Joint Judgement (An Emma Harrison Mystery Book 3)

by Wendy Cartmell

  ‘Chief,’ the voice said. ‘The governor would like to see you in his office. Now, please.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll be right up,’ the chief said, glad that the radio wouldn’t convey the extent of his annoyance at the demand. And demand it would be. Governor Sharpe never really asked for anything, but always demanded the best of his staff, which, in turn, would always put the governor in a good light.

  After telling the rest of the team where he was going, Chief Robinson stomped his way to the administration offices. And his mood wasn’t made any better when he was introduced to Major Pickett.

  ‘Major Pickett,’ Governor Sharpe explained, ‘is part of a, um, well, rather secret faction of the British Army.’

  ‘Really? And why would we need a clandestine unit?’

  ‘To sort out what’s going on in education, obviously. Try not to be so negative, chief.’

  ‘I’m far from being negative, sir. I’m positive that we won’t need the major’s assistance.’

  Governor Sharpe closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again, he said, ‘Would you excuse us please, Major? I’m sure it won’t take more than a few minutes to sort this out.’

  Once the major was out of the office Sharpe turned on Chief Robinson.

  ‘I will not have such obvious insubordination, especially not in front of a visitor.’

  ‘But, sir, the SAS?’

  ‘Well, I had to do something as you weren’t.’

  The dry droll in his bosses’ voice tipped the Chief over the edge. ‘How dare you!’ the chief shouted as he lost his temper, although he’d cautioned himself that he mustn’t before walking into the governor’s office. ‘I’ve just told you that Billy is close to getting an answer. I’m not having a riot on my hands, which is what will happen if the boys get wind of the fact that they are going to be attacked. Everyone has worked really hard to keep order in there and to keep everyone safe. There is no need for such an antagonistic move.’

  ‘I’ll decide what move to make, thank you, Chief. And have you forgotten that what I’ve done is nothing more than standard procedure?’

  ‘That’s as may be. But the army?’

  ‘Well, the police armed response unit wasn’t available as they’re attending an incident in Newbury, and as we have a hostage situation, then I had no choice but to pass the request to the army for help.’

  ‘But it’s not a hostage situation, sir.’ Chief Robinson was incensed by his bosses’ inability to trust that his employees knew what they were doing.

  ‘Sgt Williams is in there and now I hear Dr Fox has joined him. That’s two people.’

  ‘But they’re not hostages,’ said the Chief in exasperation. ‘Billy is finding the killer and Dr Fox is helping an ill inmate.’

  ‘Semantics, Chief. Whatever we do, this has to end without bloodshed.’

  ‘Whose blood? The inmates’? Or Williams’? Or Fox’s? Because you can bet any money that Memphis Colby will turn on them first. And then you really will have a hostage situation on your hands and possibly more deaths.’

  The Chief watched the colour drain from Sharpe’s face with some satisfaction, as his words rang home. Pushing onwards he then said, ‘Just give me a bit more time, Governor.’

  Sharpe stood, pushed his chair away and walked around his office, hands in his trouser pockets, head down, studying the carpet. After a moment’s reflection he looked Robinson in the eye and said, ‘Very well, one hour, but not a minute more. Understand?’

  ‘Yes, Governor. Thank you.’

  On his way back to the education block, Chief Robinson wondered how much of his meeting with the governor he should tell the team. Maybe to say nothing would be best. The last thing Billy needed was more pressure. The boy looked worse every time they saw him.

  Chapter 38

  Memphis Colby was surprisingly compliant when Billy brought up the subject of letting Ethan Hall leave the block, almost to the point of boredom. Billy guessed the situation was getting to all of them; everyone wanted the situation resolved. Billy knew he was close now. It just depended on the answers to the final set of prints that he’d sent over to Reading Police. In the meantime, he wanted Ethan Hall out.

  ‘You see, Memphis,’ Billy explained. ‘If we let Ethan Hall leave the block and hand him over to the officers in the light of his stabbing Stan Smith, then it will show the boys that when it comes to it, neither you nor I will be unwilling to bring the killer of Mr Walker to justice.’

