by Mike Holden
Parker suggested to Hannah that they go for a walk in town once they had finished their meal. As it was a beautiful late spring evening, she felt it was as good a way as any to pass the time. They walked from the end of the main street where the hotel was located up the hilly street to the opposite end. Parker suggested a drink at the pub at that end of town. After he had brought the drinks to Hannah, he asked her
“Have you seen anything noteworthy, helpful or even any positive signs walking up the street, pertinent to our investigation?”
Hannah had not really seen anything connected with the case or even remotely noteworthy. She said meekly to Parker that it was a very pleasant town.
“There are two noteworthy points to be considered, that are crucial in the next step of the enquiry.” She looked at him quizzically. He continued
“The first thing is that there is no sign of the hire car. It obviously is not here so either they are well away or - “. He hesitated.
“Or they are here and they are hiding” she continued
“Yes. Hiding so well that they are almost inconspicuous. We’ll have the locals check out all the bed and breakfast places in the morning and we’ll check the two places in this street where they are likely to have gone”
She again looked at him uncomprehendingly
“You ought to have noticed” he said somewhat bluntly “that we passed two shops that let out holiday homes and these are throughout the Lake District. My guess is that we shall be successful there. Secondly, I spotted something even more sparkling than that. The Indian Restaurant. I looked through the window and our mate Terry was sat in the corner. I wonder how he managed to be here. It’s not a coincidence”
“Alan could have told him, although that’s unlikely in the circumstances or Baker could have. I’ll check it out in the morning.”
He smiled at her “Our job is done for this evening. I don’t suppose there’s any chance of a shag later, is there?”
“Piss off” she replied, although she had a smile on her face.
*
It was Davies who was the first to show his face the following morning. Reed had found the names that he wanted. Of course, he recognised the name of Parker as soon as he was told and he knew that he was a city copper. Parker would soon recognise him and so, armed with this information, he left the hotel early. He would wait and continue to keep an eye on the other copper, and although he did not know it at the time, that Kingsly was keeping an eye on Hannah’s car.
After breakfast she checked and received confirmation that Kingsly had not been contacted by Alan Payne or Ryan Baker. It puzzled them both as to how he was in this town. Had he followed them? If so, from where. Parker mused that it might be in their interest if this was the case so that they could keep an inverted eye on them. He had to explain to Hannah that one of the best ways to keep surveillance on someone was to let them believe that they were following you. Hannah failed to understand the logic but knew it was in her interest not to question this with Parker at this time. They visited the two letting agencies and hit the jackpot at the second one. They had rented out a cottage for four days to a gentleman called Edward White who was accompanied by his young Chinese wife (smirks from the elderly sales lady). She gave them the address. Armed with this information, Parker suggested they had a coffee. He and Hannah were still on a very good relationship even though he had had a shag-free night. Once they were sat down, he asked Hannah
“Just what is the purpose of our being here? Is it to arrest White and young Miss Chen for burglary or to compromise Terry Kingsly? Or both?”
“We need to question White and Chen again. You don’t just do a bunk if you are innocent. And we need to sort out Terry once and for all” After a pause she continued “Let’s go after White and Chen first and see what turns up after that. If what you say is true about him following us then we might possibly kill two birds with one stone. In any case, Terry will be about and we can challenge him then” She made a move to go but Parker resolutely did not move.
“I have an idea” he said, “a plan that might indeed kill two birds with one stone.” He explained his thoughts to Hannah. She thought about it, her first reaction being that it was unfeasible but the more she thought, the more she became convinced.
“You know, sir, it might just work”
On their way back to the hotel they kept their eyes peeled and spotted Kingsly sat on a park bench next to a new terrace of shops. They need not attract his attention as they knew he would follow them and by their deliberate actions, it would be very easy for him to do so.
CHAPTER 24
That day was another beautiful one in the Lake District. Good day, sunshine, as John would have said. Kim and Ned kept their promise to each other to have a day’s hiking in the fells. They had set their minds on Scafell Pike but their playfulness in bed this morning caused them to rise later than expected. Wasdale Head, although not far in distance was not easy to reach as they had to negotiate the Hard Knott Pass, a very time-consuming journey. They decided to attack the Old Man of Coniston, a name that amused Kim from the moment she heard it, coupling it with sexual innuendo, as the term “old man” was a term used by one of her university friends in her first week at collage. Kim’s knowledge and use of the English language was impeccable but before her arrival she had rarely come across slang terminology. Her friend had to explain to her exactly what part of her boyfriend’s anatomy his “old man” was, and she was not describing his elderly father. They prepared themselves with some of the clothes and equipment that they had bought at the shop. Ned packed a large black backpack that he had religiously kept close to him with essentials, including sandwiches and a hot flask full of green tea, Kim’s preferred choice and soon they were ready to leave.
