The Badge & the Pen Thrillers

by Roger A Price

  Vinnie and Harry had both spoken to the custody sergeant prior to Grady being booked in, to request that she be kept incommunicado. They both knew that refusing someone their basic right to a telephone call was not a decision taken lightly, and if granted, would be continuously monitored to ensure that it was not maintained for a second longer than was justified. Vinnie had explained to the custody sergeant that whilst Babik was on the loose Grady could not be trusted not to misuse her right to ‘inform someone of her arrest’ and warn Babik. The custody sergeant had agreed this in principle, but wanted a superintendent independent of the investigation to make the decision. That ruled Harry out. Fair enough, Vinnie thought, but he was shocked to hear that the on-call superintendent had refused the request. Harry was turning red again.

  ‘Which frightened-of-his own-shadow desk jockey did they ring?’ Harry shouted.

  ‘No idea, I’m afraid,’ the sergeant said, ‘but his details will be on the custody sheet.’

  Harry paused while he gave his head a rub before asking, ‘So who did Grady ring, as if we can’t guess?’

  The sergeant explained that they had refused to let her use her own mobile, claiming it was evidence, so she used the custody phone and dialled a number from memory. Vinnie asked a quick supplementary about her phone, but the sergeant only knew that someone in intel was looking at it; but the early indications were that it was a burner with very little on it.

  Harry interjected that she must have another phone somewhere in her rented house. Hopefully, a search team in daylight would find it, but back to the current issue.

  ‘Who did she ring?’ Vinnie asked.

  ‘Well, that’s the really surprising bit,’ the sergeant said. ‘It was a London code, but when we did an emergency subscriber’s check on it, it came back unlisted.’

  ‘Must be a mistake,’ Harry said.

  ‘We double checked, sir, and it’s confirmed as never having been issued,’ the sergeant answered.

  Harry thanked him and once he had left the office, suggested, ‘Perhaps it never went through, a wrong number dialled by Grady. Her mistake?’

  Jim Day said he would check, and disappeared for about five minutes. Neither Harry nor Vinnie said much. It was obviously a mistake. Then Jim came rushing back in. ‘Spoke to the custody sergeant and he said she was definitely talking to someone, though the conversation was short.’

  ‘I don’t suppose he overheard anything?’ Vinnie asked.

  ‘Apparently, he moved away to afford her some privacy.’

  ‘Bollocks,’ Harry said, which was a sign of his frustration as Vinnie knew he rarely swore. And then Harry added, ‘the custody sergeant is obviously not an ex-detective.’

  ‘No, but the PACE inspector, who was loitering about signing reviews of prisoners’ custody times, was,’ Jim said, grinning.

  ‘And?’ Harry and Vinnie said in unison.

  ‘That’s when it got really weird,’ Jim said, pausing as if in recollection before continuing, ‘She apparently said, “it’s me, I’m locked up at Preston. Caribbean, I repeat Caribbean.” Whatever the fuck that means.’

  Harry thanked Jim but reckoned the PACE inspector must have misheard. They played around with the sentence for a few minutes, but failed to come up with any plausible alternative. What was indisputable was that Grady spoke to someone, or at least, to an answer machine, which meant the line was good.

  ‘Just hope it wasn’t a warning to Babik,’ Harry said.

  ‘I suppose we will have to assume so, until we know different,’ Vinnie said. Jim then made his excuses, as he had to oversee the investigation side of things, arrange for Grady’s clothing to be bagged and for her to be forensically examined, just in case she was involved in the perv’s murder.

  ‘But why ring a London number?’ Vinnie said.

  ‘Perhaps that’s where the error is; maybe it wasn’t a 020 code, but something similar?’ Harry said.

  ‘I’d love to have the chance to interview Grady,’ Vinnie added.

  ‘I hope you are only thinking wistfully; we both know that’s not going to happen. Jim will talk to her re the murders and then she’ll be handed over to professional standards,’ Harry replied.

  Vinnie didn’t answer, he knew this. They both spent the next 30 minutes updating their joint senior investigating officers’ log and then Harry suggested they get some rest and resume back, later on. ‘I’ll drop you,’ he said. They closed up and headed out towards the exit — only to bump into a frustrated-looking Jim Day.