  ‘I guess so,’ was the reply.

  ‘So it’s okay with you?’

  ‘Just said so, didn’t I?’

  ‘Right. Thanks.’

  Walking over to Ethan and Dr Fox, Billy told them that Ethan was to be escorted out of the block and handed over to Chief Robinson.

  ‘Do you understand, Ethan?’ Billy looked at the lad, who, rather than anxious, now seemed spaced out. His pale face, together with his blond hair, blond eyebrows and eyelashes, had the eerie effect of making him look ghost-like, ethereal and other-worldly. He nodded his agreement and didn’t seem able to speak.

  ‘Is he alright?’ Billy asked Fox.

  ‘Yes. It’s a combination of things. Shock at the realisation of what he’s done, the effects of the medication, and just pure exhaustion from having to cope with the withdrawal symptoms.

  ‘Where will he be taken?’

  ‘Oh, the hospital, definitely. Handcuffed to the bed no doubt, but he can’t be left alone in his cell. Not for a while anyway. Come on,’ said Geoff, and grabbed his medical bag.

  Once at the double doors, Dr Fox moved to speak to Chief Robinson about Ethan, while Billy made a bee-line for DI Briggs. What he really wanted to do was to hug Emma, but professionalism kept his arms by his side and he focused on Briggs.

  ‘Anything for me?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes, the names behind the last two fingerprints you sent over,’ and Briggs handed Billy a folded piece of paper.

  Glancing at it, Billy expressed his thanks and handed over the shiv Ethan Hall had stabbed Stan Smith with in return.

  ‘You’ll need more than just those fingerprints though,’ Briggs continued.

  ‘You mean a confession?’

  ‘Yeah. Just finger print evidence won’t be enough. Even a bad defence lawyer would say that the accused could have had his hands on the weapon at another time.’

  ‘Exactly. That’s why I’m hoping for other forensic evidence as well as a confession.’

  ‘Good luck with that then,’ Briggs smiled sardonically.

  ‘There may be a way.’

  ‘Oh yes?’ Briggs perked up.

  ‘I’m still working it out and I’ll let you know what I’m going to do soon.’

  Chief Robinson approached the two men at the tail end of their conversation. ‘Well it better be sooner than later,’ he commented.

  ‘Why? What do you know that we don’t?’ asked Briggs.

  Chief Robinson had decided to tell everyone about Sharpe’s plan after careful consideration, deciding that none of them could make decisions without being fully informed. ‘The governor is starting to panic. He doesn’t want this getting out and the media becoming interested. Neither does he want an outcome that will put him in a bad light. He hides behind the reputation of the prison, but in fact it’s his reputation that is all consuming to him.’

  ‘Oh, God,’ said Briggs. ‘What is he planning? Armed response?’

  ‘Worse.’

  ‘Special Forces?’ whispered Billy, to make sure no one else overheard them, especially Emma. The Chief nodded his agreement, his eyes narrowing and eyebrows furrowing.

  Billy was sure Emma didn’t want to go through the experience of her hijack rescue by the SAS again, even though this time she’d only be standing on the side lines watching, not waiting to be rescued herself. He wasn’t frightened, having the utmost faith in those will-o-the-wisps that made up the crack units of the SAS. But it would be different for her, for she’d have that agonising wait to see if Billy
came out of it alive. And then there was the real possibility that some of the lads would be killed. All it would take was for just one idiot to try and fight back. It would matter not that the boys had no guns.

  ‘Fuck,’ he said. ‘I’m going to have to move sooner than I planned.’

  Chapter 39

  Gathering up Emma, the Chief, DI Briggs and Geoff Fox, Billy said, ‘I’m going to address all the lads. I need them to work with me to flush out the killer.’

  ‘And you think you can do that by talking to them?’ Fox looked askance.

  ‘That’s my plan.’

  ‘Bloody hell, Billy. If you start accusing some of the lads in front of all the others, they could riot, rush at us, kill us with their bare fists. You can’t take the risk.’

  ‘Well, Geoff, yes they could, but I’m pretty certain they won’t.’