*
Hannah led the way out of the town and whilst it was only a few miles or so to the cottage located by the lake, the road was quite narrow with sharp bends. She drove in such a manner as to ensure that Kingsly could easily follow. And so for a second day, the convoy of three cars left the small lakeside town.
Kim decided that she would like to drive today as her spirits were much higher that they had been for the last couple. She had not forgotten what Ned had done to her on the approach to the airport and decided to pay him back if the roads were suitable. She set off down the lane at a speed faster than she would normally do.
Approaching the turn-off to the cottage, Hannah slowed down but neither of them could see Kingsly. They were unaware that at some point in the journey a tractor had pushed its way onto the main road between the two cars and that he was caught behind that slow vehicle. Kingsly was cursing and swearing at the driver whilst honking his horn. He eventually overtook as soon as he hit the straight piece of road prior to the cottage turning. Hannah and Parker noticed him coming along the road, albeit quite a long distance away and turned onto the dirt track leading to Kim and Ned’s cottage. They were simply not prepared for the Ford Focus speeding towards them from the opposite direction and were forced to swerve off the track and into the soft ground at the side of the road. The words “fucking hell” were shouted by both lady drivers, even though the expletives they cursed were anything but lady-like. Kim drove on at speed, unaware that there may have been a problem with the other car. She pulled out into the lane in front of another car that caused the driver to apply his breaks very hard. He uttered the same expletive but for an altogether different reason. Kim was now racing up the main road with Ned hanging on to his seat belt.
“Will you go a little slower, please. This is a long and winding road” he pleaded and again, began to sing the song.
“Only if you shut up. Just giving you a taste of your own medicine for what you did to me at the airport,” she replied with a satisfied grin on her face.
“Okay” he said “you’ve proved your point and my underpants are now brown”
&nb
sp; “Don’t be crude” She was still smiling. She decided that he had learned his lesson and slowed down. Anyway the countryside was too beautiful to go careering through it at that speed.
*
Kingsly could not believe his luck when he saw White and Chen emerge from the lane, hence his expletive. Without hesitation he made the decision to follow them rather than Beaumont or Parker. After all, he was up here to find them and that he had done very fortuitously. Hopefully his colleagues would not be in any position to follow him, at least for the next few hours. He made a telephone call to Haslam.
“Where are you?” he asked. Haslam told him that he was staying at a hotel near Grasmere. Kingsly smiled. He had taken the bait then.
“I think that I might just be following your money and with your help we can retrieve it today. Get yourself ready to leave and when I know our destination I’ll call you, so keep your phone on” He ended the conversation. He had a plan developing in his head that would ensure that Haslam would retrieve the cash and he would end up with it.
*
More expletives were uttered by both Hannah and Parker when they realised that the nearside wheels of their car were completely bogged down in the soft and muddy verge. They had very little room for manoeuvre as there were trees and bushes to the front and rear of the car. It was no use. The car was well and truly stuck. Parker pulled out his mobile phone and made a call. Hannah just heard him instruct someone to ring him back immediately. He received the call almost straight away. He barked down the phone
“Thank you for ringing” and he introduced himself and his purpose for being in the area. He explained that they were on an important case and their location. Could someone come and tow their car from the verge, could a special watch be given to a Ford Focus car of which the registration was given and could a warrant be made out to search a cottage. He didn’t know the address but described it as well as he could.
“And” he said finally “could we be met at the house?” Apparently this was all agreed and he responded with his thanks.
“Come on Hannah, we are walking to that cottage. Hope it isn’t too far away and I’ll explain on the way what’s going on.”
As they set off, the explanation was duly given. They soon realised that Kingsly had not followed them up the track and made the assumption that he had met Chen and White at the junction. He must be following them now and he had a head start on them. Furthermore, they had no idea where the three of them might be heading.
“So, Terry has the edge on us now” she said resignedly. Parker agreed but said in their defence
“Let’s hope that Cumbria’s finest can spot the Focus. I have to say that they have been extremely helpful so far. Perhaps they don’t have much to do up here”
It took them fifteen minutes before the cottage came into their view. It was a modern looking one that overlooked the lake and it was very isolated. Parker noted that it would have been difficult to get to this cottage unseen particularly if the occupants were watching the lane. Once there, they knocked on the door but there was no response. They walked around the front and found that there was plenty of glass that allowed panoramic views across the lake. The profundity of glass also helped them to see inside. They could not see any signs of anyone being in there although there was plenty of evidence that it was occupied. They stood by the rail on the wooden platform at the front of the house.
