by L M Krier
Table of Contents
CHAPTER One
CHAPTER Two
CHAPTER Three
CHAPTER Four
CHAPTER Five
CHAPTER Six
CHAPTER Seven
CHAPTER Eight
CHAPTER Nine
CHAPTER Ten
CHAPTER Eleven
CHAPTER Twelve
CHAPTER Thirteen
CHAPTER Fourteen
CHAPTER Fifteen
CHAPTER Sixteen
CHAPTER Seventeen
CHAPTER Eighteen
CHAPTER Nineteen
CHAPTER Twenty
CHAPTER Twenty-one
CHAPTER Twenty-two
CHAPTER Twenty-three
CHAPTER Twenty-four
CHAPTER Twenty-five
CHAPTER Twenty-six
CHAPTER Twenty-seven
CHAPTER Twenty-eight
CHAPTER Twenty-nine
CHAPTER Thirty
CHAPTER Thirty-one
CHAPTER Thirty-two
CHAPTER Thirty-three
CHAPTER Thirty-four
CHAPTER Thirty-five
CHAPTER Thirty-six
CHAPTER Thirty-seven
CHAPTER Thirty-eight
CHAPTER Thirty-nine
CHAPTER Forty
CHAPTER Forty-one
CHAPTER Forty-two
CHAPTER Forty-three
CHAPTER Forty-four
CHAPTER Forty-five
CHAPTER Forty-six
CHAPTER Forty-seven
CHAPTER Forty-eight
CHAPTER Forty-nine
Two
Little
Boys
L M KRIER
First Kindle Edition
Copyright © 2015 LMK Tither
All rights reserved.
Cover design DMR Creative
The author asserts the moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Fisherman's Friend is a registered trade mark of the Lofthouse of Fleetwood Ltd Company of Lancashire
To Alex – a survivor..
CHAPTER One
'Ted! Ted!' the insistent voice was accompanied by a repeated tugging at the back of Ted's judo jacket.
Ted turned and saw a small boy with a fiercely determined expression standing there. He knew the boy was eleven years old but he looked younger. His light chestnut hair was always fighting to flop over his brown, spaniel eyes, despite his best efforts with the gel.
Ted was not tall. He didn't have far to bend down to be at eye level with the boy.
'Yes, Flip,' he said. 'What can I do for you?'
'You're a copper, right?' the boy asked.
'I'm a detective inspector,' he replied. 'Can I help you with something?'
'I want to talk to you about summat,' the boy said. 'Just me and you, on us own.'
'I'm sorry, Flip, that's not allowed,' Ted told him. 'I'm happy to talk to you, but we can't do it alone, it's against all the rules. What we can do though, if you like, is go and sit over there on those benches at the far end of the gym, while the seniors are warming up. Then everyone can see us but no one will be able to hear what you say to me.'
The boy looked hesitant. Ted turned to his partner, Trevor, and made an apologetic face. He and Trevor ran a self-defence class for youngsters at their local martial arts club. It was proving a big help in combating bullying. The juniors had just finished their session. Ted, Trevor and the other senior members should now be warming up for their own judo practice.
Trevor nodded his understanding and made his way to the matted area without his partner.
'Best I can offer you for now, Flip. Any good to you?' Ted asked the boy.
Reluctantly the boy nodded in turn and the two of them walked the length of the large gymnasium so they were out of earshot of anyone on the mats. They sat down side by side on a low gym bench.
'What can I help you with?' Ted asked.
'I'm worried about me mate, Aiden,' the boy said. 'He's gone missing. We were in the kids' home together, then I got fostered. I've not heard owt from Aide for a while so I went to the home to ask but they wouldn't tell me nothing.'
'Perhaps he's just been fostered in a different area?' Ted suggested. 'How do you usually keep in touch, does he phone you or text you?'
The boy shook his head and said defensively, 'I ain't got a mobile. Me foster mum says she'll get me one for my birthday. But me and Aide always keep in touch. And I'm worried about where he's been hanging out.'
Ted's ears pricked up immediately. He knew the staggering statistics for youngsters in care running away and the fate that could befall them. He'd done a lot of work with the uniform branch, trying to return missing young people to places of safety before they got themselves into serious trouble.
'Do you want to tell me about that?' he asked.
'A bunch of us hang around near some taxi ranks in town sometimes,' the boy began. 'The drivers hand out fags and drink and stuff. I'm not into any of that. I want to do judo like you an' Trev so I want to stay fit. Sometimes the drivers ask kids to go with them and tell them they can make a bit of money if they do.'
Ted felt his blood run cold as the boy said that. He had a horrible feeling he knew what was coming next and it was the worst possible news for his patch.
'I'm guessing Aide went with them a few times?' he asked. 'Did you ever go too?'
'Yeah, I went once, to see what it was like,' the boy told him. 'First time Aide went, he came back with a load of dosh and I fancied a bit of that.'
'Are you happy to talk about it?' Ted prompted gently.
'Yeah, but only to you, then you can do summat about it,' the boy replied. 'When I went, we got taken to this big posh house. There was a load of blokes there, old blokes. They were all drinking, they gave us stuff to drink, strong alcohol, like, but I didn't touch mine.
