6:45 AM
THE snowplow moved slowly along the two-lane road in the dark. Carl Osborne's Jaguar followed it. Toni was at the wheel of the Jag, peering ahead as the wipers struggled to clear away the thickly falling snow. The view through the windshield did not change. Straight ahead were the flashing lights of the snowplow; on her near side was the bank of snow freshly shoveled up by the blade; on the off side, virgin snow across the road and over the moors as far as the car's headlights reached.
Mother was asleep in the back with the puppy on her lap. Beside Toni, Carl was quiet, dozing or sulking. He had told Toni that he hated other people driving his car, but she had insisted, and he had been forced to yield, as she had the keys.
"You just never give an inch, do you?" he had muttered before sinking into silence.
"That's why I was such a good cop," she replied.
From the back, Mother said, "It's why you haven't got a husband."
That was more than an hour ago. Now Toni was struggling to stay awake, fighting the hypnotic sway of the wipers, the warmth from the heater, and the monotony of the view. She almost wished she had let Carl drive. But she needed to stay in control.
They had found the getaway vehicle at the Dew Drop Inn. It contained wigs, false mustaches, and plain-lensed spectacles, obviously disguise materials; but no clues as to where the gang might be headed. The police car had stayed there while the officers questioned Vincent, the young hotel employee Toni had spoken to on the phone. The snowplow continued north, on Frank's instructions.
For once, Toni agreed with Frank. It made sense for the gang to switch cars at a location that was on their route, rather than delay their getaway with a diversion. Of course, there was always the possibility that they had foreseen how the police would think and deliberately chosen a location that would mislead pursuers. But in Toni's experience villains were not that subtle. Once they had the swag in their hands, they wanted to get away as fast as they could.
The snowplow did not stop when it passed stationary vehicles. There were two police officers in the cab with the driver, but they were under strict instructions to observe only, for they were not armed, and the gang were. Some of the cars were abandoned, others had one or two people inside, but so far none contained three men and a woman. Most of the occupied cars started up and fell in behind the snowplow, following the track it cleared. There was now a small convoy behind the Jaguar.
Toni was beginning to feel pessimistic. She had hoped by now to have spotted the gang. After all, by the time the thieves had left the Dew Drop Inn, the roads had been all but impassable. How far could they have got?
Could they have some kind of hideout nearby? It seemed improbable. Thieves did not like to go to earth close to the scene of the crime—quite the opposite. As the convoy moved north, Toni worried more and more that her guess was wrong, and the thieves might have driven south.
She spotted a familiar direction sign saying "Beach," and realized they must be near Steepfall. Now she had to put the second part of her plan into operation. She had to go to the house and brief Stanley.
She was dreading it. Her job was to prevent this kind of thing happening. She had done several things right: her vigilance had ensured that the theft was discovered sooner rather than later; she had forced the police to take the biohazard seriously and give chase; and Stanley had to be impressed by the way she had reached him in a blizzard. But she wanted to be able to tell him that the perpetrators had been caught and the emergency was over. Instead, she was going to report her own failure. It would not be the joyous reunion she had anticipated.
Frank was at the Kremlin. Using Osborne's car phone, Toni dialed his mobile.
Frank's voice came out of the Jaguar's speakers. "Detective-Superintendent Hackett."
"Toni here. The snowplow is approaching the turnoff for Stanley Oxenford's house. I'd like to brief him on what's happened."
"You don't need my permission."
"I can't get him on the phone, but the house is only a mile down a side road—"
"Forget it. I've got an armed response team here now, bristling with firepower and itching to go. I'm not going to delay finding the gang."
"It will take the snowplow five or six minutes to clear the lane—and you'll get me out of your hair. And my mother."
"Tempting though that is, I'm not willing to hold up the search for five minutes."
"Stanley may be able to assist the investigation in some way. After all, he is the victim."
"The answer's no," Frank said, and he hung up.
Osborne had heard both sides of the conversation. "This is my car," he said. "I'm not going to Steepfall—I want to stay with the snowplow. I might miss something."
"You can stay with it. You'll leave me and my mother at the house and follow the plow back to the main road. When I've briefed Stanley, I'll borrow a car and catch you up."
"Well, Frank has nixed that scheme."
"I haven't played my ace yet." She dialed Frank again.
This time, his answer was abrupt. "What?"
"Remember Farmer Johnny."
"Go to hell."
"I'm using a hands-free phone, and Carl Osborne is beside me, listening to us both. Where did you tell me to go, again?"
"Pick up the fucking phone."
Toni detached the handset from its cradle and put it to her ear, so that Carl could not hear Frank. "Call the snowplow driver, Frank, please."
"You bitch, you've always held the Farmer Johnny case over my head. You know he was guilty."
"Everyone knows that. But only you and I know what you did to get a conviction."
"You wouldn't tell Carl."
"He's listening to everything I say."
Frank's voice took on a sanctimonious note. "I suppose there's no point in talking to you about loyalty."
"Not since the moment you told Carl about Fluffy the hamster."
That shot went home. Frank began to sound defensive. "Carl wouldn't do the Farmer Johnny story. He's a mate."
"Your trust is deeply touching—him being a journalist, and all."
There was a long silence.
Toni said, "Make up your mind, Frank—the turning is just ahead. Either the snowplow diverts, or I spend the next hour briefing Carl on Farmer Johnny."
There was a click and a hum as Frank hung up.
Toni cradled the phone.
Carl said, "What was that all about?"
"If we drive past the next left turn, I'll tell you."
A few moments later, the snowplow turned onto the side road leading to Steepfall.