“Well, at least they are coming back. They haven’t abandoned the place.” Parker said. He moved round to the side of the house and examined the lock. He produced some strange-looking instruments on a key-ring from his pocket, selected one and inserted it into the lock. The door soon opened. He shouted to Hannah
“Come round here, we have some work to do”
“Are you sure, guv?” she asked. There were times when she was quite a stickler for the rules. He looked at her very innocently and said
“I found the door open and therefore it is a policeman’s duty to make investigations to see if any crime has been committed. Besides, a warrant will be here very soon.”
She reluctantly accepted the situation and they went inside.
“You start looking in the lounge and I’ll start in the bedroom.” They made quite an exhaustive search of all the rooms including the bedroom that had not been used and eventually they came together in the lounge.
“Found anything?” Parker asked Hannah
“Only the fact that we have got the right house. I’ve found the rental agreement and a few other documents with Chen and White’s name on. I’ve not found any money or any indication as to where they were travelling to in such a hurry” The last four words were emphasised.
“Initially, I wondered if they were being chased” said Parker, “or if they were forced out of this house in a hurry, but there is no sign of anything untoward here, and no one else has come down this track after them. That means, of course, that if they are being hounded, then the perpritators may still be here, although there’s no sign of any car. Let’s go and have another look.”
It was then that they heard a car and went to the window. They saw their own car coming up the path followed by a large Land-Rover. Parker and Hannah went to the front door. Apart from the nearside and the wheels being caked in mud, there was apparently nothing wrong with car. It could be cleaned later. Two uniformed policeman, one from each emerged from the cars and both had a knowing look on their faces. The one who drove his car told him that there was no damage to it. He continued by saying that there had been a sighting of the Ford Focus on the A593 road heading for Coniston.
“Were they stopped and were they being followed?” asked Parker.
“Neither, sir”
“Then might I request that they be found. My intuition says that they may be in some kind of danger” The constable looked somewhat perturbed.
“I’ll get on to it now” He turned away and produced his mobile phone. He started speaking into it. Parker approached the other constable.
“Go through there” he said pointing to the house “and see what you can find”
“What exactly are we looking for” the constable asked
Hannah replied “Firstly, a large amount of money, then any documents or paper that has the names of Mei-Zing Chen or Edward White on them. Also any other documents relating to any other persons and two other names that we are particularly interested in are Neil Haslam and Terry Kingsly. Finally, anything unusual that might be out of place here. When you have finished, contact me directly on my mobile number” He gave it to them. Both constables nodded and went into the house.
“Come on” Parker said to Hannah “l hope you have your map book handy because we need to get to Coniston in very quick time. The flashers might come in handy here”
They drove off down the dirt lane leaving a cloud of dust behind them.
CHAPTER 25
Whilst the road to Coniston was very winding there was not much traffic on it, being a Monday, and Kingsly could easily keep the Ford Focus in sight even though he deliberately stayed well back. The same set of circumstances and actions applied to Jimmy Reed, driving the BMW as Kingsly failed to spot this car following at a discreet distance.
On approaching the village of Coniston, Ned pointed out the “Old Man” to Kim. She giggled again recounting the innuendo of the name and said in a mock Marilyn Monroe American style accent.
“My, oh my, isn’t it big.” She continued, “I don’t think I could manage all that.”
Ned smiled at her. It was pleasing to see that she was returning to normal and that her moroseness was leaving her. In the village there was one large car park but it was at the opposite end to where the pathway started to climb the mountain. Ned knew the road leading to the mountain as Kim drove through the village and gave her instructions to turn right just before the Black Bull pub. As Kim turned the corner,
he said to her
“They do fantastic fish and chips there, and I know you have a weakness for them”
“Sounds good and you’re making me hungry again” Kim replied
“We’ve only just had breakfast. We’ll call on the way back and by then your appetite will be such that you will devour their large haddock. And it is large”
“Looking forward to it already”
Ned decided to try his luck in parking up there and gave Kim directions to drive up the dirt track. The narrow road snaked its way up the hill by the side of the pub and head towards the bottom of the hill. She drove for about another half-mile of so until she saw a cluster of parked cars on a grassy area near to a kissing gate. There was plenty of activity around with other hikers preparing themselves, changing footwear, packing bags and securing waterproofs. Kim found a spot to park and cut the engine.
*
They were watched by Terry Kingsly from afar, as he felt it too dangerous to be recognised at this point. He parked just off the dirt track in a space that could accommodate only one car. He reached for his mobile phone and dialled. The call was answered quickly
“Haslam, get over here right now. I’m in Coniston. Once you reach the pub in the village, turn right up a dirt track and you’ll see me on the left in a grey Ford Mondeo”. He gave him the registration number. Haslam grunted his acquiescence and the call was ended. He watched Kim and Ned prepare themselves in a similar manner to all the other people parked near them. Shit! he thought. They must be going mountain-climbing. The last thing that he wanted to do was to clamber up a mountain. He thought that he might not survive the day.