by L M Krier
'Afternoon, Bizzie, do you have something for me?' He hadn't been informed of a sudden death on his patch. It was possible that it was another one that had started out looking innocent enough then had given the pathologist cause for concern at the post-mortem.
'Good afternoon, Edwin. We have another drugs overdose from Sabden House. Once again, the cause of death was heroin more pure than anything which we routinely see. I'm flagging it up as a possible suspicious death. You might well want to send someone round to have a look at where it happened.'
'Give me all the details and I'll hand it over to my new DI, Jo Rodriguez. I already have several places to be at once. I'm just back from another death very similar to our hotel guest. Once I get the PM report for that, I'll send you a copy for comparison.'
'That's a worrying development for you. I'll look forward to seeing the report, in a professional sort of way.'
Ted went in search of Jo, who was back in his own office. Quickly, Ted laid out details of the previous two deaths at the flats.
'There may be nothing to it, only coincidence, but it's strange that in the three cases we now know of, the quality of the gear, both the heroin and the alcohol, was so high. That would suggest it was outside the usual price range of the victims, so it certainly merits looking at. Can I leave that one with you to check on? Go and have a look at the scene, see if anything jumps out at you.'
Ted put his head round Kevin Turner's door on his way to see the Ice Queen. He wanted to make sure he was not thinking of ducking out of his hospital appointment on Friday, and to reassure him that Maurice Brown was still more than willing to go with him.
'I heard you had to go abroad today. Cyril Foster's patch? That must have been worse than the body. I don't hear anything good about that lot. My mate up there is tired of trying to get him to show a bit of respect for his uniformed officers and to stop treating them like his personal lackeys. For all your faults, at least you're polite.'
'Often under great provocation. And what faults? I don't have any,' Ted laughed. 'I'm sending Jo round to Sabden House to look at this latest sudden death there. Professor Nelson has marked it as possibly suspicious.'
'My lads said it just looked like a drug overdose. The deceased still had the needle in a vein.'
'It wasn't a criticism. Just that the Professor phoned me a few minutes ago with the PM results and the quality of the heroin is suspiciously pure, like the last one. We'll need to take a bit of a closer look. Can you ask your officers attending to have a word with Jo? It will do tomorrow, though, this is on the back-burner a bit. Our murderer is taking priority, especially with another killing almost certainly down to him.
'Make sure you go and get sorted on Friday. Maurice is programmed to come looking for you, if not. And trust him. He's a good man.'
Next stop was the Ice Queen's office. He gratefully accepted her offer of coffee. He didn't seem to have eaten or drunk much during the day. He was answerable to Jim Baker for the murder away from their patch but as a courtesy, he filled the Ice Queen in on the similarities. He also told her about his need for an HIV test. It was just to cover himself. He was not remotely concerned about any possibility of it showing up positive.
'I think I have to wait up to three months for anything to show up, but I'll go to the drop-in centre now for advice. I should be clear. I had gloves on and I didn't come into contact with any of his blood.'
He asked for any update on personal detail disclosures from Internet Service Providers or mobile phone companies for the murder case. The Ice Queen told him she was still waiting on any development, and reminded him dryly that, unlike on the television, such things often took time.
Ted brought up the fact that they now had a possibility of tracing Snooky through the pub she favoured on a Friday evening. He mentioned the idea of Jezza and Megan going in there to see what they could find out.
'She's not a suspect, as such,' he stressed. 'I don't see them as being at any degree of risk. Just two colleagues on a night out.'
The Ice Queen considered thoughtfully. 'And you've thought carefully about the possibility of a link between Snooky and your logo-man? I'd be happier if there was someone else there, just to keep an eye on them, in case.'
'I have the perfect solution,' Ted told her. 'DC Vine was most anxious not to have anyone cramping her style. I've seen her in action before now, looking nothing at all like a police officer, so I can understand her reservations. But I have what might just be the perfect way to keep an eye on them both, without blowing their cover.'
On his way out, he put his head round Kevin Turner's door once more and said, 'You, me and Maurice are going to meet up for a drink on Friday night. Celebrate you getting sorted out and Maurice gearing up to come back to work on Monday. I just need to keep a little covert eye on young Jezza while she does her stuff of not looking remotely like a copper, to try to track down a witness we need. So I need cover of my own and you two can be it.'
When he mentioned the name of the pub they would be going to, Kevin gaped at him in horror.
'In there, on a Friday night? Are you mad? We'll get eaten alive. It's always full of sex-crazed, man-hunting women… On second thoughts, count me in. What time?'
Ted didn't have long to wait at the drop-in clinic. He never liked to play the police card, if he could avoid it, by expecting special treatment. But when he explained the circumstances, he was seen quickly.
As he'd thought, he was told he would have to wait for some time to know if he had been infected, but the nurse dealing with him was quick to reassure him that, from what he had told her, his risk was probably slight.
She carefully examined the impressive scar down his hand and inner forearm, left by the recent knife attack. She pronounced that it posed no real hazard as there was no broken skin left visible. She advised him to have a simple finger-prick test immediately, to check his current status, although he assured her he was low risk. He and Trev were in a mutually monogamous relationship, but he consented to it anyway. It came back clear, as he knew it would.
