The Chess Player

by Andrew Parker

  The street Christmas lights were shining brightly, Harrods shone a golden brilliance. Judge Francis Lloyd parked his Rolls Royce in a bay just outside Café Rouge. The restaurant chain was emulating traditional French Cafés. Williams and Howcroft parked at a safe distance away and waited.

  The Judge turned off the ignition to his Rolls Royce, the snow had stopped falling, an unexpected shudder went through his body. He wondered if his friend and work colleague was already inside. He was greeted with a warm smile by one of the waiters ‘table for one?’ he said in a French accent.

  ‘No 3m meeting someone, who doesn’t appear to

  be here yetfor two pease. He was lead to a table

  near the bar, and ordered black coffee to warm up. The door opened minutes later. Stephen Tarling saw where his friend was seated, walked over and slapped him on the back.

  ‘The mussels are very good here Francis’

  The same waiter came over eager to make up for not welcoming him and took his coat and scarf.

  Howcroft and Williams had noted the silver Mercedes pull up and the person going in, but were unsure whether the Judge had even already met someone inside. They hoped he would walk out with who ever he was meeting.

  ‘So Francis, I know about Susan, 3m very sorry’

  ‘Yeahthanks for coming Stephen , I need to talk

  to you about what we are doing’ his face became animated with anger ‘ I knew something was going to go wrong, but why Susan, Why What did she do?’

  ‘Calm down’ Stephen Tarling looked anxiously around. There were two middle-aged ladies in the corner, piled high with green plastic carrier bags from ‘Harrods’ obviously engrossed in conversation about the mornings shopping. Opposite the two ladies, was an elderly gentleman, reading glasses on, studying the Daily Telegraph. He had finished his meal, but still had to get through hal a bottle of Chablis.

  A few tabes down from him, were a young couple holding hands across the table, he could detect a French dialect ‘home from home’ he thought.

  ‘Francis I know it’s a great shock and this is the last thing we bloody expected, I’ve decided I’m going to Colombia to say that’s it. No more!’

  Judge Francis Lloyd was shaking his head ‘Do you think it’s that easy, we are in this too bloody deep, they’re notjust going to let us walk away’ he gestured angrily.

  The waiter came over and asked for their order, Stephen Tarling ordered for them both, Mussels, a bottle of sparkling water and two coffees. Tarling looked at the Judges face, he look confused, tired.

  ‘Look, Freddy Morales is in the country, I’m meeting him after this’ Tarling continued.

  ‘What!’ Judge was now jumping to conchisions that Freddy killed his wife, ‘It must have been him’.

  ‘Francis Ill sort it, you concentrate on work or grieve how you need to, but everything will be sorted. Ill meet Freddy and arrange to go to Colombia. Have the police interviewed you yet?

  ‘Yes an Howcroft and Wilkins….no, Williams’ The Judge resigned himself to the fact he would just have to take each day as it came, hope the police were not too suspicious and would await the outcome of Stephen Tarlings trip to Colombia.

  ‘Two Weeding hours’ Chief Inspector Howcroft moaned, then suddenly saw the Judge and another man leave the café. ‘John we’re on’ as he nudged Williams who was dose to finishing the papers cross word.

  ‘Thank Christ for that’ as he turned on the engine and looked to get warm again. ‘Okay, are we following him to work’ Williams asked.

  ‘Nono we’re not, I want to find out who this

  Moke is that the Judge wanted to spend two hours taking to, soon as he gets in the car run a number check with the station.

  Assistant Commissioner Tarling, got into his silver Mercedes and was going to make the short journey to the Beaufort Hotel.

  Chief Inspector Howcroft and Detective Sergeant Williams followed, Howcroft was keen to find out who this gentleman was? ‘Williams can you read the number plate?’

  ‘2ST 8XS’

  ‘Diane, It’s Georgecould you run a number

  check on 2ST 8XS Urgent’

  There was silence for a few minutes as they followed the silver Mercedes through the back streets of Knightsbridge.

