by M A Comley
“Anything to help catch those sick individuals who have robbed us of a decent bloke. I hope you find them soon.” Jones led the way out of the room and back to the main entrance. He opened the door and wedged it open with his body then shook their hands. “Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you think I can be of further assistance.”
“You’re most kind. Hopefully this will be all the evidence we need to find the gang and put a stop to their heinous crimes. Goodbye.”
Katy and Charlie raced back to the car, and Katy turned the vehicle around and headed to the station. Again, her thoughts lay with the victim and the brutality he’d suffered during his abduction throughout the journey.
“Are you all right?” Charlie asked.
Katy turned and smiled. “Yep, just thinking. Trying to determine what to do next.”
“You mean because of Gillian and the child being part of the equation?”
Katy nodded. “Yes, if they weren’t still missing, we could round the fuckers up and that would be it. No, we have to tread very carefully with this one. The last thing we need or want is to add yet more bodies to those already lying in the mortuary. I thought I was going to be sick back there when I viewed the recording.”
“I’ll be honest with you, the bile rose in my throat a few times as well. Sick shits. I hope we catch them. They deserve a good thrashing in the overnight cell when we arrest them.”
Katy chuckled. “All the nasty criminals do, however, as upstanding citizens we would never sink to that level, would we? No matter how much we’re tempted.”
Charlie smiled and nodded. “If you say so. Tempting all the same. Give me ten minutes in a room with one of them and I know who’d walk out untouched. It wouldn’t be the racist fucker, that’s for sure.”
“That’s my girl.”
Katy dropped Charlie back to pick her car up and returned to the station. Charlie joined her and let out a groan when she spotted her mother standing at the entrance, talking to DCI Roberts.
“I wonder what your mum is doing here.”
Charlie puffed out her cheeks on a long sigh. “Making my life hell by the look of things.”
“Aww… I’m sure she thinks she’s doing the right thing, hon, give her a break. She’s proud of your achievements.”
Charlie sighed again. “I know, but they’re my achievements which I’ve managed to accomplish on my own, through hard work and determination.”
“She knows that. Not that I’m sticking up for my ex-partner, but if I were in your shoes, I’d cut her some slack.”
“I guess you’re right. Why are you so level-headed?”
Katy laughed and parked the car. “I am? I’ve never been given that label before. Come on, let’s see what she wants. Has she mentioned how long she’s staying?”
“A few days last I heard. Knowing Mum, she’ll no doubt change her mind with a snap of her fingers.”
“Oh dear! Hang in there. Get your disarming smile in position.”
“You’re too funny. Thanks for the pep talk.”
“Here they are now,” DCI Roberts said to Lorne, pointing behind her.
“Hi, Mum. To what do we owe the pleasure? I thought you were going shopping today,” Charlie said, wearing the best smile she could muster.
“Ah, there you are, darling. Well, I decided against it once I saw the throng of shoppers on Oxford Street. Thought I’d drop by and take you and Katy to lunch, if you’re both up for it.”
“What an excellent idea,” Roberts chipped in.
“Except it’s not a good time,” Katy said. She waved the disc case. “We’ve just discovered something very important to do with the case and we need to get stuck in right away.”
“Oh, I see. Well, yes, of course, work must take priority,” Lorne replied, her head dipping a little with sadness. That was until Roberts dug his elbow in her side.
“I’ll clear my desk and take you to lunch instead. How about that, Mrs Warner?”
The shock on Lorne’s face was a picture.
Charlie was the first to react. “What an excellent idea. You can catch up on old times. Umm… I mean things that went on during work hours not…”
“Stop right there, DS Simpkins, before you tumble backwards into that mammoth hole you’re digging,” DCI Roberts warned.
Everyone laughed, even Charlie whose cheeks had reddened considerably.
“If the offer is still open, I’d love to have lunch with you, Sean. On the proviso we go Dutch!” Lorne gushed.
