by Paula Lennon
Spence slipped her rubber sandals into a plastic bag, fully intending to kick them off at the beach and let her toes enjoy the warm sand. She was glad she had worn a skirt today as she might be tempted to let the calming sea water cover her calves.
They sauntered down the stairs and into the front courtyard talking and joking while heading to their vehicles. They passed red and yellow hibiscus flowers which adorned the outer area of the courtyard, their deep green leaves standing out in stark contrast to the brown dried lawn. Luckily the plants did not need constant watering in order to survive as there had been no real rain for weeks. Watering the foliage in a time of drought was forbidden and so the desert-like appearance of the grounds had to be tolerated. The perennially green-leafed mango tree was still heavily laden with delicious fruit and showed no obvious signs of depletion even though a few dozen had been picked, most of which were devoured by a grateful Glaswegian.
As they ambled toward their vehicles, Preddy’s attention was diverted momentarily by the shadow of a person on the second floor.
“Go on ahead, I’ll meet you dere.”
Harris looked at the detective curiously. “Everything okay, sir?”
“Sure. Soon come,” he replied. “Order me a good-sized plate of brown stew fish and festival. Don’t get any drinks for me yet.”
Preddy spun around and quickly made his way back through the station entrance. It was nearly 2 o’clock in the afternoon and there was no reason why anyone should be near the room which contained evidence mainly related to the Chin Ellis family matters. Only his team of detectives and a secretary had access to the keys, yet he was sure he had spotted movement behind the blinds.
As he leaped up the first set of stairs he was greeted by a colleague he hadn’t seen for a while and who was making his descent.
“How’s it going, Raythan man?”
“Ah, you know how it goes.” Preddy smiled brightly while wincing inside.
“You have time for a drink?”
“Can’t make it today, you know.” Preddy resumed his sprint. “Catch you a next time though.”
“Alright, me friend.”
Preddy managed to avoid any further encounters as he covered the second flight of stairs. The evidence room was situated towards the end of a long hallway consisting of eight rooms, with only a janitors’ storeroom and a small gym at the very end.
As he started down the hallway he saw a sweating Timmins walking towards him dressed in exercise vest, shorts and sneakers. The officer nodded at the detective and Preddy nodded back, his eyes following the man’s departing form. He walked quickly to the evidence room and tried the door, feeling relieved that it was still locked. Peering through the shutters his eyes swept the room and determined that it was empty. He knocked on the janitors’ door and, receiving no reply, opened it to find only bottles of cleaning tools and paper handtowels.
The door to the gym was slightly ajar. Although the officers referred to it as a gym, it was more of a weights room containing a good variety of dumbbells, kettle bells, exercise mats, fitness balls and one dilapidated crosstrainer. Inside, an officer’s uniform, black trousers with red seams, light blue short-sleeved shirt and flat black cap were hanging from a hook in the wall, with polished shoes arranged neatly beneath them.
Preddy closed the door and stood silently for a moment wondering if his eyes had been playing tricks on him. He really needed to shed the nightmares, get more sleep and drink more ganja tea. He walked slowly back along the corridor, stopping to listen at each door and peer into every room until he arrived at the top of the stairs. Perfect silence filled his ears and he was assured that no-one else was on the floor. He started his descent, picking up pace at the thought of the freshly cooked fish awaiting him.
*
Preddy placed a glass of ice cold water in front of Harris and sat down beside him. He was a fan of this small cosy eatery designed to look cheap, although he could tell that a great deal of effort and money had been invested into making it appear that way. With bamboo walls painted in the colours of the Jamaican flag, perfectly thatched roof and ideal seaside setting, it was just the place to enjoy a snack and a chat.
The seats were recycled wooden kegs made comfortable by leatherette covered foam cushions. Harris liked this place too and thought the bars in Glasgow would benefit from seating like this. There was no danger of losing a chair leg since there were none, and drunken patrons could not pick up these heavy barrels, never mind throw them at anyone.
They had finished their lunch of fried snapper fish complemented with roast breadfruit and fresh cornbread, having arrived too late for any festivals. Diners needed to turn up for lunch much earlier if they wanted to enjoy the popular deep-fried sweet flour delicacy, the chef advised. The meal was washed down with blended carrot juice and ginger, and they had steered clear of work talk, discussing instead the perceived differences between the various Caribbean islands. Rabino and Spence had just headed off back to the station happily complaining of feeling overfed and needing to sleep off the after-effects of overindulgence.
Preddy was relieved that the foreigner appeared to be adapting well and enjoying the many delights the island had to offer. Although Harris had joined his team out of nowhere, he had made great efforts to settle in, sampling everything that was put before him, including the mannish water which a lot of tourists baulked at. He seemed keen to be part of the team, even though at times he surely could not understand them when they descended into fast-talking Patois, which usually happened when they were joking or arguing about something or, in the case of Spence, purposely trying to leave him flummoxed.
