CATCH AND TRAP
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lunch was over and Lewis returned to the office to await any phone calls that should come if they hadn’t come while he was away, as there was no answer phone any calls that did come earlier they wouldn’t know about anyway. He’d ring back! From now on it would be difficult waiting for any call from Last because the colonel would soon be arriving with the warrants and they would have to go out to execute them. Among other things there was also the possibility that the colonel would have said something about the warrants and the captain would be prepared for the search.
Johns arrived late back from lunch minutes before the colonel entered with a signed piece of paper ready to move whenever they were prepared.
“With your permission sir I would like the assistance of another senior n.c.o..”
“If you believe that’s necessary then go ahead son, but lets get on with it.” The colonel had this infuriating habit of calling everyone son. Warrant officer Wilson was waiting in another office as Standford had asked him to be waiting there ready in case he was needed.
“With your permission sir I would like to begin at the top.”
“It’s your call Lieutenant but remember what I said yesterday, so who’s first?” Lewis didn’t want to spend too much time on this, needing it to be wrapped up as soon as possible. He’d start with his main suspect hoping that his hunch was right, a very rare occurrence.
“The Adjutant, Captain Webster first sir.”
“What oh, right you are old boy. Captain Webster.” The colonels voice was raised so loud all and sundry could hear him. The Adjutant marched in as smart as ever, saluting as he entered.
“Sir!”
“With your permission I would like you to accompany us to your quarters, Lieutenant Standford would like to search your quarters before going on to the lower ranks.
“Sir! I protest, surely you don’t suspect me.”
“No but’s captain, I’ve already passed on my permission for the M.Ps. to search all officers quarters, this has to be cleared up one way or another. Shall we go gentlemen?” The colonel led the way to the two landrovers Johns had arranged to be parked outside the admin building waiting with driver and an extra soldier in both vehicles. Johns and the warrant officer were in the rear while the three commissioned officers were in the leading vehicle.
“Seven Bagly lane, if you please driver.” Standford ordered.
Minutes later the two vehicles unloaded the occupants outside the adjutants quarters and before he could open the door his wife was already there standing in the way blocking the frame with her large frame.
“Alright dear something we’ve got to check, you just stay out of the way in the kitchen.” Something she was used to when people came visiting. The home office was searched first though Standford was certain what he was looking for was upstairs. On the drive to the house Johns explained to the warrant officer roughly what they were looking for and the reasons for their suspicions.
All except the kitchens were searched followed by the bedrooms which were also empty and of no consequence. They were descending the stairs after the bedroom search when Lewis decided to play his cards.
“The attic room,” he said aloud, “do you have an attic?” He didn’t wait for an answer before turning to ascend the stairs they were just going down.
“Surely not the attic,” suggested the colonel, “that’s going a little too far.”
“The attics completely empty sir, no need to let him go up there is there?”
“Must do all the houses correctly, insisted Lewis.”
“Sorry captain but the lieutenants in charge here, it’s all down to him.”
“Johns, you and Wilson if you will.” The attic was duly opened and the loft ladder lowered, a switch found and the two men entered a hidden office within the confines of the loft space. They looked in stunned silence at what lay before their eyes in the small room.
“Bingo!” Johns called letting his joy get the better of him. They came out of the small attic room to let the officers enter.
“Oh my gosh!” the lieutenant exclaimed poking his head into the room. The warrant officer followed pushing Lewis into the Aladdin’s cave. “
Could you please join us up here colonel and you as well captain?” The captain was pushing the reluctant captain up the ladder, Johns stood out of the way as far as he could. The colonels eyes did pop this time as there on a table, or rather a box made to look like a table there was two typewriters, several telephones, books of many descriptions and loads of ornaments, some the colonel immediately recognised but didn’t know were missing. A huge conglomerate of papers, some typed some handwritten, reams of unused paper, pens pencils, rules, sharpeners and staples by the thousand. It dawned even on the colonel that a truck would be needed to remove all this back to the barracks.
The captain knelt in tears, “It’s that war we’ve just had in the south Atlantic, since I’ve come back I’ve had the urge to collect things. Please colonel don’t tell anybody, help me!” Now he was getting hysterical. The colonel took Lewis aside.