“Typical Lorne, always calling the shots, even when a nice gesture has been put on the plate in front of you, so to speak.”
“Independent to the end, that’s me.”
“Okay, we’re going to leave you to it, if that’s okay,” Katy butted in, waving the disc in her hand to emphasise their need to get on with the investigation. “Call in when you get back, Lorne, for a coffee. We should have everything organised by then.”
Lorne smiled and nodded. “Sounds ominous. Thanks, Katy, you’re on. Good luck.”
Katy and Charlie excused themselves and ran up the stairs to the incident room.
“We’re back,” Katy announced. “I need you to drop what you’re doing and gather around to see what we’ve uncovered. Graham, can you set this up? Play it on the TV, if you will.” Katy pointed at the large fifty-inch screen sitting on the wall.
The rest of the team pulled their chairs into position while Charlie and Katy handed around the coffees.
After everyone had witnessed the attack and ultimate abduction of Yao Soro, the room fell silent until Katy broke through the sombre atmosphere. “Let’s not get down about this, let’s use our anger and determination to bring these fuckers down. Are you with me?”
Some members of the team fisted the air while others raised their thumbs and nodded their agreement.
“What we need to do is find out who these vehicles belong to. I also want to check whether the men are listed on the system through facial recognition. Graham, can you do that for me?”
“Should be easy enough, boss. They’re pretty decent images.”
“Great news. Another thing I haven’t mentioned is that Yao’s wife went into labour while Charlie and I were with her to break the news of her husband’s death. She gave birth to a son; she’s named him Yao. Let’s do this for them. Lord knows what lies ahead of them without having Yao around to care for and protect them.”
The team replaced their chairs behind their desks and got down to work.
“Charlie, I’m going to need to get on with the boring stuff soon, the dreaded post, can you oversee things here? I also need you to do some research into each of the victims’ backgrounds. Did they know each other? How? Did they meet up regularly? Where are they all from? I am aware we know some of this information already, but let’s try and connect all the dots, if possible.”
“Leave it with me.”
Katy surveyed her team, and a feeling of pride swept through her. She stopped by the vending machine, knowing she’d need more caffeine in her veins to help her with the task ahead. As it was, the chore was less stressful than normal, and she had everything tied up within three-quarters of an hour. She sat back and retrieved her mobile to ring home.
“Hi, it’s me. How are you doing?”
“Hi, me. Things are going pretty well today as it happens. Just slotting the final pieces into place for the new venture. Are you sure you’re okay with this before I sign the agreement?”
“AJ, we’ve discussed it at length, it’s an opportunity you can’t, we can’t, afford to turn down. Get the deal done and it’ll take the pressure off both of us.”
“I know. I’ll do it. Hey, is everything all right? You sound down.”
“I’m fine. Or at least I will be when the current investigation has been dealt with. I think this one has affected me far more than any other case I’ve worked on. I don’t really want to go into detail, but we got hold of a piece of CCTV footage today that truly turned my stomach.”
“Je
sus, sorry to hear that, love. Is there anything I can do?”
Katy exhaled a large breath and picked up her pen to play with. “No, not really. I suppose what I’m saying is that we might be in for a long day, so don’t expect me home much before ten.”
“Poor you. Thanks for the warning. Want me to keep some dinner for you, or will you get a takeaway at the station?”
“The latter, I think. Depending how the rest of the day pans out. Thanks for being such an understanding husband, AJ.”
“Ditto for being an equally understanding wife with regards to my new venture. I couldn’t do this without you, Katy.”
“I love you. I’d better crack on now.”
“I love you, too. Try and keep me up to date, if you can.”
“I’ll do my best. See you later.” Katy ended the call and was about to return to the incident room, but the ringing phone on her desk prevented her. “Hello, DI Foster, how can I help?”
“Hello, my name is Koffi Bamba, I’m a journalist. Please don’t hold that against me.” The caller chuckled.
