by Andy Crowson
Chapter 28: Harvey Kelly
They hung around for about twenty minutes before the van appeared in the street. Bentworth came running out to the back garden where Josef was making a sweep of K's Garden.
"Get back over here, he's here," Bentworth said.
"Are we gonna take him in the street," Josef said.
"Soon as we can be sure he's alone and unarmed."
"I'll stay here then, we don't want him getting out the back."
"Well stay out of sight," Bentworth said and then ran back through the house. Josef knelt behind a large metal gardening shed. He didn't even dare peep around the corner. He'd already missed K once today and he was damn certain it wasn't going to happen again. He listened for the sound of the back door.
Bentworth hurried back to the front window where Whitlock was watching.
"He's just pulled up in the garage Sir. Automatic door," she said.
"Come on then," Bentworth said and lifted the handheld radio. "All units move in." Bentworth and Whitlock were in the street as the two patrol cars came tearing up, sirens blazing. Bentworth and Whitlock ran into the garage, a patrol car skidded into the drive behind them. K was getting out of the drivers side of the van. Bentworth rugby tackled him to the ground, turning him over and cuffing him. Whitlock stood over him. When K was cuffed Bentworth dragged him to his feet and slammed him into the side of the van. He was panting and shaking.
"Arrest him," he said to the uniformed officer who had been first in the garage. "And do it properly." The officer took K away into the street. Bentworth leant against the van breathing heavily and shaking. He was so pumped with adrenaline he could hardly talk. He waited a full two minutes till his breathing calmed.
"Sorry. Phew! Haven't done that in a long time. Right. Where is he?" Bentworth said.
"In the van," Whitlock said. They had pulled the police van up to the curb. One officer was stood by the back door, the others were waiting in the driveway.
"Open up," Bentworth said as he approached. The officer opened the door and Bentworth climbed in. K was inside with two PC's. Bentworth sat opposite K and Whitlock sat next to him.
"Is your name Harvey Kelly?" Bentworth asked. K said nothing.
"Are you Harvey Kelly?" he said again.
"I'm not saying anything without my solicitor. I get one call, I want to call my solicitor," K said.
"Fair enough," Bentworth said and got out. He turned and watched as Whitlock pulled her mobile phone out and fumbled with it, she held it up and took a picture of K then jumped out of the van. In the daylight she looked at the snapshot.
"Not bad, recognizable I think," she said, showing it to Bentworth. She turned and showed it to K.
"I think Frank Bilham can recognize you from this," she said. She thought a fleeting look of recognition had crossed K's face, but it was hard to tell. They walked back up to the house.
"I'm starting to understand why Jo likes working with you," he said. "Speaking of Jo," he pulled out his phone. While Bentworth called Josef Whitlock radioed control from the handheld and got Frank Bilham's number from the officers in the canteen. Whitlock called.
"Hello," he said.
"Mr. Bilham this is PC Whitlock. Has anyone told you what's happened?" she asked.
"No."
"Well you'll be happy to know we arrested the man we think is Kelly," she said. Bilham repeated this excitedly for the listeners in the canteen, there was a huge cheer.
"Listen Mr. Bilham, two things. We've only just arrested him and we've no idea where the kids are," she said. He relayed the message.
"Yeah," Bilham encouraged.
"Number two we're not sure this is Frank Harvey, he won't say anything to us but I took a picture of him with my phone. Can you receive MMS?" she asked.
"Yeah. Send it to me."
"Okay, just reply yes or no, you don't need to call. I'll let you know if we come up with anything."
"Thanks," Bilham said. When she looked up Josef emerged from next door, Bentworth was still on the phone. He came over to where Whitlock was waiting for Bentworth.
"Yes, full forensics and SOC. Yes Sir. Thank you Sir," Bentworth was saying. "Yes Sir. PC Whitlock from uniform got us a lead Sir. Yes Sir I'll pass it on."
"Do you have that effect on everyone?" Josef smiled.
"It's not my fault," she said embarrassed.
"Bentworth says you got him," Josef said. Whitlock looked up from the phone, it chimed in her hand.
"Well?" Bentworth said turning at the sound.
"Sending Sir," she said.
"Where's our man?" Josef said.
"In the van," Bentworth nodded. "He's not talking without a lawyer so there's no use in questioning him here. No one goes in till SOC and forensics have been through the place, if the kids are in there we're home free." Whitlock's phone chimed, she pressed buttons hurriedly.
"It's Kelly," she said. "Bilham's one hundred percent sure." She held out the message, Josef read 'Yes Kelly 100%'.
"There's nothing we can do now but wait," Bentworth said.
"Actually Sir," Josef said. "If we can't go into the house for a bit there's some stuff Whitlock and I could do."
"Yes," Bentworth said interestedly.