“We could keep this in the regiment.” Not wanting to cause embarrassment to said regiment or to a decorated officer. “Surely you can understand Lieutenant, it’s for the good of our great name. Look at the harm it would do if it gets out. We can insist the captain resigns his commission without a stain on his character and without loss of face or pension. Remember he did spend time in hospital for the wound he suffered.”
Lewis believed that no real harm was done and ultimately the outcome was up to the colonel, all his work was done solving the crime. He agreed providing the colonel sent his C.O. a favourable report stating that this was a good job well done, knowing that this would enhance his credibility and maybe, just maybe he would officially be sent on some good cases.
The officers with Lieutenant Lewis left the captain behind with the R.S.M. and the two drivers to remove the items from the attic ready to be loaded onto the truck that had already been called for so the things could be returned to the camp and sorted. The captain was ordered to remain in his house on house arrest until the following morning when the colonel would interview him. This would also give the colonel time to calm down and realize the seriousness of losing the trust of his most senior officer and lifelong friend.
--------------------------------------------------
The urgent message on the colonel’s desk read.
TO ALL UNITS
If you hear of the whereabouts of a Lieutenant Lewis
Standford R.M.P. or of corporal John Johns R.M.P.
Would you please notify R.M.P. Headquarters, Cosmorth
camp. Suffolk, at the earliest opportunity. This is
urgent not routine
Handing the signal to Lieutenant Standford he asked with authority.
“What’s all this about, have you any idea?”
“I’m not really sure sir.”
“Alright Standford, I’ll contact them to let them know you’re here and also how well you’ve done.”“Thank you sir.” Lewis saluted then left the room returning to his own borrowed office as the colonel dialled the number for Cosmorth camp.
All the occupants of he H.Q. building heard the colonel shout, “Standford.” Lewis was about to speak to inspector Last on the phone and although he didn’t want to had to pass it over to the corporal before running to the colonels’ office.
“Sir!” he was out of breath.
“You’d better tell me what this is all about.” He ordered in his deep toned official voice. The shaking Lieutenant assured him he had no idea what he was on about. “Your acting C.O.”
“Acting!” quivered Standford.
“Yes acting, the Adjutant Major Wilton-Braid. Colonel Taylor is in hospital after a heart attack but that is by-the-by, he say’s they’ve been looking for you and they have been for several days. About to be posted missing, absent without leave, the corporal as well.”
“That’s utterly ridiculous that is sir, the colonel told me to come down here.”
“That’s the story son.” speaking a little calmer now. “They’re sending down some more M.Ps. tomorrow to take you back to the camp, they’ll be here about eight in the morning and I’ll explain all your good work to them on arrival.”
“Thank you sir I appreciate all you’ve done.”
“You’ve done a good job here Lieutenant a bloody fine job too, you’re the one who should be thanked. Oh and by the way, what did he mean by saying you were a disaster on two legs, not to let you have anything to do with anything and not to let you out on your own?”
“I really have no idea sir.” Lewis was by now rather subdued and rather quiet.
“What’s going on then corporal Johns?” Lewis questioned as he re-entered the office.
“Your friend inspector Last has requested your presence as soon as possible to a meeting with him and his chief Inspector at Whitenead station in Salisbury.”
“Firstly Johns never call him my friend and I mean never again or there will be trouble for you secondly what the bloody hells going on back at Cosmorth?”
“What do you mean sir?”
“How do I know? If I did I wouldn’t be asking you such bloody stupid questions. Forget Cosmorth for now, do we know where the police station is?”
“I thought you’d been there before.”
“I have but my soddin hands were handcuffed with my face squashed to the floor of a bloody police van.” Suddenly Lewis realised he’d possibly said a little too much
“I’ll check on the map sir then I’ll find it without getting lost.”
Good time was made in arriving at the police station in their old beat up military landrover, parking in a space marked up for the Assistant Chief Constable.
“Don’t worry about parking here Johns, it’s the only free parking space anyway and we are military after all.