He left, promising to return in no more than three months, for a follow-up test, with the proviso that he might need another after a further twelve weeks, before he could be sure he was completely clear.
Once he'd finished at the clinic, Ted saw that if he got a move on, he'd just about have time to get to the club before the adult judo session started. It was a discourtesy to be late, one he tried to avoid. But he was seriously in need of some fast, physical action after a stressful day. He hadn't been able to do much recently, because of his hand. It would feel good to work out to the point of being breathless and sweating.
Trev had walked down, as usual, so went back in the car with him. Ted told him about his day, about the necessity of the HIV test and the need to be careful until he knew he was definitely clear.
'Oh, we'll be careful all right,' Trev told him. 'Just as long as you're not proposing abstention as a means of caution.'
Chapter Fourteen
Ted called an early morning briefing with his own team the following morning. He wanted to keep things moving along on the murder on their own patch before he went back up to Foster's, to see what progress could be made there.
The team was up to full strength again, with both Steve and Jezza back in. Océane came in early, although she was not obliged to. Ted was impressed by her apparent enthusiasm for the job. She promised to call him as soon as she had any information from the phone or computer of the latest victim.
'It's not like on telly or in books though, boss,' she warned him. 'I can't just magically download everything off his phone in an instant and solve the case for you. Not even the FBI can do that. But if I can get into both the phone and the laptop, I'll be able to see his emails, that sort of stuff, which might give us a start.'
'Benny from Luther would do it,' Ted said with a smile, as Océane sighed and clicked her tongue in mock exasperation. Then he continued, 'Rob, you and Virgil come with me again, and we could do
with an extra pair of hands. Who's up for it? Jezza, do you think you could cope with our misogynist friends north of the Mersey?'
Jezza flashed a wicked grin. 'Shouldn't you be asking if they can cope with me, boss?'
The whole team laughed. None of them doubted for a moment that Jezza was quite capable of dealing with the likes of Foster's team. She'd proved it on more than one occasion since she'd joined them.
'And what are you doing Friday night, Jezza?'
'Boss, you sweet-talker, you, are you asking me out on a date?' Jezza teased him.
Ted smiled indulgently. He didn't mind the easy banter of his team because he knew he had their respect.
'Megan, too, if you're available? The two of you, in the pub, for a girls' night out, asking around for Suki or Snooky or whatever she calls herself. But on the orders of the Super, and I entirely agree with her, you'll be chaperoned, just in case. Inspector Turner, Maurice and myself will be sitting in a corner, trying not to cramp your style, but keeping an eye out.
'Right, Jo, you're in charge here. Keep me posted, as usual. We're off to enjoy the welcoming smiles and open arms of our colleagues. We'll hopefully be back for a catch-up at the end of the day.'
On the way over in the car, Ted told his team members that the widow of the dead man, Richard Hutchinson, would be coming at some point, to make an official identification. It was certainly not going to be possible from what remained of his facial features; they would be relying heavily on his dental records. But the dead man had a tattoo, which was going to help, especially as it was a name. Ted just hoped it was the wife's name, which would move things along nicely for the enquiry.
He was also anxious to have a word with his team members, especially Jezza, about Foster's lot.
'So far I've not seen anything to commend any of them, from the top down. I've already experienced their homophobia. Virgil, I imagine you've come in for some racist remarks and Jezza, be prepared to encounter the sort of sexism which has no place in any police force in this day and age. It makes our job harder, but I can hardly have them all kicked out at once in the middle of a murder enquiry. But, as I said before, if any of you want to make an official complaint at any time, come and see me and I will take it further. Jezza, just no resorting to kickboxing, all right?'
There was not much sign of activity when Ted and the others arrived and picked up their visitor passes. Foster and his team were simply sitting around waiting for his arrival. Coombs was even reading a newspaper. They were without doubt the sloppiest team Ted had ever encountered. He was going to have to give them a massive shake-up to get any results out of them.
They barely stirred as Ted and the others walked in and moved to stand by the whiteboard. Ted could see at a glance that nothing had been added since he had left the previous day.
'Morning, everyone,' Ted began, and introduced Jezza. He could see the others were eyeing her up like a roomful of hungry predators. She merely glared back at them, her look defiant.
When there was no reply from any of them, Ted said again, more forcefully, 'Good morning.'
Only Foster and the youngest-looking of the DCs responded, reluctantly, but it was a start.
'Right, where are we up to? What do we know, from the witness statements so far, of Mr Hutchinson's last movements? And what's happening about the next of kin and formal identification?'
Foster replied, 'The wife is flying in from Milan this morning. She lives there, part of the time. I'm sending the W...' he actually thought better of it and corrected himself, 'officers from Uniform to pick her up from the airport and take her straight to the morgue, to identify what she can of him and his personal effects. The PM isn't until later today; it's the earliest they could do it.'
'Where would you usually talk to next of kin?' Ted asked him.
'Depends. At the morgue, or back here.'
