Baby's Got Blue Eyes: Introducing DI Ted Darling

by L M Krier

'I'm going to have to go to the Big Boss with a good theory and plenty to back it up. I need a search warrant for Hard G's place and we certainly aren't going to get that on a whim. So I'm going to need something substantial to offer for reasonable grounds.

  'We know Hard G has property all over the place, in Europe and beyond. We've now got the list Willow gave us of where the properties are, the ones she knows about. I want to make contact with the local police in each area and find out, just on the off-chance, if they have any disappearances or unsolved murders on their books which match our killer's MO. That would be pretty strong grounds to look more closely at our slippery and odious friend.

  'And you heard what Willow said, it sounds as if his cellar would be the ideal place to get up to the tricks the killer got up to. With his obsession for having everywhere cleaned, it would be very difficult to find any traces of anything, but we might just get lucky.'

  Trev whistled admiringly. 'Have to say, when you decide to go out on a limb, you do it big style! This is your wildest idea yet. I know you don't like Hard G – I can't stand the man – but really? Murder? And killing Tina? After he called in especially to bring us that lovely hamper?'

  'Thanks for reminding me,' Ted took out his phone and dialled Hard G's number. He got his answering service. 'Roger? Ted here. Hate to hurry you but I'm still waiting on your call about the latest blonde job's name, when you have a minute. Give me a call, when you're back in the country. We could do coffee. Thanks.'

  Trev made fingers down the throat gagging gestures at him. 'Do coffee?' he asked, 'Since when did you ever do coffee?'

  Ted smiled. 'Just trying to avoid arousing his suspicions or he may not come back. The thing is, he told us the current blonde job was waiting for him outside in the Jag but we never saw that, and he's not provided a name for us to verify the alibi.

  'He could have slashed Tina's tyres, waited outside for her, then offered her a lift. Handforth isn't far out of his way, driving back to the Edge, and she would probably have accepted a lift from him,' Ted said. 'I don't think she liked him much but she would know how slim her chances were of getting a taxi on Christmas Eve. With two tyres slashed, she couldn't just change for the spare and again, where was she going to get a new tyre at that time the night before Christmas?'

  'I'm stunned, I really am,' Trev said. 'Right, tell me who I'm phoning and what I need to say and let's get started.'

  Ted watched in silent admiration as his partner switched effortlessly between French, Italian, German and Portuguese to make the calls. Ted made careful notes of the results. He'd asked Trev to ask exclusively about the last twelve months to begin with. The theory was still so incredible he wasn't sure if it would go anywhere. It quickly became apparent that it would.

  There was a definite pattern emerging from countries in which Hard G owned a holiday home or his family had one, which he used from time to time. Young women found dead, either strangled or with their throat cut and signs of violent sexual activity either prior to or at the point of death. They were almost always women who would not be immediately missed, sometimes runaways, sometimes working as chalet maids who moved around a lot, making them hard to trace.

  After about the sixth phone call had paid dividends, Trev asked, 'Do you want me to carry on or is that enough to be going on? It's looking as if you might be right.'

  'I'm not sure if I'm pleased or not,' Ted said. 'It still seems so far-fetched. I can't get anywhere further here unless I can get a search warrant and I can't see that being easy. I need to sell the idea to Jim first, which may not go well. “Boss, you know that a while ago I thought you were the murderer? Well now I've decided it's actually the country's leading forensic pathologist”. He's really going to love that.'

  'There is the added factor that there hasn't been another death here in the time Hard G has been out of the country,' Trev pointed out.

  'Circumstantial,' Ted said dismissively, playing devil's advocate with his own theory. 'On the one hand, it sounds totally incredible. On the other, it answers a lot of questions. Notably why we've got nothing out of any of the post-mortems.'

  'So what's next?' Trev said, putting the kettle on.

  'I can't do anything more unless and until the Big Boss backs me in trying to get a warrant for Hard G Towers,' Ted said. 'We need to get a look in those cellars, see exactly what sort of a set-up he has down there. It sounds like the ideal place to keep bodies cool before dumping them.'

  'Good luck with that,' Trev said fervently. 'Tea, before you go?'

