solely responsible for encouraging a surge in international bestiality practices. Animal Rights Enforcers want to spare God’s creatures the attentions of lustful humans.’