'One dirty old bastard came over to me. He had his stiffy in his hand and he tried to shove his hand down me kecks. I kicked him right where you and Trev showed us to and I legged it out of there and never went back. But Aide kept on going, for the money. That's why I'm worried about him.'
'Thanks for telling me this, Flip, I know it can't be easy to talk about and I appreciate your honesty,' Ted said. 'What I need to do now is to make this all official. That means I'd like to come round to your foster home, with another officer, and go over this in detail, get some notes. Would that be all right with you?'
'Will they kick me out of me foster place and back to the home, if they think I've been up to stuff like that?' the boy asked anxiously. 'It was before I went to live with them and they're nice, they treat me nice.'
'I'll have a word,' Ted promised. 'Try not to worry about that or about your friend. What's his full name, Aiden what?'
'Bradshaw,' Flip told him. 'Aiden Bradshaw. I call him Aide or Aidie.'
'You did the right thing talking to me, I'll take it from here. Have we got your foster home details on your membership form here, so I can get in touch?'
The boy nodded, automatically flickin
g back his rebellious hair, damp with sweat after his enthusiastic session of self-defence. They both stood up and Ted shook the boy's hand in thanks, the only physical contact he dared make, even in full view of everyone, although he would have liked to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Flip headed off to the changing rooms while Ted made his way over to the mat. He was wearing his judo black belt although he held them in several different martial arts.
Trevor was waiting for him at the side of the mat. They were partners in life as well as in martial arts. Trev was a lot taller, eleven years younger and stunningly good looking, with curly black hair and vivid blue eyes. Ted was short, slight and dirty blonde. They made an unlikely, though blissfully happy, couple.
'You all right?' Trev asked anxiously, seeing the tense muscles along Ted's jawline and the darkening of his usually warm hazel eyes.
Ted bowed before stepping on to the mat next to his partner. 'Possible paedo ring operating on my patch,' he growled between clenched teeth. 'And a possible missing kid.'
'Do you want to go?' Trev asked. They were speaking quietly, out of respect to the other members who had already started their warm-up. Senior coach Bernard was looking at them, gauging from a distance the tension in Ted. He knew from previous experience that things could get a little exciting in practice sessions when Ted was under pressure from work.
Ted shook his head. 'I need to burn off a bit of tension,' he said. 'Do you mind if it gets a bit rough?'
Trev, the only person in the dojo capable of sparring with Ted when he was in a mood like that, smiled a long-suffering smile.
'Do I ever?' he asked.
CHAPTER Two
Ted tapped lightly at the door of the detective chief inspector's office and went in without waiting to be invited. He and DCI Jim Baker went back a long time and were friends as well as colleagues. A recent case had put their friendship to the test but it had survived intact.
But now their relationship was about to change. After striving hard for his promotion, the DCI had finally been made up to Detective Superintendent, and was due to be transferred at any time to another division. Ted was still waiting anxiously to hear who his replacement was to be.
'Morning, Jim,' Ted greeted him, taking a seat, also without waiting to be asked. 'Got a sniff of something on our patch that you're not going to like.'
'Tell me,' the DCI said. 'Then in return I can offer you good news or bad news.'
Ted grimaced. 'I think mine is bad enough,' he said. 'Not checked any of it out yet but it looks as if we may have a paedo ring on the patch, grooming kids. Some of them are in care, at least one of them may have gone missing. Can you top that?'
'Christ, that's bad,' the DCI growled. 'I know there are some sick perverts about but let's kick their arses off our patch and into prison where they belong as soon as possible. Right, work with uniform on this, run your own operation between the two of you and let me know how it develops. And let's hope the poor kid turns up safe and sound somewhere. How did you hear of it?'
'A lad at the self-defence club Trev and I run,' Ted told him. 'Nothing concrete yet, but I didn't like any of what he told me and I don't know why he would make it up. I only know him through the club, but he seems a good kid, very dedicated and mad keen on martial arts.'
'So, which do you want first? Good or bad news?' the DCI asked him. Ted shrugged, so he carried on. 'Good news, I've got my transfer through. Moving to South Manchester, nice and handy for home. Bad news … now don't shoot the messenger, Ted. I know who your new boss will be.'
'I'm sensing this is not what I want to hear right now,' Ted said ironically.
'You're getting Superintendent Caldwell,' the DCI said in a tone grave enough for announcing a death sentence. 'The Ice Queen cometh. I take it you know her?'
Ted groaned theatrically. 'I know her all right. I've shot against her in competitions.'
Ted had been a firearms officer years ago. He gave up the role when he and Trevor settled down together as Trev worried about him too much. He still kept his skills up, with regular refreshers. He knew the superintendent was probably the finest female marksman in the force, certainly leagues ahead of many her male counterparts. He knew too that she, like him, was no longer active but still kept up her qualifications.
'Well, I hope you never beat her,' the DCI said dryly. 'She's enough of a stickler for form without holding a grudge against you for something.'
