The Cop Killer

by Harry Nankin

  “This is the Police at Shropshire, may I help you?”

  “Hello, Chief-Constables office, please”.

  “”Who is speaking Please?”

  “This Jack Richards is it possible to speak with Chief Constable Alex Renton?” there was a pause”

  “Sorry the Chief in not available”

  “Oh I see. May I please leave a message?”

  “Right thank you, it is brief”.

  “Mr Renton I will be visiting your office soon in connection with the death of Constable Gerald Cheshire. I would be grateful to have a copy of the officer’s personal file under the usual security conditions of course.”

  “You will find this is authorised by the Home Office.”

  “I would very much like to speak with Gerald’s widow, Sandra. If someone could arrange that and finally if there is an officer available as a guide I would like to visit the scene.”

  “Thank you so much. If you might just pass that message on any problems I can be contacted at The Police Museum at Chester.”

  Yes that is the address I have an office here that is all. Bye”. The call ended.

  “Hello, may I please speak with Chief-Constable Quinten Johns?”

  “If you might tell him it is Jack Richards looking into the death of Constable Rick Masterton”.

  “I will put you through, hold the line please”.

  “Hello Jack I have been expecting your call, are you coming over?”

  “Tomorrow I think”, replied Jack.

  “Well, no problem, as far as I know I will be in, I would like a chat with you, but if I am out on something urgent my secretary will help out. I take it you will wish to see the officer’s file and visit the scene and the widow”.

  “Yes all three Chief”.

  “I have a copy of the file already done and will ensure Rachel, Rick’s` widow, is informed. I presume you will wish to see her informally at home”?

  “Yes that would be better" replied Jack thinking this, is a friendly and efficient Chief.”

  “Leave it with me Jack, if there is a hitch I will make certain you are informed in advance”.

  The call ended and just in time, Doris and May Day arrived bearing a welcome drink and, oh no a chocolate biscuit, Jack should not indulge but he knew he would.

  The refreshments over, Doris retrieved the personal file she had been handed placing it on the desk.

  Jack leaned over and once again read through the pages and on completion he looked up, then said.

  “There are some strange gaps, for example a young man, fit and well who arranges to meet his wife in church but for some reason arrives early.”

  “During the shift he does nothing to suggest he could have been exhausted, or seemingly from his record he has been involved in anything controversial then to quote his widow at the time, he just died on her.”

  “I think we may just follow up on this Sid fellow who is residing with her.”

  “Doris if you would contact that constable who took us up there, Constable Idris Roberts, see if he knows anything about this fellow.”

  “Once that is done check with the records office at New Scotland Yard. See if we know him.”

  When done report back to me and we will see where we go from there.”

  At that moment proceedings were interrupted when the telephone rang.

  May was walking past the door, stopped and called, it’s probably Sergeant Striker he has been calling you on and off all day”.

  “Hello Mr Richards office”, said Doris.

  “Mr Richards office my arse”, it was Striker balling down the phone.

  “It’s the bloody museum, so say so you twit, now get your arse over here I have a proper job for you and whilst you are at it get this Richards fella in here the boss wants to see him”.

  “Yes acting Inspector,” she replied.

  Jack hearing the abuse shook his head but said nothing.

  Doris replaced the telephone handset and as she did so Jack stretched forth his hand and said, “Please, the personal file of Ifor Evans, hand it here we don’t want that lying around, I will look after that.”

  Doris handed him the file but before she could speak further Jack rose to leave with her for the police station, the real one next door.

  When they arrived Striker was standing at the counter, he looked up and said, “Ling we need you to sit in on a female shop lifter from Tesco, you know what the security personnel there are like, bloody hopeless. Go through to the female cells, and get her out of the lockup into the interview room and sit with her till the tecs arrive”

  Jack stood and recalled the word, “tecs”

  Doris spoke, “the tecs who or whatever are they?”

  “The bloody detectives girl don’t you know anything?”

  “Dear God you are a thick sod. Learn girl, learn, for Christ’s sake”

  Jack thought he had not heard the phrase tecs for many years how the hell Striker could think Doris would know it failed him.

  “Ah, Richards the boss wants you. Said Striker, “Do you recall the way from your last visit or do you want a guide, if so we can get the stray dog out of the kennel and we have a white stick somewhere”

  “I can find my way,” replied Jack! Thinking if I don’t put a stop to this obnoxious bastard I will eat my favourite hat”.

  With that he settled, on this occasion for getting his thumb and lifting up the hat from the front so that it slipped onto the rear of his head.

  He turned and left and as he did so, Striker called, “I will give him a buzz, the Chief I mean.”

  Arriving at the door of the Chief Super, Jack knocked but did not have to wait for there was a buzzing noise and the new illuminated lamp on the door read, enter.

  He did just that and on arrival inside, he saw Craig Denton-Smyth seated smiling with a stretched out hand.

  “Welcome Jack, are you all right?” he laughed, “alright Jack, yes I am alright Jack, very funny” said Craig.

  Jack walked across the room to find a chair already placed in front of the desk of Denton-Smyth.

