by Trevor Negus
Rob said, ‘We’ll find her, Danny. I’m sure the kidnapper will make contact again soon. That’s when we’ll get them and return the girl to her parents.’
‘I hope you’re right; I really do.’
Danny then said to Brian, ‘I want you to carry on working with Rachel. I’m giving you free rein. I want you to try to look at things from every conceivable angle. Just follow your instincts, okay?’
Brian nodded, stood up and left the office.
Danny said, ‘Hang on a minute, Rob.’
Rob sat back down. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘This is for your ears only, okay?’
Danny then quietly outlined to Rob the personal problems his fellow detective inspector was experiencing concerning his wife’s remarriage and plan to take his daughter to America.
Rob said, ‘So your idea is to keep him involved on the periphery of the enquiry rather than be worrying alone at home?’
‘Don’t get me wrong. I still have every confidence in Brian. He’s still a great detective, as he showed last night. I just don’t want him to have the added pressure of running this enquiry at the moment. That’s why I’ve given him free rein.’
‘Makes perfect sense to me. I can run things on the ground as the enquiry develops, and you’re already running the day-to-day liaison with the Special Operations Unit and the Regional Crime Squad. I’m sure we’ll be fine.’
The telephone began to ring. Danny snatched the receiver up and said, ‘Chief Inspector Flint.’
‘Sir, it’s DC Bailey. Another letter has just arrived at the house. This one was delivered by the postman. Rebecca Whitchurch opened it; it’s composed in the same way as the first note, with letters cut from a newspaper. It’s full of details about the ransom drop, sir.’
‘Okay, Helen. I’m on my way with DI Buxton. I’ll want to speak with Rebecca and Dominic when I get there. Are they both at home?’
‘Yes, sir.’
50
11.30am, 12 October 1986
Richmond Drive, Mapperley Park, Nottinghamshire
Rob Buxton drove his nondescript Volkswagen Golf straight on to the driveway of De Montfort House. The rusting car looked very odd outside the million-pound property owned by Dominic and Rebecca Whitchurch.
As soon as the car came to a stop, Danny got out and walked briskly to the front door, followed by Rob. The door was opened by DC Helen Bailey as the two senior detectives approached.
As the two detectives stepped inside, Helen said, ‘They’re both in the lounge, sir.’
Danny said, ‘Thanks, Helen. Where’s the letter?’
‘It’s on the coffee table in there. I’ve placed the letter and the envelope it came in into separate exhibit bags.’
‘That’s great. We’ll follow you in.’
As they walked into the lounge, Dominic Whitchurch stood up and said, ‘Thanks for coming so promptly, Chief Inspector.’
From behind him, Rebecca said, ‘What car have you come in?’
Rob Buxton said, ‘I’m Detective Inspector Buxton. We’ve not met. We came in my private car. It’s a small Volkswagen.’
Rebecca didn’t acknowledge Rob. She directed her next remark at Danny. ‘Did anybody see you pull on to the driveway?’
There was a real element of panic in her voice, so Danny replied soothingly, ‘There’s nobody on the street, Mrs Whitchurch. We were very careful.’
Rebecca sighed heavily and leaned back on the settee.
Dominic pointed to the coffee table and said, ‘This arrived in the post this morning.’
Danny looked down at the kidnapper’s demands. The message had been made up of letters cut out from a newspaper and stuck on plain paper.
The note was short and had very explicit instructions.
Danny read it several times.
Dominic Whitchurch
If you want to see your daughter again
You must place a black bag containing £250,000 in used notes next to the grave of Benjamin Fosdyke in Forest Road cemetery
This must be done at midnight on the 14th
No police
Dominic waited for Danny to look up, indicating that he had finished reading the note. In a panicky voice, he asked, ‘What do we do now, Detective? I’m so scared. I haven’t got that sort of cash.’