Inside the front doors of this nineteenth century building, originally a hospital built for the criminally insane, (Quite a few people thought the building was still occupied by them.) the sign under the bell simply read, in five different languages, ring for assistance. Lewis did this, hearing a soft buzz in the distance. Nobody came and the interior on the other side of the reinforced window remained clear. His finger pressed again and this time inadvertently remained on the button forcing it to the counter. A small bespectacled, bald twenty stone retired looking half dressed uniformed person appeared into view.
“If you don’t mind sir take your hand off that bell or I’ll have you inside. Now may I help you?”
“I’m Lieutenant Standford, I believe inspector Last is expecting me.” All of a sudden the half dressed uniform stood smartly with a change of attitude.
“You are expected sir, I’ll tell them right away.”
Minutes later Lewis’s sworn enemy stepped out through the inner doors beckoning them to enter. Up the very wide curved ornate stairs into a large sumptuous room with a great oak table in the centre surrounded about thirty carved wooden chairs, five were occupied by a vast amount of gold braid with flat caps placed on the table to the left of each person.
“Gentlemen, this is Lieutenant Standford R.M.P. and his corporal. Lieutenant my I introduce you to chief constable William North, Chief Inspector Donald Rodson, crime co-ordinator Res, Archie Arnold drugs unit and quick response officer Detective Inspector Wray.” The introductions seemed to go on for ages with each hand shaken in turn.
Lewis and Johns were guided to chairs and asked to sit then repeat the story he told the Last earlier. Lewis did so still leaving out some of the facts as a safeguard, again insisting on his terms.
“Quite a story,” the Chief Constable said, “if this does come off then you are assured your terms will be met. You see we have been after this man for years but he’s always been one step ahead, too clever by half.”
“Not too clever for the real police, the Military.” Lewis stared at Johns for saying this though he thought how true it might be. The uniformed officers sat still and placid.
“That being out of the way may we carry on please.” Lewis proceeded to hand the complete tape to a sergeant who was standing in the corner ready to operate the video that was used. Elenora did a fine job on the computer adding voices to the film although they were slightly out of sync.
“What about the two soldiers?” Lewis was asked after the short film was over.
“They are mine for the time being but when I’ve finished with them they are all yours.”
“How do you know where they will be meeting?” Queried the drugs officer.
Without elaborating Lewis just said, “Ways and means the same as you have.” Notes were taken as Lewis took some earlier, or rather Johns. He was asked what he proposed to do now, they were leaving things to him for the moment. He handed them some notes on rough paper. “Our friend with the computer took this off some web sight, Petra Williams, shipping agent Cardiff, Drunnet street. This, gentlemen is the woman in the car and I assume she is the supplier, probably the leader of the gang. I presume you will co-ordinate raids down there as well.”
“How long have we got to organize this,” asked the drugs officer.”
“Unfortunately,” replied Lewis “it’s handover at midnight tonight.” The chief constable stiffened with a gasp.
“We can’t do anything in six hours.”
Lewis interjected, “Gentlemen if you want them I’m sure it can be done, otherwise I must arrest my soldiers now and retrieve all the drugs myself letting off your man and giving them time to clear the address in Wales that I’m certain will contain substantially more drugs.”
The drugs officer carried on. “We can get ourselves mobile almost immediately, my people can be ready in a few minutes, always on standby they are.”
“Your proposals are them.” The Chief Inspector asked.
“Sir, we can notify the Cardiff police to be ready to help us then I and six of my men with sniffer dogs fly there by chopper and set up to raid those premises and if in the meantime we get her home address, which should be easy, we do the home as well at the same time you and the rest of my men with more sniffer dogs do the other places here.” Last spoke for the first time since the introductions.
“I can get the uniforms ready and as there isn’t much time there’s less for anything to go wrong. It’s much too good an opportunity to miss.
“I will need the use of a dog if possible to help in the search of two of my soldier suspects quarters.” Not long after, the meeting ended and it was agreed that Lewis and Johns would meet the police back at the station at nine o’clock for final briefing then to get ready for the trap.
