by L M Krier
'Looks like we may just be on a winning streak all round, hopefully,' Ted said, reporting on his trip to the hotel. 'If we can wrap at least one of these cases up this week, the drinks are on me on Friday. If we polish off two of them, I'll have to think of something more of a treat.'
Ted went back to his office to finish off his preparations for the big planning meeting first thing the next day. He couldn't remember having eaten during the day but decided, as time was getting on, he might as well not bother and save himself for the night out. He phoned Trev again, with an update.
'At the moment, I know of no cause or just impediment why I, Ted Darling, bachelor of this parish, should not take you, Trevor Armstrong, also bachelor of this parish, out to dinner tonight.'
Trev was laughing down the phone at him. 'You sound in a good mood. Does that mean I can go mad and have some fish bits with my bag of chips?'
'You can have chilli sauce on them, too. Let's push the boat right out. I'm happy because we've got two bad guys banged up where they belong, against all the odds, so that's something to celebrate this evening. Then all I need is for this meeting tomorrow morning to go well and we might finally be getting somewhere with this other case.
'I'm just finishing up here, then I'll be home as soon as possible. Book somewhere, if you like. And don't pinch all the hot water. I'll need a shower too, when I get back.'Trev's tone was suggestive as he responded, 'We could always save water and shower together.''Then we'd never get out to eat, and you know it.'
Ted wasn't the only one planning a night out that evening. Jezza had been impressed with the financial advice Nat had given her so far. She'd also been quite taken with him, as a person. There was something broken and vulnerable about him, which she could identify with.
Going out had always presented problems for her in the past, since Tommy had come to live with her. Before that, because of her personal history, she had found it difficult forming relationships. But now she felt like taking a step into that world and, having steeled herself to pluck up the courage, had phoned Nat and asked if she could take him for a drink to thank him for his help. She would drive, as he had no car. That way she knew she would stay completely sober and would be in control of the situation.
Things were back to normal between her, Steve and Maurice, and if Jezza failed to correctly interpret the looks Maurice would sometimes shoot her way when he thought she wasn't looking, it was not through heartlessness on her part. It was simply that their night together had meant something different to her than to him.
Steve was babysitting again and Maurice was keeping him company. He had an ulterior motive for his presence in the flat when Nat arrived, having got the bus, to meet up with Jezza. She let Nat in when he arrived, then scuttled off to finish getting ready, telling him, over her shoulder, to make himself comfortable in the living room with Maurice. Steve and Tommy were in the spare room, playing some sort of computer game together.
Nat limped to the sofa and sat down, while Maurice watched him. Then he moved across the room and planted his bulk next to him.
'So, Nat,' he said, conversationally, although the name was spat out, like a bad taste. One of Maurice's beefy hands landed suddenly on Nat's barely-recovered thigh, injured in an accident, and gave it a hard squeeze. 'You push trolleys for a living. Is that right?'
Nat tried not to make his wince too noticeable as he replied, 'I do at the moment, Maurice. It's no secret that my employment record is a bit of a disaster and I finished up on the streets.'
'And now you're sniffing round Jezza? Who you know has money. Who lives in a smart place like this, and who drives a limited edition car.'
'It's not like that, Maurice, honestly. Virgil just asked me to help, with some advice. Then Jezza phoned to ask me for a drink to say thank you. Really, that's all there is to it.'
This time Maurice's big hand moved with surprising speed and grabbed a fistful of Nat's wedding tackle, squeezing in a vice-like grip, which brought tears to Nat's eyes at the pain.
'I'm glad to hear that, Nat,' with the same note of contempt, his hand still gripping. 'Because let me just tell you something. I love that lass. I'd like to see her with the right person. But if you ever do anything, and I do mean anything, to hurt her in any way, then you will have me to answer to. And let me tell you, I can make your life very, very difficult. And not just as a copper. So think on.'
He gave a final squeeze, then let go, just as Jezza came back into the room, all smiles and looking eager to go.
Nat didn't trust himself to speak, worried his voice would come out as a high-pitched squeak. He nodded to Maurice in what he hoped was a gesture of understanding. His limp was much more pronounced as he followed Jezza out of the flat.
Chapter Thirty-one
'Morning Ted, congrats on the promotion,' Inspector Paul Jenkins greeted Ted as he pulled up a couple of places away from him in the car park.
'Morning, Shooter, and thanks. Came as a big surprise, I can tell you,' Ted replied. He and Jenkins had trained together in firearms years ago, until their career paths took them in different directions.
'You did my lads out of their fun last time. I hope you're not going to grab all the glory again on this case. How's the hand, by the way?'
'Getting there,' Ted lifted his palm to show the still impressive scar.
'Aren't you supposed to put honey on scars, to help them to heal?'
'Honey?' Ted asked in surprise, looking at his hand. 'That would be no good. I'd keep licking it off. I've got a terribly sweet tooth.'
