Chapter 12
The Ripper Room -
Millgarth, Leeds -
Monday 22 December 1980:
Standing room only -
Smoke, sweat, and no smiles on 150 sad bloody faces.
Chief Constable Angus and Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Noble down the front -
Me at the back, by the door -
No Alderman or Prentice.
‘It was a long weekend,’ Noble is saying. ‘I know a lot of us were at the funeral, Saturday.’
Shit, I’m thinking.
‘And I know like me, for all of us who were there it’s only strengthened our resolve to catch this bastard. But now we’ve got this -’
Noble picks up a piece of paper off the table and reads aloud:
‘Sunday 21 December, 9 p.m., Manchester offices of the Daily Mirror received a telephone call delivered by a man with an accent strongly resembling the one on the so-called Ripper Tape. No recording was made, but the content was as follows:
‘I’m Jack and I warned you I’d strike again and I’ll kill again on Tuesday, this time student so warn them to keep off streets.’
Noble stops reading, looking up at the room -
The Ripper Room:
Smoke, sweat, and 150 bloody curses.
‘Jim Prentice and Dick Alderman are in Manchester now talking to the people at the Mirror, but whether it’s him or not,’ Noble continues over the rising din, ‘it’s already on radio and it’ll be on every front page tonight and tomorrow.’
150 more bloody curses, louder and louder until -
Until Chief Constable Angus stands up: ‘All right, I know this is the last thing we need but, once again, I have no choice but to cancel all leave for the next forty-eight hours. We’re already stretched thin thanks to all these bloody protests at the cinemas, but I have spoken with a number of the local councils to try and get some sort of ban on some of these films.’
Nods all round.
‘Luckily most of the students have already gone home but,’ says the Chief Constable. ‘Tonight and tomorrow night we have to put on a show of strength. Assistant Chief Constable Noble’s drawn up the rota for you lot here and will hand it out at the end of this briefing. But I just want to add that, as the Assistant Chief Constable said, I know a lot of you were in Hartlepool for the funeral and I know you want to keep at it and that this kind of thing is the last thing you want. But we’ll nail the bastard, so let’s all just keep our wits about us. Thank you.’
Noble steps forward again: ‘OK, better news; we have now eliminated all vehicles sighted by witnesses on Alma Road last Wednesday night, Thursday morning. Bar one: the old dark-coloured car seen reversing the wrong way down the street. Officers have once again sat with the witness to try and get a more detailed description of the car in question. But officers should pay particular attention to old and dark-coloured vehicles as you crosscheck old statements and take any further statements.
‘Later today we also hope to have the new photofit complete and available for distribution. As some of you know, this description of a man seen in the vicinity of Alma Road last Wednesday night very much resembles those descriptions given by Linda Clark and statements taken in Morley, following the murder of Joanne Thornton.
‘Finally, surveillance will continue on the five individuals at the top of our lists and, obviously, we will step up these efforts over the next forty-eight hours in light of the Manchester call. Thank you,’ he says and nods at an assistant who begins to hand out sheets of paper.
I’m the first out the door, heading back next door, when there’s an arm on mine -
Bob Craven: ‘The Chief Constable asked me to have you meet him in Assistant Chief Constable Noble’s office after the briefing.’
‘Thank you very much, Inspector,’ I say.
‘Don’t mention it,’ he mutters, walking off.
‘What?’ I say -
He turns: ‘Pardon?’
‘I said what did you say?’
‘Don’t mention it,’ he smiles -
‘Don’t mention it?’
‘Yes,’ he says, walking away. ‘Don’t mention it.’
I knock on the door -
‘Come.’
I open the door and step inside Noble’s office -
‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ I say.
Angus is sat in Noble’s chair, Pete on the other side of the desk.
The Chief Constable gestures for me to sit down next to Noble -
I take my seat and wait.
‘You were at the briefing then?’ asks Angus, eventually.
‘Yes,’ I say.
‘Last thing we bloody need,’ says Noble, to my right.
‘Can imagine,’ I agree.
There’s a bit of silence now, pens tapping, paper shuffling -
A bit of this, then Angus says: ‘Look, I hear there were some words exchanged yesterday. Some confusion?’
‘Confusion?’
‘Well, from what I gather,’ says Angus, glancing at Noble. ‘Your interview with Detective Superintendents Alderman and Prentice ended badly and then there was some question mark about disclosure of information pertinent to the on-going investigation.’
‘I’m sorry,’ I say. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
Angus frowning, picks up a copy of Spunk and says: ‘Well, for a start, what about this?’
‘As I told Pete yesterday, I’d been led to believe that this magazine had been given to George Oldman by Maurice Jobson, or vice versa, courtesy of Eric Hall’s widow.’
‘That’s true,’ Angus nods.
‘Right,’ I say. ‘So I presumed George had passed it to the Ripper Squad, as he was in charge at that time.’
‘Well, you’d have to ask Assistant Chief Constable Oldman about that.’
‘I’d like that very much,’ I say.
Angus is smiling, hands up: ‘Now just a minute. In case you weren’t aware, George Oldman is on sick leave.’
‘Sick leave? No I wasn’t aware of that.’
‘So, unfortunately, any interview would be out of the question at this time.’
‘I see. Is it serious?’
‘He has a heart condition.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
‘I would like to know from you however,’ he goes on, ‘as to the progress you’re making and if there’s any other information you’d like to share with us?’
‘I’m sorry, sir,’ I say. ‘But I think it would be improper of me to speak with you before I’d spoken with either Mr Evans or Sir John Reed.’
Of course, but I did speak with Mr Evans myself yesterday and he wanted me to emphasise to you the unique circumstances here, this being an on-going investigation and the possibility of you discovering or being in possession of information that might lead to the conclusion of this investigation.’