'Why are they putting a uniform in charge of CID, though?' Ted asked. 'Part of the new reforms? Role-merging? All in together, girls and boys?'
'She'll be in overall charge of everyone in the station, and becomes Assistant Divisional Commander as well,' the DCI told him. 'Formidable roles for a formidable lady.'
'What will it take for you not to go?' Ted asked, tongue very much in cheek. 'What if I promise to go straight and marry a woman?'
Jim Baker looked uncomfortable. As much as he liked and admired Ted, he was never comfortable talking about his sexuality, especially when Ted made jokes about it as he often did. He quickly changed the subject.
'Right, this paedo enquiry. I don't need to tell you to tread very carefully. If these bastards get wind that you're on to them, they'll just drop out of sight and start up somewhere else. Keep me posted at all times, then make sure you brief the Ice Queen on Monday.'
'So soon?' Ted asked in surprise. 'The top brass don't hang about. My team's an officer down, don't forget. Can you do anything about that before you go?'
The DCI shook his head. 'All staffing matters are out of my hands now. In fact my role is strictly keeping this seat warm for the Ice Queen. But you know where I live, Ted. Keep in touch. If ever you need me for anything, don't hesitate to ask. I owe you a lot for what you've done for me in the past.'
Ted stood up and laughed. 'I'm going now before you either start to cry or decide to kiss me.'
He went out into the main office where his team members were at their desks, waiting for their regular briefing at the start of the day. He had a good solid team, a detective sergeant, four detective constables and the youngest member, a temporary detective constable. Every one of them thought the world of Ted as he treated them all with respect and was known as a fair boss, relaxed with his team.
'Right team, listen up,' he said, with his customary call to order. 'Last night I got wind of something very nasty. It's just rumour at the moment but we're going to treat it as true until we find out otherwise, if we do.'
He briefly outlined what Flip had told him the previous evening, particularly the involvement of taxi drivers seemingly grooming children. He saw the looks of distaste which appeared on the faces of all of his team members as he spoke.
'You all know as well as I do that this stuff happens, it's all over everywhere, it's in the news. So you also know that these are clever and potentially dangerous people who may have friends in high places. The slightest sniff that we may be on to them and they'll just disappear off the radar. So, I need total discretion from all of you, at all times. That goes without saying.'
DC Maurice Brown was always the team member who could be relied on to say the wrong thing. After a messy divorce, he fought a constant battle with his two addictions, cigarettes and sticky buns. He hadn't brought in his usual bag of cakes this morning so Ted guessed the fags were currently winning.
'If I get my hands on any nonce bastards … ' then even he, insensitive as he could be, ground to a halt in the face of the hard stares he was getting from both Ted and the DS.
'Maurice,' Ted said icily, 'I know that's just talk but for the record, you will do nothing, and I do mean nothing, which could in any way jeopardise our chances of a conviction in the future.' Then in a more gentle tone, he continued, 'We all feel that way, we just need to keep a tight lid on it or we could blow the whole operation.
'Steve,' he turned to the youngest member of the team who was only just learning not to go red and squirm whenever the DI spoke to him. 'I'll give you contact detai
ls for the boy's foster home. Philip, his name is, but everyone calls him Flip. Set up a meeting with him, this evening after school if possible, then you come with me to see him. He'll talk to me, he knows me, you take notes, please.'
'Sir,' DC Abisali Ahmed spoke up. 'I have a cousin who's a taxi driver. I know you can never tell but I'd put money on him being on the level. I could talk to him, see if he's heard anything from any of the other drivers?'
'Excellent, do it. Mike,' he turned to his DS, Mike Hallam. 'You liaise with uniform on missing youngsters. I suspect we're probably looking at younger boys in particular, but we'll get more confirmation of that as we go along. I want to know where every young missing kid is on the entire patch. Let's find them, make them safe. Maurice, you can do the checking on any names the DS gives you. That will keep you safely occupied.
'Right, Rob,' he turned to another team member, DC Rob O'Connell. 'Take a uniform officer with you and go round to this children's home where the two boys were in care. I want to know exactly where this Aiden is. Aiden Bradshaw. If he's simply been fostered, I want to know
where. Make sure they know that if they start all the confidentiality malarkey I will get a warrant to see all of their records. Some of these private homes are not as squeaky clean as they might be.
'Virgil,' Ted looked at DC Dennis Tibbs, nicknamed Virgil by everyone, which he didn't mind in the least. He preferred it to Dennis. 'You've got good street contacts. Use them. Get out there, ask around, see if anyone knows or even suspects anyone or anything. Someone knows something, and we need to know it too.
'Mike, sort out what else is ongoing at the moment and share it out but I want this to take priority over anything it can. We've had to deal with some nasty stuff recently but a paedophile ring operating on our patch is about as bad as it gets and I want it sorting, fast.'
CHAPTER Three
Trevor was not a morning person. He was seldom awake, let alone up and about, when Ted was getting up for work. Even on the rare occasions Ted made any noise, Trev usually carried on sleeping. He always slept spread-eagled across the bed, buried under their seven cats, leaving little room for Ted to sleep.