Katy detected the man’s slight accent. “I won’t. What can I do for you, Mr Bamba?”
“I hear you are the detective in charge of the investigation that is of interest to me. The murders of the black men.”
“I am. Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to discuss the case with you, Mr Bamba, not right now.”
“It’s okay. I contacted you because I believe I can help you with your investigation.”
Katy’s interest notched up to another level. “How so, Mr Bamba?”
“Please call me Koffi, otherwise I would think my father is in the room with us.” The man had an infectious laugh.
“Very well, Koffi. Why don’t you tell me what you know?”
“Not over the phone. I would prefer to see you in person.”
“Ah, well, as you can imagine, currently, I’m a very busy person. Over the phone would be preferable for me.”
“Sorry, maybe I’m wasting my time calling you then. Perhaps I should be speaking with your superior officer instead,” Koffi snapped back.
Katy rolled her eyes and bit down the snarky retort threatening to emerge. “Okay, you win. Depending on what happens over the next couple of hours, I can probably meet you later, around three or four this afternoon.”
“Okay, if that’s all you can manage. Four o’clock would suit me. Why don’t we meet at the entrance to Hyde Park?”
“Any particular reason why you want to meet there? It’s not the easiest place to meet and park, I’m sure you’ll agree.”
“You suggest a place then.”
Katy’s mind was full of the investigation, and she struggled to think of anywhere suitable. In the end, she asked, “Would it be an imposition for you to come to the station to see me?”
“Yes, it would. What about somewhere near the Thames? You choose a place.”
After another slight pause, Katy suggested, “What about Teddington Lock?”
“Yes, that would work for me. I’ll see you there at four this afternoon.”
“Wait, before you go. Can I have your phone number in case things go awry around here in the meantime? Also, you’re going to need to give me more before I agree to show up.”
“My number is…” Katy scribbled the number down as he said it. “As for me giving you something, let me see, ah yes, you have three victims, yes?”
“That’s correct.”
“All of them are from the Ivory Coast, yes?”
“We’re unsure at the moment, it’s something we’re digging into as we speak.”
“Take my word for it. I can give you far more when I see you. Another thing you should be aware of is that I was threatened by the gang.”
“You were? Are you telling me the other men were also threatened?”
“Yes. Although they kept it from their wives.”
“Interesting, they must have had their reasons, can you tell me why?”
He laughed. “Nice try, Inspector. Meet me and all will be revealed.”
“I’ll be there.” Katy ended the call and joined the rest of the team in the incident room. “I’ve just had an interesting call from a journalist. Karen, take a note of this name and see what you can find out about him: Koffi Bamba.”
“On it now, boss.”
Katy nodded and added, “He told me he has information for me regarding the investigation. According to him, all three victims had been previously threatened by this gang. They’ve also threatened Koffi as well, so he’s taking a huge risk speaking with me. I’ve agreed to meet up with him at four this afternoon. How is everyone doing here?” Katy circulated the room, gathering the information for the next ten minutes, pleased with what her team had managed to achieve in such a short time.
She collated the evidence and transferred the relevant information to the whiteboard. “We’re doing well, building a picture of this gang…”
The phone on Charlie’s desk rang, interrupting the meeting. Charlie nodded, jotted down some information and rose to her feet.
“What is it?” Katy mouthed.
“We’ve got another one,” Charlie replied once she’d ended the call.
“Fuck. Okay, Charlie and I will check out the scene. How did you get on with the facial recognition, Graham?”
“Nothing in the system so far, boss.”
“Okay, keep at it. The car and van registrations are going to be the key. We’ve got to fly. Use the information already gathered to dig deeper still, okay?”
Katy and Charlie left the incident room and immediately bumped into the chief and Lorne at the top of the stairs.
“Sorry, can’t stop. We’ll have to take a rain check on the cuppa, Lorne,” Katy shouted over her shoulder.
“Where are you going?” Roberts shouted after them.
