“Thank you Ceinwen” replied Jack “you have been very helpful indeed”
“Really” she replied, “I can’t see how, oh remember don’t tell the cops about Sid".
“I won’t”, he assured her and they were gone.
“Call at the Parish church I would like to see the scene, the church is yonder,” he said pointing directly in front at the tall steeple.
They arrived about five minutes later and were soon parked and inside the church.
It was typical of churches of the Church of England or here Wales the Welsh type of the same faith with a different name.
Inside there were rows of flags of every nation, the stained glass windows were of the highest quality and from within there was a fine display of which the believers and hearers or possibly both could enjoy whilst seated either waiting or during any ceremony.
“Can I help?” Came a voice
On turning it was the church clerk and arrayed in full holy orders presumably, some ceremony was imminent.
“Ah yes I am Inspector Scott-Ling and this is Mr Jack Richards, we are making a few enquiries into the death of Police Constable Ifor Evans, tragically found dead in this church”.
“Yes it was sad”. “My first day here you see”.
“The poor officer still in full uniform was seated right where you are, in the rear pew”.
“I see,” said Jack “right here. I say did you know the officer vicar?”
“I am sorry Mr Richards but I didn’t, nor his wife, though I believe they did attend this church occasionally, since Ifor’s death however Ceinwen, I believe that is her name, has not returned, some silly comment about the church decoration or something or rather a nothing”.
“Well vicar thank you very much, I may need to visit again,” replied Jack”.
“This door is open from 8am to 8pm daily. Feel free to visit any time”, she replied.
“Thank you, now we must leave” replied Jack, he thought, “She looked like a man”.
They left and were seated in the car once again faced with the joy of receiving a parking ticket.
“Well Inspector now this will be a test of international relations can you get the ticket cancelled?” he said with a smirk.
“I wouldn’t try”, she answered, “that Striker would make a meal of it and so I will pay the damn thing”.
As they drove along the street, they saw the warden who obviously recalled the car and issuing the ticket even though it had a “police on duty sticker on the windscreen”, for he saluted.
Seeing this, Doris stopped, wound down her window and said “Warden, ever do any shopping in Chester?”
“Ah, not much Inspector” he replied.
She smiled and said, “I do and I work there every day including Saturday and I am also in charge of the parking wardens, I will hope to see you again, have a good day”.
The smile dropped from his face as she drove off”.
“She looked at Jack and said, “The bastard he must have seen the sticker “on police business”.
“Now, now Inspector that is not the attitude. Don’t lose your temper, remember don’t get nasty, get your own back.”
“If you check the ticket he has the wrong date, and part of the car number is wrong.”
“I should just give the station sergeant a ring; pass on a whisper about the stickers then the mistakes on the ticket.”
“I suspect you won’t hear anything further of it nor from Striker. The taffies won’t want the error known.”
“Well I don’t think the day was a complete waste of time,” said Doris as they drove away,
“It is never a waste of time” he replied, “Now we will get back to the office, make up the notes and see where we go next”.
“By the way the photograph of the man in the widows house, that was a nice one”, said Doris”
Jack smiled and said, “I had a feeling when we arrived she was not alone, there was a shuffling, a door banged obviously at the rear as it wasn’t our door.”
“There was a cigarette still burning in the ashtray on the chair by the fire, I looked at her fingers there were no nicotine stains”.
“She had smudged lipstick, a quick peck before the giver of the peck scrambled outside and out of sight, so I guessed there was another man in the house who didn’t wish to be seen”.
“You don’t think he knows anything,” asked Doris
“Well I will bear it in mind.”
“Now Inspector back to base please”.
+
Arriving back in the office, Jack took off his hat and away it went landing right on target, on the hat stand.
He sat down at the desk and picked up the telephone, Doris meanwhile went into the kitchen where she could hear voices. May Day had commenced her duties and had made the drinks.
“This is the Police at Shropshire, may I help you?”
“Hello, Chief-Constables office, please”.
“”Who is speaking Please?”
“This Jack Richards is it possible to speak with Chief Constable Alex Renton?” there was a pause”
“Sorry the Chief in not available”
“Oh I see. May I please leave a message?”
“Right thank you, it is brief”.
“Mr Renton I will be visiting your office soon in connection with the death of Constable Gerald Cheshire. I would be grateful to have a copy of the officer’s personal file under the usual security conditions of course.”
“You will find this is authorised by the Home Office.”
