by Harry Nankin
“The young man had been sending nearly all his army pay home to them and since he had been in this trouble and had died the family were not only grieving their sad loss but were at the point of poverty.”
“The family however did mention a young man a close friend who had served with their son but had left the army only a week or so before the demise of their son. Before I left Mrs Martin mentioned a strange thing her son had said of the affair whilst not revealing any details of his worries.
He had said, “Beware of the man who bears no arms.”
“I left with only these two snippets of information, they were to prove vital in solving the case.”
“I obtained the details of this friend of Dean Martin and visited him at his home. He was at first reluctant to speak but eventually he did cooperate.”
“I next visited the local police station and obtained the assistance of the officer in charge. I obtained a warrant to search premises and in company with the officer I visited the home of one doctor Willis an army Surgeon. He was not at home but had just travelled overseas to Afghanistan.”
“The place was a war zone, the deceased Martin had served there..”
“I obtained a warrant to examine the personal file of Dean Martin and that of Doctor Willis. I was not surprised to see they had served together.”
“I now deviated and made contact with the American forces and after pulling various strings at the Foreign Office and The White House I travelled to Afghanistan.”
“Arriving eventually, at a British army Base. I still was in possession of the warrant and after establishing the base was British sovereign territory. I identified myself to the commanding officer. Together, we visited the camp hospital. I made a search and eventually I discovered several containers which held human body parts.”
“I had some luck for whilst there a Chinese doctor arrived stating he wished to speak with Surgeon Willis.”
“A search was made of his vehicle and more body parts were found. This man confessed he was collecting body parts from Doctor Willis and others. He alleged Willis was in fact running a business of selling body parts of British and local people killed in the area.”
“I arrested Doctor Willis and conveyed him back to the United Kingdom via American transport for obvious reasons of security, mine.”
“Once back in the United Kingdom and at a civil police station the finger prints of Doctor Willis were taken and these matched those on the anonymous note sent to Captain Thompson.”
“The young ex soldier whom I interviewed made a written statement which told me how young private Martin had come upon the illicit trade in human organs and had stated he would report that matter.”
“Doctor Willis had sent the anonymous note and admitted paying Military Police Sergeant Denham to frame Martin. It was Denham who planted the drugs at the time of the arrest.”
“My enquiries revealed more. Denham it would seem had a reputation and a name amongst ordinary soldiers, that being,
“The phantom planter.”
Once this all came to light Corporal Devon one of the two other arresting officers made a statement stating Denham had dictated the confession for Private Martin and forced him to sign. Denham had assured Martin that in civilian life his brother was a notorious gangster who would, to quote a phrase, “deal with Martins mother.”
“Young Private Martin had kept silent and pleaded guilty to protect his family, as it transpired this was the one truthful statement made by Denham. His brother was a well known gangster and is suspected of numerous killings, though none have been proved.”
“The pressure had got to Private Martin so when he found the pistol, now known to have been left previously in his room by Denham with only one bullet, he took the message and killed himself.”
“Doctor Willis and Denham were charged by me and pleaded guilty they went to prison for a substantial time.”
“Mr Martin senior passed away, Mrs Martin received an army pension for the loss of her son now been classed as killed in action..”
“The message from Private Martin to his mother that day proved true, one you budding detectives must have regard to when investigation crime. By all means suspect the well known and violent criminals but also.
Be aware of those who appear to do good,
“The men who bear no arms.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE GENEROUS BUSINESS MAN
Jack looked at his watch, his time was nearly up. As he gazed around the room he thought of these young officers at night whilst off duty, their way of life so different than his had been.
He commenced.
“I will recall another case I believe it was a one off affair, certainly I, myself nor anyone I knew have dealt with such a matter.”
“It all began some years ago with the upsurge in immigration.”
“In the more rural areas life had seemingly gone from generation to generation in the same old style. In fact it was reported at the time that the locals had never met let alone worked with or lived near anyone of colour either black or brown.”
“The knowledge and only experience the locals knew of these two races were the stories army men had brought back after serving overseas. They related how in these far away countries the black natives kept their teeth white not by hygiene but by eating raw meat. At football games it was a common phrase for supporters to shout at players who fouled another.”
“Hey you, play the white man.” I questioned this, only to be told in those far off days the white soldiers fought battles upfront during the day fighting face to face known then as hand to hand fighting. The local enemy on the other hand crept up at night attacking from the rear and so on. The ignorance of these stories was not only believed but aggravated when in schools young children were given tests with questions such as “what is the young of sheep?” “The answer being. a lamb. “What is the young of a black person or a Red Indian the answers being a piccinini and papoose respectably.”
