The Cop Killer (27 page)

“I remember,” replied Jack, “it appears Grace has now recovered from her trauma, are you well Grace”?

Grace replied, “I am feeling well, I can now walk, just need a little training to get up to speed”.

“I see,” replied Jack, “that is good news”.

Al smiled and asked, “I believe you are retired Jack?”

“Yes”-replied Jack.

A voice chimed in, it was Anne, “He supposed to be retired but has currently been called back to investigate some very unusual cases, haven’t you introduced Inspector Scott-Ling, Jack”.

Jack was annoyed at her intrusion but said nothing of his distaste for her comment but said, “Please meet Inspector Doris Scott-Ling, my assistant”.

“Pleased to meet you” replied Al. “I have no doubt Mr Richards here will update you later as to who I am, save to say old Jack was once there but missed me, come Jack let the girls get to know each other. Let us catch up”.

Jack had no alternative so left Grace to get acquainted with Doris, Anne meanwhile having done the damage saw Craig and so went after him post haste.

“Well now Grace have you been ill?” asked Doris.

Grace hesitated, and then replied, “As you are in the police I can trust you”.

“Why of course Grace. Not a word of what you tell me in confidence will ever be repeated by me.”

The two sat down as they did so Grace saw the large tattoos on the inside of Doris arms and had an idea as to the relevance of them.

Grace hesitated once again then said, “I was gang raped back in England. The incident left me ill, I can’t bear children, and I was bed bound then wheel chair bound for months.”

“I gradually recovered after various courses of treatment so I can now walk and even jog.”

“I normally stay around the house and our teashop on our island, I am afraid with the tourists that I may once again been attacked and that would be the end of me”.

“I see, very understandable,” replied Doris.

“I myself as you can see, am only small and being mixed race I have much abuse from the opposite sex but I have been fortunate enough to gain special skills”.

“Special skills?” replied Grace

“Yes, my brother is a Shaolin Priest.”

“My father is a wealthy businessman so sponsors the temple”.

“Special permission was given for me to attend, as it is normally an order only for men.”

“My brother is a master of self-defence and so I attended there and learned how to take care of myself.”

“You may have seen the marks on my arms that were given to me when I myself became a master.”

“I could if you wish have a word with my father and brother, Kato with a view to you attending, that is if your father Al, agrees?"

“My father?”, said Grace “he has a long military history. He is a VC and holds the American Congressional medal of honour plus many other awards”.

“He has a long history in the Special Forces in the UK and the States.”

“He is highly trained and goes on secret government missions but he feels he is unable to put me through such rigors of self-defence training as he has endured.”

“ I think he was once sought by Mr Richards when he was a policemen, it seems Mr Richards thought my father was a vigilante but things came to an end when there a major mission involving the son of the Sultan and Craig Richards. It is top secret so I don’t know the details”.

“I see”, replied Doris, “if you are interested in my offer speak with Al, your father and let me know. I will see if I can arrange the training for you but a word of warning it is vigorous, you will have to devote yourself to it”.

Grace smiled and Anne was waving, in company with Mia, it was obviously time for the ladies to have another get together.

Al and Jack meanwhile were walking in the garden when Al asked

“Well Mr Richards I heard you had retired I am surprised to hear you are back on duty?”

“Well” replied Jack “it’s not actually back on duty I am still retired and a civilian but I am involved in a little enquiry, Doris was given to me as an assistant, being a serving officer she has the necessary police powers”.

“Is it top secret”, asked Al.

“Well” answered Jack “it’s not top secret, it is a strange affair”

With that Jack now did something he had never done he discussed the circumstances of the cases of the dead police officers including their deaths being apparently from natural causes

Once he had finished there was a call from Anne, they looked and saw the ladies in a group indicating their appearance was required.

“Well” said Al, “the ladies certainly seem to be getting on well together”.

The following day Jack was taking a stroll at mid morning when he saw his old adversary Al once again but on this occasion, he was in company with another man.

“Good morning Mr Richards” said Al. “May I please introduce you to my boss, so to speak, General Western, head of British Special Forces, currently based at the War Office in London, he is here with his wife to attend the wedding just as we are”.

