for the recorder.”
“Where do you want me to start?”
“If you could begin with the events of your evening.”
Dennis reached for his coffee and took a swig, then putting the mug back, he began. He told them about arriving in the Limo with Natalie, briefly mentioned the conversation with the actor he offended and the phone call about Gaddafi with Tom.
“I was watching the news clip when I heard gunfire from the exhibit. I opened the door slightly and saw men dressed as Roman legionaries with machine guns, similar or identical to the one on the table.”
“That will be the Heckler and Koch MP5 currently exhibit ’A’,” Jones said for the benefit of the tape recording.
“Yes.”
“What did you do next Mr Dennis?”
“Well as I said I was with my partner Natalie and I saw her across the room, she saw me, but one of the gunmen came towards the toilets, I think he noticed her looking, and I hid in one of the cubicles. I could hear him opening all of the doors one by one and when he opened the one I was in I sprang at him. I knew I had one chance and surprise was essential. We fought, but thankfully I was able to overpower him. I’m just glad he was wearing that heavy Roman toga which hindered him. I managed to get his gun, the one you’ve presented to me in that plastic bag, and I ran outside with it as they escaped.”
“And what did you intend to do with the gun?”
Dennis shrugged.
“I have no idea.”
“Did you intend to use it, to hurt any of them, to kill any of them.”
“No I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so.”
“No.”
“But they’d threatened you, threatened your girlfriend,” Jones looked down at his paperwork searching for the name, “Natalie. That must have made you angry.”
“Angry?”
“Yes. I mean, “Jones continued, “You must have wanted revenge on them. They’d already killed a museum security guard and then came after you after having threatened your partner. You must have been a little angry. I mean who wouldn’t.”
“Well I wasn’t. I don’t know what I intended to do. I wasn’t thinking straight. But revenge wasn’t part of it.”
Jones stared at Dennis for several moments.
“Very well. And you’re unable to give us any clues about the vehicles they used. Three black Range Rovers without number plates.”
“No. I’ve already told you there was nothing unusual about them.”
“Is there anything else you can think of that may help us in our enquiries?”
Dennis was tempted to mention Nguyen and her cameraman just so the police would bring them in for questioning. He found himself smiling at the thought. She wouldn’t thank him for it. He liked Kim and decided against it. The police no doubt took names of everyone and knowing Nguyen she would probably come forward anyway.
Jones and Harding cross questioned him for a further hour when the detective inspector thanked him and formally ended the interview.
“Am I being charged?” dennis asked.
Jones shuffled his papers into a neat pile.
“No Mr Dennis. You are free to go. DS harding will take you to the duty sergeant where you can collect your personal items. Thank you for your help. We may need to question you further so please stay in the local area.”
“I know. I know. Don’t leave the country right,” Dennis said, extending his forefinger as if it was an imaginary gun.
“Goodbye for now Mr Dennis.”
Harding opened the door for him and he waited for her to accompany him. At the duty sergeant’s desk he signed some forms and collected his personal effects, phone, keys and watch which he put on his wrist, thanked the sergeant and followed Harding to the door with iron bars and waited while the officer with the keys opened it. Dennis walked through the door and turned.
“Cheers Darling,” he said to Harding as the door was slammed and locked, then whistling down the corridor he was let out of the police station by another officer and stepped out into the cold night air. Natalie was waiting at the top of the steps for him. A taxi waiting below. He smiled and went straight to her. She threw her arms around him and kissed him hard on the lips and then pulled away. He was about to say “Wow! Did you miss me?” when she slapped him hard across the cheek.
“What was that for?”
“Don’t you ever play the hero again!” she replied before turning and heading down the steps towards a grinning taxi driver. Dennis