  “Please Jack, you don’t mind if I call you Jack, as we are colleagues once again”.

  “By all means” replied Jack, “how can I help you today sir”?

  “Well, you may not know this but I will be leaving for a while, I am on a course at Bramshill, the senior command course. I just need to get the odd thing sorted out.”

  He opened a desk drawer and brought forth two blue folders which he then handed to Jack as he reached forward.”

  “Thank you” said Jack as he took the files, he could see they were marked “Personnel records”

  “I assume you will want these on the two dead officers, they arrived from headquarters by despatch transport today”.

  “Thank you, these will be useful, I am aware they are for my eyes only,” replied Jack before being told.

  “Yes quite” replied Denton Smyth adding “I have checked them over, nothing in them of value but still I thought to help by getting them here save you bothering HQ, they are so long winded getting anything done.”

  “Thank you” replied Jack.

  “Well there is another matter Jack. Inside the files, you will as one might expect see the addresses of the officers. I have taken the liberty of contacting the ladies involved and I can confirm they are aware you may wish to see them. They have been told your name and Ling of course so I will leave that with you”.

  “Thank you sir, you have been very helpful and most efficient,” replied Jack.

  “Yes well it comes with the job you know these days; all has changed since your day. Its all about the paper work and efficiency, these command courses help, its all laid out for the budding Chief Constable”.

  Jack grasped it immediately; he appears to be going on a senior command course, a budding chief, more promotion and a move away for Craig it appeared.

  “There is one thing. I might just ask Jack a small favour”

  “Yes sir,
if I can help of course”, replied the man in the hat for Jack suddenly realised he had not removed his hat and so did so immediately. This he saw caused Denton-Smyth to snigger, no, thought Jack that was unkind, he had only smiled.

  “I wonder if, whilst I am away you might just get old May to give the office a dusting, I know it is a bit difficult me making her redundant but I don’t really want these cheap contract cleaners let loose in here whilst I am away. As the office will not be used, I have made Striker acting Inspector he can cope and from Ling’s office. This room will just need a dust occasionally”.

  “That will be no problem at all sir, you can be assured I will get May on the case, so to speak”.

  “Ah well done Jack I knew you would do it. By the way I know you have only just started on this after dinner entertainment night thing but have you anything to report?”

  “Not a thing sir, not a thing”

  “I was only saying to my wife I have a feeling I have been lumbered with this and I may well have egg on my face, I can’t detect a smell of a crime in it”.

  “I agree Jack. Well the best of luck, not only with the case but updating the powers to be that you failed or worse rising to speak at the dinner with not a surprise to speak of, well I must get on”.

  Jack realised that was his cue to leave, he rose and left.

  Arriving downstairs he was about to leave when Striker called him “I hope you don’t require Ling again today. She will be tied up here for the rest of the day”

  Jack turned, smiled but didn’t speak, he then left and as he did so he heard Striker whisper, “stupid old fogey, a has been”.

  This caused Jack to smile for he realised he had caused Striker more aggravation by ignoring him than giving him the pleasure of a reply.

  He arrived back at his office entered his room and as he did so he saw Sergeant Strutter Large and Constable Dog Breath Johnson standing at the door, they had it appears been awaiting his return.

  He walked inside stood at his desk then turned, he saw both officers talking and giggling. He removed his hat lifted it and threw it as one did with a boomerang so that it landed on the head of Sergeant Large.

  As Jack the hatless walked further inside he said, “Which ever of you smart arses removed my hat stand?”

  “Put it back”.

  He heard shuffling behind him and the hat stand was brought back and replaced in its original position.

  Jack looked at both the officers then spoke

  “Have you two loonies working in this never land any idea why you are here?”

  “Before you speak”, he continued, “I will tell you. It is because you are idiots and crap coppers and they have shuffled you in here out of the way.”

  “I will tell you this only once, read my lips. I am doing this job specifically at the request of the Home Secretary and the Inspector of Constabulary, a word from me to them you are impeding my enquiry and your feet won’t touch the floor.”

  “Don’t think Denton-Smyth will save you; he is only interested in getting to the top himself.”

  “In future keep your noses out of my business, keep you feet out of my office and don’t` fuck with me. Is that all clear enough for you?”

  “You can leave now close the door and let us hope we work in tranquillity in future”.

  As they left, he heard a giggle and could see in the mirror Johnson was laughing, so he added, “Johnson?”

  “Yes, Richards” called the officer.

  “Clean your teeth, your breath smells like a dog”

  He did not turn for any reaction but sat down and heard the door close; when he did turn, he was seated alone.

  He opened both the files he had been given and so read the first.

  Robert Friday, 28 years of age, a single man, he had an ordinary education, did not appear to have any qualifications, no certificates of any consequence. He left school at the age of 17 years then worked in a local factory. His main hobby was go kart racing.

  The next entry, he joined the police service here in Chester in January three years ago and after one year became a traffic officer, presumably due to his driving skills.

  Nothing of any consequence there thought Jack, then, he read it again, and yes, maybe he thought.

  He opened the next file that of Sidney Upton, “What’s here?” he thought.