Nothing caused this white man to turn up his nose and he seemed genuinely interested in learning about his colleagues and their working lives. There had been no more attempts at playing the ginnal and no more displays of temper. Harris did have a tendency to forget that the Jamaican force was not as well-equipped as his own and he was not always keen on taking directions, but Preddy resolved not to hold these foibles against him. They were both very experienced detectives and if their positions were reversed Preddy knew he would not be keen on taking directions from Harris either.
“Come on, you’ve had time to think about it. You can tell me what you really think,” said Preddy. “I won’t tell a soul.”
“Och, it’s great, sir, really. But...”
“Go on. I promise I will not be offended. Go ahead.”
“Well, I find that if ye ask a Jamaican the time they dinnae really respond how I would expect. Ye know ‘minutes tae five’ they say, or ‘minutes after six.’ Well, what bloody time is it?”
Preddy laughed along with Harris while admitting to being guilty of this particular trait too. “For de majority of Jamaicans a few minutes is neither here nor dere you know.”
“A few minutes? Seriously, the other day I got an appointment for the barbers at 9 a.m. He turned up at 9:55 and couldnae understand ma annoyance. Didn’t bother tae make an excuse or anything. It was just normal for him, I guess.”
“On dat front, I’m pleased to say we are much better in de force. When you’re off de job though if you get invited to a dinner or a party, don’t bother to turn up on time. You’ll be de only one dere for hours.”
Harris nodded. “I believe ye. And another thing I’ve noticed is that all the young mothers seem tae carry their babies around in their arms. In all the time I’ve been here I’ve never seen a single pram or buggy. These girls must be much stronger than they look. Some of them are using only one arm tae hold the baby and the other tae hold an umbrella or cloth over the baby.”
Preddy had never given the matter a moment’s thought before, but now he realised that it was true. He had never been to Scotland, but he had been to London and to various states in North America and no-one carried their babies in their arms. Those without strollers had slings around their necks buttressed by straps around the waist. His own children had been the beneficiaries of car seats for travelling when they were y
oung and he could not recall any instance where he or his wife had needed to walk for any length of time with the children in arms.
“You’re right,” he said eventually. “For some it will be poverty. For others, I’m going to guess dat it’s because of lack of opportunity to purchase. No businessman is going risk importing expensive buggies if de market is too small. And wid our pavements de way dey are, well, I’m not so sure how good an investment it would be for de mothers.”
Harris nodded silently and sipped his drink.
“Anything else bugging you? Excuse de pun.”
Harris thought for a moment. “There are people selling things everywhere in the town centre in broad daylight. Food, clothes, CDs, knives, everything is spread out on the ground or hung up on the walls of legitimate businesses. Is it always like that?”
Preddy shrugged. “It’s a bit messy. Sometimes officers seize de stuff, sometimes dey just move dem on. Higglers can be stubborn and determined as well as desperate. It’s something I believe de parish council should take sole control of. We have more dan enough to do.”
Harris drained his glass. “You’ve got bloody great water though, in the glass and in the sea.”
“I won’t argue wid dat.”
“Okay, it’s yer turn,” said Harris.
“I’ll pass.”
“Och, come on!”
Preddy thought about the matter and turned to stare at his colleague. “I did want to ask you about your hair.”
Harris grinned. “I’m sure that’s supposed tae be ma line!”
“Ah, but I don’t want to touch it though,” Preddy smiled. “I just wondered how it is so red. Is it naturally like dat or you put something in it?”
“Aye, it’s natural alright. I’m from good Celtic stock and all of us have ginger hair. I swear the Jamaican sun has made it even redder though.”
There were many other questions that Preddy wanted to ask Harris, not least about how he had ended up in Jamaica, but he would save them for another time. He preferred to keep this encounter light-hearted and watch how the Glaswegian operated in full social mode. So far he had demonstrated no biases or prejudices and Preddy hoped that he would never come to regret accepting the foreigner on his team.
At that moment Preddy’s phone rang. He exchanged a few words with the person on the line then hung up and stood. “We have a visitor. Let’s get back to de station.”
The two detectives entered the Pelican Walk lobby a few minutes later. Preddy caught a glimpse inside the staff canteen and was slightly perturbed at the sight of Timmins, Franklin, Nembhard and Wilson all dining together. It would not do for the two arresting officers and the two duty officers to form a clique. Right now though, he had no time to think about them.
“Where is he?” asked Preddy.
“Him upstairs in room four,” said the stand-in desk officer. “Him did down here a make up whole heap a noise! Dem put him upstairs and give him coffee to drink.”
Lester Chin Ellis stood up angrily when the detectives entered the waiting room. “They told me to come and take my car this morning. See I’ve turned up now, it’s late afternoon and they’re telling me it’s not ready!”
“I apologise, Mr Chin Ellis,” said Preddy. “We have finished wid de car and it should have been brought back here by now.”
“Let me just make a call and see where it is,” said Harris, leaving the room.
“Sorry about dat,” repeated Preddy. “How are you feeling?”
“Could be better,” replied Lester, appearing slightly calmer. “Everything is on top of me you know? I have to try and keep the family together. Everybody depending on me.”
“I understand,” said Preddy. There was something about this young man that he just did not like or trust. Lester Chin Ellis was all about Lester Chin Ellis. “We are doing all we can to get to de bottom of dis terrible tragedy.”
