The Cop Killer (26 page)

It was all of thirty minutes later when Anne arrived and said, “You will never guess what?”

“I never would my love”, he replied.

“Craig has asked us to Daram.  Seems there is a wedding and we will be able to attend. What do you think of that Jack?”

A wedding in a Palace and with a Sultan”.

“I see, well the problem is I am in the middle of this job but I tell you what, I will take you over there, stay a day or two, then come back finish this enquiry I am doing and then return for a few days and bring you back”.

“Well Jack I don’t know, how will you manage?”

“I will manage” he replied, “never fear”.

The telephone rang again, Jack said, “it is probably Inspector Scott-Ling I will take it in the study”.

He picked up the handset and carried it as he spoke, “Jack Richards here”

“Hello Mr Richards I got the leave”

“Great”, he replied, “there have been developments here I have managed to get Craig to invite us to Daram, I will take Anne, stay a day or two then return, finish our enquiry and then continue the holiday”.

“Great, it will be better she is not around after the axe business. This Sid sounds a real cop hater and Looney”.

“Right” said Jack “I will ring the airport and arrange a flight”

“Ah now” said Doris, “I may be able to help here”.

“You help?” Said Jack.

“Yes, Mr Richards, get your bags packed tonight. I will arrange the flight and give you a lift.  I have often wished to visit Daram so if you do not mind, I have good contacts for cheap air flights.

“Well that is very kind of you but the hotel?”

“Don’t worry about me; I will book one from here. I suppose you will stay with your son?”

“Yes I suppose we will. This is very quick and unusual but yes, thanks I will then settle up for the cost of the flights.

Doris laughed and said, “Yes of course, get packing and be ready for a breakfast time call from me”. She was gone

Anne arrived in the room and Jack updated her, he assumed she would object but far from it, she turned and went upstairs and in moments, he could hear her moving about

He went upstairs and his assumptions were correct. Cases on the beds, clothes everywhere including the regulation shorts and short sleeve shirts.

“Passport Jack, passports, find the passport”

He could see she was very excited far from what she would have been had she had known about Wrexham Sid and the axe.

PART TEN

JACK GETS THE AXE

The following morning, Anne and Jack were up early, all was packed and ready for the off.

“Are you certain this Inspector Scott-Ling will have been able to arrange a flight for us in such a short space of time?” Asked Anne, she had overcome her initial excitement.

Before Jack could offer a word of consolation that Doris always seemed efficient in spite of what her police colleagues appeared to think and said about her he hesitated. Still, he thought although he hadn’t said anything he had laid in bed wondering if he had done the correct thing permitting the organisation of the event to be taken from him and resting with Doris.

He was about to speak further when there was a knock on the door,

“Who heavens might that be at this hour” said Anne, wishing she herself had made the arrangements. “Will you please answer the door Jack?” She called.

Jack could see she was agitated so made post haste to answer the door. On opening it, he saw Doris, the first time he recalled seeing her out of uniform.

“Are you ready? The flight is booked. Your car awaits you sir”, she said with a laugh.

Jack looked up, his mouth gaped open, he hesitated then replied, “Yes, Yes of course Inspector”.

“Doris please". We are off duty after all”.

“Of course I am sorry” he replied.

At that instant Anne arrived, “Who is it?” She enquired.

“It’s Doris with our car”.

Anne looked outside, her mouth opened as wide as his had done. At the front of the house was a maroon Rolls Royce, the driver of which was dressed in a grey suit and cap. He was standing with doors and boot open awaiting the arrival of his passengers.

He walked to the house, the passenger’s suit cases picked up and all were now arriving at the car. The Chauffer said.

“Good morning madam and sir, my name is Carl; I am your driver for today”.

They climbed into the rear of the vehicle, the seats of which were more plush than they had ever seen.

