“Isn’t that aiding and abetting?” asked DC Bradley who was new to the team.
“Depends how it’s done,” said Newton seriously.
Andy sat deep in thought for a couple of minutes. “If we did that how would we keep track of the contact and the kid?”
“It would have to be one of the traffickers that we know of,” said Newton.
“Work out the details Newton and then consult the CPS lawyers. Then report back to me. Right the rest of you get back to work.”
Around mid-day Bill Green came down to see Andy.
“Got time for lunch?” he said as he entered the squad room were Andy was in conversation with Newton.
“Sure,” said Andy.
As they walked out of the room, Bill said, “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Really, who?” said Andy, his curiosity aroused.
“A friend of mine,” was all that Bill said.
Thirty minutes later they were entering the offices of MI5 above Leeds City Station. Once inside they were shown to a small conference room. On a side table there were various plates of very expensive sandwiches and drinks. Two men entered the room. One very suave and well dressed in a grey suit, the other man was in jeans and wore a tatty jumper. He was also tall, stooped and wore glasses. Bill stood up and so did Andy.
“Nice to see you Bill,” said the man in the grey suit, extending his right hand.
“And you John. May I introduce you to DI Andy Rawlings who has a problem you may be able to help him with? Andy this is John. He is a section leader with MI5. I’m sorry I don’t know your colleague,” said Bill.
“I’m Kevin,” the other man said without waiting to be introduced.
“Let’s sit down,” said John, “then Andy can tell us what he needs over lunch. Shall we?” John indicated the sandwiches with an outreached hand. They helped themselves and pulled chairs around the table. As they pulled the chairs and sat down, Andy looked at Bill.
“Go ahead Andy,” said Bill.
Andy began, “We have information about an organised gang of child killers and paedophiles.”
Over the next hour, Andy gave a detailed synopsis of the case and Lemmings. When he had finished, Bill looked at John and said, “Will you help?”
“No. Not within our remit Bill. We can’t interfere in a police operation that has nothing to do with national security.”
“Well that’s that.” Andy got out of his seat, but was waved down into it again by Bill Green.
“Come on, John, what can you do?” said Bill.
“Nothing officially,” said John.
“Unofficially?” queried Bill.
“You have two weeks’ leave coming, haven’t you Kevin?” John said, looking at Kevin tongue in cheek.
“Yes, starting next week.”
“Got a mobile Andy?” said John.
“Yes,” replied Andy.
“Give it to Kevin.”
“What?” said Andy.
“Go on. Give it to Kevin,” said Bill.
Kevin left the room with Andy’s mobile. Andy sat in his chair in bewilderment. Bill Green smiled an all-knowing smile.
“Wait and see Andy,” Bill said answering the unasked question.
Half an hour later Kevin returned. He handed back Andy his Blackberry mobile.
“What you now have is a clean phone,” said Kevin. “No one can hack into it. If you want to contact me at any time press 1 and 4 together, once and wait. I can now also locate your position to within a metre. Don’t let anyone borrow your phone for whatever reason.”
Andy looked stunned. “Thanks,” he said with disbelief.
“You’re welcome,” said Kevin and left.
Outside the building Andy turned to Bill Green.
“How good are they, sir?” he said.
“Bloody good, wait and see before you judge,” said Bill.
Chapter 18
The next day after the meeting, Kevin appeared at Leeds Central Police Station without warning. He entered Andy’s office. It was eight in the morning.
“Good morning,” said Kevin with a smile, “thought we could get started.” He produced a laptop out of a bag.
“I need some information on Lemmings and that other fellow, Murphy wasn’t it?” Kevin continued, “Is all this stuff on your system?” He nodded towards Andy’s computer.
“Yes,” said Andy.
“Good,” said Kevin.
He opened his laptop and produced a lead that he put into the laptop and one of the USB ports on Andy’s computer.
“Mind if I sit on your chair?” asked Kevin.
“Be my guest,” replied Andy.
After a pause Andy asked, “Do you need my passwords?”
“No, the program I have on this baby will get them and much more. We stole the programme from the Chinese. They’re years ahead of us,” replied Kevin as an afterthought.
Andy was dumbfounded. He stood mulling over what Kevin had just revealed.
“Give me an hour. Got any coffee? I take it with milk and two sugars,” said Kevin.
“I’ll get you some and leave you to it. Could I have my computer back how you found it?” Andy said sarcastically.
“Better,” was the curt reply from Kevin.
It was two hours before Kevin emerged from Andy’s office with the laptop bag over his shoulder.
“Right, got everything I need and I’ve cleaned your computer. Someone was hacking into your emails. Be in touch, bye,” and with that Kevin left.
“Who the hell was that?” Newton said.
“He works for a security firm. I’ve asked them to clean our computers, so if you have anything you don’t want anyone to see you better delete it now. Singh a word in your shell like please,” said Andy.
That evening as Andy was enjoying a glass of chilled white wine on his balcony, the Blackberry vibrated in his pocket.
“Yes?” he said.
“Thought I’d give you a progress report; how’s the wine?
