by Alan Fisher
A little after 4pm, Jack and Oliver walked through the doors to the Beamish Hall County House Hotel having spent the entire journey from headquarters in complete silence, both respecting the others needs to run through in their head what they were about to face.
As they drove along the extensive driveway, Oliver noted that the car park to the hotel was at the rear of the building, the front looking out over extensive lawns and a wooded area further beyond the lawns. He also noted the outside eating and drinking area that backed out towards the car park and wondered if this would be where any entrance to the building might be made.
As they walked through the rear entrance, through the bar and into the reception area, Oliver realised why the building seemed to be almost back to front. It was clearly used extensively as a wedding venue, the frontage of the building and the lawns being maintained and manicured for traditional wedding photographs.
“I’ve already made a phone call to the manager, so he knows we’re on our way. I’m going to have a chat with him and start to sort things out. You have a good look around the place, familiarise yourself with everything. The nooks and crannies that these old country houses have can be extensive and I want you to know every inch of the place before we start this thing. I know we shouldn’t need to, but let’s not leave anything to chance. I’ll see if we can steer our target to a room of our selection, so keep that in mind when we’re wandering about. Meet you back here when you’re done” said Jack, and he left to see the young lady on reception.
Oliver watched him speak to the receptionist, the nerves already starting to twist in his stomach. Even so, the first thought that popped into his head was;
“She’s not going to like that uniform one little bit”.
He smiled at the thought that the only bit of danger in Debbie’s mind was looking like a bag of hammers, and he went to look around and get a feel for the place.
It took him a while to get around everywhere. It was, as Jack had suggested, a hotel filled with nooks and crannies as old houses tended to be. The ground floor housed the restaurant and bar, kitchens, four function rooms, a beautifully furnished lounge with deep carpets and Chesterfield style sofas, the marble tiled reception, toilets, and a small staff room and office. The layout was extremely impressive with oak panelled walls, deep coloured floor to ceiling curtains, and lavish carpets or wood flooring adorning every room. Everything looked so pristine, he wasn’t surprised that it was popular as a wedding venue.
The first floor was essentially bedroom after bedroom, interspersed only occasionally by what looked like a storage cupboard. The same applied to the third floor, although Oliver noted that none of the corridors was straight for more than twenty paces before turning a corner into another short corridor.
He paced the corridors backwards and forwards trying to assess which room would give the best opportunity to arrest the killer whilst minimising risk. He ruled out the second floor on the basis that time would be tight and getting to the first floor would be quicker. For that reason, he also ruled out rooms that were too far along corridors and around corners.
In the end he selected two rooms not far along from the top of the stairs which he thought were best situated given the time restraints. He made a mental note of the numbers and went to find Jack.
He found him in the bar, checking to see if there were any other exits that the accomplice could use to get into the building unnoticed.
“Everything all right?” asked Jack when Oliver appeared by his side.
“Yes sir. It’s an impressive place I have to say; quirky I think my mum would call it”.
“That’s certainly one way to look at it. My main concern is covering all the potential entrances to make sure that whoever this accomplice is, he doesn’t slip in without us getting hold of him. If he manages that, we’re going to have a stand off which will not be safe for anyone. We need to do this quietly and efficiently”.
“How many are there? Potential entrances I mean”.
“Main one from the car park at the rear, two sets of French doors to the front that open into the gardens and side doors out from the kitchen where stores are delivered. There’s also some French doors out to the side but they are normally locked off when there are no weddings taking place, but I’ll check to make sure”.
“So we’ve enough officers to cover the front and the rear, but the kitchen might be a problem”.
“It’s unlikely someone could just wander in through the kitchens, but I don’t want to take any risks. I’m sending for a couple of PC’s to come down and pose as kitchen hands. Hopefully, he’ll come in directly from the car park. Don’t forget, there’s no reason for either of them to be suspicious yet. Paul and I will be just outside the rear door in the beer garden smoking area; looks like I’ll have to start again for one night. It should be quiet enough to intercept him without causing a fuss”.
“I didn’t know you used to smoke sir” said a surprised Oliver.
“Years ago, but we can’t stand out there in this weather unless there’s a good reason. Smoking seems most logical. So, for one night only, sacrifices have to be made. Now, show me which rooms you’ve selected and what you plan to do”.
Chapter 62
By the time the rest of the team arrived at the Beamish Hall County House Hotel shortly before 6pm, all of the arrangements were in place. The manager of the hotel had decided to check in the woman they were expecting himself, not wishing to place any of his staff in the front line of any potential danger.
Jack had agreed and requested that wherever possible, staff should avoid the main reception area between 6.45 and 7.15 to allow a smooth checking in procedure. He’d also arranged that the woman be allocated room 103, which Oliver had selected as the best available for access and location. They were fortunate that the room was unoccupied.
Jack led the team into a small function room to finalise the procedure and make sure everyone understood their places.