  Ted shook his head. 'Not sure that all the tea in China will make it any easier to sell this idea to the Big Boss. I'll see you later.'

  Maurice Brown seemed to have things under control when Ted went into work, a little to his surprise. Ted caught up quickly with who was where, then went in search of the DCI, after a detour to arm himself with green tea. He decided after all that he needed a clear head for this.

  The DCI looked bone-crushingly weary. He looked up hopefully when Ted walked in. 'Ted, tell me you have some good news in the shape of a strong new lead,' he said. 'The top brass are all over me like a rash and I need a lifeline.'

  'I have a strong new lead,' Ted told him, sitting down uninvited.

  'Really?' the DCI visibly perked up. 'What is it?'

  'I have a possible new suspect and I want to apply for a search warrant to confirm my suspicions,' Ted said.

  'I'm liking this. Who is it?'

  Ted took a deep breath, then plunged in at the deep end. 'Professor Roger Gillingham,' he said.

  For a moment, the DCI just looked at him in bewilderment as if he hadn't heard him properly. Then he erupted.

  'What the hell are you talking about, man?' he bellowed. 'Ted, what has got into you? Have you started drinking? Are you taking drugs? Not so long ago you thought I was the killer. Now you're pointing the finger at a highly respected pathologist? You bloody well better have some good sound reasoning behind your theory.'

  Ted produced the notebook he'd used for jotting down the findings Trev had made during the morning's phone calls.

  'First off, the Professor has no verifiable alibi for the night Tina was killed. He came to The Grapes, as you know. He said the latest blonde job was waiting in the Jag outside and that they went back to the Edge together, but he conveniently can't remember her name so anyone can verify that.'

  The DCI scoffed. 'Don't be ridiculous, you know he never knows their names half the time. There are so many of them and they change so quickly.'

  'We know the Professor has holiday homes all over Europe and beyond, either in his own name or owned by the family company,' Ted continued, unperturbed. 'I've done some ringing round and found an interesting pattern emerging.'

  He referred to his notes. 'Close to his winter sports home in St Moritz, in the last few months, a chalet maid vanished and was later found dead with her throat cut, having been involved in some pretty heavy-duty sex shortly before death.

  'Near to his home in Como, Italy, in the last six months, one girl has been reported missing by friends and another has been found dead, also with her throat cut. A similar thing emerged on the French Riviera, near to where he has the use of an apartment.

  'There are others, I can list them if you like. I haven't yet tried his South American homes because of the time difference.'

  'You managed to speak to all these forces in other countries and make yourself understood?' the DCI asked suspiciously.

  'Trev helped me,' Ted admitted.

  'What?' This time the DCI's roar must have been clearly audible to the whole of Ted's team, out in the main office. 'You start on a line of enquiry like this without discussing it with me first, and you bring in a totally unauthorised civilian to work with you? Ted, I should put you on a disciplinary for this.'

  Ted shrugged. 'I didn't mention it as I was afraid this would be how you would react, Jim. It's incredible. It's abso-bloody-lutely incredible. But when you've calmed down a bit, have a serious think about it and t
ell me if it doesn't finally answer a few of our questions. And then can we talk again about getting a search warrant?'

  Chapter Forty-five

  Ted decided to give the Big Boss a few hours to subside to a low simmer before trying to talk to him again before he left for the day.

  He tapped lightly on the door and put his head round first. 'I come in peace,' he said, with a smile.

  The DCI waved him in. 'Come in, Ted, we need to talk,' he said.

  'Sounds ominous,' Ted said, as he sat down.

  'If, and it's a bloody big if, you want me to take this latest insane idea of yours seriously, you've got a long way to go to convince me you are on the right lines,' he said. 'So start out by giving me a motive that makes any kind of sense.'

  'Sexual gratification,' Ted said promptly. 'There is a strong indication that all of these victims, including those who have come to light in other countries, were subjected to rough sex either just before or at the point of death, which suggests a deviant sexual motive. And I have it on good authority that the Professor likes it rough, the rougher the better.'

  'My God, the very thought makes my skin crawl,' the DCI said, shaking his head. 'All right, I know it happens. I'm still struggling with the Professor as a suspect but I'm working on it. So why make it personal to you? Why the messages?'