“I recall even until the year 1998 the local police sergeant in a small town told me that in the whole of his thirty years service he had never met or had any dealings with a person of colour, either as a witness, injured party or arrested person. When asked I mentioned to him the subject of race problems which were emerging he simply replied that as they had no such people living in the area it was not his problem.”
“I recall hearing an emergency call being taken in the police control room, the caller reporting a suspicious person. When how the person was suspicious the caller had said, “He is black.” In truth the person calling had never seen anyone other than white people.”
“It was with some talk and the turning of heads in the small town of Whitmore when the furniture van of Messrs Keep Moving Ltd Removal arrived on the estate in the town. A car arriving simultaneously contained a family of dark skinned people. All eyes were at the windows, many suddenly realised their front garden needed attention. Within minutes the local newspaper shop was buzzing with the story of the new arrivals, who were they? Where had they arrived from?”
“One man told all in the shop he had a brother living in Birmingham who alleged these Asian people would soon take over the place. They had a method. They would spot a nice area then move in bringing what appeared to be the whole of their family with them. Rumour had it they even lived in the loft. If the house was semi detached or worse, a terrace the whole roof space of all the properties was filled with a mass of these people. They had vehicles littered everywhere, Eastern music blasting, the sounds of Religious cries very early morning which went on forever. Eventually the neighbours decided to move and so it spread one white family after another leaving one family after another of black or brown people moving in.”
“Such was this reputation the man added, that when houses were put for sale local residents would club together and put in offers so as to send up the price, thus preventing the new foreigners as they were called buying the house. They had it seemed a policy of buying low
cost housing. The locals were eventually thwarted when the new comers got together and paid a very high price for the first house. Having dropped the tone of the area as it was referred to people sold up and left. Houses went very cheaply so that in the end there was a ghetto of the new comers and all the houses low in price.”
“It was not long before a fish and chip shop in the town centre was put for sale. Old Jack Reynolds suddenly had a stroke and was forced to stop working and gave up his business after twenty five years..
“Builders soon arrived and rumour was rife that the place was going to be changed to an Indian restaurant and take away eating place.”
“There was more rumour, wheras the local fish and chip shop, the only eating out places in those days, all opened for two hours at lunch time, then closed until seven o’clock in the evening then closed at finally at eleven o’clock at night. It would seem, so the gossip was that these new Indian and Chinese places opened at eleven in the morning and stayed open seven days each week until two o’clock in the morning.”
“There was more tittle-tattle that the whole town would be full of local drunks every night until the early hours. Fighting would be abound, damage would be caused to their shops and businesses, the whole town was facing disaster.”
“There were mass meetings, the police objected to the provision of a late night drinking licences even for those taking meals inside. The council was approached to refuse planning permission, this was done but an appeal to the High Court over turned this.”
“Such had been the background when six months later the new and brightly coloured food place signed as Afghan Magic Foods announced by means of a man, a stranger, not a man of colourful but some passing tramp was seen standing outside holding a placard the restaurant would open that very Saturday night. There was even more amazement for upon the sign, clear for all to read, all food was free on the opening night..”
“At six o’clock that evening, members of the town council attended. Headed by no less than the Mayor himself, sporting his chain and still limping on his stick from his old war wound. So did members of the traders association. All wished to view this new premises and what impact it would have.” The police did not attend but additional officers had been called on duty to deal with the trouble bound to happen later or during the night.”
“To the amazement of the officials any hopes they might have had of sampling the free food was fading away for on turning the corner they saw a long line of people all waiting to enjoy the free food.”
“Mr Abakan the shop owner was a very shrewd business man. He was not in fact from India, Pakistan nor Africa but from a place the locals had only heard whilst listening to the news or reading the newspaper, it was called Afghanistan.”
“The down hearted dignitaries soon had smiling faces when a young man they seemed to know but could not then place arrived and said, “Mr Abakan asks that you follow me.” They all trooped behind the youth as he walked past the queues, around the side of the building and into the rear of the premises via the fire and emergency door, now wedged open for the purpose.”
“Once inside they were all invited to be seated and having done so, masses of food was brought and laid before them.”
“The food looked very inviting, rice, couscous and several jugs of sauces. There were various meat dishes all cut into pieces and all highly flavoured with aromatic herbs and spices. The likes, taste and aroma of this food none of the dignitaries had ever tasted.”
“The meat was sweet, well cooked, no blood within, nor raw food in spite of the fact the staff they could see in the kitchen all had white teeth.”
“The feasting well under way a voice called. “Welcome to my humble establishment.” “All heads turned and eyes focussed on the middle aged man of Asian appearance.”