  ‘Everything alright?’ Vinnie asked.

  ‘Suppose, but apparently the cells are full and the custody sergeant has taken the liberty of having Grady moved to Skelmersdale custody suite, which as you know, is almost in bloody Merseyside. Miles away,’ Jim said.

  ‘You want me to get involved?’ Harry asked.

  ‘It’s OK, thanks, he says he can’t afford to keep his patrols off their beats by transporting every drunk who comes in over the next few hours, and I suppose Skem custody will be much quieter. We have her clothes and she’s been examined, so we can pick it up tomorrow.’

  Vinnie knew that as frustrating as it was for Jim, the custody officer’s rationale made sense. Though Blackburn custody suite was nearer, but that would probably be full already.

  They bade Jim goodnight and Harry dropped Vinnie at the Premier Inn. They agreed to meet back at the nick at seven. It was now nearing one, and Vinnie was starting to lag. Christine would have to wait.

  Ten minutes later, he was just about get into bed when his mobile rang. It was Harry. ‘You in bed yet?’

  ‘Nearly,’ Vinnie sighed.

  ‘Well don’t.’

  ‘Not another one, surely?’

  ‘No, I’ve just had two very interesting phone calls. One from a night cover desk officer at the National Crime Agency.’

  ‘What did they want?’

  ‘Apparently, our searches about all things Boldo have thrown up a few red flags,’ Harry said.

  ‘Must be serious, that it couldn’t wait until morning. What did they say?’

  ‘Standby for a second call; which I’ve just taken,’ Harry said.

  ‘From whom?’

  ‘You won’t believe it, but it was from the chief constable himself.’

  ‘What the hell is Brian Darlington doing up at this time?’

  ‘We’re about to find out, he wants to see us both in his office asap. I’ll pick you up in five.’

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  Vinnie was ready by the time Harry drew up. As soon as he’d closed the car door, Harry spoke. ‘The call from Darlington wasn’t the “second call” I was told to expect from the NCA’s night officer. It was just a coincidence. Well, it wasn’t the call the NCA meant.’

  ‘I must admit, I wondered about that,’ Vinnie said.

  ‘I’ve just had the second call from the NCA It was from a senior manager, who tells me that an active investigation into Boldo is underway and that I must stop all enquires immediately.’

  ‘I hope you told him or her where to go. We are investigating murder here,’ Vinnie said.

  ‘It was a her, and yes I did, but it cut little sway. She said our own chief constable would be ratifying the order.’

  ‘Order?’ Vinnie said. ‘When did we start taking orders from the NCA?’

  ‘She put the phone down before I could argue further.’

  ‘I bet Darlington wasn’t happy at being awoken at this unearthly hour,’ Vinnie said.

  ‘Probably not, but I don’t get why he had to turn out. Why not just tell me to stop, and see us later in the morning?’ Harry said.

  Vinnie had no idea, but they’d soon find out.

  Lancashire Police Headquarters was only five miles from Vinnie’s hotel and took no time at all to reach at this hour. They were shown upstairs to the command suite — they had both been there before. The chief’s own office was vast and accessed via a smaller office, where his support staff and staff officer worked, but it was e
mpty now. Darlington met them in the smaller office and Vinnie noticed that he closed his office door behind him.

  Salutations over, Darlington took a seat at his staff officer’s desk and invited them both to sit too, which they did.

  ‘I’ve had some calls from the National Crime Agency,’ Darlington started.

  ‘Me too, sir,’ Harry said. ‘We’ve obviously touched on one of their ops by enquiring into this Boldo character.’

  ‘And some,’ Darlington said.

  ‘But we have some good news, sir,’ Harry proffered.

  ‘OK Harry, you go first, mine will take a little longer.’

  ‘Just to say that as of an hour or so ago we have the corrupt detective sergeant, Grady, in the cells.’

  Darlington didn’t respond straight away, and Vinnie could see disappointment on Harry’s face. The chief had already been briefed, obviously. Vinnie could guess that Harry was trying to butter the chief up with the good news before the bad came. And judging by Darlington’s lack of response, bad must mean shitty.