  ‘Sir, sorry ‘access denied’

  ‘What!’

  ‘Yes Sir, it’s guarded with a high security access like politicians and Royal’s’

  ‘Bloody Hell!sorry Diane, thanks’.

  ‘Who the hell is this bloke we’re following?’ Williams asked.

  Howcroft shook his head, then he could see the Mercedes turning into a Cul de sac. ‘Maybe we will find out now’ the smile returning to his face.

  It was short lived, the person they were following had now pulled up in front of the Beaufort Hotel. ‘What now Guv?if we go in there we would stand out like …’

  ‘Bollocks!’ was George’s expression of anger and despondency.

  ‘I don’t fancy sitting in the freezing cold for another couple of hours’

  ‘No John, did you say Brewer and Barnes were in the area?’

  ‘Yes Guv’

  ‘Ill get them to take over, I need to know who he

  isthey need to follow him home, well head back now

  John and catch up with the team’ Howcroft radioed into

  Barnes and told her they must report in as soon as they were aware of his home residence.

  Howcroft was disappointed in how the day had turned out, but was desperate to know who this high profile person was? He was confident that he would have his name before the day ended. All he could think of now was getting back to the warmth of his office and a ‘Whiskey would do wonders’ he thought.

  ‘Good afternoon sir’

  Stephen Tarling handed the porter his coat and scarf and announced he was there to see Freddy Mordes, who yet again was in the sitting room awaiting the arrival of his friend.

  ‘Stephen, hello again, job well done, bravo!’ Freddy gleefully we!comed him ‘Sit down Stephen, The Chess

  Player will be pleased when I go backWhat is it

  Stephen, you look puzzled?’

  ‘ I didn’t kill her Freddy’ he said softly, he looked Freddy Morales directly in the eyes, looking for a reaction or confession’ I thought you did?’

  ‘Me!’ Freddy raised his eyebrows in a show of surprise. ‘I told you‘

  ‘I know what you fucking told me to do’ Stephen angrily interrupted, looking around making sure he wasn’t drawing attention to himself ‘but I didn’t, in fact I’ve got a whacking big egg on my head where some bastard clobbered me!’

  ‘I don’t understand if you didn’t‘

  ‘Well that’s why I thought it was you, I thought you may have watched me come back out of the house knowing I hadn’t killed her and thought I was the Judge when I came back in?’

  ‘No…’ he was confused but the problem had been resolved. ‘No it’s a concern Stephen but I’m returning to Colombia tonight and I will say that London is okay again ‘ Freddy said knowing if he told Rafael that they weren’t sure who killed Susan Kenyon-Lloyd then he would probably end up the same way.

  ‘I also need to come to Colombia Freddy, we both want out, this went too far… she knew nothing’ Stephen’s last words drifting into a whisper as the waiter came over with their cream teas.

  Freddy Morales didn’t answer, she was out of the way and that was what mattered. But they had known that she knew her husband and Stephen Tarling were into money laundering and now the risk was eliminated,

  ‘I’m booking mysel on the first available tomorrow Freddy, so tell him we want out and I’m not backing

  downno more Freddyno more’ Stephen Tarling was

  adamant and at this moment in tim
e fell no fear. He settled back into the comfy chair with his cup of tea.

  As he walked out of the Hotel, night had fallen, there was still the scattering of snow on the floor that had fallen during the day making the paths and steps less easy to negotiate. He jumped into his car, she purred into life, but he was totally unaware of another car stuttering into action but eager to follow. ‘Home’ he thought ‘what a day’ he muttered under his breath. He switched on his mobile

  and called his ‘Special Operations’ team. ‘Hiany

  messages or calls?’

  A female voice answered. It was his PersonalAssistant Zara, she relayed some of the more important calls she felt he needed to know and also passed on a message from Macleod about some unsolved file he had requested.

  ‘Thanks Zara’—.Strange he thought, what file ?

  Chapter 6.