“I would very much like to speak with Gerald’s widow, Sandra. If someone could arrange that and finally if there is an officer available as a guide I would like to visit the scene.”
“Thank you so much. If you might just pass that message on any problems I can be contacted at The Police Museum at Chester.”
Yes that is the address I have an office here that is all. Bye”. The call ended.
“Hello, may I please speak with Chief-Constable Quinten Johns?”
“If you might tell him it is Jack Richards looking into the death of Constable Rick Masterton”.
“I will put you through, hold the line please”.
“Hello Jack I have been expecting your call, are you coming over?”
“Tomorrow I think”, replied Jack.
“Well, no problem, as far as I know I will be in, I would like a chat with you, but if I am out on something urgent my secretary will help out. I take it you will wish to see the officer’s file and visit the scene and the widow”.
“Yes all three Chief”.
“I have a copy of the file already done and will ensure Rachel, Rick’s` widow, is informed. I presume you will wish to see her informally at home”?
“Yes that would be better" replied Jack thinking this, is a friendly and efficient Chief.”
“Leave it with me Jack, if there is a hitch I will make certain you are informed in advance”.
The call ended and just in time, Doris and May Day arrived bearing a welcome drink and, oh no a chocolate biscuit, Jack should not indulge but he knew he would.
The refreshments over, Doris retrieved the personal file she had been handed placing it on the desk.
Jack leaned over and once again read through the pages and on completion he looked up, then said.
“There are some strange gaps, for example a young man, fit and well who arranges to meet his wife in church but for some reason arrives early.”
“During the shift he does nothing to suggest he could have been exhausted, or seemingly from his record he has been involved in anything controversial then to quote his widow at the time, he just died on her.”
“I think we may just follow up on this Sid fellow who is residing with her.”
“Doris if you would contact that constable who took us up there, Constable Idris Roberts, see if he knows anything about this fellow.”
“Once that is done check with the records office at New Scotland Yard. See if we know him.”
When done report back to me and we will see where we go from there.”
At that moment proceedings were interrupted when the telephone rang.
May was walking past the door, stopped and called, it’s probably Sergeant Striker he has been calling you on and off all day”.
“Hello Mr Richards office”, said Doris.
“Mr Richards office my arse”, it was Striker balling down the phone.
“It’s the bloody museum, so say so you twit, now get your arse over here I have a proper job for you and whilst you are at it get this Richards fella in here the boss wants to see him”.
“Yes acting Inspector,” she replied.
Jack hearing the abuse shook his head but said nothing.
Doris replaced the telephone handset and as she did so Jack stretched forth his hand and said, “Please, the personal file of Ifor Evans, hand it here we don’t want that lying around, I will look after that.”
Doris handed him the file but before she could speak further Jack rose to leave with her for the police station, the real one next door.
When they arrived Striker was standing at the counter, he looked up and said, “Ling we need you to sit in on a female shop lifter from Tesco, you know what the security personnel there are like, bloody hopeless. Go through to the female cells, and get her out of the lockup into the interview room and sit with her till the tecs arrive”
Jack stood and recalled the word, “tecs”
Doris spoke, “the tecs who or whatever are they?”
“The bloody detectives girl don’t you know anything?”
“Dear God you are a thick sod. Learn girl, learn, for Christ’s sake”
Jack thought he had not heard the phrase tecs for many years how the hell Striker could think Doris would know it failed him.
“Ah, Richards the boss wants you. Said Striker, “Do you recall the way from your last visit or do you want a guide, if so we can get the stray dog out of the kennel and we have a white stick somewhere”
“I can find my way,” replied Jack! Thinking if I don’t put a stop to this obnoxious bastard I will eat my favourite hat”.
With that he settled, on this occasion for getting his thumb and lifting up the hat from the front so that it slipped onto the rear of his head.
He turned and left and as he did so, Striker called, “I will give him a buzz, the Chief I mean.”
Arriving at the door of the Chief Super, Jack knocked but did not have to wait for there was a buzzing noise and the new illuminated lamp on the door read, enter.
He did just that and on arrival inside, he saw Craig Denton-Smyth seated smiling with a stretched out hand.
“Welcome Jack, are you all right?” he laughed, “alright Jack, yes I am alright Jack, very funny” said Craig.
Jack walked across the room to find a chair already placed in front of the desk of Denton-Smyth.
“Please Jack, you don’t mind if I call you Jack, as we are colleagues once again”.