by L M Krier
''He must be thick to keep stuff like that.'
'Thought they were too clever for us, I expect. In fact, they might very well have been, if it had been any pathologist other than Professor Nelson. How she can make out any specific smell from stomach contents is beyond me, but it was her nose detecting the single malt that put us on the right track.
'Right, so, let's go and have a crack at the uncle, although I doubt he'll speak before his solicitor gets here. It looks like being a very late one for you and me.'
It was well after midnight when Ted finally got home. Trev was on the sofa, long legs up on the extending rest, buried under a heap of purring cats. He had a black and white film on, in French. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, dripping on to the ears of Queen, who sat on his chest, flicking them each time a drop landed.
Ted flopped down beside him and picked up his arm to drape around his shoulders. He looked at the screen for a moment, then asked, 'Hôtel du Nord again? How many times is that now?'
'Seventeen,' Trev replied, his eyes still glued on the film. 'Do you want me to turn it off? Are you tired? Or hungry?'
'The ending is probably the same every time,' Ted teased him gently.
Trev picked up the remote and stopped the DVD, then scooped up Queen and used her fur to dry his wet cheeks, to her evident disgust. He turned his full attention to his partner.
'Sorry, you know it gets me every time. So, did you catch the baddies? Are they behind bars where they need to be?'
Ted didn't often talk about his work at home. He certainly seldom shared any of the more gruesome cases, except in brief outline. He had talked a bit to Trev about Honest John, so he explained now how difficult the case might prove to be, going forward to court.
'I really can't see CPS being happy with murder by chocolate, but we're certainly going to try for the best chance we have of putting them away for a long time.'
'Have you eaten? Do you want anything?'
'I had sandwiches earlier on. It's too late really to be thinking about food. I've gone past that stage.'
'Are you tired? It's been a long day.'
'I should be tired but my head's buzzing too much. I doubt I'll sleep easily.'
'In that case,' Trev said, unfolding his long, lithe frame from the settee and pulling Ted up by the arm. 'Let me outline those plans I mentioned earlier.'
Ted went to inform the Ice Queen of the latest arrests, before he and the team started questioning their suspects further the following morning.
'We'll need a meeting with CPS as soon as possible to discuss this, but I don't see how we're going to get a murder charge out of it,' she warned him.
'I've got proof of intent, and the nephew is already spilling his guts.'
'But you know as well as I do there's no murder case to be made out of simply supplying drugs without actually administering them, and I imagine the same would apply to alcohol. And as for the chocolate, I have simply no idea on that. Deliberately removing the medication is significant, but to what degree, I'm not qualified to comment.
'Carry on questioning them for now. I'll get someone over from CPS as soon as I can and let you know when. I'll be more than happy to give you your extra twelve hours, but I honestly think you might need to lower your sights from a murder charge.
Ted left Rob O'Connell to handle the morning briefing for the team. He wanted to get together with Jo, Mike and Sal to discuss strategy for interviewing their two suspects.
'If we can get Theo to make a full confession, implicating his uncle up to the hilt, that's going to help us a lot. He's halfway there. He just needs an extra push.'
'How are they going to manage, both wanting the same solicitor?' Sal asked. 'I'm imagining that Uncle Seth is picking up the legal tab for both of them, so I bet he gets first dibs on the brief. Perhaps the firm will send out a junior to hold the nephew's hand.'
Jo's face took on a cunning expression as he said, 'On the other hand, if the uncle knew the nephew was already singing, he might not want to pay his legal bills at all. He might just cut him loose and let him take the rap for everything. He'll no doubt tell us Theo borrowed his credit card without his knowledge. It would be unfortunate if we were to let slip to him that Theo was already being more than cooperative.'
Ted shot him an admiring look. 'You see, Mike, that's what sneaky really looks like,' he grinned. 'Right, so who wants which? They might be a bit more talkative after a night in our comfy hotel.'
'Uncle Seth will be the harder nut to crack, boss, so why don't you and Mike take that one and Sal and I will switch Theo on and just let him squawk? I doubt he's going to take a lot of prompting. And with luck, we should have the fingerprint results from the medication bag back soon, with his name all over them.'
Ted nodded. 'Give it enough time to be convincing then one of you come in for a whispered update with me, and make sure you're heard using Theo's name and the word confession several times.'
They were all smiling in anticipation as they went their separate ways.
Ted started with Hartman, who had the solicitor with him. It was slow going, as he had clearly been told to say nothing and was doing a good job of following instructions. Jo and Sal went into another interview room with Theo, after waiting long enough for effect. He was sitting alone, looking more worried than ever.
Jo flashed him his friendliest smile, gold tooth glinting.
'Is someone on the way in to advise you, Theo? I suppose your uncle's got the good solicitor, if he's paying the bills? You don't have to say anything until someone gets here. It's fine. Your uncle's already cooperating fully, so you just take your time.'
'I don't know what's happening,' the young man said anxiously. 'The lawyer last night just told me not to say anything, until someone got here. But maybe I should tell you my side of it? Like I told you last night, it was all my uncle, he told me what to do.'