Once the luggage was loaded Doris sat by Carl in the front of the vehicle. She was impressed with the very nice summer dress Anne was wearing and smiled to see Jack was wearing his work raincoat and trilby hat but said nothing, but thought a lot. Such as for instance when they arrived at Manchester airport and later at Daram dressed like that he would be rather a spectacle.

The vehicle was soon moving, Jack was impressed with the silence, no engine noise at all, the silence was interrupted when Carl announced on an internal speaker.

“Madam, Sir, On behalf of British China Aero Industries I welcome you and I hope you have a very pleasant journey to Manchester airport.

Doris smiled, turned and said, “I had a word with father in view of the short notice. He agreed to let us use one of his drivers and cars.  I have arranged the flight so nothing for you to do just sit back and think of the very warm weather in Daram”.

Having done so well so far, Jack and Anne now had no fears that Doris had in fact arranged the flight at short notice and they hoped, at reduced cost as she had initially indicated.

As they drove through the village Jack nudged Anne as they passed Mrs Delwright’s meetinghouse, it had a sign closed for refurbishment and renaming, as Delwright’s Pantry”.

She nodded and smiled, “Pantry, yes why not we are in Cheshire after all what better than having a pantry.

They arrived at the airport; the car stopped outside the main entrance but there was a delay whilst Carl left the car to walk inside presumable to make some enquiry.  He arrived back after ten minutes with two porters and trolleys. He then supervised the removal of the luggage from the car for onward transmission into the airport building

As Anne, Doris and Jack, still wearing his Trilby hat entered the building there were the usual long queues at the check in desks.

“Heavens”, said Anne spontaneously. “Look we will be here for hours, oh no it is Mrs Delwright and several of her cronies from the coffee shop and look, the Golf President and his wife whatever their names are”.

“They must be going away whilst the alterations are being done. Let us hope they are not on the same flight as we are,” replied Jack, also noting he had seen Miss Sun Flower Pym amongst the group of Cheshire common travellers.

“They won’t be, don’t worry” replied Doris “just follow me”.

As they arrived at the rear of the seemingly never ending queue, the Delwright brigade looked and there was a jeer expression on their faces that they should be travelling with the common folk.

Mrs Delwright if one could lip read, and Jack could, was saying, “Those common people, look the old policeman and his wife”.

With that, Doris led her party along the queue and then veered to the right eventually stopping at the door marked VIP lounge and Carl showing their passes they, all save him were soon inside. Jack just could not resist a turn of the head in the direction of the long regular queue and on seeing all the Cheshire faces, he removed his hat in a gesture of either a well mannered good-bye or in more common circles an unfriendly “up you”.

It was all new to both Anne and Jack, sitting in a VIP lounge with its lush and luxury fittings.  The other passengers were all wearing designer summer wear or business clothes and carrying brief cases

“Jack please take off that damn trilby and rain coat, there isn’t a hope of rain today and certainly not here” whispered Anne.

“What, what, oh yes very well” mumbled Jack who clearly had not noticed the difference in the standard of attire between himself and his fellow travellers. Well that or he was not bothered.

 Doris had momentarily left them but soon arrived back accompanied by a waiter seeking to know if they wished any complimentary drinks and or something to eat.

It was not long before a voice on the loudspeaker announced,”Attention, will passengers travelling to Daram on the private flight of British China Aero Industries please report to gate B”.

“Come on” called Doris who was already in full flow heading for the gate.

“Well I never” said Anne “a private flight, good gracious”

Jack said nothing but thought, “This girl has some pull, why the hell does she want to be a cop and worse, put up with Striker and Co?”

Once on the plane they were greeted by a very handsome man, thought Anne, not to mention what Jack was thinking as he saw the glint in Anne’s` eye when she gazed at the very handsome flight attendant. It reminded him of Mrs Delwright and good old Rojaa.

The seats were spacious and very comfortable, nothing in the same world as their last flight when they had travelled tourist class and squeezed into the seat then unable to move a limb for over three hours.

