DSS FARADAY: Howie’s voice.
D-I RAPSEY: Sound a bit stagey?
DSS FARADAY: Yes.
D-I RAPSEY: Know the person on the other end?
DSS FARADAY: As you know, the person doesn’t say anything.
D-I RAPSEY: One-way conversation.
DSS FARADAY: Not unusual for Howie. They pick up the phone, he talks.
D-I RAPSEY: Never raised a doubt in your mind?
DSS FARADAY: Not when Mackie described it, no.
D-I RAPSEY: What did you tell Mackie?
DSS FARADAY: Told him I’d listen the next day.
D-I RAPSEY: Ten minutes later, he rings you again. What did he say this time?
DSS FARADAY: Someone rang Howie. Howie didn’t make any sense, didn’t answer questions, said goodbye in the middle of something the guy was saying.
D-I RAPSEY: That didn’t alarm you? Didn’t interest you?
DSS FARADAY: No. Sounded like vintage Howie.
D-I RAPSEY: And when you listened to the tape?
DSS FARADAY: I had the benefit of hindsight.
D-I RAPSEY: Would you have picked it if you’d been there?
DSS FARADAY: Yes.
D-I RAPSEY: And exactly when did you listen to the tape?
DSS FARADAY: The next day.
D-I RAPSEY: Mackie says he asked you to come back and listen. Is that right?
DSS FARADAY: He did.
D-I RAPSEY: And you didn’t.
DSS FARADAY: I didn’t see any reason to.
D-I RAPSEY: So let’s get this straight. Lefroy is sitting in his flat with five kilos. You believe that a pick-up could take place at any time. He gets a visit from his brother. Something that hasn’t happened before. Your man calls you to suggest a tail because he didn’t get a good look at Dennis. You say no. Howard makes a phone call to someone who doesn’t talk back. Your man calls you. Forget it, you say. Then someone calls Howard. and it sounds weird to your man. He calls you. You say, I’ll listen tomorrow. Is that a fair account?
DSS FARADAY: You have to understand, Mackie was new on Howie. I’ve listened to hundreds of Howie’s conversations. This stuff wasn’t weird for him.
D-I RAPSEY: Nothing else happened that night?
DSS FARADAY: No. Loud music. Stopped about midnight. Often that way.
D-I RAPSEY: No more calls.
DSS FARADAY: No.
D-I RAPSEY: Let’s go to the morning. What kind of routine did Lefroy have?
DSS FARADAY: Call to his broker. Six forty-five, Monday to Friday.
D-I RAPSEY: This Thursday he didn’t.
DSS FARADAY: No.
D-I RAPSEY: What else did he always do?
DSS FARADAY: Open all the curtains. Make coffee. Walk around naked. Phone people.
D-I RAPSEY: Didn’t happen either.
DSS FARADAY: No.
D-I RAPSEY: Who was on duty?
DSS FARADAY: O’Meara. Stand-in.
D-I RAPSEY: Briefed on Lefroy’s habits? Knew what to expect? Shown the log?
DSS FARADAY: He was a stand-in. He was covering for two hours.
D-I RAPSEY: What time did you show up?
DSS FARADAY: Just after seven am.
D-I RAPSEY: Was that late?
DSS FARADAY: Depends. I had a flat. Happens.
D-I RAPSEY: What did you do when you finally arrived?
DSS FARADAY: Listened to the tape. Two minutes. We went straight in.