“Ok everyone, nearly showtime. I want everyone in their places by 6.30 just in case she decides to arrive early. Debbie, you’ll be on reception; the manager has decided that he will do the check in procedure, you will be on the computer at the end of the desk. They’ve got a uniform for you; I guessed the size I’m afraid but it’s only for a few minutes, so I hope it’s comfortable. I know you might think that this position isn’t important, but you’d be wrong. The only way to the room is up the main stairs, and if the accomplice slips through the net, you’ll have to tackle him. Be ready, just in case. Robbie and Alan will be on the French doors to the front. They’re not often used this time of year, but we have to cover all entrances. We’re putting a flip chart and easel up and giving you name badges and clip boards as if you’re waiting for delegates to an event. It’s not unusual here, so shouldn’t create any surprises. Paul will be with me by the back door which is the one used mostly because of the location of the car park and therefore, the most likely entrance. We’ll be outside having a pint and a cigarette, perfect natural cover. Don’t panic Paul, I won’t ask you to start smoking. The kitchen exit doors are the least likely, but I’ve still put a couple of PC’s in the kitchen just in case. When whoever grabs the accomplice has him in cuffs and his gear on it’s way to Oliver, then, and only then, can you send the text message to everyone else. Please check before we leave that you all have that message set on your mobile phones and ready to go. One of whichever pair arrests the accomplice will bring him in here, the other will take the jacket and cap up to the first floor to room 101 where Oliver will be stationed waiting with the door propped open. He will be pretending to be a guest if anyone passes his door. As soon as I get the message, Paul and I will head to join Oliver outside room 103 where our target will be waiting. Under no circumstances do you knock on that door until we are all ready and in position Oliver. If it’s Paul and I who apprehend the accomplice, Paul will take the gear to Oliver and I will bring the accomplice to the front door where Robbie and Alan will take over his
custody and I’ll join Oliver and Paul. After that, well, we’ll just have to see how it plays out. Ok, any questions?”
No-one said anything.
“Ok, it’s 6.20, let’s do this”.
The time from 6.20 to almost 7pm went so slowly it felt to everyone like hours. Jack watched as each car pulled into the car park, looking for the familiar sight of a woman in a cap carrying a backpack.
Then at a couple of minutes before 7pm, she arrived. Jack watched her climb out of her car, he couldn’t tell the make under the poorly lit gloom of the car park, and pull her backpack out of the boot before walking across the car park, heading straight towards him.
He took a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket, courtesy of one of the kitchen staff, and lit one before picking up his untouched pint of Guinness and chatting to Paul.
“Did you see the match last week-end. Bloody awful weren’t they” he said, blowing a column of smoke out at the same time.
“Absolutely shite. Never seen them as bad as that for a long time, the manager has to go” said Paul in a think Geordie accent.
She brushed by within a few feet of the pair, but Jack still couldn’t see her face, such was her height and the angle of her cap. He watched out of the corner of his eye a she went through the bar and into the reception area. He stubbed the cigarette out,
“Phase 1 done, check in should not present a problem; so now we just wait”.
“That cig was awful wasn’t it”.
“Yep, but I’ll have to do it again when our guy gets here. Small price to pay I suppose”.
Debbie studied the screen in front of her as the woman in the cap approached the desk. She kept half an eye on her as she listened to the woman explaining that she’d pre-booked a room for the night and that she’d pay with cash because she had an early start in the morning. Debbie couldn’t detect any accent, and again the cap obscured a good look at her face.
When the check in was complete, Debbie watched the woman head up the stairs and turn the corner.
She said nothing, but could see the colour coming back into the manager’s face after the woman had left the desk.
She watched him take out a handkerchief from his pocket and wipe his brow. His job was done now, and all Debbie could do was wait and watch the stairs in case the accomplice should slip past her colleagues somehow.
The clock ticked on, 7.15, 7.20; everyone was getting fidgety waiting. Then at 7.24 Jack watched a white van pull into a remote area of the car park. A man wearing a dark jacket and a dark baseball cap got out of the van, a rucksack already in his hand
“Here we go” Jack whispered to Paul.
The man crossed the car park heading towards the entrance and Jack took a cigarette out of the packet as Paul moved a few feet to the left. Jack stepped into the path of the man as he got closer, his heart beating fast.
“Got a light mate” said Jack to the man in the cap as he got within a couple of feet.
To Jack’s surprise the man reached into his pocket with his free hand and Paul, seeing an opportunity, pounced. He slipped behind him, grabbing his arms and twisting them upwards whilst putting his full weight against his back. The man fell forwards struggling, but Jack swivelled around behind him to help Paul and took hold of one of his arms. Collectively Jack and Paul shoved him the remaining few feet to the wall and pinned him hard against it.
“Best not to struggle son; police, and you’re under arrest” said Jack. “Now we’ll have that jacket and that cap”
Paul wrestled the jacket off the accomplice whilst Jack removed his cap. He was younger than Jack had imagined, now he could see his face for the first time. Early twenties Jack thought, blonde hair, in need of a shave, and what Jack would describe as scrawny. He certainly didn’t put up much of a fight, fortunately. Nor did he speak.
Jack put the cuffs on him as soon as the jacket was off then took out his phone and pressed send.
“You got this?” asked Paul.
“Go Paul, I’ve got this”.