  ‘Guv, Barnes has just called in they have left the hotel and are following’

  ‘Great, what a relief to be back in the warm uh?’ George Howcroft had a grin on his face as he took his shoes off and placed his feet on the radiator behind his desk.

  ‘Oh, by the way did they have any joy interviewing the Judge’s neighbours and—.’

  Williams leapt in straight away ‘Yes Guv, weH no…not really’ he looked downwards feeling a bit stupid.

  ‘WeH yes or no what is it to be?’

  ‘They did catch up with a few neighbours but no one saw anything, although the apartment opposite said they heard what sounded like a door being cosed shut about ten, ten-thirty pm, the night of the murder’

  ‘Okay’ Howcroft’s mind was working overtime.

  Williams had read his mind ‘Surety you don’t think he killed his own wife What was his motive?’

  ‘Who knows why people do a lot of things? He certainly could have made the journey in time. Have we got the results of the DNA test yet?’ Howcroft removed his feet from the radiator and thought maybe this high profile unknown they were following and his Colombian hunch was barking up the wrong tree.

  ‘No not yet, Ill give Doc a call’

  Howcroft sat upright and now re-focussed his attention on the crime file, he wanted to look at the witness statement on how the body of Susan Kenyon-

  Lloyd was found. The file was a flip over brown cardboard texture file, the pages printed inside again detailed the crime scene investigation. Detailed at the back was the witness statement:

  Name: Leigh Cook

  Occupation: Night Porter, High Cliff Hotel

  Address: 10, Long Acres

  Telephone No: 01202-774412

  Statement: “ I had returned home from work at around 5am, took my dog straight out for a walk to the local park. Sand-Hills recreational Park. While taking my normal route the dog stayed an unusually long time sniffing etc…at a low ditch that ran alongside the trees. He did not respond to my calling so angrily I walked back to pull him away. To my horror and surprise the body of a dead woman was lying there.”

  ‘Doc said he will have the result; for you first thing tomorrow’

  ‘Williams, has anybody followed up on this witness?’

  Williams shook his head ‘No, we didn’t think it necessary Guv’

  Howcroft flicked his pen a few times between his teeth, he looked at the dock, if Cook was on Shift he might be at work. The time was 5.13pm.

  He decided to give it a call he picked up the receiver and punched in the number. ‘Ah—shit’ the phone blasted out a dead tone. He carefully re-dialled, same response.

  ‘Get Karen out there to put this address in the computer and while you’re at it, phone up the High Cliff, to see if they have this Leigh Cook working there?

  Williams banged out the door with his efficient urgency. ‘Careful’ was the cry following him. Williams returned with a look of astonishment and guilt, as though he hadjust been sent to his school Headmaster. ‘Bad news Guv, there is no such address and the hotel does not have him listed as one of their workers’

  Howcroft’s face was full of annoyance ‘Bastard!’ he shouted, thumping his hand on the desk. ‘So what are we dealing with now. .the fucking invisible man?’

  Williams didn’t know what to do or say, but couldn’t help murmuring the words ‘Why would anybody do that?’

  Which just aggravated his boss’s mood even more and was answered with a barrage of more expletives. The phone started ringing diffusing the situation. Saved by the bell Williams thought.

  ‘Yes’ was the abrupt greeting from Howcroft.

  It was Barnes they had followed the suspect and now could confirm his home abode. The Chief Inspector frantically rifled the desk for some paper and then wrote the address down:

  ‘Five Woodland Pine Ave, Wentworth’.

  ‘Good work and thanks, go home Ill see you tomorrow’ Howcroft put the phone down. ‘Well lets see

  who our mystery guest isshall we?’, they walked out of

  Howcroft’s office and went to Karen to see if they would have more joy this time. Karen keyed in the address precisely and waited for the computer to reveal all. There it was name, address, but ex-directory telephone number.

  ‘Stephen Tarling’ was the name flashing in front of

  them.

  ‘Oh boy’Howcroft put his hand on his head and

  ran his hand through his hair.

