The Chess Player

by Andrew Parker

  ‘Doc?’ George was anxious to hear what he was thinking.

  ‘ Yes, have a look at the eyelids you’ll notice some

  red spotsand if I open the eyes you’ll see the same,

  pus the eye bloodshot’. The eyes had a translucent stare, which made them both step backwards as quickly as they had leaned forward.

  ‘There is also facial oedema, which when there is increased pressure or compression on the jugular veins creates tissue fluid’. Doc then studied the neck to confirm his findings with evidence of bruising or markings to confirm strangulation.

  ‘WeH ?’ Howcroft enquired.

  ‘ Yes I would have to concede that this woman died of asphyxial death or obstruction of the airways, the oxygen was not able reach the brain leading to loss of

  consciousness and ultimately deathyou will also

  notice the bruising around the neck. She was strangled George!’

  Chief Inspector Howcroft and Detective Sergeant Williams, now needed a name so they could catch this murderer as quickly as possible. There were no end of thoughts racing through the Chief Inspector’s head. How, why, jealous lover, husband, psychopath, serial killer ?

  ‘Who is she John ?’

  Jason looked astonished, he thought all three of them would have recognised this beautiful woman. ‘What, you don’t know who she is?’

  All three of them looked at each other and then awaited this startling revelation.

  ‘I remember sitting on the tube, reading one of those free papers, there was some sort of charity event in London….they had a picture of Judge Lloyd, with his wife

  ‘Are you sure’ Williams replied, doubting it could be the same woman.

  ‘I’m sure…I’m definite^ sure, I thought you knew?’

  ‘Bloody hell, John, I think we’ve got an appointment with the Judge’ George Howcroft said angrily, knowing his senior bosses would be questioning if he was the right man for the case, if he couldn’t even identify such a high profile lady.

  ‘Thanks Doc’, They sounded and made their way out, throwing off their gowns to the floor.

  ‘Full report on your desk soon, Jason will remove the heart, lungs and brain just to make sure we have not missed anything

  They heard the faint words of brain as they both barged through the creaky double doors. The coolness of the air and darkness of the corridor hit them.

  They met early at the Police Station canteen the following morning, and heartily tucked into bacon, eggs and fried bread before they set off from their station in Broadstone and took the main road towards Wareham.

  Judge Lloyd would commute to his office in London or stay over at his Penthouse flat in Knightsbridge when he was presiding over a trial. Williams called his secretary to confirm his availability, but was duly told that he was at home on sick leave at the moment.

  They braced themsdves for the chilling wind that swept across Bournemouth that morning, and jumped into the we!coming Volkswagen Passat. Williams turned the dial to full red, asking for the heat to respond as quickly as possible. Their ultimate destination was a village near the coast called ‘Arne’, where they would hope to meet up with Judge Lloyd.

  As they turned down the coastal road, George Howcroft noticed how bright green the sea was. The white horses viciously attacking the rocks and coastline, while John Williams was concentrating on the road entranced by the live phone-in on the radio.

  They turned into the gravel driveway and noticed the Rolls Royce parked outside the garage. The stone white-house was impressive, but rather than admire it, they were eager to escape the cold and get indoors. Williams rang the doorbeH.

  Judge Lloyd answered the door, he was in his late fifties, receding grey hair. He had a look of surprise that anybody would call, especially on such a cold day.

  ‘Judge Lloyd, Chief Inspector Howcroft, and this is Detective Sergeant Williams, could we come in sir, we have some bad news’.

  The Judge’s face turned pale with an expression of guilt. ‘Uh….oh, yes forgive me, come in , come in’.

  They settled in the lounge, where an opened logged fire brought a smile from Williams, enjoying the brief moment of warmth and appeal that they bring before Howcroft brought him back to the reason they were there.

  ‘Unfortunate^ we have found the body of a woman, believed to be your wife sir’ Howcroft was never comfortable with telling this type of news, it never came out with compassion.

  ‘What!no, no that can’t be ? The Judge put his

  head in his hands, he looked back up at the Detectives, tears sweHed in his eyes.