“Thank you. Don’t let this become a cold case, Detective. I know that plenty of murderers are out there and the police never get them.”
“We will do our utmost best. You can count on dat.”
Lester’s phone rang and he retrieved it from his pocket. “I soon come, mam. Yes, alright.” He hung up and looked at Preddy. “See? Now Miss Ida is ringing me every minute to find out what I’m doing.”
“I can only imagine what you and your parents are going through.” He was still waiting to hear Lester ask him for details of the investigation or to at least mention his brother by name.
Harris re-entered the room. “They’re bringing the car round tae the front now, sir.”
Preddy watched through the window as Lester left the building. He noticed Timmins walking under the archway entrance at the same time. A sense of disquiet overcame him as the two men appeared to acknowledge one another. The contact was brief, lasting no more than a few seconds, but Preddy was furious and ran down the stairs.
“Officer Timmins! My office, now!”
Timmins looked up in surprise but followed the detective up to his office. Preddy slammed the door and immediately swung around to face the nervous officer.
“What in God’s name do you think you doing, man? What you talking to Chin Ellis about?”
“Take it easy, sir! He said, ‘I remember you,’” the officer responded defensively. “I said, ‘I remember you too.’ Not a word more.”
“Are you working against dis police force, officer?” Preddy put his face close to that of the shaken man. “You must know dat under no circumstances are you to have any contact wid Chin Ellis. He says hello, you ignore him. You see him on one side of de street, you go on de other. You understand me?”
“Yes, sir. I never really think ’bout it.” Timmins said, holding the detective’s gaze.
“No, you never.” Preddy finally allowed himself to take a seat. “You, Nembhard, Wilson, Franklin, none of you should have anything to say to Chin Ellis. I know de attorney told you dat.”
“It just happened suddenly, sir, I didn’t even know him was here. It won’t happen again.”
“You can leave.”
Preddy did not want to think the worst of any of his officers, but he was gradually coming to the realisation that not everyone on the squad might be who they seemed. Yet again he would need to remind the officers of their responsibilities in relation to the case and he was tired of repeating things that should be second nature.
Timmins stood outside of the detective’s door, took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly. He reached for his flannel and dabbed at transparent baubles prickling on his forehead, then quickly walked away with fists clenched and a deep frown on his face. In his blind anger he nearly bumped into the burly superintendent and immediately offered his apologies. It would not do to have all of the big men turn against him.
CHAPTER 18
Thursday, 6 August, 12:30 p.m.
The highway, roads and pavements were teeming with revellers as Preddy, accompanied by his two children, made the short trip to Sam Sharpe Square in the city centre for the final day of the six-day independence festivities.
The annual celebrations always commenced at midnight on the 31st of July, with thanksgiving services in major town centres including a re-enactment of the reading of the Emancipation Declaration of 1838. It was a service that Preddy usually tried to attend, but regrettably this year it had been out of the question. He had too much on his mind and would not have been able to give the sombre gathering the attention it deserved, being an occasion when modern day descendants give thanks for the day the slaves were granted freedom and could look towards a new beginning in their lives. The midnight event was followed in daylight hours by Emancipation observance services at churches and town halls where attendees were reminded of the huge sacrifices made by the national heroes to ensure freedom for future generations.
Most locals now referred to the holiday period as the Emancipendence season although the only two official holidays were the first and the sixth days of August. The second through the fifth
of August were treated as normal business days or weekend days depending on where they fell during the week. Some workers regularly took advantage of the season and booked the whole week off to reflect on life in general and recharge their batteries. But on Independence Day the city was alive, celebrating that on 6th August 1962, Jamaica became a sovereign nation, independent from colonial Britain.
All four roads leading from the fountain in the centre of the cobbled square were cordoned off from traffic, leaving pleasure seekers free to traverse the area on foot. A large national flag atop the cultural centre fluctuated wildly in the warm breeze against the brilliant blue sky. The glorious sun smiled through, unencumbered by the thin clouds. For as far as the eye could see there were drapes of black, green and gold everywhere, even on the handcarts illegally encroaching on the square selling their aromatic wares. Tasty snacks, from boiled corn and peanut porridge to peeled sugar cane and sliced pineapple, were readily available. Men and women, boys and girls, old and young were bedecked in the national colours, with the Rastafarians adding a bold red to their ensemble. Preddy proudly displayed a Jamaican flag lapel pin on his official khaki suit.
The formal Independence Day proceedings began with the pomp and pageantry of a civic ceremony held under a huge marquee at which the mayor and several dignitaries were present. People who could not hold under the massive canopy sought refuge under giant umbrellas or the sheltered patios of surrounding businesses, most of which were closed for the holiday. The custos of St James read the Governor General’s message to the sizeable audience. Awards were handed out to outstanding residents of the parish including journalists, educators, medical practitioners, businessmen, community workers and farmers. Preddy spotted Spence and her husband Greg with their two little girls. She had taken up seats at the back to ensure a smooth get away. Harris was driving the streets with a remit to pick her up if Chinchillerz was all go.