Jo leaned back in his chair, all charming smiles and friendly demeanour.
'Honestly, Theo, it's fine. Don't think you have to say anything, without a solicitor present. In fact, we could take a short break, until one arrives. Perhaps you'd like a drink of water? You look a bit hot. DC Ahmed can bring you one.'
He announced the break for the tape, then the two of them left the room. Sal went in search of the drink while Jo knocked on the door of the next room and went in. He went over to Ted and crouched down to his level, talking quietly but making sure, as instructed, the words 'Theo', 'confess' and 'implicate' were distinguishable.
Hartman's face was a picture of panic. He opened his mouth to speak, but the solicitor abruptly cut across him.
'Mr Cowell isn't to be interviewed further without legal representation. Those were my explicit instructions. Someone from my firm will be along shortly. Until then, he is not to be interviewed.'
Jo straightened up and turned on the Latin charm. 'Oh, we're not interviewing him, sir. He just wanted to speak to us. He really wanted to talk. We were having such trouble getting him to stop that we've taken a short break.'
Ted hid a smile watching Hartman's face drain of colour and the solicitor's go purple with anger.
As Jo was leaving, a PC put his head round the door to tell Ted he was wanted upstairs.
'This would seem to be the ideal moment for us to take a break, so that you can perhaps go and take further instruction from your other client,' he said, as he announced his departure for the tape.
The CPS's Chief Crown Prosecutor was with the Ice Queen when Ted went upstairs. They knew one another of old, both professionally and socially. Ted's partner before Trev had been a Crown Prosecutor. The two men shook hands and Ted sat down.
'Debra has been telling me about your latest case, Ted. Very interesting. But I hope you're not seriously suggesting we go to court on a murder by chocolate charge?'
'I've got intent. And I'll have a causal link with the fingerprints on the insulin, which was found in Cowell's flat,' Ted began, but was cut short.
'Unlawful Act
Manslaughter. You know as well as I do, that's the best we're likely to get out of this. Even then, I have my doubts. Get me a confession, get me fingerprints to prove the unlawful act, charge them with that and we'll see if we can't make it stick. And you'll need the right inquest verdict as well, don't forget.'
'This was murder. A cynical act, deliberately causing deaths. I know we've no chance on the drugs…'
'Manslaughter's our best bet. I'd go so far as to say it's our only bet. And don't forget, if we all do our jobs properly, they could still get a life sentence.'
Chapter Thirty
Ted wasn't thrilled at the news but he accepted it was the best they were going to get. He called Jo, Mike and Sal together over a quick coffee while he reported back on the verdict from CPS.
'I need to get on with planning tomorrow's meeting and sorting out a reception party for the lovely Linda Lovelace. Jo, you seem to have established a rapport with young Theo, so you have another crack at him, if his brief is here. Mike, you see what you can do with Mr Hartman. Then charge them both with Unlawful Act Manslaughter. Get them in front of a magistrate as soon as possible, and let's oppose bail. I don't think we'll have any luck, if there's no previous, but talk to the custody officer about possible interference with witnesses, or evidence, or anything you can think of.
'Sal, I want the brother-in-law, the councillor. We're not going to get him on manslaughter. It would be a wing and a prayer to get him on soliciting to murder or conspiracy, but I'm not ruling anything out. I want anything and everything there is on him, even parking tickets, as it's my feeling he may be the brains behind this. He would certainly be in a position to know which tenants were on secure tenancies, and what their personal circumstances were. And don't forget to talk to Pocket Billiards. Tell him he'll be getting a press release soon, before anyone else, about the arrests. Get him on board.'
'Do I have to buy him lunch and watch him eat, boss?' Sal asked plaintively.
'If that's what it takes.'
'Got our first sniff from Linda,' Océane told Ted, when he went up to the main office.
'Already? That was quick. Any trace yet?'
'Negative. Just an exchange which quickly became smutty. I took a gamble and said our man would be in this area at the weekend. I hope that's not too soon to set things up?'
'It should be ideal, thank you. I've got the planning meeting tomorrow, and I'd like you to be at that in case your input is needed. I think it's a great idea to keep him focused on the weekend as, with any luck, it may stop him from killing again before then. We'll need to find a suitable venue. We can hardly entice him back to anywhere he's already killed.'
'What about the Hotel Sorrento, boss?' Rob suggested. He and Virgil had more or less finished at South Manchester now and were busy collating all the information they had to date.
'I heard it had been taken over already. It's open again, then, so soon?'
'Yeah, part of a small chain now. New management, new name, although I can't remember what. The Ace, I think. Anyway, there are a few pubs within walking distance and it's not quite as busy as a town centre location, which may be easier to manage. Also we already know the layout in there from the other case, pretty much, so it might be a good choice.'
'Good suggestion, Rob, thanks. I'll go and check it out later, sound out the management. They won't be thrilled at having an armed stake-out on their premises, no doubt. But they may be public-spirited enough to go for it. And at least it's a small hotel, so it's not as if they would be turning down huge numbers of bookings. Although at the weekend, of course, we risk there being a wedding party. Steve, can you check out what CCTV coverage is like around there. I'd be happier with an area where there are cameras.'