  'That has me stumped at the moment,' Ted confessed. 'Mocking me because I haven't caught him yet? Some grudge he has against me that I'm not aware of? Trev and I have thrashed him at badminton every time we've played him – maybe he's a bad loser?'

  'Not funny, Ted,' the DCI growled. 'And why Tina? Of all people, why her?'

  'That would be the ultimate taunt to me, Jim, taking one of my team right out from under my nose. That's why I absolutely have to check his alibi for Christmas Eve. And at some point, I'm going to want to talk to his staff.'

  'This is a political minefield,' the DCI warned. 'If we get this wrong, I can kiss goodbye to any chance of ever making Super and you are likely to be directing traffic for the rest of what's left of your career. It's not just the Professor's position in his field, it's the family connections, too.

  'PharmaGill is one of the richest companies in the country. They will pay for top lawyers to fight us every step of the way, so we need to be one hundred per cent sure of ourselves and not go off half-cocked. I know you're very good at playing it by the book, Ted, and that's going to be essential on this one.

  'The first thing you need to do is check that alibi. Carefully and discreetly. Your whole theory hangs on that at the moment. If the alibi is tight, the rest of it is bobbins, and the deaths in other countries are coincidence.

  'Wait until you hear from him, check out the alibi then report back to me and we'll decide what action to take next. Don't, I repeat, Ted, don't, whatever you do suddenly decide to become a cowboy for the first time since I've known you and go riding off in lone pursuit on a white charger.'

  Ted smiled. 'The only time I've ever ridden a horse was on Blackpool beach when I was a kid and I fell off when it sneezed,' he said ruefully. 'No danger there, Jim.'

  Ted was just getting into his car when his mobile phone rang and the display told him that it was Hard G.

  'Ted, dear boy,' the Professor's voice said, as soon as he accepted the call, 'so sorry not to have got back to you before. I've been rather more busy with the après than the ski, if you follow my meaning, so now here I am, breathlessly contrite, phoning you back as requested.'

  Ted kept his tone neutral and professional. 'Thank you, Roger. It was just a prompt to remind you I still need the name of the incumbent blonde job on Christmas Eve, as we're checking everyone's alibi for that night, purely as a matter of routine.'

  'Ah, perfidy, thy name is woman! And in this case, forever nameless woman. You won't believe it! As I told you, I sent the blonde job, Linda, Belinda, Bindy, whatever she was called, on ahead to St Moritz in the Gulfstream on Boxing Day whilst I was working on poor Tina with you.

  'When I finally got away and flew out to join her, I discovered she'd had a quite spectacular party in my chalet, left it in the most appalling mess and gone off with a young ski instructor. The last I heard, they'd gone on to deliver a yacht from the Riviera to the Antilles.

  'She did leave me a scribbled note, but her handwriting is so bad I'm still none the wiser as to her name, I'm afraid. Luckily there was no shortage of candidates to take her place. I'm so sorry I can't help you further, old chap.'

  'No problem at all, Roger,' Ted replied, his mind working overtime. 'When are you back?'

  'Flying back in on Friday morning, giving myself the weekend to catch up on what's been happening, ready to start back in harness on Monday morning.'

  'That works in rather well for me,' Ted told him. 'I have to pop over to Handforth on Friday, to talk to Tina's parents. I was wondering, if it's not too much trouble, if I could call in on you afterwards?

  'There are a number of baffling factors about this case I'd really appreciate the chance to discuss with you in more detail. Your workplace is too depressing, mine is too busy. I'm not far from your doorstep that day, so I wondered if I could be cheeky and call round?'

  The Professor laughed. 'Ted, you naughty boy, I know exactly what you are really up to!'

  'You do?' Ted said in surprise.

  'Yes, indeed. You know Mrs Collins will welcome me back with freshly baked cakes for afternoon tea and you want to gatecrash. You are always welcome to do so, dear boy, please do come. Just let me know what time and I will make sure she has the kettle on.'

  Ted recounted his day to Trev when he got back. 'You really fell off a pony when it sneezed?' Trev laughed. 'You never told me before. Wish I could have seen that. But seriously, you be careful, going to beard the dragon in his den. If it is Hard G, you could be putting yourself in danger, if he thinks you're on to him.'