--------------------------------------------------
Major Wilton-Braid decided to dispatch Lieutenant Inches immediately with three subalterns, telephoning Colonel Williams giving no explanation but just asking for overnight accommodation for them all. He was still afraid what Standford might be up to and it seemed that the colonel was reluctant to pass on the whole story. On the Colonels part he had not been given the chance to say much in Lewis’s defence.
--------------------------------------------------
The offices were all locked and dark on Lewis’s return to the camp so he decided to pay a visit to the colonel in his quarters as his permission was needed for the civilian police to enter the camp and barracks area. The ministry are very sensitive about who enters their camps. Murderers, alcoholics, wife beaters and just about anyone were allowed to join up and be in the camps but any law abiding citizen like the police and they get quite uptight.
--------------------------------------------------
“Ah Lieutenant Standford, just the boy, come in ,come in.” He ushered in his usual authoritative manner, “now son,” he continued. “Your C.O. is sending his troops down for you this evening so be here about nine when they arrive.” Lewis was hit by a bolt out of the blue, then suggested, “ That’s fine colonel I could use them.”
“Use them for what?”
Once again Lewis had to think fast. “The real reason why I am here.!”
Somehow the Colonel believed the incredible story and the way it was told, his eyes sparkled as it was nearing an end.
“And then of course sir, when it’s over think of the promotions that would be in the air, after all you’ll deserve it. You! the Colonel helping to thwart a dangerous drugs outfit. Your regiment needs another hero.
If there was one thing Lewis was good at is oratory, he could talk and make anything sound feasible. The colonel was hooked.
“I’ll draw up the warrants immediately to search the sergeants quarters and the right papers for you to enter the women’s billets as well as warrants for their arrests. Sergeant major Gomez will be notified to assist you in the women’s billets as she is today’s duty sergeant.”
“May I suggest sir she isn’t notified until I say so just in case of a slip. I don’t expect to be here until well after midnight.”
“The colonel agreed, telling him all warrants would be in a sealed envelope in the guardroom by the time they get to the barracks.
--------------------------------------------------
Celia Standford was euphoric when the phone call came from the telling her that her husband had been found and would be back in the morning, even though he would be under guard. She was worried at the thought her husband would be ‘under armed guard’ but was somewhat gladdened when he insisted he was safe and as far as he knew hadn’t caused any harm or serious damage to anyone or anything. As usual the children listened in on the conversation through the phone attached to their computer, sounding happier than their mother.
The Major in detaching the other M.Ps. earlier than agreed showed that he was determined to smooth over any damage caused quickly and thoroughly, that is if any had been done, certain that something had happened. Lieutenant Inches was given strict instructions to keep Standford under close arrest until they returned.
--------------------------------------------------
The four M.Ps. checked in at the guardroom almost nine thirty, as Lewis and Johns were about to leave through the main barrier onto the main road. Luckily Johns was driving so when they braked nothing was hit or knocked over. Lewis and Inches recognised each other as the landrovers almost scraped against each other on the bend.
“Turn around and follow us Gerald.” Lewis shouted across to the newly arrived vehicle.
“But Lewis you’ve got to remain here till the morning under arrest.”
“Just be quiet and follow me into Brassbury or we’ll be late. Quick as you can.”
Lieutenant Inches didn’t bother to ask the question. ‘Late for what?’ he just told his driver to follow him wherever they end up. Ten minutes later they both arrived at the police station to a mass of vehicles blocking all entrances and some of the roads as well.
Whitenead police station was a solid hive of activity inside and out with all the M.Ps. making a larger contingent. there was no holding back now as they didn’t even stop at the inside door, ushered straight through to another large room. This was about the same size as the conference room but this one contained about thirty people, males, females, uniforms and non uniforms, big brass to constables joined now by a contingent of six M.Ps. Outside in the corridor were several fierce looking dogs, luckily on leads. There was a pause, shuffle and silence as the M.Ps. entered with Lewis at their head. He was pulled inside to the front whilst the others were left standing at the rear though Johns managed to detach himself from the rest and squeeze through next to his officer.
