The Cop Killer (30 page)

“When you are sloppy yourself you get sloppy in your work”.

“The security rule of the helmets removal but not other religious symbols is useless of course but one has to sympathize”.

“We could discuss it forever and only get into trouble for our efforts, it all boils down to pacification,” he added.

“May I ask you another question?” Asked Doris.

“By all means” replied Jack.

“Well” she asked, “How is it as a retired Superintendent you noticed, the height of the man, the long strides and large feet. I recall when visited Wrexham some time ago you noticed the smudged lipstick, the photograph and the still burning cigarette?”

He smiled and said, “As a young serving Police Inspector in this modern policing system, how is it you did not?”

She took the point and promised herself she would once again learn from his experience and his tenacity, even his Lordship the judge recalled it and admired him for it.

At 9am, the following day they arrived in the office and Doris set herself the top priority of arranging a good reliable team to assist the now delicate stage of the enquiry, the exhumations and second post mortems of the five deceased officers.

“Hello, Good morning Garden Rescue, can I help you?" said the female voice.

“May I please speak with old Bill or Ben the gardener; this is Inspector Scott-Ling of Chester Police”.

“Heavens don’t say we are in trouble.”

“Nothing like that” replied Doris

“I will put the boss on; he is just on his way out”

There was a pause then, “Hello, how can I help?”

“Hello, this is Inspector Scott-Ling”, she repeated, “Mr Richards, I believe he is a client of yours”.

“Yes, that is correct, but he is not due for a visit until next week” came the reply.

“I am calling on another matter, we have a delicate enquiry, we require someone with a small digger to exhume some bodies”

“Oh I see, well, we don’t have a small digger but we can hire one. Yes, if it’s for Mr Richards certainly, we will do the job”.

“Thank you” replied Doris, “unfortunately the job will be have to be done at night and under a tent”.

“Yes, I am aware of that, we have done one some years ago, when someone was placed in the wrong grave, but the procedure will be the same”.

She then said, “You will appreciate the job calls for complete confidentiality”.

“Yes of course, the last one did”.

“Thank you” said Doris “if you might arrange it, either myself or Mr Richards will come back to you with all the details”.

“Thank you,” he said and the call ended.

“Hello, Professor Webster, Jack Richards here. I thought I might just update you with some additional information, vital really, I am sending it to you by despatch courier as I speak.

“Thank you Jack, I will get onto it as soon as I receive it”. Replied Webster.

“You may well have to carry out some tests and research before you do the post mortems; it’s all in my written report”.

“Thank you Jack. You can rely on me", he replied

The call ended and just at that moment Doris arrived armed with two cups of tea freshly made by May. She added as some reassurance to him, it was not one of her brews.

“I have arranged for the ground works to be done, as you suggested by Garden Rescue”. He added.

“Right” said Jack “Another list of jobs for you.”

“Contact the Clerks in Holy Orders of each church.  Inform them of the forth coming exhumations; assure them they are done under the authority of a High Court Order and that all will be done tastefully so to speak”. He added “Oh, they are welcome to attend if they so desire, they may feel it prudent to say a few words when the bodies are reburied.”

“Finally, I am sorry to go on but please tell them all must be in confidence we don’t want the media there and of course no relatives or suspects, if you get my meaning”.

“I will arrange it all” she said and went to the computer; he saw her looking up 192 to obtain the relevant numbers.

The following Monday night at 11pm, the burial ground at Wrexham cemetery was a hive of activity. The contractors had already erected the large tent.  The sound of the diesel portable engine to power the lights could be clearly heard. 

All those present were attired in green overalls, gloves and facemasks.

The team excavating the grave took thirty minutes to bring the coffin of Ifor Evans to the surface.

Once removal was completed, Webster set to work his examination was even shorter when he called

“Gentlemen my examination is completed”. He left the tent armed with a sample bottle and his camera.  He went to one side and dictated his findings in preparation for his report.

It was 1am when the area returned to complete silence and tranquillity once again

The next evening the team arrived in Manchester, the procedure was the same but the area was near a busy street. “Strange” thought Jack “not one of those going to and fro bothered to enquire or appeared to even notice the proceedings”.

Webster entered the tent as the coffin lid was opened revealing the last remains of Rick Masterton. Though he had been dead some weeks, decomposition was not very far advanced.