“Where the hell are you?” said Andy looking all around him.
“Bar across the canal, hundred yards to your left,” replied Kevin.
“Why don’t you come up and enjoy a glass of a rather inferior white wine?” said Andy.
“Are you alone?” asked Kevin.
“Yes.”
“Give me ten minutes,” replied Kevin.
Some minutes later, the two men were sat at the kitchen table, a half-empty bottle of wine sat on the table between them and another bottle of white wine was in an ice bucket at the side of the table. The laptop was opened and both men were studying the screen intently.
“I’ve infected their website,” Kevin was saying, “and your computer.”
“Why my computer Kevin?” asked Andy.
“’Cos, I have a worm on it ready to infect the computer that is hacking into yours,” replied Kevin.
“Someone is hacking my computer? You’re not serious?” Andy said in anger.
“Serious, of course I am,” Kevin said with a smirk.
“What will this worm do?” Andy asked in ignorance.
“Give me control of the computer attacking yours. Once I’ve got control it will, hopefully, tell me who is using it.”
“Will they know you’re on to them?” said Andy.
“Not with the programme I’m using,” replied Kevin.
“OK, let’s go through with what you have done?” said Andy.
“Let’s start with the website. The programme that I’ve infected it with will tell us a number of things. First the users and where they are. Second we can change the messages before any of them get them. Third we can close the site down and make it look like a crash.”
“That’s impressive,” Andy said.
“There’s more. There is another website inside the one we have. I can’t get into it without some specialist software which I don’t have yet.”
“Any idea about what sort of site it might be?” asked Andy.
“It’s a criminal one, on which criminals buy guns, passports and other fake documents. I’ve seen one like it before. But I can’t hack it yet. It will take time. You’ve a plan, as I understand it is, to put them in contact with a child trafficker?” said Kevin.
“Yes, but I’ve got to have information on where they take the child and who has him. I need to be able to act quickly for the sake of the child,” said Andy.
“Got a trafficker in mind?” said Kevin.
“There’s an Albania group we’ve been watching. They’re bringing in girls for the sex trade,” replied Andy.
“Do they use computers?” asked Kevin.
“No, mobiles,” said Andy.
“Makes no difference. In some ways it’s better. We can tell where they are and we can follow their movements. All I need is their mobile numbers,” said Kevin.
“A raid on them would defeat our purpose,” said Andy, thinking aloud.
Kevin paused: “Can I make a suggestion?”
“Please do,” said Andy.
“Get immigration to make a raid on the Albanians. It will take me ten minutes to chip each of their phones. Immigration can keep one or two of them for deportation. Just to make the raid look authentic. They can let the rest go. Then we move forward with your plan. How does that sound?” said Kevin.
“Fine to me; let’s do it,” said Andy.
“One other thing, all this has to happen within the next twelve days. After that I’m gone and my systems will be closed down. That’s how much leave I’ve got left. I was never here as far as MI5 is concerned,” said Kevin.
“I’ll get onto immigration first thing in the morning. I should be able to organise the raid for the next day. As soon as that happens, you send the message to Lemmings using Murphy’s password.”
“One more thing, after the raid, that will be the last and final time we meet face to face. Sorry but it has to be that way,” said Kevin.
“We can continue to communicate by mobile?” said Andy a little worried he was going to lose Kevin.
“Yes.”
Kevin finished his wine and put his laptop in his bag and stood up.
“Thanks for the wine, Andy. Get the scum and put them away for life.”
“I will, Kevin, with your help.” He showed Kevin to the door.
Andy closed the door and went back to the table. He sat down. He had in the short time that he had known him, grown rather found of the tall gangly, scruffy man from MI5. He would be sad to see him go.
Immigration was more than willing to co-operate. The raid went to plan and the mobiles had their implants. After six hours of prolonged interrogation, two Albanians were detained for deportation and the rest released. Using Murphy’s code to enter the inner website, they sent Lemmings a message. It read:
‘One of my friends tells me that an Albanian in Leeds is in the import business. I am informed that he could provide you with the goods we require. His mobile number is 0772 ********
Good hunting,
Mr D’
Four days later the website was alive with messages. Mr P. would have a boy soon. Mr H, had a flat ready. A meeting of the group would take place. Instructions were given as to where they were to collect their mobiles. They waited. Then they were informed Murphy’s mobile was in a locker at a Leeds sport centre. Andy collected it. Now they waited. Soon they would know the time and place.
Kevin called.
“I see that the rats are at play,” he said.
“You’ve seen the messages?”
“Oh, yes,” said Kevin.
“Well?” Andy said.
“Mr P. is in Bradford. He works at one of the large insurance companies in the city. His system is part of the company’s network.”
“I do hope you can do better than that Kevin?”
“Do you doubt me, Andy?”
“Stop pissing about Kevin.”
“The insurance company is in an office Block. The address is: 44, Halton Road. The company occupies the third and fourth floors. He is on a computer system on the fourth floor. His name is Stephen Baker.”
