by L M Krier
When he rang off, Ted put his kettle on. He’d not bothered with any breakfast before he left home. He’d grab a cup of green tea and an energy bar while he read through the rest of the diary extracts before the morning briefing. The last entry made by Vera Ashworth was a poignant one.
“Today is going to be so exciting. It’s the day I have to go to the shop and make the purchase. I’ve spoken at length to Inspector Galton on the telephone. He’s gone over all the details with me very carefully, to make sure that nothing goes wrong. I can’t believe I’m doing this!
“I really was doubtful of the whole thing when he first phoned me up. I felt sure it was just some sort of a scam. But when I met him and saw his police badge, I was reassured. Especially when he gave me that other number to call, to speak to his boss for confirmation. He was charming, and clearly good at his job. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
“All I have to do is park where he told me to, go and buy the watch, then go back to the car park. His officer will meet me there. He didn’t tell me if it would be a man or a woman, he said it would depend who was available and nearest. He did say several of his team would be watching me to make sure it was all perfectly safe, and he would stay on the phone to me the whole time to make certain that everything goes like clockwork. I’m to ask to see the officer’s badge, hand over the watch and get a receipt. I also have to show them my laptop, which I must remember to take with me. He said the officer would have a way, from that, to go into my credit card account and immediately block it. Then they’d arrange the refund of my purchase.
“This time tomorrow, I’ll be going back to my rather mundane life of the WI and yoga classes. But what an adventure I shall have had as a police undercover agent. It’s a shame I’ve been sworn to secrecy on the whole thing, even when my part is over. It would have made a wonderful tale to tell. I may just be very naughty and tell Malcolm the bare bones of it, once it’s all finished.”
‘Right, everyone, Operation Croesus is our main focus for now, unless anything else turns up in the meantime. Who has anything new?’
‘Boss, I’ve been ringing round a few old Fraud contacts to see if I could get any sort of an inside view on who our killer might be. It seems to be so far outside the normal pattern for this gang that everyone is baffled. It’s partly why they were a bit slack with surveillance. There was no indication that it would escalate into something like this, so they really have no leads at all,’ Sal told them.
‘The PM on Mrs Ashworth is scheduled for first thing this afternoon,’ Ted continued. ‘I had an email from Professor Nelson confirming that. She’ll be doing it herself since death was certified on her doorstep. Jo, can you take that, please. I’m trying to keep myself available at all times in case the Chief Super calls another briefing. The Professor knows what she’s doing, of course, but can you press her for as much information on the knife wound as possible, please. It might give us some indication as to whether the attacker knew what they were doing, which might suggest whether or not they have previous form for knife violence. That could potentially open up a line of enquiry.
‘Inspector Pierson is sharing with us all the CCTV they can find both before and after the killing. It’s just going to be hard, relentless slog to trawl through it all to try to spot anything – anything at all – which stands out as unusual in any way, and to follow it up.
‘Right, anyone got anything else to mention?’
‘Boss, the happy slappers ...’ Jezza began, but Ted was already shaking his head.
‘I need everyone available on Croesus for now, Jezza. It’s a big case and a serious one. It has to take priority over lesser assaults and crime prevention. Can’t you just liaise with Inspector Turner about identifying those in the videos and getting them rounded up?’
‘Boss, I seriously am worried that it could escalate into something much nastier. I’ve identified some of the locations in the videos. What if I just go round those, dressed the part, and see what I can see? Or do we just have to wait until a teenager ends up dead?’
Ted sighed to himself as he looked at her, considering. It was really one for Uniform, if Kevin had any spare officers to put on it. It would be a bit of a plod but they should, at least, be able to round up some of the ringleaders that way. But Jezza’s intuitions were good and he agreed with her. He would never forgive himself if he did nothing and a young person was killed or seriously injured. With her ability to change her appearance and blend in, Jezza could get closer to the action than anyone in uniform. If he could trust her to do so without putting herself at risk.
‘You have half a day today to see what you can come up with. You do it with the express purpose of making a case to take it further. You also do it without at any point putting yourself in danger. And you stay in contact with someone on the team the whole time. Have you clearly understood all of that, DC Vine?’
‘Understood, boss. I’ll just go and change.’
Ted was back in his own office after the briefing when his desk phone rang, with an outside call being put through to him.
‘Is that Inspector Darling? This is the hospital, Emergency Department. We have your mother, here, Mrs Annie Jones. She didn’t want us to bother you but there is rather a long wait at the moment so we wondered if you might perhaps be available to come and sit with her?’
‘What’s happened? What’s wrong?’
Ted was already jumping to his feet and grabbing his coat.
‘I can’t tell you very much at the moment, I’m afraid. She’s conscious and talking but she’s been attacked, in the street. We’re just waiting for her to be seen before I can give you any more details. She really didn’t want us to call you, but I persuaded her to give me your contact details.’
‘Please tell her I’m on my way. I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
The main office was a hive of activity, everyone with heads down or on the phone, working on what they’d been allocated. Ted could see through the glass door that Jo was in his office, going through paperwork at his desk. He went over and stuck his head round the door.
