Free Faraday 02 Network Virus by Michael Hillier

interesting.” Stafford resumed his walk along the pontoons. “Now then, since we’re here, I’d like another quick look around the Billiere cruiser just to firm up the picture in my mind. Have you got the keys with you?”
    “ They’re all here.” Jimmy hefted the bunch in front of the inspector. “You know it’s just down this way.”
    He led off down a side pontoon but they hadn’t gone more than twenty yards before he stopped.
    “ It’s not here.”
    “ What isn’t?”
    “ The Billiere boat. This is its mooring. Number 242. Somebody’s taken it out.”
    “ When did that happen?”
    Jimmy shrugged. “I dunno - must have been last night or some time earlier this morning. The boat was here at six last night when I did my walk round. I’m certain of it. And Mr Billiere didn’t give me a ring to say he wanted to use it. He always gives me a ring.”
    “ Could anybody else have taken it?”
    “ No.” He shook his head firmly. “You’d need to have the keys. You couldn’t get in to start the engines without the keys.”
    “ Can’t you take the hatch cover off to get at the engines?”
    Jimmy considered the idea. “Perhaps, but you’d still have a problem starting them. All the electrics are linked up in the upper cabin. That’s where the ignition key is located.”
    “ Does the marina office have a set of keys?”
    “ No. Billiere decided he wanted me to have the spare set so that I could look after the boat. So the marina contact me if they want to get into his boat for any reason.” He shook his head. “It’s never happened yet.”
    “ Nobody could have used your keys?”
    He lifted the bunch and picked out an attached ring with two keys on it. “There it is, you see. That’s the ignition key. The other one unlocks the patio doors to the main cabin.”
    “ Where are those keys left overnight?”
    “ Oh, I’m a bit sharper than that, guv. I take ‘em home with me. I wouldn’t leave them to that bunch of night security wallies.”
    Paulson knew Jimmy had a low opinion of the security firm who were employed to keep a check on the marina during the evening and night-time hours. But he still asked, “So you’re confident they didn’t use your keys?”
    “ Absolutely.”
    “ Does anybody else have keys?”
    “ As far as I know, only Mr Billiere.”
    “ Joanne would have had a key. What happened to that?”
    Jimmy shook his head. “Ah, that I can’t tell you.”
    “ She lived in Torquay, didn’t she? Does de Billiere still own the house where she lived?”
    “ I don’t know for sure,” said Jimmy, “but I’d say he got rid of it. Whenever he comes down now he stays at the Metropole - him and his new wife. He takes one of them top floor suites. I’ve heard they cost five hundred pound a night.”
    Stafford smiled. “Not short of a bob or two?”
    “ That he isn’t. Take this boat that’s not here at the moment - he’d probably get a cool two and a half million for it if he put it up for sale and I doubt if he uses it for more than a couple weekends a year.”
    “ Well,” Paulson turned away from surveying the empty berth, “there’s not a lot we can do at the moment. Can you keep an eye open for the return of Billiere’s boat and give me a ring when it turns up? Also can you find out who it was who took it out?” He pulled a card out of his top pocket.
    “ I don’t need that,” said Jimmy. “I’ve still got the one you gave me when I helped you a couple of years back.”
    “ OK. Thanks anyway.” He started back along the pontoon then turned to face Jimmy again. “And Jimmy - remember to keep this under your hat.”
    The old fellow promised he would.
    - 9 -
    There was a modest grey runabout parked in the forest clearing on the top of Haldon. Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Lasham had decided not to use his official car to come to this meeting despite the fact that the risk of being seen in this remote place was probably very low. Lasham had no intention