Paul grabbed the cap to go with the jacket already in his hands and set off through the bar heading for the stairs. Jack stood behind the man with one hand on his prisoner’s cuffs and the other on his shoulder and started walking him towards the bar.
“We’ll just have a short walk through the bar shall we. Quietly but quickly sunshine, and we won’t have any problems” said Jack.
He managed to escort his prisoner through a relatively quiet bar and through reception to the front doors. Robbie, who had already received Jack’s message, was waiting for Jack to appear. He saw him coming and quickly moved across the reception to take custody, allowing Jack to turn around and run up the stairs to room 101.
Debbie was watching from reception and she knew that this was it; her three colleagues upstairs were about to tackle the killer, with Oliver in the front. Her heart started racing and she was struggling to breathe.
Jack went through the open door into room 101 where Oliver was already standing with the accomplices jacket on and his cap pulled down over his eyes, Paul stood next to him.
“Ready?” he asked Oliver.
“As I’ll ever be” Oliver croaked back.
“Remember, no heroics” said Jack and he went into the corridor with Paul.
They walked the few feet along to room 103 and positioned themselves flat against the wall either side of the large door. Oliver watched and waited. Jack nodded, Oliver tilted his head down and walked the last few feet to stand in front of the door and knocked a couple of times.
For a brief second, he wondered if this was all going to go horribly wrong because the couple had pre-arranged some sort of code for knocking, a code he knew absolutely nothing about. But within a couple of seconds he saw the door handle turn and the door slowly begin to open.
“You took your fucking ti……” said a woman’s voice behind the door.
But the final word was never finished because, with a speed and agility unexpected by either Oliver or Paul, Jack’s shoulder was against the half open door and Oliver was catapulted into the room and across the floor towards the bed as Jack burst through the doorway. The woman was knocked backwards and hanging onto the door handle as Jack turned and lunged for her. She slipped under his grasp as she let go of the door and Jack fell to his hands and knees. Paul kicked at the door as it swung shut and stumbled over Jack’s feet as he entered the room too.
Oliver was scrambling back onto his feet when he saw a flash. A flash of steel in the woman’s hand, the hand heading for the back of Jack’s neck as he tried to stand up. Oliver threw himself at her outstretched arm as she made a slash at Jack.
He caught her arm close to the wrist, but she deflected it and the pain shot through him as the blade caught across the meaty flesh just below his left elbow. He fell sideways onto the floor as he felt the pain and knew that the knife had ripped through the jacket and into his arm.
But his actions had allowed Jack to recover to his feet and Paul to move past the door. Jack threw his clenched right fist and Oliver heard the sound of bone and flesh coming together; the woman screamed and recoiled backwards. Paul leapt forward and grabbed the arm with the knife and pinned it to the floor. Jack stamped on her wrist hard, and she dropped the knife in a shriek of pain. Paul quickly flipped her over and pinned her hands behind her back whilst Jack swiftly put the cuffs on.
“You’re under arrest, whatever your name is” gasped Jack, “for the murders of Andrew McMillan, Justice Robertson, and Juste Van der Klerk. For resisting arrest, for assaulting one of my officers, and for nicking three rugs”.
Jack pulled her onto her feet not caring how rough he was handling her.
“Get this piece of shit downstairs Paul. Vans from the Durham force will be outside by now, they got the same text as everyone else and knew it was the signal to send in reinforcements. And send Debbie up will you”.
“Yes sir” said Paul, taking hold of the woman and pushing her towards the door.
Jack crossed t
he room to where Oliver was sitting on the floor, propped up by the bed; his right hand covering the wet jacket sleeve of his left arm, the sleeve soaked in blood.
“Let me see that” said Jack kneeling down and taking Oliver’s hand off his arm. “Doesn’t look too bad, but you’ll need to have that looked at. What happened to my instructions of no heroics?”
“I forgot” said Oliver.
“We’ll have to do something about your selective memory loss; but thanks, that knife could have been in the back of my head”.
“No problem” said Oliver as Debbie appeared in the doorway.
“Oliver” she gasped, “what the hell happened?”
“Little nick to the arm is all” said Oliver as Jack got up from his kneeling position.
“Bit more than a nick Oliver, but I’ve seen worse. Debbie, take him downstairs and outside will you. The Durham team have an ambulance on standby just in case and it looks like we might need it. After that, make sure he gets home if the medics release him. If not, let me know where they’re taking him. Then can you tell everyone to get home and get some rest, and can you pass on my thanks for an excellent job tonight. I’m going to wait for the forensics to get here, we don’t want any last minute foul-ups. I’ll be talking to these two over the week-end, I’ll brief everyone on Monday morning, but I think we’re done now.
Debbie crossed the room and helped Oliver to his feet. She looked odd in her hotel uniform Oliver thought, not that he would ever dare to mention it; but he was pleased to have someone to help him down the stairs.
When the pair left, Jack sat on the bed and took his phone out. He sent his next text message to the forensic team that were waiting on stand-by, put the phone back in his pocket, and looked at the blood stains on the floor where Oliver’s arm had bled out.