‘What we don’t do is panic, Mr Whitchurch. We’ve got two days to put everything in place. I want to intercept the kidnapper as he moves in for the bag of cash, then place him under full surveillance. If we get everything right, he’ll lead us to your daughter. Don’t worry about the money; we’ll arrange for marked notes to be used. Are you prepared to do as the note instructs, and take the bag of cash into the cemetery?’
‘I’ll do whatever it takes to get my daughter back safely.’
Rebecca said coldly, ‘And what happens to our daughter if you don’t get everything right, Chief Inspector?’
Danny couldn’t answer that question, so he simply said, ‘We need to make sure that we do. I’ll keep you both involved throughout the planning. That way, you’ll know exactly what’s happening every step of the way.’
Dominic sat down next to his wife and said, ‘Try not to worry, darling. I’m sure they know what they’re doing.’
Danny looked at Dominic and mouthed silently, ‘Thank you’ before saying out loud, ‘I need to get back to the office. There’s a lot to arrange in a short space of time. We need to be ready for the fourteenth. I’ll leave you in the capable hands of DC Bailey. If there’s anything you need or want to know, just ask her. Okay?’
Dominic replied, ‘Thanks.’
Danny and Rob walked out of the house and got straight into Rob’s car. As Rob drove the car off the driveway, he said, ‘What’s the plan?’
Danny remained silent. He was thoughtful for a long time, and it was only as the car was driven along Mansfield Road through Sherwood that he replied to Rob’s question.
He said, ‘The plan is this. I’m going to arrange for a team of Special Ops lads to get in that cemetery and stay hidden in there. I want them in position from tonight. They’ll be our eyes and ears on the ground. I want maps of the cemetery. I want to know all the exits and entrances; I want to know exactly where Benjamin Fosdyke’s grave is. I’m going to arrange with Mattie Carlisle to have the Regional Crime Squad surveillance team ready and in position to follow anyone who picks the ransom up. I want the kidnapper to lead us to the young girl before we move in and nick the evil bastard.’
Rob said, ‘Where are we going to get a quarter of a million quid in marked notes?’
‘That particular headache is one for Chief Superintendent Potter to sort out. I was reading up on the policies for ransom demands yesterday. The head of CID has the contacts in place to provide marked banknotes for any ransom demand. He will have to sign for the cash. It’s his problem.’
‘Are you happy about Dominic Whitchurch delivering the ransom?’
‘Not really. It’s never ideal to involve a civilian, but we must follow the note’s instructions. If he’s properly briefed about all the dos and don’ts, he’ll be fine. I don’t suppose for one second the kidnapper will make any attempt to come straight in for the pickup. He’s bound to spend time watching the cash first. That’s why I want our Special Ops guys in there tonight. I want them in situ so they don’t have to move. Put your foot down, Rob. The clock’s ticking, mate.’
As he drove his car away from the Redhill traffic island, along the A60 towards Mansfield, Rob did just that. He gunned the engine and accelerated quickly along the wide road.
Danny stared out the passenger-door window at the vegetation flashing by. His mind was in overdrive. He knew his plan had serious flaws, but all he could do was to try to minimise the risk.
His number-one priority had always been the safety of the girl. That hadn’t changed. In addition to that, he now also had the identification and arrest of the kidnapper, the safety of Dominic Whitchurch and the security of a quarter of a million pounds t
o worry about.
His head was beginning to ache, and he could feel the pulse in his temple beginning to throb.
Rob safely negotiated another bend at speed and said, ‘Ten more minutes.’
51
1.00pm, 12 October 1986
MCIU Offices, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Danny put the telephone back on its cradle, leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. Since arriving back at Mansfield, he’d made telephone call after telephone call, trying to get everything organised.
His first call had been to the Regional Crime Squad office so he could update Chief Inspector Mattie Carlisle on the developments in the Emily Whitchurch kidnap case.
Arrangements had been put in place for the crime squad to provide their skills in covert surveillance at the time of the ransom drop. This was a huge weight off Danny’s mind. The skill and experience Mattie Carlisle could provide was going to be invaluable.