“Quiet then gentlemen if you will, this is Lieutenant Standford, he’s in charge of this operation with Inspector Last as co-ordination officer as this is a joint civil and military co-operation. Over to you Inspector Last.” The chief inspector raised his hand to Last.
“Thank you sir, as we have so little time I’ll be as brief as I can. A team of officers have gone to Cardiff to co-ordinate raids there with ours, midnight precisely. The first team here will proceed to three mile lane to positions indicated by the Lieutenant. This will be led by both of us plus fifteen officers, including dogs, two dogs. You already know what teams you’re in though at the moment most of you still haven’t been given your destinations. When the first team gets to three mile you will stay hidden and be quiet until you hear my whistle, four vehicles will remain hidden while others approach at the given signal. The object will be to trap and detain, we believe two or three persons will be present one possibly a female, all are to be considered armed and dangerous. A red Mercedes and an army landrover are expected to be the enemy vehicles and they must not be allowed to escape. At all cost these people must be detained. the persons concerned are already under surveillance and I’ll be notified at least when the civilian makes a move. Earpieces will be used on radios at all times and only officers already authorised by me will have them.
I notice Lieutenant you have a few more bodies so we will have several extra officers in reserve and on standby in vans. Two four man teams led by drugs officers will raid the premises and home of the businessman, Eric Waite, the addresses will be given to the team leaders. Now I’ll hand you over to Lieutenant Standford.”
“Thank you Inspector,” he answered as though he was grateful to him instead of the other way round. “As you heard I will be with the main group while my corporal and two uniforms with a drugs officer and dog will raid the female quarters at Cosmorth camp.” There was a hiss followed by a crescendo of wolf whistles and catcalls erupting not only from the male members but the females as well. The noise lasted for a minute or two until the chief constable slapped his baton on the table.
“Nobody Will enter the female quarters until my orderly officer has got them all out of bed and dressed and I can assure you she could take on the army herself as well as you lot together so beware. You will only enter the women’s quarters if the suspect is present and she’ll be held by my personnel while the search is made. After her area is searched and she is safely in custody they will then go to their second target and search the workshops with a dog. Lieutenant Inch, doesn’t know yet but he will go to another service address with two uniforms, a dog handler and two of his own men. They will go on warrants after the other arrests, this address is under observation at the moment, am I not right inspector?”
“That’s correct Lieutenant.”
“All I can say now lads is good hunting and good luck.”
Inspector Last added that nobody was to leave the area until it was time to go, that included no phone calls or talking to anybody who was not on the operation.
Lieutenant Inch was as bemused as the rest of his men but had no option to obey especially as he the same as all the others was restricted to the room and by now the teams were being sorted with each man given their instructions. Lewis took him aside, told him what was expected and asked him to go along with it. After all that he still wasn’t sure what Lewis had got them into though he was certain that it was not good and he intended to say so on his report, whatever the outcome. To him Standford was and always would be a menace and he was damn well sure he would do his hardest to take him down a peg or two.
Half an hour later they left in an assortment of vehicles to the different locations. Johns and his crew with the drugs officers to station themselves inconspicuously near the camp, Lieutenant Inch with more officers, plain clothed and uniformed leading the way. Johns himself was the only one to enter the barracks where in the guardroom he collected the sealed envelopes containing the warrants keeping the one enabling him to search the women’s quarters. Sergeant Major Gomez and another female, a corporal was waiting in the guardroom, not yet knowing why but were waiting for him to tell them.
He left the guardroom to take the other warrant to Lieutenant Inches, finding him a few streets away from the sergeants’ quarters, out of sight and seemingly quiet. Last minute instructions then return to the guardroom, explain to the Sergeant Major then wait for the off.
Standford with the inspector and his men were sorted into small groups and sent off to their individual hiding places with all the cars well and truly hid amongst the trees or behind bushes, lying in wait for the witching hour, midnight. It was cold, very cold tonight but they had to remain quiet, the moon was full and clear giving off a tremendous amount of shadow. Several times there was an animal sound that could have been almost anything and Lewis was showing more than a few signs of nerves as he hoped others were as well. Infra red glasses and night binoculars were on hand to some of the officers as they scoured the area for tell tale signs of movement. Several times a deer or rabbit came close but even they fled when they caught the whiff of sweating human flesh.