 Doris looked on with eager interest as Webster cut away the shroud and closely examined the corpse from head to foot then directed the workmen to turn over the body he continued to closely scrutinise the other side and suddenly he spoke, “I have it, yes, yes”. He leaned over, took a sample and a photograph then stood.

“Thank you gentlemen, my investigation is complete. Please return the body of the deceased to its resting place”. He added, “Amen”.

On the Wednesday night, the team were set for a longer session there now being two bodies to examine here in Chester.

Jack was amazed as to the efficiency of his team of contractors.

The retrieval of the bodies for examination and after Webster had made his examinations again, seemingly finding what he was looking for on each occasion as in the previous ones he soon found what he was looking for and yet again it was the rear of the body in the area of the neck that appeared to interest the medical examiner.

It was just 5am when the examinations and clearing up was completed.

On the Thursday night, it was a terrible weather, blinding rain and high winds so the investigations were called off.

The Friday was much better weather wise though the task in hand was just as bleak and dower thought Jack. How over the years, he had always hated this aspect of his career as a detective but it had to be done.

When they arrived at the church in Shrewsbury where the remains of Gerald Cheshire were lying, they were met by the Reverend Peterson, the only clerk to have attended.

“I say you fellows who is in charge here?” He asked

“That would be me”, replied Doris, Inspector Doris Scott-Ling, Sir.”

The Reverend then said,

“I demand to see your authority for this disgusting conduct”.

Jack stepped forward and said, “Sir, we act under the authority of a warrant of the High Court of Justice, signed by his Lordship Justice Royston Stevens”

He produced the warrant and the vicar came forward and read the same.

“I demand to remain present,” said the vicar.

“You have no requirement to demand,” said Professor Webster “you are welcome to stay as an observer”.

“I must advise you that all proceedings are the subject of the official secrets acts.”

“In addition as, the results of tonight’s proceedings are under the authority of the court all results will be submitted to the authorities and therefore you must realise that you must not reveal what you see or hear to anyone without permission of the court. I now suggest Sir that you place on this protective clothing".

The vicar turned and walked away, no more was heard of him.

The examination continued no different from the rest and by 4 am, all was completed.

Jack shook hands with the professor and they parted, the last words being from Webster

“Richards, I will send you my report in a few days by courier”

“Thank you” called Jack as he entered Doris’s car and sat awaiting her arrival.

Doris
meanwhile spoke with the contractors advising them to prepare their account for work done and she would collect the same. She added that payment would be made directly from London and may take some time.

The contractor smiled and replied, “Anything to do with the Government or the Council takes a long time and normally with a lot of fuss and bother”.

“Well Mr Richards” she said as they drove off, “All seems to have gone off smoothly save for the arrival of the vicar tonight, I thought he would be an even more pain than he was”.

“Yes, so did I. Still it takes all sorts to make a world and believe me in over forty years I think I have more of less met them all. A question I invariably ask people of religion, “Why is it they all want to go to heaven but none of them want to die?”

It was 8am when they arrived back home in Tarporley. It had been a strange week for Doris working at night and in such circumstances. She would be pleased to get back to normal.

 As for Jack, the affair had brought back many memories. In his early police days, he often spent 18-hour sessions on duty, being called out, at all hours of the night, but he had been young then, now such hours were telling on him.

They took the weekend off arriving back in their office at 9am the following Monday morning.

Jack had been seated only moments when the telephone rang; he answered having an idea who might well be calling.

“Hello, Jack Richards”

“Ah yes thank you. I will be right over”, he concluded the call and replaced the handset and said,

 “Inspector, I have to visit the police station next door to meet someone, would it be possible for you to see if we might just borrow an unmarked police car for a few days, if not hire one on expenses?”

He did not enlarge, Doris realised the secrecy when she looked up seeing “Dog Breath Jones” one of the museum officers loitering outside the door, all ears.

Arriving at the police station it was Ethel the counter clerk who said

“This man is here to see you Mr Richards”.

“Ah, thank you Ethel”.

He turned it was Professor Simon Bolister from the Forensic Science Laboratory at Gooch Street in Birmingham.

Jack went over and shook his hand then Doris arrived asking to speak with acting Inspector Striker.

“They are all out,” replied Ethel “there is a big protest on today, no one here but me”. She added.

“Any cars spare?” enquired Doris.

“You must be joking even Striker is using his own car”.

“I see,” replied Doris she looked at Richards then went inside the office to use the telephone.

Jack looked as non other than May the cleaner arrived. He had been grateful for her additional hours of cleaning at home.