  ‘I’m sorry Chief Inspector Howcroft continued ‘ We have reason to believe it was a suspicious death and any information you can give will hdp us with our investigation’

  ‘Erm….yes sorry, I need a drink. Judge Lloyd stood up and went over to the drinks cabinet to pour himsel a brandy.

  Howcroft quickly scanned his eye over the book-spines, which were in the long bookshel that stretched left from the fireplace. ‘Principles of Criminal Law, ‘English Legal System’, ‘Blackstones: Police Manual on Crime’ then one suddenly caught his eye, ‘Drug Wars of Columbia’. Unusual he thought, maybe background information on a case, then he suddenly thought of the dead Colombian two years ago.

  ‘Sorry, I should have offered you both a drink?’.

  Both Howcroft and Williams declined and thought it was time to get down to some more probing questions. ‘You understand, there is never a good time to ask these questions, but we have to Williams said with a hint of more occasion in his voice. ‘Where were you on the night of Wednesday 3rd of December?

  ‘I don’t knowlet me think….yes I was in my flat

  in London, feeling unwell and phoned my wife to say I would be traveHing home the next morning

  ‘Did your wife sound normal, nothing in her voice to suggest she was anxious or upset?’ Williams continued.

  ‘Nono I don’t think so’ he slurped his brandy

  nervously.

  George Howcroft was studying Judge Lloyd very c^sely, his facial expressions and tone of voice. He was also looking around the very luxurious lounge they were in, original oil paintings on the wall, Ainsley china ornaments. The very loving photo of the Judge and his wife, bringing to life the smile and features of the dead woman he had recently seen.

  ‘Sorry Sir’ Howcroft butted in, apologising before he asked the question. ‘We have some evidence from the body and require a sample of blood from you, ,ust for our records and obviously eliminate you from our enquiries’

  ‘Evidence, what sort of evidence! And what do you mean eliminate me from your enquiries?’

  ‘It is just police procedure well need you to come down to the station to identify the body as well’ Williams said.

  ‘Of coursesorry for my sudden outburst, I can’t

  believe this is happening’.

  ‘Judge Lloyd’ Howcroft continued.

  ‘Francis, call me Francis’.

  ‘Okay Francis’ Howcroft smiled, ‘Could you tell me why you haven’t reported your wife missing it’s been two days since we’ve found the body?’

  ‘I didn’t know she was’ he said, ‘Look I didn’t make it back that day, I still fell unwell and decided to catch up on some paperwork in the flat. I called my wife, but there was no answer.’ He took another sip of brandy and composed himsell gathering his thoughts before he continued. ‘When I noticed the time, I decided not to make the trip and left a message this time on her mobile explaining the situation’.

  ‘Did your wife call?’ Williams enquired.

  He shook his head ‘ Noit was late, so‘ He

  took a sharp in take of breath ‘we do not exactly have a cose relationship Sergeant, although I did expect a call to see how I was’.

  �
�When you say you didn’t have a cose relationship, was she seeing anybody else?’ Williams asked.

  Judge Francis Lloyd stood up in a show of displeasure at the question, he turned his back and walked over to the photograph of him and his wife in happier times. He rubbed her face gently in a way of trying to remember the coseness they once shared.

  ‘I didn’t really want to know if she was, or if she wasn’t’ his emotion now turned to one of anger, ‘I’ve returned this morning and now you two bloody turn up and tell me my wife is dead!

  George Howcroft calmed the situation and agreed with the Judge to attend the mortuary tomorrow morning to identify the body.

  They pulled out of the driveway and sat in silence for a few minutes.

  ‘WeH, what do you think?’ Howcroft asked looking for an answer that would back up his own suspicious doubts.