A large car passed in one direction as a landrover passed in the opposite direction, they seemed to turn round and repeat the same manoeuvre, stopping the third time. Again they pulled away.
“We’ve been rumbled.” Last whispered to Lewis seconds before the vehicles returned for the forth time and stopped. It went quiet as the engines were switched off returning the darkened woods to the eerie silence they were in a short while ago. Several breathless minutes passed before two people stepped from the vehicles to meet in the middle of the road. A large packet was handed to the one Lewis recognised as Eric Waite, with a smaller parcel given in return o the sergeant.
The shrill of a whistle sounded beside Lewis almost deafening him momentarily, the words were heard, go! go! go! The whole area came alive with noise as the sound of breaking branches and screams as dozens of pairs of feet began trampling through the underbrush. Bodies poured from both sides of the road racing to individual targets at precisely the same time. Vehicles homed in from both ends of the road effectively blocking the escape routes.
The businessman was grabbed almost immediately but the much fitter sergeant Boggs was hightailing it through a field as fast as lightning. Four policemen took chase, the inspector one of them. Lewis had other ideas, heading for the landrover he was soon in pursuit himself behind the wheel, first through a hedge then a barbed wire fence. Catching up with the four policemen chasing the sergeant, with horn blowing loudly and headlights on main beam he forced a path through the running policemen avoiding them all except the unfortunate inspector Last. He was caught by the nearside bumper flying five foot into the air landing into a ditch full of brambles almost ten feet deep.
Next the speeding landrover ploughed into the fleeing sergeant halting his untimely run so he could go no further. Lewis managed to sit on him until help arrived and he was handcuffed, hands held tight behind his back half pushed and half pulled to the road surrounded by police an a couple of M.Ps.
On the road drugs officers and dogs were searching the vehicles under powerful lights and a large amount of money was found lying in the road as the dog soon told them there was drugs in the parcel that the businessman had in his hands. An officer opened it on the spot and declared.
“Cannabis and cocaine by the look of it.” Exactly what they had hoped for.
They were packing up ready to go with the two prisoners in separate vans, handcuffed with several officers either side.
“Where’s Inspector Last?” A plain clothed officer called out for everyone to hear. “Inspector! Where are you?” The eerie wood regained it’s eerie silence as they waited, they thought they heard something, again, this time it sounded like a moan only louder. Another voice shouted, coming from the middle of the field.
“Over here, he’s over here.” Only his moans drew the constable to him as he couldn’t be seen in the dark ditch half covered by brambles.
“Get an ambulance, I think I’ve got a broken leg, quick get me out of here.”
“If he’s fool enough to fall down there,” said Lewis, “and getting himself a broken leg then I’ve no sympathy for him in the least. Leave him there till the ambulance gets here. Most of the team left for the station, Lewis and his men returned to the camp while inspector Last spent over an hour agonising in pain as he was being cut free from the brambles and another half hour before reaching the operating table of the local hospital.
The officers and dogs thoroughly searched the sergeants married quarters much to the indignation of his wife but to the laughter of his young children who thought it was hilarious. Bingo the Alsatian began barking , sniffing at the floor. The boards were lifted and in small compartments more money and black cannabis with a small amount of the white powder wrapped in separate bags.
“Christ there must be fifty grand here.” Commented one of the M.Ps. as the officer lifted the illegal substances up for the video cameraman to get a good close-up before bagging the money and drugs in separate clear plastic bags.
Lieutenant Inches took one officer and a corporal into the garden to search the shed at the bottom of the garden in case there was any evidence there. As they neared the shed he tried to light up a cigarette the match went out, the second time with more success and he discarded the match as they entered the door of the small shed. It was still alight and landed on the floor igniting a patch of spilt petrol, exploding the can it leaked from. There was a flash followed by a sonic boom as the shed and contents were sent into oblivion leaving only a pool of dense smoke spiralling from the spot where once stood a small wooden shed.
