Slough House

London Rules / C05

Chapter 5

Book 5 Part One 5949 words POV: Diana Taverner, Zafar Jaffrey, River Cartwright

Summary

Diana Taverner arrives at Slough House in the rain and confronts Jackson Lamb about the attack on Roddy Ho, which he did not report. Lamb is unrepentant until Taverner tells him the bullets recovered from Ho’s house match a weapon used at Abbotsfield. She puts Slough House in lockdown, orders Ho taken to the Park for debriefing, and assigns Emma Flyte to supervise the rest.

Zafar Jaffrey walks to the Dewdrop Café, meets his bagman Tyson Bowman, and is told by his press adviser Ed Timms that Dennis Gimball will accuse him of terrorist connections in a speech in Slough that evening, with Dodie Gimball’s column to follow. Jaffrey tells Timms not to worry and asks Bowman whether anything needs fixing. Kim, who telephoned about Ho the night before, wakes with her heart pounding, packs a getaway bag and is met at her door by a man with a gun. In River Cartwright’s office, Flyte’s lockdown begins: Shirley Dander talks her way out for provisions and returns with wine and sweets, and Lamb’s brainstorm settles on Kim as a honeytrap after Ho’s knowledge before he reveals that her associates carried out Abbotsfield.

Beats

  • C05S01 · Diana Taverner — Diana Taverner arrived at Slough House in the rain, found the back door and climbed to Jackson Lamb’s room. She accused him of knowing about the attack on Roddy Ho and failing to report it under Service Standing Order twenty-seven three; Lamb said he could not be arsed. She told him the Met had found a burnt-out car two miles away, and that the bullets matched a weapon used at Abbotsfield. Lamb swore.
  • C05S02 · Zafar Jaffrey — Zafar Jaffrey walked to the Dewdrop Café, stopping for residents and a Big Issue seller, and met Tyson Bowman at a table with a red-and-white-checked cloth. They discussed a job that would be ready in a couple of days, on payment, and the day’s rearranged schedule. Ed Timms called to say Dennis Gimball would accuse Jaffrey of terrorist connections in a speech in Slough that evening, with Dodie Gimball’s column to follow. Jaffrey told him not to sweat it.
  • C05S03 · Jackson Lamb — Jackson Lamb offered Diana Taverner a cigarette and argued that ISIS did not run plots like the attempt on Ho, then asked whether the Park was running a game against him. Taverner announced a lockdown: no phones, no internet, nobody leaves, and Ho would be taken to the Park. She said Emma Flyte would supervise, and asked whether Catherine Standish knew who had shot her old boss. Lamb did not reply.
  • C05S04 · Kim — Kim woke with her heart pounding, packed her emergency kit and decided to leave. As she reached the landing the doorbell rang, then rang again, and the handle was rattled. She backed into her bedroom, forced the sash window and threw her bag into the garden, but her top caught as she climbed out. When she turned, a man was in the room with a gun pointed at her face.
  • C05S05 · River Cartwright — River Cartwright watched Emma Flyte assemble the slow horses in his office for the lockdown, with Jackson Lamb occupying his desk. Flyte confiscated J.K. Coe’s iPod until Catherine Standish explained his panic attacks, and failed to stop Shirley Dander leaving for provisions. Lamb led a brainstorm that settled on Kim as a honeytrap after Ho’s knowledge, then revealed that whoever she worked with had carried out Abbotsfield. Coe said they had a problem.

People

  • Diana Taverner — Senior Park officer; confronts Lamb, imposes the lockdown and takes Ho back to the Park.
  • Jackson Lamb — Head of Slough House; refuses to explain himself, then runs a brainstorm on who is after Ho.
  • Roderick Ho — Taken away by the Dogs for debriefing at the Park; has a cut on his ear.
  • Zafar Jaffrey — Independent candidate for Mayor of the West Midlands; meets his bagman and hears of the coming accusation.
  • Tyson Bowman — Jaffrey’s bagman; reports that a job will be ready in a couple of days, on payment.
  • Karim Jaffrey — Jaffrey’s younger brother, remembered from earlier visits to the café.
  • Dennis Gimball — MP due to accuse Jaffrey of terrorist connections in a speech in Slough.
  • Dodie Gimball — Columnist whose follow-up piece will carry photographs.
  • Kim Park — Ho’s girlfriend; wakes in alarm, packs to run and is caught at her door by a gunman.
  • Emma Flyte — Head Dog; supervises the lockdown at Slough House.
  • River Cartwright — Slow horse; watches the lockdown from his own office.
  • JK Coe — Slow horse; listens to his iPod until Flyte confiscates it, then warns of a problem.
  • Catherine Standish — Explains Coe’s panic attacks to Flyte and asks what will happen to Ho.
  • Louisa Guy — Slow horse; takes part in the lockdown and the brainstorm.
  • Shirley Dander — Slow horse; ducks out of the lockdown and returns with wine and Haribo.
  • Claude Whelan — First Desk; discussed by Lamb and Flyte, and the reason Taverner’s authority runs.

Places

  • Slough House — On Aldersgate Street; entered by Taverner through the back door and put in lockdown.
  • Regent’s Park — The Park, where Ho is taken for debriefing.
  • Abbotsfield — Site of the killings whose weapon matches the bullets at Ho’s house.

Lines worth keeping

“I’m wet,” — Diana Taverner, Her opening line after shaking the rain off her coat in Lamb’s room.

“I couldn’t be arsed.” — Jackson Lamb, His explanation for not reporting the hit on Ho.

“The weapon they came from’s a match for one used at Abbotsfield.” — Diana Taverner, The forensic result on the bullets found at Ho’s house.

“It’s a gift to the Dodie Gimballs of this world.” — Ed Timms, Warning Jaffrey against wearing a bomber jacket.

“Whatever you want, boss. You know that.” — Tyson Bowman, His answer when Jaffrey asks whether something needs fixing.

“I think we’ve got a problem.” — J.K. Coe, His first words after pulling out his earbuds at the end of the brainstorm.

Threads

  • Plants: Bullets from Ho’s house match a weapon used at Abbotsfield.; Kim keeps an emergency kit and knows a back way out of her house.; The lockdown forbids phones, internet and anyone leaving.; Taverner raises the question of who shot Catherine Standish’s old boss; Lamb does not answer.; Jaffrey tells Tyson Bowman that one or two things may need fixing.; Coe’s warning that they have a problem closes the chapter.
  • Payoffs: The shooting at Ho’s door is tied to Abbotsfield by the bullet match.; Kim’s telephone call about Ho the previous night is paid off when men come for her.; Lamb’s presence at Ho’s house is challenged by Taverner and half-explained.
  • Continuity: Ho’s injury is a cut on his ear, from poor housekeeping rather than a bullet.; The Met found a burnt-out car two miles from the scene with no body in it.; The mayoral election is three weeks away.; Jaffrey is just under forty.; Shirley returns with two bottles of red wine and a family bag of Haribo.; Lamb claims to keep a register of staff only to annoy them.

Characters

Places