  ‘How can you be so sure?’ DI Briggs asked.

  ‘Because they all want to get out at their allotted time; not all be painted with the same brush and convicted of a crime they didn’t commit. And that will be my starting point. I’m hoping Aiden will help me with that.’

  ‘I think he will,’ said Emma. ‘If you’re sure it’ll work, that is?’

  Billy smiled at her. Her hand was down by her side and he took the opportunity to surreptitiously grab it and squeeze it in reassurance. But her reaction was far from unobtrusive, her face flushed red and she tried and failed to suppress a smile, all the while gripping Billy’s hand as hard as she could.

  ‘Once Aiden has spoken to them, the lads who are cleared by my investigation can leave and be allowed back to their cells. They are innocent; merely caught up in a situation that was outside their control. They haven’t hurt anyone or threatened anyone. I’ve already delivered one attacker to you, so you need to trust me on this.’

  Chief Robinson, who had been looking at the floor during Billy’s little speech looked up and said, ‘Can you send them out grouped in the wings they come from?’

  ‘No,’ said Billy. ‘It can’t work like that. I don’t know where each boy comes from and I’m not about to muddy the waters by trying to find out. I’m eliminating them according to my evidence, not according to where they’ve come from.’

  ‘In that case you’ll have to give me a bit of time to get enough officers down here to take the lads back to their cells as they come out.’

  ‘And we ought to run it past the governor as well,’ said Emma. ‘You know what he’s like,’ she turned to the chief.

  ‘Aye and if it goes well it will be his idea, and if it doesn’t it will be ours.’

  ‘Really?’ asked Briggs.

  ‘Definitely,’ said Fox quickly, eliciting a laugh from them all.

  ‘But seriously,’ said Briggs. ‘It seems a better idea than the Governor’s alternative.’

  ‘Which is?’ asked Emma. As no one spoke she turned to Billy and repeated, ‘Which is?’

  ‘Storm the block.’

  ‘Fucking hell,’ Emma blurted, and immediately put her hand over her mouth as though making sure no other expletives passed her lips.

  ‘Exactly,’ agreed Billy. ‘So you better get over to Governor Sharpe’s office and sell him my plan.’

  ‘Oy, Forensics!’

  ‘Shit, that’s Colby. We’re taking too long. Come on, Geoff, let’s get back. Chief, get your men, Emma get over to the governor and we’ll go back and start things going from here.’

  ‘Wait!’ Emma called after him.

  But Billy was looking through the doors to the block, watching the boys. They’d come out of the classrooms now and were milling around and muttering amongst themselves. There was a lot of pointing of fingers and nodding of heads in their direction going on. The last thing Billy wanted was any dissention at this delicate stage. He had to get back in there and explain what was going to happen.

  Chapter 40

  Billy hurried to Aiden’s side and whispered to him his request that he tell his story to the boys.

  ‘What? Must I?’

  ‘Please. I know you want to stay as invisible as possible most of the time, but I really need your help. Your explanation of what has happened to you will make them more responsive to my plan. I’m sure of it.’

  Aiden kicked his feet around a bit, bit his lip and then nodded his agreement.

  ‘Thanks,’ Billy breathed in relief and, hurrying to the art room, grabbed a chair and placing it just outside the classroom, clambered up onto it.

  He didn’t say anything for a moment, waiting as the boys became aware of his presence and turned to face him.

  ‘What do you want, Forensics,’ called Colby, which made the stragglers aware of what was going on.

  ‘I thought it was about time I explained a few things to you all. But first, I thought it would be helpful if you heard a real life story about what the umbrella justice rule can do, how far it can reach, and how cruel a rule it is. After you’ve heard that, then you can decide if you’re willing to work with me to find the killer of Mr Walker.’

  ‘Yeah alright,’ someone called.

  ‘Guess so.’

  ‘Might as well.’

  Not the most positive of responses, but grudging acceptance would do, Billy decided.

  ‘Can we start by splitting you back into the classroom groups, please? Art at the front on my right hand side, cookery behind them. At the front on my left, Mathematics, behind them English, and in the middle the computer class.’