“Can you be more precise than that? His home address?” asked Andy.
“No. You can get all that from his employer or when you arrest him.”
“Anything more?” Andy asked.
“Mr H. is an estate agent who works for Talfords. They do mostly student accommodation and DHSS stuff. His name is Peter Robbins. He lives in Leeds and has a wife and two kids.”
“That’s better. Got an address?” asked Andy again.
“Address, description, car and registration have been all emailed to you as we speak,” replied Kevin.
“Thanks Kevin, you’re a star. What about Mr C and Lemmings?”
“We can’t get a fix on Mr C until he uses his computer to access the website. The same applies to Lemmings. We have three days left before I have to return to my duties with M15, Andy.”
Andy thought furiously.
“Send Lemmings a message from Murphy. Tell him he needs money for some chemicals urgently,” said Andy.
“Won’t he view such a message with suspicion?” said Kevin.
“No, Lemmings holds the purse strings and has given Murphy cash regularly. He will understand the message,” Andy replied.
“Will do, and the person hacking into your emails is DI Maguire. You need to do something about it,” said Kevin.
Andy was not surprised.
“I will and I hope we can work together again,” said Andy with feeling.
“Let me explain a few facts of life to you Andy. MI5 don’t leave a trace. We go in and leave undetected. We observe, record and leave. It ain’t our job to catch the baddies, that’s your job. We work unseen and must remain that way.”
“No way of working together then,” said Andy.
“Life is long, Andy. It ain’t over yet. But it will be if you conclude this operation unsatisfactorily; if that happens then there’s no chance of us working ever again,” Kevin said.
“No pressure then and that, was always understood,” said Andy with annoyance.
“When will you take them down?” said Kevin.
“As soon as we know that they have a child and where they are taking the child to. We must catch them all and in particular the prime target, him,” said Andy. The mobile went dead and Andy put it back in his pocket.
Chapter 19
Most people would have given up but not John. He had pure venom in his veins. He had lost a wife. His soul may have been killed by grief and the guilt of his child’s murder, but a new motivation had devoured him. He was alone and the thought of revenge had become a cancer in him, a huge motivator; in reality there was now nothing else left in his life. After the grief and sorrow, his mind had become warped and bitter. He had gone through a period of heavy drinking. His doctor had become deeply worried about him and had prescribed strong sleeping tablets and tranquilizers. The drugs had some effect but revenge drove him now.
His thoughts turned increasingly to what he would do to those that were responsible for the destruction of his family and in his mind his life. In the few moments he had any clarity and at certain times, he recognised that he was on the verge of madness. At work he had appeared to have become detached from any emotional feelings. Colleagues put it down to what he had gone through. He had become an automaton that carried out his duties with clinical efficiency. There was a cynical drive and purpose to his actions. He had requested and obtained Robertson as a member of his social work team, working with under- privileged and troubled teenagers. Robertson was unaware of this and had not questioned his transfer. He had downloaded Mike Roberson’s work details and personnel files onto his personal computer, using his privileged position as a senior social worker. And now he was manipulating Robertson’s work into areas where he could control his whereabouts, the clients he met and his work schedule. Soon he would put temptation in his way. He hoped this would lead him to the child sex traffickers and from there on
to those responsible for the destruction of his family. Then he would strike.
Some years ago, before his life had been destroyed, he had joined a pigeon shooting club and obtained a Shot-gun licence. Recently he had sawn off two feet of the barrels of the over and under shot-gun that he owned and shortened the stock of the gun. Now, it could easily be concealed under a coat. With AA mini magnum cartridges loaded into the gun, it would cut a man in half. It had been a slow process, the watching and waiting outside Robertson’s flat. The wait had become a routine part of his life. After all he had nothing else to do and in some ways it offered a relief from sitting aimlessly at home drinking. He had followed him to the gay pubs and clubs in the Leeds area. He never ventured into these establishments but would often follow the men Robertson left with or associated with. Slowly a picture emerged of a life style that was full of casual relationships and sex. Of importance was the picture that emerged of significant contacts. There were two regular contacts in his life. One was a transvestite railway worker, who supplemented his income with performances in clubs and pubs. The other, was a more interesting and menacing character. Professionally, he was a doorman at one of the gay clubs. John knew, and it became quickly very clear that he was also trading in drugs. This wasn’t unusual for a doorman. After watching him for a time it became evident that he controlled two rent boys as well. It did not take John long to identify them, as boys that had been in care and reported as missing.
The doorman, Matt Cutler, had been in care most of his life. He was one of six children, each from different fathers, but sharing the same mother. He had been brought up on the notorious Tipton estate, when his mother was not in prison and he in care. He had quickly come to the attention of the police for a series of petty crimes at the age of eight. He had developed physically into a big boy. He was six-foot four and sixteen stones and had become a callous bully at school. Expelled from school at fourteen, after a particularly vicious attack on a younger boy, he drifted in and out of work. At seventeen he found work as a debt collector with considerable criminal connections. John was able to access his police file and learn a great deal about him.
The Child Predators Page 10