  “Nothing startling, he sat his CSE’s and had reasonable grades. He left school at the age of 18 years he then worked, as a shelf stacker for several years, there is a gap, more than likely unemployed in the current climate.”

  “He joined the Police in Chester in January three years ago. He spent two years on the beat in Chester. Oh, interesting, he had a complaint made against him for abusing some buskers, he was given advice”.

  On the recommendation of Sergeant Striker he became traffic officer, passed the advanced driving course same as the rest. He married just over a year before his death, no child of the marriage it appears.

  He closed the files and sat back and contemplated but was disturbed in his thoughts by a knock on the door.

  “Come in” he called; it was May bringing in two drinks, “Ah May thank you, Doris won’t be here leave the drinks I will deal with both of them”.

  “Tell me?” Are there many posters in the police station for recruiting?” May.

  “I can tell you that, there are none. All recruiting stopped four years ago and the training department disbanded the cuts you see”.

  “I thought so” he replied. “I have a favour”.

  “Yes”” she said, “how can I help?”

  “Well now Mr Denton-Smyth is going away”.

  “Thank God for that” said May.

  “Now, May forgive and forget. I would take it as a favour if from time to time you might just visit his office and do a little dusting etc".

  “The cheeky bugger, I will bet he has asked you that, the cheek of him, making me redundant now he wants me to clean after him”

  “Come now May I would take it as a favour if you would, no matter what you think of him he is the boss here and he can make life easy or awkward for us all working on this case”.

  “Well Mr Richards you have been good to me, getting me this job and I may say giving me a few hours at your house, yes OK for you, I will do it".

  “Thank you May, no need to go in there for a while just wait until he has gone.”

  “In fact I will give you a wink and a nod when to go, it will only be some light work”.

  She left; he turned once again to the files making a note of the addresses and telephone numbers.

  He picked up the telephone and dialled the first number; it was answered after a delay giving him the despair there was no one at home.

  “Hello, Mrs Friday here”

  “Hello Mrs Friday my name is Jack Richards I am working with woman Inspector Scott-Ling who I think you know”.

  “Yes she is the nice lady who came to tell me about Bob”.

  “Yes that is her,” he said, using a persuasive voice as possible. We are looking a little further into the death of your son and we would like very much to speak with you and Mrs Upton, tomorrow if possible”.

  “Just a minute” she replied.

  He could hear her speaking in the background “It’s that nice police woman and some man, they want to speak with you and me about the deaths of Sid and Bob, they want to come tomorrow”.

  He waited with baited breath then, “Yes that is OK, Sir, I will be here at Bob’s house”

  “The force let me stay for a while until I can clear his stuff and find somewhere to live. We will all be here the three of us, what time will you come?”

  “What about, say 10am?” said Jack, thanking his lucky stars.

  “Yes alright then” and the phone was replaced.

  The three of us he thought, now there is a mystery, having noted the details he sat further and pondered.

  It was not until 7pm that Doris arrived looking worn out, “I am ready for home,” she s
aid.

  “Have you been busy interviewing and the rest?”

  “No” she replied, “just seated on my bottom sitting all this time with a shop lifter then being present whilst the men did the interview”.

  “Right then” he said, “I have arranged to visit the next of kin of the two lads who died here in Cheshire.”

  “We are due there at 10am and afterwards we will get off up north”.

  They left the office locked the doors and arrived at the desk at the police station giving the keys to the counter clerk.

  Striker still there called, “Now Ling after your exhausting hours solving crime here”, he laughed, and said, “Get off home and keep out of trouble”.

  “I am feeling famished” complained Doris, “I will just call at the take away shop at Broughton to get something to eat I will be too tired to start cooking when I get home. Would you like something Mr Richards?”

  “Thank you Inspector, but no, Mrs Richards will have dinner prepared”.

  Within moments, the car came to rest outside the Ding Dong, Cantonese genuine Chinese type food takeaway.

  She was out of the car and at the shop front door before he could say, “Its funny everyone seems to be leaving".

  “Genuine Cantonese food,” he mumbled “I bet it never saw Canton wherever that is, more likely just junk served up to American sailor’s years ago in Hong Kong. Those were the days of the British Raj.”

  Jack the hat sat impassively viewing the eight or so people who seemed to be scurrying from the premises, all-empty handed.

  He was unaware that the shop manager Wan Loy was already making a “999“call for police assistance.

  Doris arrived inside the door and could see the reason for the previous potential customers leaving. Two yobs sporting motorcycle gear, including helmets, were staring at her. A young lady obviously oriental, arrived at the counter, looked at Doris and then at the two men.

  “Can I have a number 52 with sweet and sour sauce?” said Doris.

  The girl behind the counter didn’t speak but wrote down the order and disappeared

  ”You like fucking Chinky sauce hey bitch,” said one of the motorcyclists.

  He was aged in his late thirties, early forties, a tall man but over weight, around twenty stones or more. He had a beard and was dribbling from the left side of his mouth, it was either snot or spit or both. His face grimaced and then he gave a loud fart followed by an even louder belch.