“Another crime scene. Sorry, another murder, I suspect, hence our urgency to get there, sir.”
“Very well. I’ll keep Lorne entertained until you get back.”
Katy groaned. “There’s no telling how long we’re going to be, and I have a meeting with someone at four I need to attend.”
“It’s okay. Do what you need to do, Katy. I’ll be fine,” Lorne called out.
“Thanks,” Katy muttered.
8
“What have we got, Patti?” Katy asked breathlessly. She stared down at the bound body of another black man. He had a plastic bag tied around his head, his eyes bulbous with what Katy presumed had been desperation and likely fear before he passed away. “Jesus!”
“Exactly. It’s not pleasant. A man on a bike found him.”
The location was yet another public place where the body would likely be found quickly. A park with a children’s play area was just over to the right. Katy shuddered at the thought of a child stumbling across the corpse—luckily that hadn’t happened.
“Any idea regarding time of death?”
“Maybe a couple of hours. I’ll know more when I do the PM. The man suffered horrendous injuries, similar to the other victims we’re dealing with. I hate to state the obvious, but these bastards need to be stopped and soon, Katy, this is getting beyond a frigging joke now.”
“Tell me about it. New and vital information has come to our attention today. I assure you, the net is closing in on the fuckers. I also received a call from a journalist just before we left the station. He knows all the victims, told me they’d all been threatened recently. I’ve got to meet him at four this afternoon to get the lowdown on what he knows. He’s also been threatened in the past so he’s risking everything to speak with me. Brave man.”
“Interesting. Hope it goes well. Okay, you’re going to ask me anyway, so, here it is.” Patti bent down and picked up an evidence bag. She held it out for Katy to take as she was the closest.
Katy read out the address for Charlie to jot down in her notebook. “Thanks, that’s one thing in our favour.”
Patti motioned with her chin in the direction of the clearing.
“You’ll find the person who discovered the body waiting for you over there. He claims to be in a rush.”
“Thanks. We’ll have a quick chat with him now.”
Charlie replaced the evidence bag on the ground and, together, she and Katy walked towards the young man on the bike, their paper suits rustling in the breeze which had suddenly picked up.
“Hello, sir. I’m DI Katy Foster, and this is my partner, DS Charlie Simpkins. First of all, I’d like to thank you for hanging around to speak with us.”
“I’m Alan Banks. It’s okay. It’s not in me to ring the police and take off, not when there’s a dead man in there. Do you know who he is?”
“We’ve managed to find his ID, which will aid our investigation. Did you happen to see anyone lingering in the area before you discovered the corpse?”
“No, only the usual kids playing in the park. I cycle here every day, so you get used to seeing the same faces over and over.”
“I see. Perhaps you’ve seen a stranger hanging around lately?”
“Maybe, there’s been one or two men who have been a little shifty-looking, but I never really thought anything about it. Maybe I should have pointed it out to the police, what with the number of kids playing down here. They just didn’t seem the type to be paedos.”
“Is there a type nowadays? I’m not sure there is, it’s not as if they’re going around parading with the word ‘paedophile’ emblazoned on their forehead.” Katy found it impossible keeping her temper in check at the man’s blasé appraisal of the situation.
He tutted and tightened his grip on the handlebar of his racing bike. “Well, pardon me for breathing the same air as you, Inspector.”
“No, it’s my fault. I’m sorry, it’s been a tiring week and I shouldn’t have taken my foul mood out on you, please accept my apology.”
“If you insist. I didn’t have to hang around here and get soaking wet, you know. The least you can do is show your appreciation when a member of the public goes out of their way to make your life easier.”
Katy raised her hands. “I’m done here. I’ve already apologised, there’s nothing more I can say. DS Simpkins will take down your statement while I see what the pathologist has to say about the victim’s unfortunate death. Good day to you, sir.” She turned on her heel, rolled her eyes at Charlie and made her way back to Patti.
