Let's Pack Up and Start Again

Here is part 36 of “A Couple of Tenors Short”.

After yesterday, where I thought the quiz question was so easy that I felt I could afford to advertise  mugs, I have never even heard of the band let alone the track for today’s title.  

Anyway, so I need to give you the answer.

Plus, if you want to read a really fantastic blog entry, you could do a lot worse than go here.

OK, the quiz question out of the way, here is my mantra. This is a serial. Any new-joiners should start with the opener known as Part One.    

The troublesome recap has now settled into its new home. You can find the recap here!

Now read on...

After the interview concluded, Inspector Jones and Sir Andrew Witherspoon stood outside the interview room watching Smithy and a constable taking Dunker Phil back to the cells.

“You will, of course, be bailing my client.” Sir Andrew stated flatly.

“We’ll see.” Jones continued to watch the trio making their way down the corridor. “I’ll need a signed statement from Dunker detailing what he said in the interview. Once I have that, I’ll think about it.”

“Get your sergeant to draw one up and I’ll give it the once over and get Phillip to sign it.” Sir Andrew smiled “Then we’ll talk again about bail. I would not like to have to go to a higher authority.”

“We’ll see, but there are still some gaps.” Jones sighed deeply and turned to look at Sir Andrew. “I want to know more about this Sergei character and who it was who opened up the club. It could be that Dunker is holding something back.”

 “I believe he has told you everything he knows, Inspector.” Sir Andrew spoke softly. “It is I who has held something back. I was at the Craven Meeting at Newmarket on the 15^th and I saw Vera with Veronica and Violet. There is no way they could have been in the club at lunchtime. They were there when I arrived just after 12 and I saw them again in the parade ring with a horse their father part owned that ran in the first race. ”

“You? A guest of the Adkins?” Jones looked wide-eyed at Sir Andrew.

“Oh no!” Sir Andrew gave a hefty bass guffaw. “No, I was with another party. It was just pure co-incidence that I saw them.”

Jones swore under his breath.

Back at his desk, with Smithy drawing up a statement, Jones rang the McRamie house. The phone was quickly answered by the butler. Jones had him check if any luggage or any of Archie’s clothes were missing. The butler was adamant that there wasn’t, but Jones had him go check. Several minutes later, the butler returned to the line and confirmed that nothing was missing.

Carefully replacing the receiver, Jones leant back in his chair and stroked his moustache as he stared at the ceiling.

With a large sigh, Jones shook his head and started working on the case notes.

A little while later, suddenly aware of somebody stood next to his desk, Jones looked up to find Sir Andrew Witherspoon at his side.

“I thought I would bring you this myself” Sir Andrew handed Jones a signed copy of Dunker’s statement.

Jones took the offered papers and read through them slowly.

“Perhaps we should talk about bail for Mr Duncan now?”  Sir Andrew waited patiently until Jones placed the statement on his desk.

“He doesn’t want bail, guv.” Smithy spoke as he came across the office to the Inspector’s desk. “He wants us to give him protection.”

Jones looked up at Sir Andrew and raised a querying eyebrow.

“My client is understandably concerned.” Sir Andrew ran the palms of his hands over his trousers. “But I am willing to have him released into my custody and I will make all of the arrangements to ensure his security. I have a friend who has a place in the West Country where he can stay.”

“This friend.” Jones turned so he was able to see Sir Andrew’s face clearly. “Would this be the person who is picking up your bill?”

“Come now, Inspector” Sir Andrew gave a light laugh. “You know that I cannot discuss that with you.”

“Indeed.” Jones paused, pursed his lips and stroked his moustache. “I’m certain that you weren’t retained by the Adkins family. After all, they have their own solicitors who would deal with these type of matters.”

“Inspector, I really cannot discuss this with you.” Sir Andrew shifted slightly.

“So, if it wasn’t the Adkins family who retained your services, it must have been somebody else.” Jones paused and watched Sir Andrew closely. “I would guess that it was Sir Terrence Cauldron.”

There was the faintest of twitches around Sir Andrew’s right eye.

“As I say, Inspector.” Sir Andrew smiled broadly. “I cannot discuss the matter, but if you will not discuss bail, I will have to find somebody who will.”

Sir Andrew turned on his heel and walked from the office, swearing under his breath.

