Free Cherringham--Thick as Thieves by Neil Richards

your eyes off the car — all right?”
    “Absolutely. But are you going to tell me why?”
    She saw Pete look over at Grace.
    “Don’t worry. Anything you were going to say to me, you can say in front of Grace.”
    He seemed to consider this for a few seconds, then relaxed.
    “If you say so.”
    Sarah waited patiently.
    “Go on then.”
    “Right. Well it’s about the plate of course. The robbery.”
    Without taking his eyes off the street he launched into his story. And Sarah knew she and Jack were about to get lucky.
    “Your friend — the American — when he came to the farm and spoke to me and Becky, well … I’m afraid we lied.”
    Pete looked away at this.
    “He asked us what we did the night the robbery happened and we said we stayed in, went to bed early. But we didn’t. Well — we did. At first. But I couldn’t sleep. I was worried about the plate, you see. Worried that it wasn’t safe at old Cartwright’s place. So I got in the Land Rover and drove into the village. Parked out of the streetlights, just up from Cartwright’s house. So I could keep an eye out, case anyone got ideas, know what I mean?”
    Sarah knew exactly what he meant.
    “In case Jerry and Baz decided to get the plate back?”
    “Well. Yeah. Them — or worse still, some of their mates. I got a call from Billy down the Ploughman — he told me they were in there shooting their mouths off, all but giving Cartwright’s address away. So naturally — I got worried. We need that money, see. We need it so badly.”
    Sarah knew she also needed to keep the momentum going.
    “So what time was that?”
    “When I got there? I don’t know, about one-ish. Two maybe. Anyway, I’d only been there half an hour when Jerry himself turns up. Half pissed I reckon. He did a kind of walk-by outside Cartwright’s house, all inconspicuous — then he fell in the hedge.”
    “But he couldn’t see you?”
    “No, I was tucked down in the car. Anyway he opens the gate, goes to Cartwright’s front door and tries to open it — with a credit card first. Then a screwdriver. Then he gives up, comes down the path, kicks the gate and heads off.”
    “So he didn’t go round the back?”
    “No. Definitely not. Anyway, soon as he’s gone I’m thinking — I’d better get in there myself, get the plate, look after it, it’s not safe … So I creep over and head up the path.”
    “You were going to steal it yourself?”
    “No! Not steal it! Look after it. Stop them beggars from stealing it–”
    “That’s not the way the police would see it.”
    “Too right. Which is why I’m talking to you — okay? Anyway, that’s not the important thing. It’s what happened next. See, I’m halfway up the path when a light goes on round the back and there’s a shadow, then I see somebody coming round the side of the house to the path.”
    “You got a proper look at them?”
    “That’s what I’m telling you. It was a bloke, thin scrawny bloke. And he was carrying a bag — like a sports bag — but heavy, like it had metal in it. Like it had the plate in it. He walks right past me down the path — I mean, I’m almost under his feet I’m so close, but I’m in the dark under a shrub, see — and as he goes I can see his face in the street light, dead clear. So, soon as he’s out into the square I get up so I can follow him — but he’s jumped in a car and he’s gone. Gone with my plate.”
    “But you got a good look at him?”
    “Oh yes.”
    “And you’d recognise him again?”
    “Well I just did, didn’t I? Why do you think I came up here? Why do you think we’re looking at the BMW?”
    Pete gestured with his head down to the car in the square.
    Sarah realised — and followed his gaze, just as a man approached and from a distance unlocked the car with his keyfob.
    “See — that’s the bloke I saw coming out of Cartwright’s house. That’s the thief. I recognised him just now in the shop. I took his number — then came up here. You