  Williams shrugged his shoulders ‘ He seemed shocked Guv, erma bit emotional‘

  Howcroft cut him off ‘I’m not sure John, can’t put my finger on it, but there is something just not right’

  Williams’ mobile interrupted. ‘Sorry Guv, it’s Nikki, I forgot we were going out to the cinema tonight. Ill tell her I can’t make it’

  ‘No..no..you go out, there is something I want to look into anyway and I’m sure I can do it with the company of a good bottle of red and a pizza. As someone once said, without question the greatest invention is alcohol, granted the wheel was also a fine invention but does not go nearly as well with pizza’.

  Williams frowned. ‘Oh, if you say soNikki hi’

  After Williams had discussed the evening ahead and told her he loved her’, he turned and looked at his boss realising he shouldn’t have been driving and be on the mobile at the same time. They both laughed.

  That evening, Chief Inspector George Howcroft settled back into his armchair, savouring the glass of ‘red’. His thoughts were dwelling on the suspicion he fell about Judge Lloyd. ‘Something not quite right’ he kept saying to himself. why

  A sudden knock at the door startled him. He gave the pizza delivery boy a generous tip and eagerly took his Meat Feast with extra Chilli’s back to the dining room.

  ‘Down to business’ he thought, he retrieved the unsolved file on the dead Colombian. He was intrigued. The book on drug wars in the judge’s house had got him thinking about this case and the slightest connection with the Judge would arouse his suspicion even more. He grabbed a note pad and pen and decided to write down bullet points for referral.

  He sipped a bit more of his wine as he turned the brown folder marked ‘Unsolved’, the first pages were describing the crime scene. He noted down:

  River

  Head wound

  Professional

  No I.D

  He scanned a few more pages with initial comments from the police on the scene and forensics’. He sipped some more wine and his attention now turned to the autopsy report. Doc, he thought and now he remembered the file being dumped on his desk to investigate. ‘Got nowhere fast’ he recalled. So Doc…what did you find out:

  Male

  Dark skinned

  30-35yrs old

  Shot in temple

  Hand gun

  Nothing he didn’t know at the time, nothing connecting the judge. He then came across some notes at the back of the file he had not seen before, he was pretty sure of that. Hand written on lined paper, his excitement grew in what he was about to read. He quickly finished off his glass of wine and poured himsel another before his mind ran away with him, where did they come from? Who wrote them? Are they even connected with the case?

  He then read the scribbled notes.

  ‘Colombian executedlinked with money and drug

  launderingScotland Yard investigatingLondon

  -BogotaRooas CartelThe Chess Player’.

  File to be sent to Stephen Tarling. Assistant Commissioner Special Operations, Scotland Yard.

  ‘Bloody hell’ he shouted aloud. He then thought, someone obviously forgot to send this file, although there was no name connecting anyone to the notes. He sat back shaking his head wondering why no one had chased for the file and then thought back to the book in the Judges house. Was there any connection?

  He jotted down on his notepad:

  Colombia

  Rooas Cartel

  Money/Drug laundering

  Asst. Com Tarling

  The Chess Player

  Was he getting carried away Was he reading things into this murder investigation that weren’t there?

  Chapter 5.

  ‘Morning Guv’

  ‘Morning’ George Howcroft nodded as he walked down the corridor to his office.

  ‘Nice dandruffthey laughed.

  Howcroft smiled and wiped off the snowflakes that had settled on his shoulders. He carried the file under his arm and was eager to put it back. He opened the door to his office and noticed the cock, it had just gone 8 am. He would love a cup of black coffee and a bacon sandwich, his mouth wateredjust thinking about it.

  He had fallen asleep in the chair last night, after finishing the ‘lovefy bottle of French red’. He didn’t want to tell Williams just yet, whilst he fell unsure about his suspicions. He put the note pad down on his desk and scanned the points he had noted down to see if they made sense in the clear light of day. It still did not.

  ‘Morning Guv’ Williams said as he walked into the

  office.

  ‘Forgotten how to knock?’

  ‘SorryI just thought I would bring you up to

  date’

  ‘Before anything, I would love a cup of coffee

  blackoh and a bacon sarnie’ he said. Williams walked

  back out and he quickly put the note pad in his drawer.