Lie About It Cry About It

Here is part 34 of “A Couple of Tenors Short”.

I have heard of the band, but not the title of the track in our quiz question today, so I think that most will need the answer.

OK, the quiz question out of the way, here is my mantra. This is a serial. Any new-joiners should start with the opener known as Part One.    

The troublesome recap has now settled into its new home. You can find the recap here!

Now read on...

“The Maryfield’s case folder is booked out.” Smithy stated before stuffing another sandwich into his mouth.

“Booked Out!” Jones spluttered. “Who on earth to?”

“According to the card,” Smithy swallowed hard. “It was booked out by Tom Watson for you.”

“For me?” The inspector’s voice rose almost an octave.

Opening his desk drawers in turn, Jones started to rifle the contents looking for the case folder. Smithy and Johnson watch while metronomically consuming sandwiches. After several minutes frantic searching, Jones leant back in his chair

“Well, it’s not here.” Jones stared into the middle distance.

“Maybe it’s at home?” Smithy’s suggestion was greeted by a glare from Jones.

A squeal from a miniature pig as it dashed to safety behind the filing cabinets alerted Jones to a constable entering the office.

“Sir Andrew and Phillip Dunker are ready and will see you now.” the constable announced.

“Will see us?” Jones spluttered.

“Yes, sir.” The constable’s face didn’t register any change. “Sir Andrew and Phillip are in interview room three.”

The constable turned and walked out of the office.

Very slowly and deliberately, Jones gathered up his notes, the DVD and a notepad.

“Smithy, make sure that there is a DVD player and a TV in the interview room.” Jones stroked his moustache and sat back into his chair. “Tell them I’ll be down in a minute.”

Jones played opened a game of solitaire on his computer and played several games before eventually winning. Waiting until all the cards had bounced from view; Jones rose from his chair and sauntered to the interview room.

Jones smiled broadly at Sir Andrew when he entered the room. Sir Andrew responded by pointedly looking at his watch before rising and shaking hands. They settled themselves around the table, Smithy and Jones on one side with Sir Andrew and Dunker on the other.

Switching on the tape machine, Jones ran through the formalities. When he finished, a constable in full ceremonial uniform entered with a tea tray and poured everyone a cup of tea into bone china cups from a teapot shaped like a rabbit.

Jones scowled as the constable offered a plate of biscuits around. Dunker carefully selected all the digestives and stacked them in the saucer of his cup.

“Are we all comfortable now?” Jones asked in a tone that oozed sarcasm.

“Hmmm, yeah, I think so.” Dunker wriggled in his chair. “Although I think this chair could do with a bit of re-upholstering. I know just the guy if you’re interested.”

“Inspector Jones, could I interject?” Sir Andrew boomed. “It would be beneficial at this point to re-state the reasons you felt the need to arrest my client. For the tape, you understand.”

“Certainly.” Jones took a deep breath and closed his eyes for few seconds before continuing. “We are investigating the suspicious disappearance of Archie McRamie on or around 2:30pm on the 15^th April. We believe he was abducted and that Phillip Duncan was in the immediate vicinity at the time of the disappearance.”

“I was at work” Dunker spat.

“Do you work at the Red, White and Blue Club?” Inspector asked flatly.

“Yeah” Dunker pulled himself up in his chair.

“What time do you work there?” Jones looked down at his notes.

“It’s a split shift.” Dunker grinned. “I got there just before 11 in the morning and was there till after three.”

“And you never left the club?” Jones stared at his notes.

“Nope. Vera will vouch for that.” Dunker took a biscuit and dunked it in his tea.

“So, Vera Adkins was at the club on the 15^th?”  Jones looked up.

“Phillip.” Sir Andrew cut in and leant in to Phil and whispered in his ear. “I fear that my client may be confused over the dates.”

“Really?” Jones looked Sir Andrew straight in the eyes.

“Yeah!” Dunker shrugged. “She weren’t in that day, but Darrius and the girls will vouch for me.”

“So you never left the club until 3pm?”  Jones asked quietly. “You are absolutely sure of that?”

“Yeah” Dunker dipped another biscuit in his tea.

The biscuit was withdrawn from the tea and it bowed precariously before Phil thrust it in his mouth.

“For the purpose of the tape, I am now showing Phillip Duncan a series of CCTV images timed between 2:10 pm and 2:17 pm on the 15^th April” The inspector leaned into the tape machine as he spoke.