  'I doubt he does,' Ted said. 'If I'm right about it being him, then surely he's mocking me all along because he thinks I'm too stupid to solve the case, not a worthy opponent for him. I've not said anything to make him think that's changed. I've just asked him about a routine piece of police work.'

  'I don't like the sound of the missing Lindy-Bindy,' Trev said. 'It could all be perfectly genuine but there again, maybe she's his latest victim out there. Do you want me to phone the Swiss police again and get more details of the one who was found dead there?'

  'Thanks, but better not. I got a bollocking from Jim for involving you at all and I've promised to play it by the book for now.'

  'Well, at least take someone with you on Friday, someone nice and solid,' Trev said. 'What about Maurice?'

  It was Ted's turn to laugh. 'If I turn up at Hard G Towers for a tea party with Maurice in tow, I might just as well arrive on blues and twos, dangling handcuffs and shouting “You're nicked, mate”. Maurice doesn't exactly do subtle. I'd rather go on my own, it would look more natural.'

  'And be twice as dangerous. Please, Ted, take back-up or I'll worry.'

  'I'll think about it, I promise,' he said. 'I just don't want to do anything at all to arouse his suspicions. If I make the wrong move now, all he has to do is jump on the Gulfstream and he's out of my reach for ever more.'

  Chapter Forty-six

  Ted was really surprised when a light knock on his door a couple of days later was followed by DS Hallam stepping into the room. His face was still badly bruised, though the damage was subsiding, but he looked a completely different man. There was a spring to his stride and a whole new air of confidence about him that Ted had not seen before.

  'Don't worry, sir, I have a note from me mam saying I can come back to work,' the DS joked. 'Seriously, I have a note from the medic to say I'm fit and, thanks to you, things on the home front are absolutely bloody marvellous. I should have spoken to you a lot sooner.'

  'Come in, Mike, sit down,' Ted told him, genuinely pleased to see the improvement. 'Green tea?'

  The DS laughed. 'That might just give me a relapse, boss. So, do you wan
t to bring me up to speed, so I can hit the ground running?'

  'Are you sure you don't need more time, Mike? There's just a possibility things are about to get a little bumpy around here.'

  'I don't need more time, sir. The people you put me in touch with were incredible. Everything has been sorted out very quickly and the relief is enormous. The wife is clearly seriously ill and they helped her to recognise that. She's gone quite meekly into Cheadle Royal.

  'Her sister has moved in to look after the mother-in-law and help me with the kids. Peace is restored and look, sir,' he pulled out his wallet and handed Ted the ten pounds he owed him. 'I'm even in charge of my own finances again.

  'It sounds to me as if you're in need of a good steady bagman to watch your back. And I hope you know, boss, that if you had any doubts about me before, after what you've done for me, I know that I owe you big time and I won't ever forget that.'

  Ted waved away his protestations. 'Just looking after a valued team member, Mike, like any good boss should do.'

  He quickly filled the DS in on where he was up to with his current thinking and watched his jaw drop as he heard the latest theory.

  'Bloody hell, boss,' was all he could manage, to begin with.

  'The DCI thinks I should be certified,' Ted admitted. 'I'm still trying to check out the Professor's alibi for Christmas Eve, so far without any success. The Big Boss won't let me go any further until I get somewhere with that.'

  'Do you know where PharmaGill keep the Gulfstream, sir? I could see if I can find out if it did fly on Boxing Day, with a passenger on board, and if anyone has any idea of the passenger's identity.'

  Ted stared at him in open admiration. 'Blimey, Mike, it's good to have you back,' he said. 'When you come out with stuff like that, I think the killer is right and I am too thick to be a match for him. Get onto it as soon as you can and keep me posted. Keep it under wraps for now though, eh?

  'Oh, and Mike, I'm going to see the Professor on Friday afternoon, for a little chat over tea and cake, which is always very good. Trev doesn't want me to go alone. Do you fancy coming with me? Like you said, I need a good bagman. It's not strictly on the level, and the Big Boss doesn't know about it …'