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makes any sense.  As to what I was supposed to get from Jarvis and Perez, I don’t have an opinion.’
    â€˜So what are your instructions now? I assume this boss of yours gave you some.’
    â€˜I was told to stay and assist you in your enquiries. Fullest co-operation etc., etc.’
    â€˜And what if we don’t want your co-operation?’
    Jimmy expected the question, he’d been told to expect it. This was where any budding friendship took a nasty beating.
    â€˜Then you won’t get it. I’ll fly back to Rome and report to my boss that you didn’t want any help. My boss will talk to whoever placed the job and say you didn’t want any help. That person, whoever they are, will talk to someone in the Church down here and you’ll find you’ll get exactly what you want, no help. Every door the Catholic Church can close round here will be slammed in your face. I guess you would know better than me how many doors that would be and how it would affect this enquiry or any other they chose to get involved in.’ He’d made his point, he’d delivered the threat, now he had to hold out the carrot. ‘When I came I thought I was on a wild-goose chase. But Jarvis is dead, so I’d say I was wrong and whatever’s going on is wild all right, but nothing to do with geese.’
    Jimmy took another drink and then sat back. OK, that was that. That was the game-plan he’d been given and he’d used it. Now Suarez, had the ball so he’d have to wait and see what she did with it.
    It didn’t take her long to come to a decision.
    â€˜Do you have a contact number for this Fr Perez?’
    Jimmy took out his mobile.
    â€˜Ready?’
    Suarez collected her handbag, took her mobile out then nodded. She keyed in the numbers as Jimmy gave them to her and the phone got answered as if the person on the other end was expecting a call.
    â€˜Hello, Fr Perez? This is Inspector Suarez of the Santander police –’ She listened for a moment and then put away her mobile. ‘He says he has been instructed to refer all contacts or enquiries from the authorities to the Bishop’s office. Under no circumstances was he to talk to anyone from the police about anything. All contacts are to be reported to the Bishop’s office and all enquiries directed there to be dealt with.’
    Jimmy gave her a smile.
    â€˜Then I guess you’ll have to phone the Bishop’s office.’
    â€˜Do you think it would it do any good?’
    â€˜Not if somebody had already anticipated your unwillingness to let me join in on this.’ The smile became a grin, ‘although I suppose I shouldn’t say that. Maybe I’m supposed to refer all questions from the authorities as well.’
    â€˜Very funny.’
    Jimmy switched of the grin.
    â€˜Or perhaps it’s just Perez for the moment, but as I said, you’d have to phone the Bishop’s office to find out one way or the other.’ He waited while Suarez thought some more about it, then decided play-time was over. He’d more than made his point. ‘Look, I need to be on the inside on this, my boss was very clear about that when we spoke. I can’t tell you why because I didn’t get told, just what to say and I said it.’
    â€˜And you don’t know why he wants you on the inside?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜You didn’t ask?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Could you make a guess?’
    â€˜No.’
    Now it was Suarez’s turn to smile, but it wasn’t a nice one.
    â€˜And that’s your idea of help?’
    â€˜Look, if there might be even a remote chance of a terrorist tie-in, and that would be a very big if, your lot can go one of two ways. You can hand over the killing and all the information I’ve given you to whatever outfit here deals with terrorists, whoever is your Special Branch,’
    â€˜Or?’
    â€˜Or you can let it stay as a