‘Jo, cover for me, can you. I’ve just had a call from the hospital. My mother’s been taken in. She’s been assaulted, but I don’t know anything further for now. I need to be there.’
Jo looked up, his face concerned.
‘Sorry to hear that, boss. Of course. You go, I’ve got it covered here. I’ll only bother you if it’s completely unavoidable. I hope she’s okay.’
Ted did, too. His mother hadn’t been a part of his life for much of it. Since he’d got to know her again recently, and discovered why she’d left when he was a child, they’d grown close. There was still a slight awkwardness there, certainly on Ted’s part, which might never totally disappear. But he hated the thought that she was hurt, especially the idea that someone had assaulted her. She was in her mid-sixties now, small and slight, like he was. He couldn’t imagine who would do something like that. She certainly never looked like someone it would be worth mugging for cash or valuables.
Parking at the hospital was a nightmare, as usual. Ted used his police sign on the dashboard, although he hated doing it, hoping it would at least save him from being clamped, then sprinted for the emergency department,
He found his mother without having to go to the reception area. She was on a trolley in a corridor, looking pale, fragile and older than her years. Bruising was already forming on the side of her face, around raw cuts and grazes which looked sore, and she had one arm up across her body in an elevation sling. Her face lit up as soon as she saw him.
‘Oh, Teddy, I told them not to bother you, bach. But it is lovely to see you.’
Ted bent over the trolley and kissed her gently on the undamaged side of her face.
‘Don’t be daft. You’re my mam. Of course I came. How do you feel? What happened to you?’
With her undamaged hand, she gripped tightly on to one of his and tears started to her eyes as she began to speak.
‘It
was horrible, Teddy. I’d been shopping in Marple. I’d just come out of a shop and my mobile rang. It was my friend Aldwyth, in Garnant. We started chatting. I was speaking in Welsh, of course. A man was going past and he stopped to listen. Then he started to shout at me to go back to my own country. Shouting and swearing.
‘He pushed his face right into mine. He’d been drinking, I could smell it on his breath. I was scared. I didn’t know what he meant. I started to explain to him, in English, that I was speaking Welsh. He started pushing me and calling me a filthy Polack, telling me we were all coming over here to steal jobs and I should get out of his country.
‘I tried again to explain but he pushed me really hard and I fell over. I banged my face on the pavement. It was dreadful, Teddy. There were people all around but most just carried on walking by. Nobody stopped to help me. I suppose they were afraid to get involved.
‘I tried to get my phone, to call 999, but he stamped on my wrist and kicked the phone away and started jumping on it. I saw some people with their phones out so I thought surely someone would call for help. Then I realised some of them were just filming me, not helping at all.’
Tears were running freely down her face now and Ted could feel that she was trembling. He leaned closer and put his face against hers, tasting the salt of her tears. He murmured softly into her ear. Long-forgotten words from his childhood, when she had comforted him as a child.
‘Isht nawr. Dere mami. Fydd popeth yn iawn.’
When she had recovered enough to continue, she said, ‘Two young men came along at that point. Well, only lads they were, really. But they were tall and they looked strong. They stood up to the man, made him move away. Then they helped me. They were the only ones who did. They were so kind, Teddy. They called an ambulance and stayed with me until it came.’
‘Mam, why didn’t you get them to ring me? I’d have come straight away.’
‘I didn’t want to bother you. I know you’re always so busy and your work’s important, bach. Then my phone was broken and I couldn’t remember your mobile number. The hospital were very kind. They insisted on calling you at the station. There’s a long wait to see a doctor.’
‘Has anyone seen you yet? Have you had any pain relief? Your wrist must be hurting, and your face looks sore.’
‘Oh, it’s fine, bach. They’re very busy. There are people here much worse off than me, I’m sure. And I feel much better now you’re here.’
She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Ted groaned softly as his mobile decided to ring just at that moment. He looked at the screen and his heart sank. Marston. That didn’t bode well.
‘I’m going to have to take this, mam. I’m really sorry. It’s work.’
She smiled understandingly as he moved away.’
‘Where the hell are you, Darling? I’ve been trying to track you down and getting bullshit excuses from your DI.’
‘Sorry, sir. I’m at the hospital with my mother. She’s been brought into the emergency department.’
There was a pause. Ted could almost hear the brain cogs turning.
‘Is it life-threatening?’
‘I don’t know yet, sir, there’s a long wait to be seen. She’s been assaulted.’
Another pause, then, ‘Well, you have ten minutes to find out. Then another thirty minutes to get to Central Park for a briefing if it’s not.’
Marston cut the call. Ted took a short-range punch at the nearest wall; only years of serious martial arts training enabled him to stop the blow a hair’s breadth before it connected. He knew it wasn’t compassion from the other man in at least giving him the option. Marston was a political animal, too much a career cop to risk the bad PR of ordering him in only for his mother to die whilst he was at a non-urgent briefing.
Ted speed-dialled a number, then as soon as it was answered, said, ‘Trev? Sorry to bother you, but I really need you. Now.’
