Dangerous Encounters

Chapter 23 The muck thickens and sickens despite the love

"You'll get problems with marginals, like physically immature eighteen year old women, but those are the images you review personally. If you're looking for a zero occurrence of children that's the best way of achieving it. I haven't done the math, but sampling would give you say a five percent chance of missing an occurrence if you reviewed thirty percent of the whole. I'd guess that's more of a risk than Ruth wants." 

Ruth nodded. 

Liz said, "I'm uncomfortable with the material going off this site." 

"We can bring the reader down here, and send the data electronically to the office, using the computer in the study as a terminal. In fact the files would easily fit in that computer. You only need the greater power and speed of the office one to do picture and speech analysis. We'll have to hire some equipment. I'll organise that for you. I'll sort out a secure environment for it in the computer too." 

Rosemary went back to York at five thirty. "Let's review where we are," said Liz. She was using a checklist on her lap top. "Graham and Pat. Software into study?" 

"Done." 

"Cameras and bugs?" 

"Neutralised and dismantled." 

"Safe?" 

"Still looking. We have yet to search the cellars." 

"Ruth and Mandy. Letters to known clients of Railton House, possible one hundred and sixty three?" 

"Ready, but no stamps." 

"Routine suppliers known, twenty seven?" 

"Same again." 

"I'll nip down to the Post Office tomorrow and post the lot," said Mandy. 

"Liz - phoning. I have phoned everyone with a diarised event for the next three months. I have twenty more calls to make to complete this year's diary. That's for tomorrow. 

"Right, we have, as I see it, the following to do. 

"Find the safe. 

"Turn out the directors and Eve's desks and offices, and analyse what's there, and return any property that's theirs. 

"Once Rosemary's got the electronic kit together we have to input data to the computers, and then analyse it. 

"Until those are done, we can't bring anybody in to start house clearance proper. At least that's how I see it. We also have a time limit on the evaluation of the tapes and files of Wednesday next." 

I said, "You could get an extension on that if you rang Barlow on Tuesday to report where you were up to. Also I don't feel comfortable bringing anyone in to see that SM room. We should remove the bed and burn the whips and bonds, and strip the sound insulation. The swords could be sold as a sort of collection." 

Mandy said, "Looks like it's all physical work till we get Rosemary's kit. I'll change and get at that SM room. I feel I want to destroy something here. What about you Pat?" 

"Looks like it's the directors offices for you and I, Ruth, and the cellars for you Graham." 

I found the safe in the back of the wine cellar. It was made by Chubb, connected to the burglar alarm with a keycode switch, and had a combination lock. 

I returned to Liz and Ruth, one curly, one straight dark haired head intent over a set of files. 

"Found it," two remarkable pairs of eyes regarded me intently, "combination lock. Seen anything like the number anywhere?" I described the layout of the number.