They were soon seated and safety belts fastened when a very handsome blonde lady stood and went through the usual flight safety drill. Anne looked to see if Jack was ghouling but it was no surprise that he was not; he just sat looking either at or through the handsome speaker towards the pilot’s cabin door, no doubt wondering if he should ask if the pilot did actually know the way to Daram.

The plane taxied off and it being smaller than the large commercial jets Anne could feel the speed and steep rise of the plane as it took off.

Jack meanwhile was sitting back eyes closed pondering that if anyone other than Doris new the real reason for their journey even possibly Wrexham Sid, they may well have taken some pride that, Jack The Hat had been given the chop or in more polite terms, the axe and he had been run out of town. He opened his eyes looked and seeing no tar and feathers had been daubed upon him consoled himself that no one did in fact know the real reason for their visit to Daram and he would soon be back.

The four-hour flight was soon over, mainly due to Jack falling asleep for most of the journey. The plane landed without a hitch.

Arriving in the airport, they could see Craig standing waiting as they approached the arrivals lounge. It seemed a formality going through immigration presumably, because it was the Sultan’s staff who were waiting with Craig.

Once outside it was once again in a limousine only this time it was flying a royal flag, and it was away, soon leaving the airport behind and into semi desert country.

They arrived at the Palace and the car veered to the right and stopped outside some very nice looking apartments.

“Here we are folks”, said Craig.

Once inside the building they were amazed to see how large was Craig’s apartment.  Two bedrooms, a well-designed and fitted kitchen is what took the eye of mother Anne; it would, thought Jack as he saw her smile. There were two large bedrooms and large lounge, a swimming pool outside and a very spacious bathroom including shower.

The evening passed by everyone getting up to date mostly from Anne, Jack as usual appeared distant. He was in fact awaiting a reply to his text to Doris in the hope of ascertaining where she had been billeted. He was not too concerned for in view of the fact, her father and seemingly her benefactor had a fleet of chauffeur driven cars and at least one private jet, a first class hotel was bound to be her destination and he would be proved to be correct.

 A text eventually arrived stating Doris had a suite at the aptly named, Daram Palace hotel and Spa, located as Jack would learn, just across the road and only five minutes walk from the Sultan’s place and Craig’s apartment in its grounds.

Morning soon arrived in the guise of 6am, Jack was up and on looking through the bedroom window saw the blue sky and bright sunshine.  There were several workers tending the gardens outside and others watering plants and washing off the paths.

At 8am it was breakfast at which Craig announced that he had spoken with the Sultan and permission had been given for Mum, Dad and Doris to attend the wedding later that day. Craig explained it was a niece of the Sultan Sulliman and that before they left for home the Sultan would be pleased to meet with them.

The function soon arrived. Anne was amazed at the ceremony and the seemingly hundreds who were attending both the wedding ceremony and the banquet afterwards, held in the palace grounds open air of course, in those weather conditions.

Craig was showing mother around whilst Jack, who was still sporting his trilby but had now finally agreed to dispose of the weather beaten Macintosh.

 For the time being had also agreed to wear his new trilby being summer wear and an attractive two colour material in black and white, attractive that is for those who like trilby hats now in the minority back home and over here so rare as to suggest he was wearing the only one.

Jack met Doris, who stated how much she had enjoyed the events of the day when a voice called,

 “Superintendent Richards, well I never, now who would have thought I would meet you here”.

Jack stopped looked at Doris as if it had been she who had spoken his name; he then turned and saw a very old and long-standing adversary, Al,

”Well hello, Al, I seem to recall” said Jack.

Al Justice was a man just as quiet as Jack, he was a dark character, looked a nothing and a no one. He was far from that by any stretch of the imagination. He was accompanied by a very attractive blonde girl who Jack immediately recognised at his daughter Grace and another lady.

Jack recalled this lady like Al appeared not to know who they were for they often had name changes.

“Who are we now then Mr Al?” asked Jack.

“I am Al Justice, this is my housekeeper and assistant Mia and of course you remember my daughter Grace”