The next call was to Chief Inspector Chambers at the Special Operations Unit. This call had yielded four two-man teams who would deploy into the Forest Road cemetery that evening under the cover of darkness. These eight men had all been trained in the secret art of covert rural observations. They would build hides within the area around the main entrances of the cemetery. They would also observe the grave of Benjamin Fosdyke, as specified in the kidnapper’s demands. These eight men would remain in position, undetected, for the duration of the enquiry.
Danny had arranged to brief the chief inspector and his men at four thirty that afternoon.
The final call had been to the curator of the Forest Road cemetery, to arrange a face-to-face meeting later in the day. He would need to be informed of the police activity in and around the cemetery, even if he couldn’t be told the reason for it.
He glanced at his wristwatch and picked up the telephone again. This was the call he’d been dreading. The telephone was answered by the chief constable’s secretary on the second ring.
Danny said, ‘Hello, Caroline, it’s Chief Inspector Flint. I need a meeting with the chief and Adrian Potter as a matter of urgency, this afternoon.’
Caroline said, ‘Hi, Danny. Give me a second. I’ll just check his diary.’
Danny could hear her flicking through the pages of the diary; then she said, ‘The only time he’s got today is between three o’clock and three thirty. Will that be long enough?’
‘That will be fine, thanks. I need you to ensure that Detective Chief Superintendent Potter is also there. He will need to hear what I’ve got to discuss with the chief.’
‘No problem. Adrian’s in his office all day today. I’ll make sure he’s there for the meeting this afternoon.’
‘Thanks, Caroline; see you at three o’clock.’
Danny put the phone down and whispered to himself, ‘I wonder if Adrian Potter ever leaves that office.’
Danny walked into the main office. He was relieved to see Rob Buxton still there.
Danny said, ‘Have you got anything on at three o’clock this afternoon?’
Rob looked up from his desk and said, ‘Nothing that won’t keep. What’s up?’
‘We’re going to see the chief constable and tell him we need a quarter of a million quid in used notes by the fourteenth.’
Rob grinned and said, ‘I’ve got the maps of Forest Road cemetery that you wanted. I was just marking the location of Benjamin Fosdyke’s grave on them.’
Danny said, ‘That’s great. Grab a couple of coffees and bring them in with the maps. We need to discuss strategy for this meeting.’
Rob stood up and said, ‘Two coffees coming up, boss.’
52
3.00pm, 12 October 1986
Nottinghamshire Police Headquarters
When Danny and Rob walked into the chief’s office, Jack Renshaw was sitting behind his large desk. Adrian Potter was sitting to the right of the desk, with a notepad opened on his lap.
Jack Renshaw said, ‘Take a seat, Detectives,’ indicating the two chairs in front of his desk.
Danny and Rob sat down. Rob placed the folder, containing the new demands from the kidnapper and the maps of Forest Road cemetery, on his knees.
Renshaw leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desk, interlocking his fingers as he did so. ‘What’s so urgent, Danny?’
Danny said, ‘Sir, there’s been a major development in the Whitchurch kidnapping. This morning, the family received new correspondence from the kidnapper. It contained detailed instructions for a ransom drop.’
Rob opened the folder and placed the letter from the kidnapper, still in its clear plastic exhibit bag, in front of the chief.
Renshaw picked up the exhibit bag and read the note before passing it to Potter.
Potter read it quickly and handed it back to the chief, who placed it on his desk in front of him.
He stared hard at the note, then said abruptly, ‘Plan?’
Danny said, ‘Dominic Whitchurch is prepared to deliver the ransom. I need Chief Superintendent Potter to arrange for the funds to be available by no later than nine pm on the fourteenth …’
Potter spluttered, but before he could speak, Danny carried on, ‘As you’re no doubt aware, sir, the responsibility to raise the cash for any ransom demand falls to the head of the CID. He will have already established liaisons with banks and building societies for such a set of circumstances.’