He explained briefly what had happened then added, ‘I know it’s a big ask but can you come to be with Annie? I want to stay, of course I do, but that risks Marston kicking me off the case. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.’
‘Tell Annie I’m on my way. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you up to date. Leave your phone on silent so I can contact you if I need to. And yes, I shall ruthlessly extract payment in the near future. Go. And try not to worry.’
Chapter Seven
Ted was quietly seething on the drive back from Central Park, once again sharing an official car with the Ice Queen. Kevin Turner had been excused this one as his role was largely to supply support to Ted’s team as needed. The briefing had been something and nothing which could, in Ted’s opinion, have been dealt with in a circulated email rather than wasting officers’ time yet again.
The Chief Super had made a point of publicly asking after Ted’s mother and giving him permission to leave his mobile phone on to take any call which would give him news of her condition. To anyone who wasn’t aware of the history between them, it would have seemed compassionate. Trev had sent him a quick text to say that he was with Annie but she was still waiting to be seen by anyone so had still not had any pain relief nor a diagnosis.
The briefing had been about a press conference Marston had arranged for the following day. It had been decided at high level to make a statement concerning the scam and the death of someone as a direct result of it. The powers that be wanted the public to be warned about bogus police officers or anyone else contacting them about alleged suspected activity on their credit card or bank accounts.
They also wanted the public’s help in trying to find the killer. At the moment they had little to go on, so any sightings at all could prove vital. Ted doubted there would be any forensic evidence from the crime scene to help much, and there was no sign of a murder weapon. He and his team really would be starting from ground zero on this one.
‘I will be leading the conference, of course, but I want you, DCI Darling, to be there as well. I want to show everyone watching the news or reading reports in the newspapers that we are taking all aspects of the enquiry, particularly the callous killing of this poor woman, extremely seriously. I think it would be a good idea to have someone with your excellent record on show to the public. That is, of course, as long as your poor mother is making sufficient progress. Just in case, perhaps you would brief your DI to be ready to stand in? Or perhaps Superintendent Caldwell, you could step in if needed? Sometimes the sight of a uniform of rank adds gravitas to such occasions. And I must say, Darling, I admire your dedication to the case in coming here from the hospital.’
Once they were back in the car for the return trip to Stockport, the Super turned to Ted. Her expression was once again one of genuine concern.
‘That all seemed perfectly pleasant and supportive in public. Am I right in thinking I sensed undertones of something else entirely? But first, do you want to phone Trevor, to check how your mother is doing?’
Ted shook his head.
‘He’ll call me when there’s some news, thank you. I came to the briefing because Mr Marston made it pretty clear that unless my mother was at death’s door, it was in my interests to do so. And before you say anything,’ he cut in as she opened her mouth to speak, ‘I’d really prefer to leave it there for now. And no, that doesn’t mean I’m condoning his behaviour.’
‘I don’t pretend to understand your motives but I will respect your wishes. For now.’
‘I owe you an explanation. And this is all with no disrespect intended and no gender stereotyping meant. I had problems with the Chief Super before and I had to call in my boss, Matt Bryan. You may have met him? Very good copper. Smoked himself into an early grave with the stresses of the job. You know what it could get like in Firearms.
‘I called him in to back me against Marston when he was interfering with my deployment. Putting officers’ lives at risk. Matt Bryan was old school. A real hard-nosed, hairy-arsed copper. You’ve seen how that incident rankled with the Chief Super. With the greatest respect, now Jim Baker is
out of the picture, you are my senior officer. Can you imagine what he’d make of me calling in a woman to fight my battles for me?’
Ted was saved from finding out if his remarks had been taken the wrong way by his mobile ringing. The screen told him it was Trev calling. He excused himself and answered it anxiously.
‘Hi, it’s good news; Annie’s going to be fine. Physically, at least. No signs of significant head injury, but she does have a fractured wrist and some nasty bruising. They’re discharging her shortly. I came on the bike, of course, so I’m going to call her a taxi and follow it back to ours. She can’t possibly be on her own for the time being, especially with her wrist in plaster. She’s too shaken up, for one thing, so she can stay with us until she feels better.
‘Are you at work? Can you talk?’
‘Not really, but thanks for that. Tell her I’ll get back as soon as I can to see her, even if I have to go back in to work afterwards.’
‘I will. And don’t worry, I’ll take the rest of the day off work to look after her. Love you.’
‘Same here,’ Ted said awkwardly, acutely uncomfortable about having a personal conversation in front of his boss.
‘News of your mother? How is she?’
‘Luckily, apart from a fractured wrist and some bruising, she should be all right, but Trev says she’s still very shaken. As soon as we get back to the station, I’ll see what progress has been made on finding her attacker. I’m not asking for any preferential treatment because she’s my mother. I’d like to think we’d do the same for anyone who was the victim of a racially aggravated assault like this one. What has the country come to, with all the racist stuff?
‘I’ve let Jezza go to do a recce on these so-called happy slappings today, as well. It’s a similar thing, in a sense. My mother said there were people filming her on their mobiles while she was lying on the ground, instead of doing something to help her.’