“I am Mr Abikan I have arrived here in the UK from Afghanistan. I am normally an importer of fine clothing but I thought to bring the cuisine from my country here to the small town of Whitmore. I hope you enjoy my food. I hope its reputation will be spread far and wide and that visitors will come to eat. Whilst they are here they will visit your business premises and thus business for all will improve. There were smiles and than loud applause.”
“The host added that the young man standing outside holding the board and various others not cooking staff were local English young men and women normally homeless. They were to be given employment in the restaurant and a place to live in the several caravans he hoped to provide on a farm he had purchased outside town, planning permission granted of course.”
“The local Mayor could not resist an opportunity and so rose and said, “Mr Abikan, the council wish to thank you for choosing our small town for this fine restaurant. I am sure there will be no problem with planning permission for caravans at the farm, may I ask what other items will be at the farm?”
“Abikan replied that the farm would be stocked with pigs, cattle, sheep and poultry in fact all food provided in the restaurant would be sourced local and from his own farm.
“There was another loud cheer,”
“The evening went well and finally ended with the police arriving in numbers at two in the morning only to be faced not with masses of fighting youths but an open restaurant the staff of which was standing at the door inviting them in. The Inspector in charge, his two sergeants and twenty constables all took up the offer of the mid shift meals, all free of charge of course.”
“The Inspector did raise an eye when Mr Abikan had said officers walking the beat were welcome to call in at any time but around the back and into the kitchen where they were welcome to a free meal. The Inspector resisted saying officers on the beat should not do so but then thought, “Why the rock the boat there had been no officers walking in the town for the last five years?”
“Thinking he might issue an instruction they should not stop their mobile patrol then park up for a meal. Having thought about it, he thought the place would be ideal for the forth coming senior officer’s dinner and the price based on this occasion and the willingness to please by Mr Abikan made it appear just right place for the dinner.”
“The night had gone off so well the whole town was talking of the opening and how good the food had tasted. The council was pleased that visiting youths would be offered work and accommodation, it was all very ideal.”
“Over the following months the restaurant and its owner Mr Abikan competed against each other as to which or who was the most popular.”
“He gave money to local charities, sponsored the town hospital and even the county jail received money towards the rehabilitation of prisoners.”
“One of the most popular charities proved to be that of ex military personnel, who having left the army, found themselves unemployed and even living on the streets.”
“Mr Abikan was always available to offer a helping hand. It followed as a natural progression he was asked to be the local town Mayor and thus it was the first Mayor of any English town was a Muslim and a national of a foreign but friendly nation.?
“He had declined to head the local traders association due to lack of time, after all he had said, he did have other and more lucrative import businesses which due to the low prices of the restaurant subsided the meals sold there.”
“The restaurant manager acting upon instructions, so he said, offered meals at very low prices to help out local people.”
“Such was the popularity of the premises that it was always full. To obtain a table in the evening it was necessary to book days and finally weeks in advance.”
“The reputation of the meals being so tangy, sweet and tasty with the oriental herbs and seasonings spread like wildfire..”
“It was not long before a van and then two vans appeared to deliver meals to the homes of eager buyers. The premises on each side were acquired and after the first year the restaurant would seat over two hundred diners. Two vans were fully occupied delivering meals over a twenty mile radius.”
“A steady stream, of Engl
ish workers came and went. Mostly ex military personnel they being given priority jobs followed by ex convicts. Their work, being that of cleaning and working around the farm. These workers had arrived but having been paid a good wage, they were able to move on, allowing other less fortunate people to take their places.”
The actual food preparation and cooking was done by the four brothers of Mr Abikan. They claimed they had had been taught their skills in the villages in and around Afghanistan. The art of oriental cooking was enhanced using secret ancient recipes, spices and herbs.”
“Mr Abikan became known locally as The Generous Business Man.”
Jack looked around the room he could see the smiles of those officers who themselves he suspected visited such places obtaining free meals and drinks, but it was mostly uniformed officers whilst on patrol. At night when violence often erupted in such establishments, having the police on hand often proved well worth giving away free of charge a bowl of rice and some curry.
He continued his narrative.
“It was two years since Mr Abikan had arrived, he and the meals he provided continued in high popularity all the fish and chips shops closed. Such was the wonderful cuisine, the very fine and usual taste of the food that there was several television shows made at the restaurant. All attempts and or offers failed to get from any of the Abikan brothers to reveal details of the recipes and or herbs used. After all they had said, business was business, giving away those secrets were like asking the British and Americans the secrets of their rockets and drones.”
“There were laughs from the television crew and the diners as they enjoyed their free meals.”