Everyone was arriving for the meeting in the conference room. DSU Jim Baker was not far behind Ted and took his place at the head of the table, next to the Ice Queen, flanked by Ted, and Kevin Turner. Jenkins took a seat next to Jo Rodriguez. Ted had brought in most of his team, including Océane, but had left Steve and Maurice upstairs for now, to take any incoming calls that might be relevant. He hadn't bothered to bring in the South Manchester depleted team, or Brian Donohue's, as the operation was going to take place on his own patch. Some of Kevin Turner's uniformed officers were also there, including Susan Heap, a trained Taser officer.
Jim Baker called the meeting to order then let Ted outline all they knew so far. He gave a summary, then finished with, 'We're hoping to draw him out on Sunday evening. A date for a drink in a pub near to the old Hotel Sorrento, then hopefully lure him into following whoever we put in there, back to the hotel. That's where we'll have a reception party waiting for him, including Armed Response.'
'What if, for some reason, he changes his pattern and decides to attack on the way back to the hotel?' the Ice Queen asked.
'I want a command post in a van, watching the route from the pub. Everybody wired, plenty of bodies to keep us posted of where he is at all times.'
'I can probably get shooters covering at least part of the walk. I'm assuming it's not far between the two locations?' Jenkins asked.
'Not far, but not many ideal buildings on the route. I already took a look,' Ted told him. 'One or two vantage points, but it may involve being in private houses. You'll want to see for yourself, of course.'
'I'll take a look later on. Inspector Darling, you and I will need to go together to recce all the terrain we need to cover.' Shooter was keeping it formal in the meeting.
'And there's no better way? No way of us finding him rather than luring him out?' the Ice Queen again, the voice of caution.
Océane jumped in to answer. Her field of expertise. 'He's proving tricky to trace. He's got some basic knowledge and he's using it to make sure he's never in one place for too long.'
'He's an NFA,' Ted confirmed. 'The only address we had for him has long since gone cold. According to what Maurice found out from his sister-in-law, he no longer works. He has some money from a life insurance policy on his wife, which is presumably what he's using to live on. It was in place long enough for the suicide clause not to apply.'
'And we're sure this is definitely our main suspect, who's in co
ntact now?' Jim Baker asked.
Océane smiled. 'I think the likelihood of there being two Linda Lovelaces prowling the meet-up sites is slim, especially with a suggestive avatar of a slightly open mouth and very full lips. Also, and I'll spare everyone's blushes by not quoting verbatim, but our Linda has a particular way of writing. I agree with the boss and Jezza, the fantasy stuff is more that of a man, pretending to be a woman. We could be wrong but it doesn't ring true somehow. I'll go into the details if you want me to, but this might not be the best place to do so.'
'Quite so,' the Ice Queen said primly, which caused a few smiles, quickly disguised.
'Right, so, down to who is doing what,' Ted continued. 'I want people in the pub, at the hotel, and on the walk between the two. I want this whole operation under tight control from start to finish. We don't really know what we're dealing with here, so no risks.
'If we use a room at the end of the corridor at the hotel, we can put Armed Response in the first couple of rooms as well as in the room itself. Then we can hopefully surround him and take him down quietly with no fuss.
'We need someone to play the part of the person in the profile Océane has set up, plus female officers in the pub ready for the pick-up when Linda doesn't show himself. And it's the male officer in the room at the greatest degree of risk, so that should be me.'
A chorus of voices shouted him down on that the minute he spoke.
'You're just over the last serious injury. You're not going in again,' Jim Baker said in a tone which showed he was not going to accept any argument.
'It needs to be one of my shooters in the room opening the door,' Jenkins put in. 'Our man won't be expecting that. They're in protective gear anyway and if necessary, they can take him down in one shot. I'm imagining there's only room for one of mine in there, realistically? But you still need your man to lure him in. They can put a stab vest on and stay behind my officer when they open the door. That will mean we have him surrounded.'
'With respect to everyone, I'm told by my wife, she who knows everything, that I always look like I'm out on the pull, so I could do it,' Jo offered. 'Anyway, it's my face, or part of it, in the avatar. Océane thought the gold tooth added a little something. I'm not all that brave though, so I'm happy to wear the stab vest and hide behind the bed once the knock on the door comes.'
'And the female officer?' Jim Baker asked. 'Do you foresee a risk to them, as they're leaving? He's not suddenly likely to grab them and try a human shield situation or something?'
Ted hesitated. 'He's always been careful to let the woman leave before he does anything. I think it's unlikely that, at this stage, that he will suddenly change his MO.'
'I could play that part, boss,' Jezza offered. 'I've at least got my kickboxing training if he does try to grab me for some reason.' Seeing his hesitation, she said, 'Someone has to do it. It might as well be me.'
'Just don't make it too hard for me to chat you up, Jezza. We've got to be seen going off together, and it's got to look convincing,' Jo smiled.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, there were a few chuckles. Ted finished off assigning tasks to everyone, then was just about to wind up the meeting when the Ice Queen posed another question.
'Are you sure of stringing the suspect along until Sunday? What if he feels the need to strike again before then?'
'I suppose that's up to me, then,' Océane cut in. 'I'm busy working all the suggestive remarks about investment, asset and growth I can think of into what I'm posting, hoping it sounds both inviting and convincing. Bearing in mind that I'm a woman trying to write as a man, and he's a man trying to write as a woman. If I need any help with the fantasies, who's got the muckiest mind?'