  ‘What?you know him?’

  ‘He is Assistant Commissioner of Special Operations, Scotland Yard no less’

  ‘Maybe he is just a friend of the Judge, consoling him or something innocent’ Williams said before they got out of their depth in this investigation.

  ‘Oh shit’ Howcroft, just remembered he had sent the file on the dead Colombian to Stephen Tarling. ‘John back to the office, Ill let you know what I’ve found out,

  just hunches you understandthanks Karen’. They

  retreated back to Howcroft’s office.

  Beep…beep, Williams mobile sounded, it was a message from Nikki, :wot time will u b in?

  ‘Sorry Guv, it’s Nikki wanting to know what time Ill be home’ Williams said, knowing the case would be getting more time consuming the more leads they had to go on. He looked at his bosses face and was pleasantly surprised to see there was no show of displeasure and a response that was pleasing.

  ‘Tell Nikki that lover boy would be home in an

  hour’

  Williams pulled up a chair and sat cose to the desk Howcroft was opposite. George Howcroft then went on to relay his curiosity about the book he saw at Judge Francis house and how on his ‘secretive’ evening he revisited the unsolved murder file on the Colombian. He retrieved the notepad from his desk and threw it over at Williams. His face frowned as he went through the points jotted down, then his eyes lit up with that ‘oh no’ feeling when he saw the name Tarling written down.

  ‘I tried to get some more info out of Special Operations, but the conversation was cut short and they just wanted the file back’

  ‘Bloody hell Guv, what‘Williams stopped when

  the phone rang.

  ‘Howcroftyes Maamgive me ten

  minutes’ It was Chief Inspector Howcroft’s senior officer wanting an update on the murder investigation. Obviously the death of a high profile wife was making people edgy and no doubt he would be told to make an arrest and cose this case as quickly as possible.

  ‘You’re not going to tell her about this are you?’

  Howcroft looked at Williams ‘I may look stupid’ and gave a hal-hearted laugh.

  ‘Anyway John, I need you to have a little look around Mr Tarling’s house’.

  Williams stood up and turned his back, he then turned back around and vented his feelings ‘I suppose I look bloody stupid instead, are you having a laugh Guv?’

  ‘I need to know wha
t this bloke’s about’ Howcroft pleaded. ‘There is no way Ill get a search warrant based on a hunch and circumstantial, he is the Assistant Commissioner for Christ sake!’

  Williams stood there shaking his head ‘this could wreck my career’

  ‘I’m sorry but it needs to be done don’t worry I won’t send you in on your own Ill get you back up’ he clicked his pen between his teeth again as though deve!oping a nervous habit. ‘Yes’ he smiled ‘Ill get you just the person’.

  Williams resigned himself that he had to do it, looked at the cock and hastily beat a retreat, wondering who his partner in crime would be?

  Howcroft fell pleased with himself, although he knew he was gambling with both their careers and knew that if anything went wrong they would throw away the key. He deliberated ‘was it right to put Williams in this position’yes, it had to done.

  With a renewed determination Howcroft believed in his own ability that he could solve this murder, but he fell the pressure it seemed it was getting more difficult with every passing minute. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve, removing the small amount of sweat that had appeared. He didn’t know whether it was due to the chat he hadjust had with Williams, the radiator throwing out a fierce heat or maybe he just needed a drink?

  Howcroft pondered his next course of action, moving his pen up and down between his teeth again, causing an irritating sound. He decided he would pursue the relationship of Judge Lloyd and Stephen Tarling, were they friends? Colleagues? Maybe if he looked hard enough he might find some previous history of them working on the same case.

  The tdephone rang again, Howcroft jumped up without answering he knew who it was and made his way to see Chief Superintendent Hothi.

  Chief Inspector Howcroft walked into the office early that morning his body gave a sudden shiver as he walked over to the radiator to make sure it was on. ‘Yes’, he warmed his hands and noticed how quiet the office was.