Spider's Web by Ben Cheetham Read Free Book Online

The softly lit bar with its dark-stained beams, worn varnished floorboards, old round tables and stools, brought a little rush of memories back to Anna. The pub was a popular match-day haunt for Sheffield United supporters. Her dad had taken her there many times for a pre-match drink. She hadn’t been back since his death. Spotting Jim at the bar, she threaded her way through the drinkers to him. He was sipping whisky and staring at a key, turning it over in his hand. ‘You look like a man with a lot on his mind,’ she observed.
    Jim’s rugged face creased into a smile. ‘Thanks for coming, Anna. What are you drinking?’
    ‘I’ll have a pint of cider, thanks.’
    Jim caught the barman’s attention and ordered Anna’s drink and another whisky for himself. They took them to a vacant table. ‘I’ve never been able to get used to seeing women drinking pints,’ said Jim as Anna knocked back a good portion of her drink. ‘My ex-wife, Margaret, used to say I was a sexist.’
    ‘She was right.’
    Jim glanced into his own glass. ‘She would have given me hell for drinking this too. I had a heart attack last year.’
    ‘Sounds like your ex-wife was an intelligent woman.’ The ‘was’ indicated Anna knew what had happened to Margaret.
    ‘She was the best woman I ever knew. Far too good for me, really.’ Jim was silent a moment, his face tense with scarcely subdued pain. Then he took out Anna’s camera and handed it to her. She switched it on. Her eyebrows lifted.
    ‘You haven’t deleted all the photos.’
    ‘His name’s Thomas Villiers. I have reason to believe he’s part of the Winstanley house paedophile ring.’
    Anna’s eyes widened some more. ‘What reason?’
    ‘Herbert Winstanley had a book. It contained a list of clients or members.’ Jim placed a sheet of paper on the table. Anna’s forehead contracted as her gaze ran down the names printed on it.
    ‘Why hasn’t this been made public?’
    Jim pointed at a name. ‘Laurie Boyce is an aide to a cabinet minister.’ His finger moved down the list. ‘Maurice Chaput is a French diplomat. Sebastian Dawson-Cromer is a High Court judge. Alvaro Gabriel Gaspar is a high-ranking EU official. Andrew Templeton is also a judge. As for the rest of them, they’re CEOs of big companies, financial managers, stockbrokers, doctors. There’s even a fucking celebrity on there.’
    Anna met Jim’s gaze, her eyes hard. ‘Let me get this straight. You’re protecting these people.’
    ‘No. Not any more.’
    ‘So you want me to publish this?’
    ‘I want every single person in this fucking country to know who and what these people are.’
    ‘I get the feeling you don’t exactly have permission to do this.’
    Jim’s smile returned, crookedly. ‘Not exactly.’
    ‘Why me? Why not go to the newspapers?’
    ‘The newspapers wouldn’t touch this with a ten-foot pole. They’d be sued for everything they’ve got.’ Jim heaved a sigh. ‘The fact is, we don’t have anything concrete on these people.’
    ‘But you’re certain they’re guilty.’
    ‘As certain as that heart attack I had.’
    Anna’s eyes returned to the list. An edge of uncertainty entered her voice. ‘If I do this, what happens to me?’
    ‘I won’t lie to you, Anna. They’ll try to destroy you, financially, emotionally, any way they can.’
    A moment passed. So did Anna’s uncertainty. Her lips thinned into a smile as uncompromising as her eyes. ‘Is that all?’ She took another big mouthful of her pint and banged her glass down like an exclamation point. ‘So what else can you tell me about these wankers?’
    Jim laid it all out for her – where Villiers worked; how he was connected to Forester; the work Dr Reeves had done at the children’s home. She shook her head incredulously. ‘How is it possible that the newspapers haven’t got hold of any of this?’
    ‘There are a lot of powerful people working hard to keep it quiet.’
    Anna scowled. ‘It makes me want to puke.