  ‘Oh, what the hell,’ said Memphis Colby, which the boys seemed to take as a sign to comply with Billy’s request and they shuffled about, splitting into their groups as Billy had asked.

  ‘Now,’ he shouted over incessant chatter, ‘how about you lot sit down, so I don’t need to look like a right prat up here on a chair.’

  Billy didn’t know if it was because the majority of the boys were still young enough to remember their school days, but they all sat down without any trouble. Some of them sat forward, legs crossed, for all the world as though they were in a school assembly. Others sat sideways, leaning on one arm. Still more had their legs out and leaned backwards, placing their arms by their sides, with their palms on the floor taking their weight.

  ‘Great, thanks,’ he said, getting down from the chair. ‘Now here’s Aiden to explain what happened to him.’

  Haltingly, Aiden began to speak…

  ‘It all started when we moved into a new area,’ he began. ‘I didn’t know anyone where we lived and I didn’t know anyone at school. It was all a bit scary really, but I had to be strong for my mum, you know? She’d split up from my dad because he was knocking her about, like, and all she wanted was a fresh start. She said we needed to get out before he started using his fists on me. His drinking was getting worse; it had been ever since he’d lost his job because he turned up drunk once. As a result, he was drinking more than ever and always getting into trouble in the pub for bad mouthing people.’

  Billy watched as some of the boys nodded in agreement.

  ‘So, anyway, mum got a job in Reading and so we moved from London up here. One day a group of lads came up to me at school and asked if I wanted a fag. I told them I didn’t smoke, but that didn’t seem to stop them. They said I could be their friend, but as they all smoked they wanted me to as well. I looked across the playground at everyone else playing with their friends and all I’d been doing was leaning against a wall on my own. So I said that I’d give it a go. We went behind the sheds, had a quick smoke and that was it really. The fag made me choke and cough and I couldn’t finish it, but it didn’t matter, I was in their gang. I didn’t like what they did sometimes, what they said to people mostly, but at least I wasn’t on my own anymore. Before I’d felt like an outcast, only able to stand on the side lines looking in on everyone else enjoying themselves. Now, I had someone to play footy with, share the odd bottle of cider and a fag with, and we also used to play cards.

  ‘We started going into town on Saturday mornings. The other boys were pretty playf
ul, making fun of other lads, whistling at pretty girls, that sort of thing. I didn’t mind that sort of stuff, but then they started picking on people; vulnerable ones who couldn’t do anything to protect themselves. They nicked old people’s shopping and stole a homeless man’s money that people had given him. When he objected they kicked at him and his dog.

  ‘I shouted at them to stop. I hate any sort of violence, because of what had happened at home. I used to hear my dad use his fists on my mum, her cries and shouts for him to stop and then her face the next morning. She would always try and be brave and keep it from me, but I saw the bruises and the winces of pain when she moved around the kitchen making me breakfast before school. So I helped the poor man to get on his feet and collect his belongings that had been scattered across the pavement. I didn’t go out with them on Saturdays after that. We were still mates at school, but I made up some excuse of my mum needing help with her shopping on Saturdays, as she wasn’t very well.

  ‘Then one night they had too much to drink and went on the rampage in town. They found the same homeless man and shoved him to the floor and laid into him with their boots. He was found by the police later that night and taken to hospital, but he died from injuries to his head.

  ‘I knew nothing about it, as I was home with me mum that night, watching a film on the telly. An old Star Wars it was, but we both liked them and mum made such an effort, buying me coke to drink and making popcorn.

  ‘The next night there was a knock on the door and the police were standing there. I was arrested for murder and taken to the local nick. I’ve not been back home since. My solicitor didn’t give a fuck about me, just wanted to find the easiest way through the case, doing as little work as possible, just enough to collect his fee. He made us all plead guilty to murder as we were all charged under the Joint Justice thingy.

  ‘Now me mum is fighting for justice for me. She’s found another solicitor and they’ve filed an appeal and hope to get me a hearing soon. They reckon I’ve a good chance of getting off, something to do with bad legal advice. But it’s hard, being locked up for something I didn’t do, you know?’