  After Williams returned with his governor’s first order of the day, he was eager to show again his efficiency.

  ‘I’ve got Jones looking into the calls the Judge made to his wife on December 3rd, Harris and Pearce have gone to interview cose friends to try and find out what she was doing that day, shopping, lunch?’

  ‘Excellent John, what about confirming with his secretary any calls, movements?’

  ‘Yes Guv, Brewer and WPC Barnes have gone to Knightsbridge to check on neighbours to see if they saw him leaving and visit his office.

  ‘So did you enjoy your film last night?’ Howcroft asked, suddenly changing tract.

  ‘Eryes’ Williams was surprised with the sudden

  change in conversation ‘ It was very good, about a murder, with Al Pacino’.

  ‘Brushing up on your technique then?’

  ‘Yes something like that, what about you? What was so secretive you wanted to be done?’

  ‘Just a hunch, anyway what time is Judge Francis Lloyd turning up?’

  ‘Ten am’.

  Chief Inspector Howcroft looked at the cock 9.10am. ‘Okay John, keep me informed of any developments and let me know when the judge turns up’.

  Williams left the room, he took the notepad from out of his drawer like a school kid taking his comic out during class. He read the points he had jotted down again, obviously a professional hit he thought and the case was taken over by Special Operations at Scotland Yard. The Chess Player? Was that some sort of code, a nickname for a hit man? He wanted to call Scotland Yard, but what if someone noticed the file was missing?

  He decided he would call and say that he had come across the file on ‘Unsolved cases’ and wanted to know who to send it to or whether he could cose the file. Surly that wouldn’t cause any repercussions after two years? He took a deep breath and dialled the number.

  ‘Yes, hello…could I speak to someone in Special Operations please’

  A hard Scottish voice answered the phone as ‘Detective Mac^
od’. George Howcroft ceared his throat and kept with the story of reviewing unsolved cases and relayed the scribbled hand written message that the file should be sent to Stephen Tarling. The Detective couldn’t confirm and just requested the file to be sent. It wasn’t exactly how he hoped the conversation would turn out, a few probing questions but the call was killed quickly by Mackod.

  He put down the phone disappointed that he couldn’t continue his Colombia-Judge hunch.

  ‘Guv, sorry Williams came into the office without knocking again. ‘The Judge is here’.

  They took the Judge to the mortuary, to identify the body. Judge Francis Lloyd was composed and duly identified the body as being his wife when the cold white sheet was pulled back. He wiped away a tear from his eye and asked how she died.

  ‘Your wife was strangled Sir and we are conducting extensive enquiries in getting the person or persons brought to justice as quickly as possible’ Howcroft confirmed.

  ‘Why would anybody do such a thing’ Judge Lloyd shook his head. ‘If I can help in any way pease, only wish I could be the one sentencing them’ he gave a heavy sigh ‘any leads?’

  ‘It’s too early to say, but yes you can certainly help by giving that blood sample’ Howcroft was pleased to say. The Judge responded with a disparaging look

  They watched from Howcroft’s window the Judge getting into his Rolls Royce.

  ‘Right come on John, I want see what Mr Francis Lloyd is going to do today!’

  They could just make out the rear lights on the Rolls Royce as the snowflakes vigorously hit the windscreen. The motorway signs all showed London getting coser as they followed behind.

  ‘Must be going to the office Guv’.

  ‘Funny way to show grief, he’s just seen the dead body of his wife and he’s going to work’

  Williams looked for a plausible answer ‘Probably taking his mind off things, no point in moping around at home’

  Howcroft reluctantly agreed with a ‘maybe’, but still wasn’t totally convinced with the Judge and was sure he knew more about his wife’s death than he was letting on.

  They edged coser into London, the Judge’s car was two in front but the traffic was at a virtual crawl so there was no need to worry about losing him. The impressive Natural History Museum was on their left, the grass in front was now a white blanket. The falling snow was now easing, although the occasional snow flurry whipped up by the wind caused the obligatory group of tourists to stop in their tracks.