'Right. I want you and DC Coombs at the mortuary for the ID, and DI Foster, you're back there for the PM. DC Coombs, you're in charge of logging his personal effects. Then please arrange for Mrs Hutchinson to be brought back here, and DC Vine and I will talk to her. Do we know yet if she was in Milan at the time of death?'
Blank looks all round. Ted wondered if this shower actually knew anything about basic police work. No wonder their track record was so poor.
'I'll ask her that when I speak to her. Now, what about last known movements? What's come up so far from witnesses?'
More blank looks. Eventually the youngest DC spoke up. 'The girl on reception said the victim asked directions to the Red Lion when he went out.'
'And has anyone checked out yet if he actually got there?' Ted asked, although he was fairly sure of the response. In fact, there wasn't one. He looked round the room, his anger rising. It was almost as if the other team didn't care whether or not the killer was caught.
Eventually, Coombs spoke up, his tone, as usual, scornful. He had at least put down his newspaper, but that was the only indication he gave of any interest in the case.
'Good luck with that. It was singles night at the Lion. The place would have been packed out. Doubt if any of the staff would be able to tell you who was there, certainly not a stranger from out of town.'
This time, Ted's silence spoke volumes, for anyone with the intelligence to see how his expression, his whole demeanour changed. His voice was glacial when he finally cut the silence.
'Nobody thought to mention this earlier? Even after I told you all yesterday that our victim in Stockport was into online dating and we believe there's a strong possibility he may have met his killer going on a blind date in a pub?'
He looked around, inviting comment. No one said anything, but the DC who had taken the witness statement had the grace to look uncomfortable. Ted looked directly at him and asked his name.
'DC Winters, sir, Graham.'
'I'd like a word with you, after we've finished here,' Ted told him, and saw the younger man squirm in his seat. 'For now, DS O'Connell, I'd like you to stay here and go through all the witness statements to date, to see what else has been missed. DC Winters can work with you, and DC Vine, for now, until she and I need to talk to the next of kin.
'DS Mackenzie, can you take someone and go and see what you can find out from this Red Lion place? We've not much to go on yet, until we get a photo and a decent description of what our man was like before someone rearranged his face. But try your best.'
Mackenzie nodded. 'Charlie, you come with me. Chris, you stay here and see if Acting DS O'Connell needs any more help.'
It was a pointed and unnecessary cheap shot, the remark heavy with sarcasm. Once again, Ted was forced to let it go in the interest of making a start on some routine police work.
'And what news of the victim's car? Has that been recovered yet?' Ted asked, more in hope than anticipation. It seemed this bunch were intent on doing as little as possible.
'We only got the details of it late yesterday afternoon,' Coombs said dismissively. 'I'll get it sorted now.'
'I know that DC Ahmed sent the information through early yesterday afternoon, and followed it up with a courtesy phone call,' Ted told him levelly. 'It should have been sorted before anyone left last night. Working a murder case is not nine to five. I hope everyone understands that?'
At that moment, Ted's mobile rang. Océane.
'I need to take this. It might be an update on intel from Mr Hutchinson's mobile and laptop.'
He stepped outside the office while he took the call. Océane briefly told him that although she hadn't yet looked at a great deal, she had found that their latest victim had recently been looking up singles nights and speed dating venues within reach of the hotel where he had been staying.
'He's another one who thinks 1234 is a good, secure code for his mobile phone, and doesn't bother with a password for his laptop. I'll let you know as soon as I have anything else.'
A stony silence greeted him when he went back into the main office. Apart from his own team members, it was as if he was climbing
a high mountain, pulling the rest of them behind him on a cart with a flat tyre. He'd always known it would never be easy, coming onto Foster's patch and taking over as SIO. So far, it was harder than he had feared.
'Right, that was additional confirmation that our man was looking for singles nights and speed dating while he was here. DS Mackenzie, if you don't get anywhere at the Red Lion, I'm sure you know the other places to go into, around town, for that sort of thing.
'You know what needs doing. Please get on with it, and we'll have a debriefing this afternoon. DI Foster, if I can use your office to talk to DC Winters? And DC Coombs, get that car picked up and get forensics on to it, just in case there's anything interesting that shows up.'
DC Winters followed Ted into the small office, looking slightly apprehensive. Ted took a seat but didn't invite him to do the same, so he stood, awkwardly, looking increasingly unsure of himself.
'Any particular reason why you sat on an important piece of information, DC Winters?' Ted asked him levelly.
'I didn't sit on it, I told my guv'nor, DI Foster,' he said defensively.
Ted looked at him, hard, for several moments. The younger man didn't look particularly stupid, but he must have realised how important the information was. Perhaps he had genuinely thought Foster was going to do something constructive with it.
'It was important. It could have given us an early lead. But I'm prepared to accept that you thought you were following correct procedure and that DI Foster would have passed it on to me. In future, though, just to be sure, could you please keep me in the loop at all times, so we can make some progress? Here's my card. You can phone me direct. We're not at school here. You're not telling tales. Just updating the SIO on the case. Are we clear on that?'