  ‘My call was from the director general himself, and I had to move quickly,’ Darlington started, which made no sense to Vinnie. ‘In fact, he’s turned out a senior manager from their Manchester office, who I’d like you to meet in a moment. Well, I actually want you to meet two people,’ Darlington said, before rising to his feet.

  Vinnie was still none the wiser and could see in Harry’s face that he was not alone. They both stood and followed the chief into his office. It was a large affair, with a huge mahogany desk at one end, a conference table in the middle with several chairs around it and four leather easy chairs nearer the door, surrounding a coffee table.

  Seated in one of the Chesterfields was a woman in her forties, dressed in jeans and a casual shirt. But she looked out of kilter, as if she was normally more at home in a business suit. The starchy demeanour and casual attire didn’t go together. She stood up as Darlington introduced them to each other. Her name was Cath Simms and her accent was not from Manchester. It was nondescript, but with a southern tinge.

  ‘Ah, so you’re Harry,’ she said, as she shook Harry’s hand. ‘We spoke earlier, on the phone.’

  The ‘giver of orders’ Vinnie thought, and a rank-conscious one at that, as she merely nodded at Vinnie. But the chief had said two people — and there was no one else in the office. Then he heard a cistern being flushed in the chief’s private bathroom, followed by the sound of its door being opened.

  ‘And you’ll need no introduction to my second guest,’ Darlington said, as the bathroom’s occupant walked into the main office and headed towards them.

  It was Detective Sergeant Susan Grady.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  ‘I thought you were on your way to the cells at Skelmersdale!’ Vinnie said, as all five of them sat at the chief’s conference table.

  ‘So did I,’ Sue Grady answered.

  ‘My intervention,’ Darlington said. ‘We had to move fast.’

  ‘Jim Day will be pleased, when he turns up there later today,’ Vinnie said. He could feel both the chief’s and Harry’s eyes on him.

  ‘Let’s get one thing out of the way; I’m not bent or corrupt in any way, and I’ve not cut some sort of deal to avoid prosecution, which is probably what you are wondering right now,’ Sue said.

  Vinnie was, and he could see Harry give an involuntary nod, too.

  ‘Sue really is an authorised undercover officer — working for us,’ Cath Simms said.

  Then Vinnie remembered the ‘Caribbean’ remark.

  ‘Perversely, it was Babik’s idea that I “out” myself as a UC, in order to get back in with you two after the unfortunate death of Jody Watson,’ Sue said, aiming her words at Vinnie and Harry, who were sitting opposite her. ‘I was relieved that you started to doubt me, as we have no idea who else Babik might have listening on the inside.’

  ‘So, if I understand you correctly, you were a UC pretending to be a bent cop-cum-criminal, and Babik, accepting that you were a bent cop, suggested that you pretend to be a UC and out yourself to us to get back in with us?’ Harry asked.

  ‘Sounds sort of complicated when you put it like that; but yes, it was a double bluff. The fact that it was Babik’s idea was just brilliant,’ Sue said.

  Vinnie was impressed and could see how it would further establish her credibility in Babik’s eyes.

  ‘Which is why the director general of the NCA told me that Grady was not one of theirs; it kept the subterfuge going. Though, he has apologised for that. Christ, if he can’t trust me, a chief constable…’ Darlington let his words trail off.

  ‘A bad policy decision, if I may say so, sir,’ Cath said, adding, ‘one with which I disagreed with at the time.’

  Darlington waved her comment away with his hand.

  ‘As much as we all want Babik—’ Sue started.

  ‘For murder, let’s not forget,’ Harry interjected.

  ‘Absolutely,’ Sue said, and then continued. ‘Boldo was, and is, the main target. This man is an enigma, known all across Europe, but never seen. He wields great power in the people trafficking world, yet law enforcement have never got anywhere near him. No one even knows what he looks like, let alone if Boldo is his real name.’

  ‘A very cautious and well-protected target, who knows all about police covert investigative techniques,’ Cath added.

  ‘And he’s here in Preston, of all places,’ Vinnie said.