Jones slid a copy of the DVD containing the CCTV footage over to Sir Andrew before switching on the TV and pressing play on the player.

The four of them watched the DVD in silence.

When it finished, Dunker Phil swore under his breath.

Mysteries Not Ready to Reveal

Later today, I will be off to see my very talented daughter’s degree show. Anyone out there want to commission a talented young illustrator and graphic novelist before she becomes famous and ridiculously expensive?

Anyway, I digress. What everybody really wants is to set eyes upon part 33 of “A Couple of Tenors Short”, I will not delay you further.

I actually think that the title and the picture should easily lead you to the track I pillaged the title from for this episode. Still, I will give you the answer anyway.

OK, the quiz question out of the way, here is my mantra. This is a serial. Any new-joiners should start with the opener known as Part One.    

The troublesome recap has now settled into its new home. You can find the recap here!

Now read on...

“Dunker is being booked in.” Jones jerked his head towards the custody suite. “It’ll be a few minutes before you can see him. I still don’t understand why you are here, you’re a prosecuting barrister, and this would normally be handled defence solicitors. You must know hundreds of those?”

“Normally I wouldn’t dream of trampling on this turf, but...” Sir Andrew stopped mid-flow and bit his lip. “It is just that I felt a personal obligation in this instance.”

Jones shrugged.

“Besides, it will give me a chance to see you work from the other side of the desk.” Sir Andrew slapped Jones on the arm and grinned. “You did a wonderful job on the Maryfield’s case and how you handled those defence barristers under cross examination was masterful – especially given the... err... circumstances.”

Jones looked at Sir Andrew with his head on one side. “Circumstances?”

“Well, yes. Water under the bridge, eh?” Sir Andrew shifted slightly. “Anyway, here is your sergeant. That must mean he’s ready for me. I’ll give you a call when we are ready for you.”

With that, Sir Andrew made his way into the custody suite, acknowledging Sergeant Smith as he passed.

Smithy joined Jones in the corridor “What’s he doing here?”

“He’s Dunker’s brief.” Jones shrugged. “This is very odd.”

Smithy nodded and they headed up the corridor towards their office.

“Smithy, do you remember the Maryfield’s case?” Jones gently slipped the question in as they climbed the stairs.

Smithy stopped on the stairs and made a strange clicking noise with his tongue. “Vaguely, guv. But for some reason the details are vague. It was a big bank vault heist, my first case after making sergeant. Funny how soon you forget these things.”

“Yes... funny...” Jones chewed on his lip. “Do me a favour, will you pull the file on the Maryfield’s case? I want to find out what we’ve forgotten.”

Back in the office, Smithy went to the filing area. A miniature pig squealed at his approach and shot across the office to take refuge under Tom Watson’s desk. The arrival of the porcine caused a host of butterflies, recently escaped from the forgery squad, to take to the air.

As Smithy started to go through the files, Jones rang the hospital and enquired after Tom, his injured detective.

The news was good. Jones gave a sigh of relief as he was informed that Tom was due to be discharged that day.

Jones relayed the news by shouting it across the office where it was greeted by general chatter of approval. By way of further celebration, Jones despatched Johnson to the canteen to purchase sandwiches all round.

Settling at his desk, Jones flicked idly through the collection of folders in his in basket. Two were cases of industrial generators apparently just vanishing. One was of a suspected macramé den in the outhouse of a pickled onion factory. The report of an unprovoked attack on a man in a wheelchair had Jones swearing under his breath. The last pastel folder contained a complaint about feral Girl Guides performing unwarranted first aid on a Traffic Warden.

There were also three further beige folders, all marked ‘Low Priority’. As before, all related to petty criminals being reported missing.

A large salver of sandwiches, devoid of crusts, was thrust into his line of vision. Jones looked up to see a grinning Johnson.

“I got the chef’s deluxe selection, guv.” Johnson performed the impossible and grinned wider.

Shaking his head, Jones took a couple of sandwiches.

“It’s not there, guv.” Smithy appeared besides Johnson and grabbed a couple of sandwiches.

“What’s not there?” Jones asked.

“The Maryfield’s case file. It’s not in the cabinet.” Smithy mumbled through a mouth full of fish paste sandwiches.

Jones swore under his breath.