"I'd like to go over the case file on Kelly's son Sir. We might find something helpful. We should question all his friends too Sir, maybe they know something. I want to see the card and the fingernail Sir and I think we should go door to door here," he pointed up and down the street. "See if anyone remembers anything."
"Does your brain ever take a break?" Bentworth said.
"Its Alzheimer's Sir. I'm just having a rare moment of clarity," he joked.
"You have my permission to do what you like. I'm staying here so I'll coordinate the door to door. Let me know if you turn up anything useful," he said.
"Likewise Sir," Josef said. He looked up and down the street.
"Take mine," Bentworth said holding out the Jaguar key. "Go straight back and swap it for yours though, no joyriding!"
"Sir," Josef said taking the keys and smiling then he said, "what about the Beachams' Sir."
"Yes I'd thought about that. I think it might be best if you stopped by and Whitlock spoke to them." Josef nodded.
"What about Mason Sir?" Whitlock objected.
"Mason has a problem with Josef, not you. And after the argument I had with Mason earlier over the money and Josef I think the Beachams' won't want to talk to either of them. Do you mind?"
"No Sir," she said.
"Good. I'll call you when we're done here and ready to question Kelly. I think he can sit in there and sweat it out till we're ready to talk to him."
When they got to the Jaguar Josef handed the keys to Whitlock. She took them without argument and jumped in. She adjusted the seat and mirrors, started the car and drove out onto the main road.
"You're welcome," Josef goaded, at the lack of thanks.
Whitlock answered by checking the rear view mirror. She punched the accelerator and the automatic gearbox kicked down two gears. The wheels span freely on the tarmac and the back end shimmied and she pulled out to overtake a mondeo.
"More fool you," she said.
When they pulled into Benton Street Josef was laughing.
"This isn't straight back to the station," he said.
"It nearly is," she smiled.
"Fine by me," Josef laughed. "Accomplice to TDA. That's interesting."
They found a parking spot and were met in the street by a puzzled looking Ward.
"I saw the car, where's Bentworth?" he asked.
"Where's Mason?" Josef said in reply, "I need to talk to you."
"He left half an hour ago. They kicked him out," he thumbed over his shoulder, "he took the box to forensics."
"Go talk to them," Josef said to Whitlock. "I'll bring Dave up to speed."
"Up to speed on what," Ward said as Whitlock disappeared inside. She found Mr. and Mrs. Beacham in the living room. They sat close together
with a picture of Jamie between them. Whitlock went over and knelt in front of them on the floor.
"We've arrested the man we think is responsible for this," she said. The couple stared at her in shock with red puffy eyes.
"We don't know anything at this stage. He's not talking. We're doing a thorough search of his house right now. We're hoping we will find the boys." She said softly.
"Make him talk," Mr. Beacham said, "you make that mother fucker talk to you or I will."
"Please Mr. Beacham. We'll get him to talk. We'll find Jamie and the other boys," she said. Mrs. Beacham began to cry.
"Why did we listen to that man," she sobbed.
"Because he said he knew what he was doing," Mr. Beacham comforted his wife. "We shouldn't have believed him, but we didn't know."
"Please. You can't blame yourselves for any of this. The detective believed what he told you was right. He was trying to help you. He acted in good faith. I'm sorry this happened but you can't give up hope," she said. Whitlock put a hand on Mrs. Beacham's knee.
"You can't give up hope. We're gonna bring Jamie back to you," she said.
"Do you have any children?" Mrs Beacham asked.
"I have a two year old son called Reece," she admitted.
"Then you know what you're saying means nothing," Mr Beacham spat.
"I know what I'm saying means nothing until I deliver," she said. "Then it means everything. And believe me. I will deliver." Whitlock stood.
"I'm glad you've caught the bastard," Mrs. Beacham sobbed.
"We all are," Whitlock said. "Thanks for your time. You'll be first to know when we find the boys," she said.
"Thanks," Mr. Beacham stood. "It was nice of you come tell us. It means a lot."
"No problem," Whitlock said. She left the couple holding hands in the living room. In the street Josef and Ward were discussing Mason.
"Like I said he's a good bloke," Ward said.
"How'd it go?" Josef asked.
"It went okay I suppose. Give them a bit of space but don't leave them alone," she said to Ward.
"I'm not very good at these things," he admitted.
"Just let them be and offer a cup of tea every now and again," she said.
"Okey dokey," Ward said.
"See you later," Josef said as they walked back to the Jaguar. Whitlock handed the keys to Josef. He jumped in like a child and adjusted the seat.
"What about the mirrors?" Whitlock said as he started the car.
"Don't care where I've been," Josef said and floored the gas. The wheels span and the car snaked up the narrow street crowded with parked cars either side. He hardly slowed as he threw the car into a left turn, the rear end sliding wildly.
"You're welcome," She said.
"More fool you."