by Trevor Negus
‘That doesn’t sound very encouraging.’
‘Quite.’
‘So, he’s going from an admin role in Cornwall straight in as the head of CID in Notts? That’s a bit of a quantum leap, isn’t it?’
‘Possibly so. Jack Renshaw spoke very highly of him today. My only worry is that he hasn’t got much of a CID background. He worked as a detective sergeant in Bradford for six months as part of his accelerated promotion. That’s the only time he’s ever spent working on the CID. All his other postings have been in uniform. He’s another Bramshill flyer.’
Sue frowned. ‘Just because he’s been on the accelerated promotion scheme doesn’t mean he’s not up to the job, though.’
‘You’re right. I just can’t help thinking about that pervert Maurice Dennington, another Bramshill product who ran the Sexual Offences Unit.’
‘You mustn’t do that. You can’t compare Dennington with this new man. Dennington was an abusive criminal who should never have been a police officer, let alone a superintendent. He was an accomplished liar who managed to hide his past and slip through the net. All candidates for accelerated promotion aren’t like him. Look at that young woman who came to work on your department; I can’t remember her name, but you said she was highly intelligent and extremely competent.’
‘Tina Prowse.’
‘Yes, that’s her. I’m sure the majority are like her. Hard-working, highly motivated and intelligent.’
‘You’re probably right. I shouldn’t let one person cloud my judgement about the scheme.’
‘I know you, Danny. I’m sure you’ll get on just as well with Adrian Potter as you did with Bill Wainwright.’
‘Well, I’ll soon find out. I’ve got a meeting with him tomorrow morning.’
‘I’m sure everything will be fine. Now what do you want to watch?’
He placed his hand on her baby bump and said, ‘Shall we just have an early night? A cuddle would be lovely.’
She leaned over and kissed him, saying, ‘That sounds wonderful, sweetheart.’
30
10.00am, 9 October 1986
Nottinghamshire Police Headquarters
Danny had arrived at police headquarters fifteen minutes before his scheduled appointment with Detective Chief Superintendent Adrian Potter. He had waited patiently outside the office that had been occupied by Bill Wainwright for as long as he could remember.
For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, Danny found himself wishing today’s meeting were still going to be with the dour Scot he’d become such firm friends with.
As he waited, he became consumed by a feeling of dread. It was an irrational anxiety, one that he couldn’t fathom.
Finally, he was called into the office.
He walked in and stood in front of the desk. There were no pleasantries exchanged. For a full two minutes, Adrian Potter continued to read a report. Not once did he even acknowledge Danny’s presence in the office.
Danny took the time he was kept waiting to study his new boss. The first thing that struck him about Adrian Potter was how physically small he was. Everything about him seemed diminutive. Even his head, topped with crew-cut blonde hair, seemed small. The only large thing about him were the bulging, unblinking blue eyes, which flicked infrequently from the report to Danny.
Even though he remained seated, he was still wearing his suit jacket. It smothered him, giving the appearance of being a couple of sizes too big. The crisp, white shirt he wore gaped at the neck, with the Windsor knot in his tie pushed firmly up. It looked like a size sixteen collar around a size fifteen neck.
Eventually, and without speaking a word, Potter raised a hand and motioned for Danny to sit down.
The arrogance of the gesture was not lost on Danny. He felt himself biting down hard on his lower lip. He was being made to feel like a probationary constable standing in front of a disciplinary hearing. Not at all like the chief inspector in charge of the Major Crime Investigation Unit.
An increasingly annoyed Danny broke the silence, saying curtly, ‘Sir, you wanted to see me?’
‘I’ll be with you in a second, Chief Inspector.’
Even the man’s voice was small. He spoke in a reedy, almost effeminate voice.
This meeting wasn’t going well.
Finally, Potter looked directly at Danny, his bright blue eyes unblinking. He said quietly, ‘So, Chief Inspector, let’s talk about this Major Crime Investigation Unit, shall we? Do you think it offers good value for the taxpayers’ money?’
Danny couldn’t quite believe what he had just heard. Was this really the first question?
‘I’m positive it does, sir.’
The ‘sir’ came out very begrudgingly. Danny realised he had to check his emotions. He could feel himself becoming angrier by the second, and that would not do.
In a more measured tone, he continued, ‘Prior to the Major Crime Investigation Unit being set up, all murders and other serious crimes were investigated by divisional CID officers. This protocol inevitably led to two things. Firstly, murder enquiries took longer to complete, because there was a lack of skill and expertise in investigating such crimes. Secondly, it caused a massive headache for the divisional CID officers who were not seconded onto the murder enquiry. In effect, run-of-the-mill crime investigation was suffering, and major crime wasn’t being detected. It was a lose-lose situation. Following the inception of the MCIU, we now have a dedicated team of officers who know exactly what is required to investigate major crime. As a direct result, detection rates and clear-up times have improved beyond all recognition. We currently have no unsolved murder enquiries on our books. The other plus is that when a murder is first reported, there’s very little impact on the overall investigation of crime on the divisions. Both the previous chief constable and the head of CID were big advocates for the creation and implementation of the MCIU, sir.’
‘Be that as it may, I’m not convinced at all, Chief Inspector. Your Unit comprises fourteen highly skilled detectives. Fifteen, if you include yourself within that number. At your disposal, you have two detective inspectors, two detective sergeants and ten detective constables. I think there’s a genuine financial argument that these resources could be better utilised back on the divisional CID strength. The additional manpower would undoubtedly raise detection rates for all crime, right across the force.’
‘Having worked in this force area under both systems, I can assure you that isn’t the case. The MCIU is an extremely valuable resource that has always been looked upon favourably, not only by Command at headquarters, but also by the detective chief inspectors on the divisions. They value the fact that incoming major enquiries do not impact on the running and management of divisional CID offices. The Nottinghamshire MCIU model is now being copied by other provincial forces.’
Potter appeared to totally ignore what Danny had just said, dismissing his argument in an instant. He simply moved the meeting on, saying, ‘What enquiries are your officers currently investigating?’
‘We’re currently carrying out three separate murder enquiries. Two in Nottingham city and one in Worksop.’
‘Do you have suspects already charged for these three offences?’
Danny could see he was being set up; Potter obviously knew the answer to his own question.
Danny sighed heavily and said, ‘We’ve charged an offender for each of the current murders. As an experienced detective yourself, you’ll appreciate that between charge and conviction at the Crown Court, there’s always a mountain of work to do.’
Danny had deliberately emphasised the word ‘experienced’ in his reply. He could see by the pinched reaction on Potter’s face that he’d struck a nerve.
Ignoring the substance of Danny’s reply, Potter said haughtily, ‘As I’m sure you’re already aware, Chief Inspector, my experience within the CID is somewhat limited.’
Danny made no comment, choosing to allow the silence to hang heavy in the room.
Potter eventually cont
inued, saying brusquely, ‘I want a full breakdown of every enquiry your team has undertaken since its inception. Only when I’ve seen for myself the productivity, or otherwise, of the MCIU will I be able to decide on its future. My gut feeling is that there’s no real need for such a specialist department. This is Nottingham, not the Bronx in New York, or South LA.’
Now, Danny was extremely angry.
In a voice trembling with pent-up rage and frustration, he growled, ‘Ah, yes. Sleepy little Nottingham, that you, of course, know so well. The provincial city that last year, apart from London West, had the highest rate of violent crime in the UK. You might do well to have a look at the city, the county and all its problems before you pass judgement, sir. Everything isn’t always about pounds and pence!’
‘Chief Inspector Flint, I want that report on my desk in seven days’ time, is that clear?’
Not once throughout the meeting had Potter ever referred to Danny by his Christian name. The differences between this small, arrogant Yorkshireman and the granite-tough giant that had been Bill Wainwright were both astounding and total.
Once again, Danny bit his lip and stifled the response he wanted to give. He just growled, ‘Will that be all, sir?’
‘No, Chief Inspector, there’s one more thing before you leave. The chief constable has received a letter from Anthony Conway. He’s the head of chambers at the prestigious Mulberry Chambers law practice in the city. The fourteen-year-old daughter of their two star barristers has been missing for a week. Obviously, the chief’s very concerned about this and has suggested that your team take on the investigation.’
Danny was incredulous. Inside, he was raging. He tried to remain calm and said in a measured tone, ‘Is there any suggestion this girl has been kidnapped? Or is this simply a missing person enquiry?’
‘I don’t have all the details, but I believe it’s a missing-from-home enquiry.’
‘As you are no doubt fully aware, MFH enquiries are definitely not in the remit of the MCIU. I have also just informed you that we’re currently running three separate murder investigations already. I haven’t got any staff spare to look for a missing girl, whoever her parents may or may not be.’
‘I think you misunderstood me, Chief Inspector Flint. This wasn’t a request. This was a direct order from your chief constable; he wants you to find this girl. In fact, I see it as the perfect opportunity for you to demonstrate to me what a talented, hard-working group of specialist detectives you have in your team. Find the girl, Chief Inspector! That will be all!’
Danny didn’t answer. He shook his head, stood up and walked out of the office, resisting the urge to slam the door on his way out.
As he walked back to the car park, his mind was spinning with unanswered questions.
Could that meeting have gone any worse?
Could Adrian Potter be any more of an arrogant, insufferable, incompetent prick?
How on earth was he ever going to forge any kind of working relationship with this egotistical Yorkshireman?
Having reached the car park, he sat in his car, closed his eyes and said aloud, ‘Bloody hell, Bill! What have you done to me?’
31
12.30pm, 9 October 1986
MCIU Offices, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
It wasn’t exactly a council of war, but it was the closest Danny would ever get to one. As soon as he arrived back at Mansfield Police Station after his disastrous meeting with Adrian Potter, Danny had called his two detective inspectors back to the office. He needed an urgent meeting to discuss the ramifications of Potter’s plans for the MCIU.
Both men had listened carefully as Danny outlined exactly what had been proposed by the new head of CID.
Breaking the heavy silence in the room, it was the ever-abrasive Rob Buxton who spoke first: ‘He simply can’t do that, boss! Surely the chief constable will have the final say on the future of this, or any other, specialist department?’
Danny replied, ‘Of course the chief has the final say. We’ve got to accept Potter was appointed by Jack Renshaw to be in command of the CID. I’m pretty damn sure he’ll want to back him.’
Brian Hopkirk said, ‘That’s spot-on. Of course he will. How bad would it look if he didn’t back him on his first major policy decision? What we’ve got to do is try to sideline Potter. We need to concentrate on convincing Jack Renshaw of the merits of this department.’
Rob said, ‘And how exactly do we do that?’
‘We have to show him that we’re good value for money. That investigating major crime this way is not only financially sound, but also causes far less upheaval to everyday life in a divisional CID office.’
Danny sat back, deep in thought.
After a few minutes, he said, ‘Brian’s right. All our efforts need to be aimed at proving that the MCIU is not only effective, but that it’s also cost-effective. It’s obvious that all Adrian Potter’s interested in is the pounds and pence, the cost of everything. With him, it’s all about the money. Potter’s never been a detective, the man couldn’t detect a Catholic at the Vatican. He’s strictly admin, a bean counter through and through.’
Rob said, ‘Well, we’ve always kept the Unit’s costs down to a minimum as regards overtime, so that’s a good start.’
Brian said quietly, ‘Boss, you need to contact all the divisional detective chief inspectors. You’ll need them to outline to the new chief exactly how much disruption is caused to the successful running of a divisional CID office by sudden major crime investigations.’