The answer was a unanimous, 'Maurice,' from all of Ted's team.
Ted went with Paul Jenkins to walk the route between the chosen pub and the hotel, and to take a closer look at the hotel layout itself. He had the advantage of having been in firearms himself, so was looking at things from the same perspective.
'It's a bit cramped in here for my team to be working,' Jenkins grumbled, looking at the modest-sized hotel rooms and narrow corridors. 'But I agree, you're right not to try to get him outside, where we've no control over members of the public who might get in the way.'
'Jo will need to have the shower running soon after Jezza leaves. That's been the pattern so far. With the shower room just inside the door like this, it does at least mean he can reach out to open the door but stay safely inside there, out of the way, to give your officer a clear line of sight. And your officers in rooms at the end of the corridor can block his exit. We should have him caught like a rat in a trap.'
'So it's down to your team now, Ted. If you can keep stringing him along and bring him to us, my lads should be able to deal with him effectively. I've seen all I need to for now. Keep me posted on timings and, if all goes according to plan, I'll see you again on Sunday. And this time, don't grab all the glory yourself. Let my lads have a bit of fun.'
There was a strange feeling of anticipation for the team, tempered by inactivity. Apart from Océane keeping in contact with their suspect and stringing him along, there was not a lot any of them could constructively do on the case. Nothing but a collective holding of breath, a sense of hope that their suspect would be patient enough to wait until the weekend before striking again. In the meantime, it was routine paperwork, building as solid a case as they could for when they finally got their hands on him.
Ted even made time to go to the self-defence club and his own judo session to follow on Wednesday evening. The youngsters were always pleased to see him. He had quite a following. Young Flip, in particular, always asked his mother if he could stay and watch the senior class when Ted was there and he could see him sparring with Trev.
Ted's injured hand was recovering well but still lacked a strong grip. It meant he couldn't get as good a hold on Trev's judogi or belt as usual, and his partner exploited the weakness mercilessly. It was fast and furious randori, both men soon breathing hard and sweating. Exactly what Ted needed to concentrate the mind so he could focus on what was to come at the weekend. He had his suspect in his sights at last and he needed to be ready.
Jezza, Megan, and Susan Heap were in the pub well ahead of the appointed time for the meet-up with their suspect. They were dressed up to the nines, three young women, out for a good time, on the pull, if they could find anyone worthy of their attention. Susan's shoulder bag contained her Taser, should the need arise. Rob, Maurice and Virgil were sitting at a corner table, with a clear line of sight to the door, chatting over a drink. They would follow in the car later, once Jo and Jezza left, hopefully with their suspect following them.
There were a few couples and small groups, mostly in for the food, it seemed, but it was not busy. When the door opened and a man on his own came in, Rob said quietly into his lapel microphone, 'Suspect has just entered the bar. He's gone to get himself a drink. Medium height and build, dark fleece jacket with a logo, a holdall, and a newspaper tucked under his arm.'
'Steve just picked him up on the CCTV as he was coming in,' Ted confirmed from the van parked roughly halfway between the pub and the hotel, monitoring the whole operation. 'He did his usual trick with the newspaper so we didn't get much of a look at him.'
'He's got his drink and gone to sit down near the door. I'll keep you posted.'
Jo Rodriguez was next through the door. He certainly looked the part of a man out for action. Jezza almost snorted her drink down her nose at the wafts of aftershave which reached her even across the bar. He got himself a bottle of lager then perched on a bar stool, studiously looking round the room, a man on a blind date looking for his pick-up.
'Suspect has clocked Jo. Just sitting watching him for now,' Rob announced quietly.
Jo was clearly in his element. His eyes travelled all round the room, making flirty contact with any female who returned his glance. The gold tooth kept making an appearance as he smiled widely at anyone he saw.
'I think it's my turn to go and get the drinks, ladies,' she said, standing up and sashaying her way over to the bar, standing just close enough to Jo to look as if she was showing genuine interest. He was playing his part to perfection, openly flirting with her, then looking towards the door and checking his mobile phone, as if he was waiting for someone. All the while, the man in the fleece by the door was watching the interaction between them.
'Still watching,' Rob updated.
'Right, Jezza, we need to move to the next phase,' Ted's voice came quietly through Jezza's earpiece. They'd decided it would look more realistic to split the women up, leaving Jezza and Jo alone, to head off to the hotel together, hopefully with their suspect trailing them.
'I'm just not in the mood for a curry now, that's all. I think I prefer it here,' Jezza said when she returned to the table, raising her voice slightly. 'If you two want curry, go on then, I'm not stopping you.'
As Megan and Susan flounced out of the bar, Jo stood up and moved across to take his place on the bench seat they had vacated, striking up conversation with Jezza. It was now well past the appointed time for him to meet Linda. Their heads were close together and it wasn't long before Jo's arm was along the back of the seat behind her. It looked the most natural thing in the world when, not long afterwards, the two of them rose and left the pub together.
'He's taken the bait. He's following them,' Rob reported.
'I have eyes on the suspect now. Clear line of sight as he's following the two officers,' one of Jenkins' armed officers reported from the top of a nearby building.