'I've not even talked days or timings with Linda yet, so we could maybe try for the Sunday evening, if it's quieter? Just let me know what pub and if it looks like we might have a meet, I can float that idea. So far it's mostly consisted of 'you can safely put your valuable assets in my hands' from me, and Linda replying that she may even be able to help my portfolio to swell.'
Ted made a face. 'I'm not too sure that's an image I really want in my head for the rest of the day, but thanks, Océane.'She grinned at him. 'And you still want me to bring the suspect to us, rather than trying to go after him where he is? He's still using throwaway mail addresses, a different one each time, just the same name.''It will be easier to manage if we do it that way. I'm pretty sure that's what Inspector Jenkins from Armed Response will want. So far Maurice has had no luck with an address for John Smith. The B&B one he had was old, long since gone cold. It's looking like our best bet by far. He must have an accommodation address for his mail somewhere, but even when we find that, it doesn't advance us much.'
Ted paused on his way to check out the hotel to phone Trev. 'I may be flat out tomorrow, but if I get away at a decent time today, do you fancy going for a meal somewhere this evening?'
'A bag of chips and a side order of mushy peas?' Trev asked teasingly.
Ted laughed. 'You make me sound like such a cheapskate. A proper meal. Nothing too fancy, just a nice change. I'll drive, so you can have some wine. Just because.''Gets my vote. Does this mean you'll miss club tomorrow? You know how much the kids always miss you, especially Flip.'
'You never know, I might just surprise you and make that, too. It all depends.' He started singing Gilbert and Sullivan's 'A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One' just before he rang off, and heard Trev laughing.
It was strange for Ted to be back at the Hotel Sorrento, the scene of one of the most distressing cases of his career. One which had had a serious impact on his relationship with Trev. Thankfully, those dark days were behind him now, he hoped.
He was surprised at the speed with which the hotel had been taken over and spruced up. It looked completely different to when he had last visited it, although it was not all that long ago. He knew the staff would certainly have changed. One who had helped them before was now on a Witness Protection Programme and Ted had no idea where she had finished up. He hoped she was enjoying her new life, wherever she was now.
He produced his warrant card and went over to talk to the young woman on the reception desk. Unsurprisingly, when he explained his mission, she said that although she could call the duty manager, who was currently busy dealing with a problem on another floor, she suspected he would need to talk to head office. She helpfully installed Ted at a small side table in the foyer and arranged a welcome pot of tea for him, while he waited for the manager.
When he appeared, the manager was young, eager and oozing efficiency. He took Ted to his office, listened carefully to what he had to say and made some notes.
'We haven't been open long, as you're probably aware, so we're not yet fully booked, especially for Sunday evening, which tends to be a quiet one. I will need to clear it with head office but, looking at the bookings,' he was tapping and clicking away at his computer as he spoke, 'it should be relatively simple to clear a wing for the duration of your exercise. As long as you can reassure us that no lives will be put at risk.'
'It will be a carefully controlled operation,' Ted told him guardedly. 'I don't want to bring any undue pressure to bear, but it is essential that we catch this suspect. We can't rule out the possibility that he could target your hotel for a killing at some point in the future, if he's not arrested, which might be a helpful argument for your management.'
There was surprisingly little resistance from the hotel's head office when the manager phoned through and explained the situation. Ted guessed that, as the new kids on the block, they were keen to cooperate with the police as much as they could. They never knew when they might be in need of Brownie points in the future.
Once consent had been given, Ted asked if he could look at the layout of the rooms the manager was proposing to make available.
'I'll need to come back for a further check with other officers, probably tomorrow, but it's essential that we're able to control access to where we will b
e. We need to be able to prevent members of the public wandering into that part of the hotel, as well as stopping our suspect from getting away.'
The manager obligingly opened vacant rooms along the corridor to show Ted, who was relieved to find that the four-poster beds which had been there before had all now gone. They would have triggered unpleasant memories from the previous case. Everywhere was now clean lines, modern, minimalist, unmistakably part of a chain rather than the small private hotel it had been previously.
'Thanks very much for your cooperation. As I said, if it's not too inconvenient, I will be back some time tomorrow with other officers to do more of a detailed recce and talk things through with you again. I'll give you a call when I know an approximate time.'
Back at the station, Ted found Jo, Mike and Sal grinning in a self-satisfied way, which led him to hope things had gone better than expected with the remand hearing of Theo Cowell and Seth Hartman. He had been convinced they would both be granted bail, so he would welcome any better news.
'Don't tell me we got a remand in custody? I'd have bet against that, for sure.'
'And how, boss,' Jo chuckled. 'You'd never guess what went on. As soon as the pair of them were put in the dock together, young Theo started screaming blue murder and saying his uncle was going to kill him at the first chance he got. Which fitted very nicely with our asking for a remand in custody because of the likelihood of intimidating witnesses.
'Between the murderous looks Uncle Seth was chucking at him, and poor Theo wailing and weeping like a baby, begging to be kept away from his uncle and locked up for his own protection, we didn't even have to make much of a case. Both of them remanded in custody for one week. Result!'