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“None of the other refugees in the case had mentioned any specific individuals. Patel’s was the only name put forward, and he had also recruited the driver. Patel was arrested, and confessed to having helped his cousin, Khan, but feigned ignorance about the heroin. Anyway he was tried and found guilty of drug smuggling and human trafficking. The judge sentenced him to a minimum term. I believe it was twelve years.”
“Fifteen,” Commissioner Grant corrected her.
“Was it? Right. In any event, his appeal had been scheduled for June 2004, but after my sentencing reforms came in, it was scrapped and Patel’s sentence was retrospectively raised.”
“To twenty-two years.”
“That’s right.”
“Quite a steep hike.”
Alexia’s eyes narrowed. “You sound as if you sympathize, Commissioner.”
“I do to a degree, Home Secretary. Everybody needs hope, even criminals. Take that away and you get some very desperate people.”
For a moment a tense silence hung in the air. Then Alexia smiled broadly. It was refreshing to have someone stand up to her for a change, or at least to hold their ground. Commissioner Grant was quite wrong, of course. But Alexia found she liked him increasingly.
“Well,” she said convivially, “Sanjay Patel clearly agreed with you. He hung himself in his cell on Christmas Day 2008. His supporters have blamed me for his death ever since.”
If she felt any guilt about this, or any regret, she didn’t show it. Sir Edward Manning had worked with politicians for thirty years. Rarely had he seen one quite so ruthlessly without emotion.
“Am I correct in thinking that Sanjay Patel always maintained his innocence?” Commissioner Grant asked.
“Convicted criminals usually do, in my experience.”
“Yes, but in Patel’s case the evidence against him was felt to be particularly weak.”
“Felt by whom? The Daily Mail?”
Sir Edward Manning watched the two of them square off, like a pair of expert fencers.
“Wasn’t Patel convicted purely on Khan’s statement? No DNA or prints ever linked him to the drugs, nor were any middlemen ever found or any evidence linking Patel to any sort of drug deal.”
“Clearly the jury considered the evidence sufficient. It is not for me, or indeed you, Commissioner, to question their verdict.”
“No indeed, Home Secretary. It’s for the court of appeal. Only there was no appeal in Patel’s case.”
“No.”
“Because of your sentencing reforms?”
“Because of the reforms passed into law by a majority of MPs and overwhelmingly supported by the British public, yes.” Alexia smiled. “Is there a point to all of this, Commissioner?”
“Only that we consider Sanjay Patel’s supporters to be a genuine potential threat to your security. From now on we will be treating them on an equal risk level with the other terror threats made against the Home Office, or against you personally.”
“Okay.” Alexia nodded seriously. This was no longer a game of verbal dexterity. The commissioner meant what he said. “What about William Hamlin?”
“We’ll keep an eye on him too. Once we find him. Hamlin and Drake are persons of interest. We’ll keep you informed.”
“Please do. And on Danny’s poisoning too.”
For a moment the commissioner looked confused. “Danny?”
“Our dachshund. I realize it may have been an accident. But he was a dear little dog. I’d like to know what happened.”
Outside in the lobby, Sir Edward Manning spoke to Commissioner Grant privately.
“Do you really think these Patel people are dangerous?”