Jack Renshaw glared at Danny and said with a growl, ‘I don’t need you to remind me of policy, Chief Inspector Flint. Now, what’s your plan for the fourteenth? I assume you’ve got one.’
Danny glanced at Adrian Potter and relished the uncomfortable look on his face before saying, ‘I’ve arranged with the Regional Crime Squad to provide a full covert surveillance capability on the night of the ransom drop. I’ve also arranged for members of the Special Operations Unit to provide covert observations within the grounds of Forest Road cemetery. Specifically, all the entrances, as well as the grave of Benjamin Fosdyke.’
Rob reached into his folder and passed the marked maps of the cemetery to the chief constable and to Potter.
Danny said, ‘You will see the grave of Fosdyke marked on the map. It’s very close to the catacombs, within the cemetery grounds. So, the covert observations teams should be able to observe it and remain undetected. My plan is for Dominic Whitchurch to deliver the ransom, as instructed. He’ll be observed every step of the way. Once the ransom has been delivered, the bag containing the cash will be kept under observation. The person who subsequently picks up the ransom will then be placed under covert surveillance by the crime squad. Hopefully, the kidnapper will then lead us to the girl. We can then arrest the offender or offenders and recover the cash.’
Jack Renshaw was tight-lipped. He remained silent, taking in the enormity of the operation Danny had just described.
When he finally spoke, it was in a voice barely more than a whisper. ‘How confident are you this will work?’
‘Chief Inspector Carlisle and his team are highly skilled in covert surveillance, and with the Special Ops observations teams as our eyes and ears on the ground, I’m very confident, sir.’
Potter said sarcastically, ‘I’m not sure I liked the word “hopefully” when you described the chances of getting the girl back, Chief Inspector.’
Danny replied, ‘If you have any recommendations or alterations to the plans you’d like to suggest, sir, I’m more than happy to be guided by your expertise.’
Potter shifted uncomfortably in his seat and said nothing.
Danny turned back to Renshaw and said, ‘Of course there are risks involved, sir. Nothing about police work is ever an exact science. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for. We’ll only get this opportunity to find the girl and get her back unharmed once. We’ve simply got to respond to the kidnapper’s demands. Anything else could cost the girl her life.’
Renshaw stroked his chin, deep in thought. After a full minute, he said, ‘I agree. Set everything in motion, Chief Inspector. Keep me
informed every step of the way. Anything you need, let me know and I’ll grease the wheels for you. We need to get this girl back to her family. Her safety is of paramount importance, understood?’
Danny nodded. ‘Yes, sir. How soon can we get the cash sorted?’
The chief constable turned to his head of CID and waited for his response.
Potter blustered, ‘I’ll get straight onto it, sir.’
Jack Renshaw said, ‘If there’s nothing else, then, gentlemen? You’ve all got things to do.’
Danny and Rob left the office, quickly followed by Adrian Potter. As they walked along the corridor, Potter said, ‘I’d like a word, Chief Inspector.’
Danny turned to Rob and said, ‘Give me ten minutes. I’ll see you back in our offices.’
As Rob walked on ahead, Potter hissed, ‘In my office.’
Danny followed Adrian Potter into his office and said, ‘Will this take long, sir? I’ve got things to get organised.’
‘I don’t appreciate being told what to do by a chief inspector, in front of the chief constable.’
‘I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t realise I’d done that. All I did was point out our individual responsibilities.’
‘You need to appreciate that I’m not a man you should make an enemy of, Chief Inspector Flint.’
‘And here’s me thinking we’re all on the same side. Will that be all, sir?’
‘Get out!’
As Danny reached the door, Potter said, ‘Tick-tock!’
Unable to contain his temper any longer, Danny rounded on Potter and said in a low growl, ‘What’s your problem? This isn’t a fucking game. There’s a young girl’s life at stake here.’
‘Do not take that tone with me. I suggest you leave while you’ve still got your pips, Chief Inspector.’