“Pleased to meet you I am sure,” replied Jack a little irritable at having his stroll and contemplating time disturbed.

He would soon have to return to the UK to continue his enquiry; the time of the annual conference was fast approaching.

“I was just telling the General”, said Al, “of your strange enquiry of the five dead cops, all young fit men who it seems have died from natural causes.”

“I am not wishing to interfere; for I know some of you detectives are not very good conversers and decline any offers of help let alone ever smile or crack a joke”

“However I really do think it may be worth your while taking a few minutes to hear a suggestion or two.”

Jack stopped and thought, he did realise he was known as a bit of misery, he couldn’t actually recall the last time if ever he had made a joke or worse laughed at one, he couldn’t really, for having no sense of humour nothing appeared funny, life was all a serious affair.

As he had let the cat out of the bag there now seemed no further harm could be done by, at least listening, after all he didn’t have to smile.

Anne arrived to call Jack for lunch but seeing him in close consultation with the two men she realised if he had taken time to stop and converse there was a good reason and so turned and left without calling him.

After about a quarter of an hour the three men parted shaking hands, Jack was in even more in a thinking cap mood digesting what he had been told, stranger than fiction he thought but worth looking into, after all he had nothing else.

Later that day Doris met with Al who finally agreed that Grace could attend the religious retreat in the hope that Kato, Doris brother could finally bring his loving daughter back to full physical and mental health.

With the training, he himself had undertaken he knew from that time onwards she would be confident and safe to go out into the world once again.

He had dealt with her rapists who would never trouble any woman again but there were always evil men just like them.  If she were trained, to his standard and seemingly that of Doris all would be well.

The following day Jack called Doris and announced he was now ready to return to the UK.  She informed him the plane and pilot were on standby.

This arranged all he had to do was to break the news to Anne that he was returning to the UK and would return immediately after completing his enquiries. He was surprised she took the news well.

So it was that the next day Doris and Jack were flying high above the real world.

Doris said, “I met with this Al, he seems a little like you Mr Richards a quiet man, what is the history between you?”

“Well just before I retired there was a string of revenge killings, wicked men I admit, committing atrocious crimes. The courts failed to deal with them, as they should have; you know the cries of do gooders and civil rights people. Some person or persons dealt with the villains they were either murdered or disappeared.

 Some were asking if the acts done were actually crimes or justice. I suspected this Al as being the vigilante. I was building a file on him. I don’t agree with one taking the law into one’s own hands, I suspect neither do you?”

She nodded in the affirmative but not with as much zeal as he appeared to have.

“My efforts were thwarted,” he continued, “when it was revealed Al was a very special member of the Special Forces serving also in the US army, his boss was General Western.”

 “The Sultan we have just visited has a son, my son Craig being his tutor.”

“The Prince Raja I think his name is, was abducted and Craig with him.”

“This Al was called in and to cut a long story short Al and some other men saved the day, rescued the Prince, saved Craig and dealt with the political intrigue that goes with such things.”

 “The Sultan was so pleased he awarded the UK all the oil rights of his state.”

Anne and I believed all hope for Craig was gone but eventually we learned that Al had carried out extraordinary acts of heroism to save Craig and the Prince.”

“I felt compromised so it was then I retired.”

“Al has a daughter she was gang raped, the offenders were horribly killed by a vigilante, say no more, but the girl was left in a wheel chair. I see she has improved and is now walking”.

“Yes so I see,” replied Doris, making no mention of her own involvement with the girl or Al.

“You ought to write a book on the affair,” said Doris

“I am actually, called A Crime or Justice,” said Jack.

“I was diverted on these unusual death cases. I may go back to it later.”

 It was late afternoon when their plane touched down in Manchester and after the drive in the same limousine; he was back home and ready for action.

From what he had learned in Daram he felt certain he would not now in fact have egg on his face,.

 If the events finally proved the cases were all natural causes, at least he could show that all possible enquiries had been made to satisfy all concerned or interested parties that the final result was the true cause and matters could finally be put to rest.

PART ELEVEN

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

The house seemed so quiet without Anne. A check of the deep freezer and refrigerator by lonesome Jack discovered an ample supply of items from which he was certain he could prepare sufficient make shift meals for some days.

Monday 8am, the sound of a car horn and a look through the lounge window revealed a car stationary outside. It took a second look to realise it was Doris, who having stopped, tooted the horn but having received no response she had left the vehicle and was walking down the path towards the front door.

It was the make and colour of the car a pink Ferrari that had put him off recognising who was waiting; one had to take more care since the axe affair.

He opened the door, as Doris was about to knock.

“Sorry” he said, “I hadn’t realised it was you, have you changed your car?”

“Yes” she replied, “It was my birthday whilst I was away, when I arrived back home Daddy had given me this new car”. There is worse, my brother; Edward has bought me a personalised number plate”.

“Oh, I see, what is it DORI5 for Doris?” He asked.

“I am afraid not, worse, I have one brother who is a monk and another who is a monkey, wait until you see what he has done to me, the boys at the nick including Sergeant Tom Striker will have a field day with me.”

Jack pressed the burglar alarm button to set the system then secured the front door and they walked off to the car which as he drew closer he could see was definitely a sports model, Ferrari.  

“It was indeed a very nice and expensive car,” thought Jack, a ride of a lifetime he thought.

As they arrived at the vehicle, he looked and then frowned but she could see he had a sneaky smile at the index number it was PEN15 the five had been slightly altered so that the number read PENIS,

“You are correct in your assumption you will to quote a rather common phrase, get some stick”. He said.

They were seated and the car shot off, as it did so he could see the various heads turn from the Cheshire neighbours as the car drove by, worse, as they looked, it back fired with loud bangs.

 This caused them to jump out of their skins and he laughed and heaven forbid a loud breaking of wind, which nearly matched the similar noise made by the car.

“Christ" he thought, “What am I doing?”

 If Anne sees this lot my pension will be reverted to alimony payments?”

They arrived in Chester to the odd car horn blast, several thumbs up as car loads of yobs drove past, the reason being it was either because they were overtaking a Ferrari or the number plate attracted them.

Parking in the police station car park, they alighted and Jack lacking courage walked away at a brisk tempo directly into the museum, followed in close pursuit by Doris.  Several police cars were arriving, Doris realised it would not be long before the word was out.

Inside the police station Striker who was temporarily promoted to acting Inspector in the absence of the Chief Super who was now away on his Senior Command Course.

Jock Peters the Coroners officer arrived and on seeing Striker said.

“Have you seen the Ferrari in the yard and better still have you seen the number, not yours is it Acting Inspector?”

Striker looked up and replied, “Don’t come that Scotty or you will be beamed up, back to bloody Scotland where you came from”

 “It’s the idiot Ling; she was seen getting out of it”.

It didn’t take long for Striker full of jealousy to decide he would put a spanner in the works of dear Doris, what better than to botch this expensive car.

“Right lads” he said, “outside, let’s put a spanner in Ling’s wheel, get some paint ready we will give it a face lift.

Striker and two constables went outside walking near his old common Ford car. Constables Davies and Williams in hot pursuit.

They approached the Ferrari, Striker with paint and brush in hand.

Constable Williams asked, “What will you paint on it Sergeant Striker?”

He replied, “Watch it Williams, I am acting Inspector, call me sir now lad, if you know what is good for you”.

A voice coming from the direction of the car said, “What will you paint on it Sergeant Striker. Watch it Williams, I am acting Inspector, call me sir now lad if you know what is good for you?”

They stopped in amazement when a voice from the car called, “Attention, this car is a test vehicle of British China Aero industries. All images and voices of persons approaching this car are being recorded; details are stored in the company control room”.

They stopped in their tracks then turned and tip toed away as if that made any difference.

What Striker couldn’t do or get one way he would get another.

Jack was seated at his desk ready to take the next steps in the investigation. The phone rang he answered it.

“Jack Richards, can I help?”

“This is acting Inspector Striker let me speak to that bloody lunatic Ling.”

“Inspector”, called Jack, “Striker is on the line he wishes

 to speak with you”.

“I thought he wouldn’t be long”, she replied with a sigh.

“Yes sergeant, how can I help?” was her reply.

“Forget the Sergeant, Acting Inspector if you don’t mind”.

“Well, as I am a substantive Inspector, your acting rank does not hold much with me, at any rate”.

“What did you say?”

“These comments will be brought to the attention to those that matter; bare in mind whilst you are playing over there in the museum, in here is where the real police work is being done”.

“What did you want Acting Inspector Striker?" She replied to pacify him.

“That bloody car you have and in particular the number, what the hell are you playing at?”

“This is a police station, we don’t want a car with a number like that in our back yard so to speak, and of course you will not be able to use it on your enquiry, there will be hell to pay”.

He banged down the phone and Doris realised it would be only moments before Headquarters would be informed. Jack had said nothing but felt the whole thing was to be frank becoming a distraction for the task in hand.

“Ling are you there?”

It was Sergeant Reg Large the commander of the museum, she laughed to herself, “what next?”

“Yes” she called.

Get down here,” called Large, “a man giving his name as Peter alleged he is from your fathers research department at the factory he left a note for you, he said it is urgent.”

“Christ what now?” She thought.

“Better see what he wanted we have to get on with the enquiry.”

Interrupted, Jack who was now looking a little agitated.

She left the office and ran down stairs where Large was waiting envelope in hand.

She took it, turned and ran upstairs, she could see his face drop, Mr Nosey had hoped to hear of the contents, he and the others were awaiting a call from Headquarters at any moment, hopefully it would be the end of this bloody woman Inspector he thought.

Arriving inside the office, she read the note, smiled and handed it to Jack who read it and for a change, he actually gave the semblance of a smile.

The note read, “We hope you like the car and its new devices, oh the number plate it being your birthday the lads in the office made it up but things went wrong, we all forgot to tell you. We hope you didn’t get into any bother.”

“I have just visited and changed it to the one your brother had intended you to have, it is DOR15, altered a little to give the impression of DORIS.”

“The sat test voice recording equipment has also been disabled, enjoy the car, steady with the right foot or you will have the cops after you?”

 The note was signed Peter Clarke, Chief Engineer.

In a flash Doris was out of the office running downstairs and into the police station car park, Clarke had done his work the personalised number had been fitted.

“What is all this Ling?” Came the raucous voice of Tom Striker.

She looked behind her. Striker was there camera in hand, he looked saw the change of number plates and was taken aback.

  His first thought was to dash inside and call the Chief- Constables` Secretary, to get her to forget telling the Chief.

There would be a row if someone came over only to find the abusive number was gone, they may even think it had been a figment of his imagination.

She went back to the museum and on her arrival Jack was seated and obviously waiting.

“Right, Inspector, if you are ready, we will make a start?”

May arrived, brooms and brushes in hand, “I will make a drink" was her contribution to proceedings.

“Thank you May,” replied Doris.

Jack picked up the telephone and opening his briefcase took out a small book, written upon it was the word, contacts.

He dialled a number then after a few moments, he spoke.

“Hello, can I please speak with Professor Idris Webster please; yes tell him it is Jack Richards”.

There were a few moments of silence, when he continued.

“Ah Professor, yes I am officially retired but I have been called in to investigate several suspicious deaths on behalf of the Home Secretary.”

“It would be a great help if you would agree to carry out second post mortems on all five dead victims.”

“I will of course get the necessary authority; my assistant will make the arrangements.”

There was a reply and he said, “That would be great; I will send you a full report of all the circumstances and get back to you”.

He replaced the telephone handset when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in May” he called.

“How on earth did you know it was me Mr Richards?”

“I can tell your knock anywhere” he replied.

She put down the drinks and left, mumbling “Very clever man he is, he can even tell a knock”.

“”Right Inspector, I was just speaking with Professor Idris Webster from the North Wales University”.

“He is the world renowned pathologist, described as great and above all others in his field.”

“I intend to get him to carrying out post mortems on all the dead officers.”

 “May I ask you if you will go through the papers and type up a full report as to the circumstances of the cases, end the report by saying we will be attending the examinations and will give him any update at that time?”

“I will get onto that immediately” she replied, realising there was serious police work a foot, this was her chance to get involved right at the hub of a major enquiry.

“I might ask you, when done ensure the file is sent direct by secure carrier not through the post, and do four copies,” he added.

“I will,” she said.