Danny nodded. ‘I’ll get onto that straight away.’
Rob asked, ‘What do we say to the team?’
Danny was quiet for a moment, then said, ‘I don’t want you to say anything yet. Let me get this report prepared first, and we’ll take it from there. How are we doing on the current murder enquiries?’
Brian said, ‘The murder of Sammy Pagett in Worksop is just about done and dusted. All the paperwork’s complete, and we’re ready for Crown Court.’
‘That’s good to hear; good work. Rob, how are the two murder enquiries in the city progressing?’
‘We’re nowhere near ready on either. Yes, we’ve charged a suspect for each of the murders, but we still have a ton of statements to get. The witness list alone at the Bodega Bar stabbing is massive. The place was packed, and it seems like everyone in there saw or heard something.’
Danny turned to Brian and said, ‘Can we use some of your staff to give Rob’s team a dig out on that enquiry?’
‘Of course. I’ll need to keep two detectives back, to dot the I’s and cross the T’s on the Worksop job, that’s all.’
‘How’s your own workload?’
A puzzled Brian Hopkirk said, ‘It’s manageable. Why?’
‘Because the other little bombshell Potter dropped on me, just as I was leaving the meeting, was that the new chief wants the MCIU to look at an outstanding missing-from-home enquiry.’
Brian was incredulous. ‘He wants what?’
‘You heard me right. The chief has received a letter from the head of Mulberry Chambers in Nottingham, complaining that the police are being negligent in investigating the disappearance of the fourteen-year-old daughter of two barristers at his law practice. The misper is Emily Whitchurch. She’s the daughter of Rebecca and Dominic Whitchurch, whom I’m sure you both know.’
Brian said, ‘I know them two, alright. I’ve clashed with them both at court before now. He isn’t too bad, but she’s an arrogant bitch. Not a very nice person at all.’
Danny said, ‘I’ve got no choice, so I want you to have a look at this misper enquiry, Brian. I’ve already spoken to Detective Inspector Gail Cooper at Canning Circus CID, and she’s expecting you later today. She’ll bring you up to speed on the enquiries her staff have done so far to trace the girl.’
Brian replied, ‘Okay, boss, I understand. I know Gail; she’s extremely capable. I can guarantee that “negligent” isn’t in her vocabulary. There’s no way she would have been
dragging her heels on a case like this.’
Rob said, ‘Had you forgotten that Rachel’s starting back today? This misper enquiry might be just what she needs. It will help get her back into the swing of things after her time off sick.’
Brian chimed in, ‘That’s fine by me. I might need some help, and Rachel’s a cracking detective.’
Danny said, ‘Bloody hell! Now I feel awful. I’d completely forgotten she was back today. All this business with Potter has made me lose track a little.’
He paused for a moment, then continued, ‘I think you’re right, Rob. After everything that happened with Jimmy Wade, it might just be the perfect way for her to get back into things.’
Rob nodded.
Danny continued, ‘I think that’s everything for now. Rob, keep me posted on the progress of your two murder enquiries; I need to know everything that’s happening, now more than ever. I won’t let that penny-pinching, pen-pushing, arrogant sod close us down without a fight. Brian, will you ask Rachel to come in and see me, please?’
Brian nodded, and the two detective inspectors left the office, leaving Danny alone with his thoughts. He had a mountain of work to do, if he was going to be able to prepare a blueprint in the coming week for the very survival of the MCIU.
There was a nervous tap on his door, and he shouted, ‘Come in!’
The door opened, and Rachel Moore stepped inside.
The young detective had been off sick since early August after having a breakdown following an incident with a violent psychopath. She had courageously lured the escaped prisoner Jimmy Wade out into the open, where the maniac had been shot dead by a sniper team from the Special Operations Unit. But not until seconds before he attacked her with a ball-peen hammer.