People came running out, as the noise abated assuming that it could be some sort of terrorist organisation or group that was responsible. Lieutenant inches and his helpers staggered to their feet, blackened, dazed and almost stripped of all their clothes but otherwise unhurt except for damaged pride. Anything that may have been in the shed would surely never be seen again.
Sergeant Major Gomez and her crew entered the women’s quarters just a minute after the alarm bell sounded to get them out of bed. They went straight to private Raine’s bunk, one of six in the room, saying nothing to her except to clear out her locker and empty the contents on the bed. Reluctantly she did so and as things landed on the bed they were systematically searched as the dog sniffed. Nothing was found so the bedding and box under the bed was also searched, all to no avail. Even so Johns read her her rights before asking the sergeant to escort her to the guardroom on suspicion of drug trafficking.
The red setter pulled away from it’s handler sniffed then scratched at the large wardrobe, it barked and scratched some more. The two M.Ps. pulled at the tall heavy metal cabinet that doubled as the wardrobe and out fell an inch square parcel containing a dark brown substance that was almost certainly cannabis. The drugs officer bagged it up ready to send off for analysis.
The drugs officer radioed the station thinking he would be speaking to Inspector Last until he was told of his unfortunate accident.
“Would you tell whoever is now in charge that we have uncovered a small amount of what we believe to be cannabis in the women’s quarters and we are proceeding to go to the garage section now.” The radio gave a short crackle then went dead as he took his hand off the button. Johns apologised to the rest of the girls for disturbing them and for the inconvenience before leaving them for the motor transport section.
The call from Wales was a long time coming. It was short and sweet but to the point. ‘A large amount of different substances have been unearthed that we assume to be drugs at one of the addresses and are about to search the other address’.
The command and control unit at Whitenead police station was fairly buzzing as the reports kept coming in over the airwaves. Nobody really noticed the absence of the inspector who at this time was undergoing surgery to repair his shattered left leg, broken in several places after being hit by the incomparable landrover driver, Lieutenant Lewis Standford. Last heard his own leg crack at least once after hitting the ground and then again at the bottom of the ditch. The bramble thorns were also proving troublesome to remove considering they couldn’t turn him over or take them out of his backside until the leg was pinned and plastered. Even then those in his leg would have to remain until the plaster was removed in six months time.
The garage belonging to Waites was found to be clear of all illegal substances though his five bed roomed house was found to contain a huge cellar complete with minute weighing scales and several hundred tiny bags of the white powder that looked ready for distribution. Thousands of postage stamps were boxed ready for selling with powder mixed with the paste on the reverse so that when the gum was licked you got an immediate buzz. One rookie constable pocketed some of them for his own use not realising there was anything on them, almost pure cocaine it was later proved to be. The policeman’s wife, who did most of the writing was soon to find out what they contained by going on a long trip to hell and back more than once. A large square of the brown substance was also found and bagged ready for analysis at the police laboratories.
Lewis knew they’d hit pay dirt, two bent squaddies in the guardhouse at the moment, soon to be facing charges unbecoming behaviour and for bringing the regiment into disrepute and these would be nothing like the charges they will face when handed over to the civilian police. Surely now, Lewis thought, he was ready for the big time and that promotion was looming.
Johns was a little sad in his part of the catch, he’d quite liked the time spent with Angie, she knew what she was doing and how to do it to perfection. His thoughts wandered as he booked her and formally charged her before charging sergeant Boggs who had recently arrived courtesy of the police. While charging him the sergeant clean jumped the table and tried to attack Johns only being stopped by a quick thinking private who tripped him whilst another grabbed hold of his arms and handcuffed him for the second time. The guard private never did like this cocky sergeant.
“Playback time.” the soldier grinned as he pushed the bound sergeant into a tiny windowless cramped cell.
Lieutenant Inches was, with his two injured comrades taken to the same hospital as the unfortunate Inspector Last for x-rays and overall checks. It turned out they were unharmed though black as soot and almost completely naked.
The raids over it was time to call in all the units for debriefing and congratulating drinks all round, this was the best Lewis had felt for many a year. He believed a new life was beginning for him and Johns alike.
----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment