The Cop Killer (14 page)

PART SEVEN

ONCE A COPPER ALWAYS A COPPER

 Having parked his car and about to enter the building signed for all to see “Police Station”, he recalled how he had made this journey through a police station front door on more occasions in the last forty years than he would care to recall. 

On this occasion, it was different, much different, he was the new boy on the block, not only to the area but also to the Cheshire Police and most importantly he was no longer a Superintendent, worse, he now carried the title civilian.

Having entered the front door the site was a familiar one.  Notices upon the walls referring to all manner of police and public items, waiting members of the public, the answering of telephones and radios, dirty cups here and there but there was no signs or smells of smoking no bellowing clouds of blue haze nor soiled ash trays as there would have been years ago.

He noted of all the notices displayed there was another difference, none inviting recruits to the police not even the voluntary special constabulary.

From reports in the media there was now no such thing, cuts yes, recruiting no. When he had joined the police some forty years ago, all forces were massively under strength.  Providing one was of good character, and could read and write to basic standards you were in, to quote a phrase.

He was startled when a voice asked, “Good morning sir, can I help you?”

The sudden voice made realise him he must have been day dreaming.

“Ah yes, I am expected, Jack Richards is my name”.

The lady displaying a badge signed, Ethel, Counter Clerk, she wrote down his name in the register on the enquiry counter headed, visitors, then looked up and asked.

“With whom do you have an appointment Sir?” Was her next question.

“With Chief Superintendent Craig Denton-Smyth” he replied.

“Can I be of help sir?” came a loud raucous voice.

This caused Jack to look up, seeing a tall slim man wearing the uniform and stripes of a sergeant, now leaning over Ethel and checking what she had written. 

He added, “The Chief Super is a busy man, what is the nature of your business Sir?”

“I am Sergeant Tom Striker, the station and custody sergeant, I deal with most things”.

“He is the watch commander like in the Hollywood Yankee film” interrupted Ethel

“Quiet Ethel, I am speaking” was the instant rhetorical from Striker.

“That is very helpful of you Sergeant but my appointment is directly with the Chief Super”.

This caused Striker to think, the phrase Chief Super, was police slang, this guy was too old to be a serving officer, also had a southern twang when he spoke.

Jack knew what was going through Striker’s mind; he wanted to quote the phrase to know the ins and outs of Meg’s ass and so thought he would toss a high ball into the conversation.

 “The appointment was made for me by the Chief-Constable and the HMI”.

Striker then instantly looked up and thought, this was in fact a case when discretion might be the better part of valour.

“I will enquire if the boss will see you; you might as well take a seat it will take a while”.

“Thank you sergeant that is very generous of you”, replied Jack taking a seat.

Jack viewed his reactions, this sergeant certainly thought he was on safe ground, was obviously used to taking on more responsibility and authority that his rank entitled him to, to quote a phrase he appeared to call all the shots.

The sergeant didn’t appear to rush to do anything or pick up a telephone, rather his attention was drawn to what Jack thought was his immediate senior officer, an Inspector, a youngish girl thought Jack, they certainly promote them young these days.

With that he was taken aback when Sergeant Striker, spoke to her, “Hey Ling, did you make that bloody tea yet I am famished, better get it done and then if you are not busy you can clean the car”.

She replied, “Yes sergeant” and disappeared, as she did so she picked up the mug Ethel had been drinking out of and took it with her.

Jack stood up and walked to the front door, in all his forty years or thereabouts he had never heard a sergeant address an Inspector or any other senior officer in such a tone.

In fact, he recalled if a sergeant had spoken to a fellow sergeant in such a tone, it would have brought an instant response and an unfriendly one at that, and that was putting it mildly.

He stood by the door taking in the fresh air and thought, “my have things come to, in my time had this Striker spoken to me in that tone he wouldn’t have been a sergeant by the end of the day”.

Still he thought, “Perhaps I have missed something”.

He returned to his seat, looked at his watch, noted that ten minutes had passed.

Meanwhile on the first floor Sergeant Striker was knocking on the door signed Chief Superintendent, Craig Denton-Smyth.

“Come in”

Striker opened the door and entered, his boss was seated polishing his shoes, he looked up and said “Striker, what is it?”

“I am a little tied up getting my stuff ready for you know what”.

“I appreciate that Sir,” said Striker “but there is something I am forced to bring to your attention”.

“That is?” Replied Denton-Smyth

“An old guy at the counter insists he has an appointment with you, he refused to give any details”.

“An appointment, I don’t think so, where is my diary?”

He looked around the desk, and then in two drawers, the diary was nowhere to be found.

“Ah, excuse me Chief”.

“Yes Striker”

“Ah, it’s your diary, its over there Sir, your shoe polish and soft cloths are on it.”

“Ah”, yes of course. Yes, get it Striker; see if there is anything in it about this fellow”.

Striker went over, carefully removed the shoes thinking, “He is lucky he has loads of bloody shoes all hand made and highly polished”.

He opened the diary and found today’s date then said “Ah yes Sir, it says, “Chief-Constable, Woodcock, HMI, Richards, dead cops”.

“Oh yes now I recall, just sit down Striker and hear this bullshit”.

Striker was seated and waited patiently, whilst the last shoe was finally finished and replaced with the others behind the desk of the ultra clean and tidy boss.

“Those two traffic officers, Striker, you recall who died some weeks ago, from natural causes well it seems there have been several others, all natural, nothing suspicious in any of them. That pratt Woodcock I used to work for when I came from Bramshill learned of the deaths and has mentioned it on high.”

“Mentioned it,” said Striker, “I thought there was nothing in it at least in our case”.

“Exactly Striker nothing in it according to our Chief, there is nothing in the others either.” 

“It seems that at the last meeting of the HMI’s, Woodcock stated that they were natural but suggested they were unusual”.

“It would be pleasing entertainment at the annual conference of the HMI’s and Chiefs to have this Richards fellow give what amounts to an after dinner speech on the deaths, purely entertainment.” 

“To make the thing seem real I have been instructed mind you, instructed to cooperate with Richards, give him an office and a senior detective to bag carry for him.”

“Well sir”, replied striker, “we are pushed here we have that rape case still going on, the detectives are all tied up on that. Same goes for office space with the rape oh and the armed robbery and the extra officers coming and going I can’t see we have such a room”.

“Exactly Striker, exactly, this bloody fool, Woodcock”

“I didn’t realise you thought so little of him sir, I thought you having worked for him and he getting you this job you would have been up his arse, so to speak, I mean”.

“Not so Striker. One has to play the field, run with the fox and hounds you see, to get promotion, I simply tolerated him”.

“I will be bloody glad when he retires; our Chief is too bloody weak to have told him and Richards to piss off.”

“What will you do sir?” asked Striker.

“I will give you a lesson in diplomacy Striker, sit and learn.

“Hello Ling, Chief Super here, leave what you are doing get the Richards fellow up to my office forthwith”

“There Striker, he will be here shortly just watch the stick and carrot working”.

Inspector Scott-Ling put down the phone and went immediately to the visitor.

“Mr Richards?”

This caused him to turn and he saw the very lady Inspector who had just been verbally abused by Striker.

“Yes” he said, “that is I”

“If you would care to follow me, I will take you to the Chief Superintendent”.

He looked at his watch he had been waiting nearly twenty minutes, it seemed Striker was correct in his assumption the wait would be some time.

“Thank you Inspector” he replied and followed her through the corridors and upstairs.

“Yes, come in” was the instant reply to her knocking on the door of Denton-Smyth.

She entered, Richards behind her, “this is Mr Jack Richards sir, you are expecting him?”

“Ah yes Mr Richards how pleasing it is to meet you, please be seated. “ Striker stood up giving his seat to Richards.

“Now Mr Richards I have been briefed by the Chief-Constable on your mission to look into these perfectly natural deaths as a sort of entertainment for the next conference and after dinner thing a me jig, for the Chiefs”.

“I regret to say that due to operational requirements we do not have a spare office here from which you can operate, neither do I have a detective of any rank let alone a senior and experienced officer available to assist you, again, due to operational circumstances.”

“I am however very keen to assist you, I have therefore decided to allocate Ling here to assist you between her normal duties here in Chester.” 

“As regards an office, this will be arranged, Sergeant Striker will arrange for you to have an office next door in the police museum”.

Jack made no comment; his forty years of experience told him, that this was a case of keeping ones mouth shut until at least the lay of the land was clearer.

“Well now” continued Denton-Smyth “I am rather busy, if you would take Mr Richards to the museum Ling, show him around”.

“Striker you will telephone them and ensure the staff there are fully aware and I mean fully”, he winked as he spoke.

“Oh by the way Mr Richards, please keep me updated as to any developments, I await the result with interest,” which caused him to laugh and Striker with him.

Richards looked and replied, “You can be assured sir; I will keep you fully aware of all you need to know”.

“That’s it Richards, good man, do your best on a losing wicket eh, good show”.

With that, he looked down; the interview clearly was finished as far as he was concerned.