  ‘Exactly,’ Sue said.

  Vinnie started to see the way things were. But then he thought about Jody Watson, the madam-cum-witness from the initial raided premises. ‘You ensured Watson would be taken into custody by me and Mr Delany,’ Vinnie said, remembering to use Harry’s surname in this company, ‘and thus ensured her death.’

  Darlington was now staring at Sue, his expression far from friendly. Sue then explained that she had to stop Watson, who had actually fallen over herself to offer up Babik when Sue first grabbed hold of her in the office as the raid took place. Sue said that if Babik had been arrested, either at the raid, or later as a result of information given by Watson, then the trail and any chance to get their hands on Boldo would have been gone forever. But she swore she had no idea that Babik would kill Watson, and that she truly wished she could have stopped it. ‘I just thought he would veer away from the mill premises and at worst spring Watson to keep her quiet. They were best mates, or it certainly seemed like that to me. I knew he was probably en route, so had to think fast.’

  Vinnie could sympathise a little, in that Grady would have been under enormous pressure to act, but it was high risk. ‘What about Mr Delany’s wellbeing and mine? You put us in the firing line,’ Vinnie said.

  ‘I know Babik, I know he’s not daft enough to attack a cop, it would bring too much attention,’ Sue said.

  ‘You thought he wouldn’t hurt Watson, but you got that wrong,’ Harry countered.

  Sue fell silent.

  ‘And what if he’d missed, and hit us?’ Vinnie added.

  Sue remained quiet.

  ‘Not to mention Bonehead, or whatever his name was,’ said Vinnie.

  ‘I thought he would just slap him,’ Sue said, weakly.

  ‘Didn’t know Babik that well after all, did you?’ Harry added.

  The room fell quiet for a few seconds, until Darlington spoke, ‘OK, we are not here to try Grady, suffice to say that her actions will be pored over by others in the fullness of time. But if her comments here are true, then we are all on the same side; until we hear different.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Sue said.

  ‘I can reassure you, sir, that everything has already been scrutinised and is risk-assessed on an ongoing basis,’ Cath said.

  ‘OK, park that for the moment; we have a here and now to deal with,’ Darlington said, and the rest of the group all nodded.

  Sue then explained that she had arranged the hotel — the same hotel that Vinnie and Christine were currently staying in — for Boldo to stop in, and she was
just awaiting confirmation before calling in the arrest teams to nab Boldo… then, things became complicated.

  ‘Because of the two women at your house?’ Harry asked.

  Sue said she’d had no prior notice of this and that Babik had first tried to bullshit her they were to be freed. But when she collected them, he eventually admitted that they were to be killed.

  ‘Why didn’t you bring them straight to us?’ Harry asked.

  ‘I was going to, but I still didn’t know where Babik had moved Boldo to. I asked, but he wouldn’t tell me.’

  ‘Can’t be too many hotels to check in Preston,’ Harry said.

  ‘But what if he’s moved him elsewhere?’

  She had a fair point, Vinnie thought. Blackpool was less than 20 miles away, with hundreds of hotels. Sue then explained that Babik had agreed to introduce her to Boldo later that day, so she was going to keep the women safe until afterwards, so she could then call it in.

  ‘Where are your arrest teams?’ Darlington asked.

  ‘Very close and fully armed,’ Cath said.

  Darlington fell back into his chair and sighed. Vinnie could only image what he would be saying to the DG of the NCA later on, for holding that little gem back.

  ‘We aim to put Sue back in and hope to God that Babik hasn’t learnt of Sue’s arrest. As soon as we have Boldo located, we can move,’ Cath said.

  Vinnie, Harry and Darlington all nodded, it was a sound plan.

  ‘However, we have further complications,’ Sue said, and by the way Cath turned to stare at her, these were problems she’d yet to hear of.

  Sue then explained how Babik was looking for a hitman to dispose of the two women, and she’d jumped in, saying she might know of someone. That way, she could keep control of the situation. Vinnie was impressed with her quick thinking. It sounded like a classic contract killing-type scenario.

  ‘But who the hell are we going to get at such short notice?’ Cath said. She appeared to be addressing her comments to herself.