CHAPTER NINE
For the second time in as many days, Hodder sat with Grace in a window seat having a discussion that did not come easily to him.
As he looked over the grassed quadrant outside the hospital restaurant, he mused that the gardeners who tended the plants and shrubbery, were probably amongst the most watched horticulturists in the country, including TV legends like the great Alan Titchmarsh himself! Their trapped, mostly bedridden daily audiences, more than matching that of many a daytime television programme. And though not a gardener himself Hodder found their activities far more interesting than the dirt churned over during ‘The Jeremy Kyle Show’ and the other such low brow ‘fodder’ which played incessantly on the TV in the corner of the dining room.
He was attempting to explain to Grace that his colleagues suspected that Katy may have been the victim of a serious sexual assault whilst she had been at their home. He suggested that no one, meaning him specifically, should be blamed, or could have foreseen what had happened to her. He was obviously not doing a very good job, the sparrows outside the window apparently much more interesting to Grace.
The gardeners’ were busy cutting the grass outside, whilst inside, Hodder was clearly not doing a very good job of cutting the mustard with Grace.
Once again, he was troubled by half formed thoughts, and again they concerned his need for self-preservation. He instinctively wanted to distance himself from any potentially damaging situations and any blame associated with said, largely self-inflicted disasters.
Did he really not have a backbone?
Did he really have to ask himself this question yet again?
The thoughts may not have been fully formed. The answers, on the other hand, were mature, fully grown creatures capable of independent life and flight…he knew that he was a spineless coward…hiding behind circumstance.
This was bad enough, he could live with this…God knows he had done so for as long as he could remember. But breaking the news that their home was now being regarded as a crime scene, pushed Grace over some silent and invisible tipping point. Effectively, he told her that they were unable to return home until Ben Heath and the Crime Scene Manager were satisfied that every piece of available evidence had been photographed, lifted, catalogued, bagged and tagged.
Another, uninvited thought occurred to him…Not ‘Gee-Gee’, please God, anyone but ‘Gee-Gee’, sifting through his most personal possessions. What had he done to deserve this? Another, rarely aired, more rational side of his personality made a fleeting appearance and inwardly suggested that not only did he deserve to be ritually humiliated for his stupidity, but that perhaps, ‘Gee-Gee’ was the perfect person to do just that. Hodder immediately ignored this thought, and confined this imposter to the darkest recesses of his psyche.
Grace barely spoke and this confused Hodder, even more. After last night’s outburst he would much rather that she showed some emotion, anything, instead of appearing to just accept her short term fate. He was not in the least bit happy about this…something was brewing, and it concerned him that he did not know what it was.
Eventually, Grace, eyes still fixed outside the window, spoke in a calm and measured way…‘I understand that THEY have a job to do…I really do…for the sake of all concerned…especially the young girl, but….’ She trailed off and after a hostile silence during which she refused to expand or complete her sentence she asked Hodder to collect some clothes for Lauren and herself, ‘Enough for two or three days should do’. She then announced that Lauren and she would be going to stay with her mother who lived in nearby Jesmond, just outside Newcastle city centre.
Predictably, Hodder did not enjoy a good relationship with her mother. ‘Rose’.
Rose, was a woman of some repute, whom he regarded as being controlling and manipulative. Perhaps he did not like her because he saw much of his own character in her, and perhaps she reciprocated the feeling because she recognised exactly the same traits in him, if not herself. ‘It’s going to be difficult. I mean, your mother only has one spare bed. Where will Lauren sleep’?
‘Jim are you really that stupid…’she looked at him fully in the eyes for the first time since Clennell Hall, and on this occasion it was not sadness that he saw but a cold angry determination…’the question is Jim…where will you sleep’?
With that she got up from the table, leaving him for the second time in the past twenty four hours. ‘Bring the clothes here, to the hospital. It will be a while before Lauren is discharged. Do not follow or attempt to contact us at my mother’s’. She then walked out of the restaurant. This was happening all too frequently for his liking…what was it that she did not like about restaurants?
Hodder stood up and took a brief step towards Grace’s rapidly disappearing back. His hands were raised in open palmed surrender. He appeared to have momentarily lost the ability of speech, his mouth doing a very creditable impression of a drowning goldfish, lots of activity, but apparently silent.
Inwardly, he knew that it was too late, certainly on this occasion, if not permanently. He reasoned that he could hardly expect Grace to forgive and forget this particular crisis when the domestic at Clennel Hall was still so fresh in their minds, still so raw and so close to the surface.
Hodder felt trapped. No matter where he looked there were problems. He wanted to run away, but he knew that there was no hiding. He had to concede that his consuming obsession with all things criminal, and Dean Parks in particular, was taking a catastrophic toll on him and those closest to him. If only he could learn to leave well alone and switch off.
No chance. Not on occasions like this. He felt like the alcoholic reaching for the drink he vowed that he would never have. He felt like the anorexic heading for the bathroom. He felt like a total bastard.
It was in rare moments of candour like this, that he reflected how his senior colleagues, those with far more responsibility than he himself, could sleep for a full eight hours? How could they switch off long enough to enjoy a movie, a walk in the hills, let alone a holiday?
He instantly knew the answer and it shook him to the core. This was because those people were shrewd enough to be as far away from the sharp end as possible and to have people like him beneath them, who would worry and carry the can if it all went belly up, and when it did he knew that they knew that he would be standing alone. He also knew that they were shrewd enough to take the plaudits for the skill, dedication and hard work of countless others just like him. It was a form of ‘vicarious credit taking’ by default.
Just as he was starting to feel sorry for himself, a voice inside his head said ‘Exactly who are you kidding? You have your priorities all wrong…your arrogance, stupidity and professional greed caused all of this to happen…if you did not allow Parks to escape, none of this would have happened… you are going to have to confront those same failings to put this right’. For once, Hodder knew that Hodder was right. His head was down, and he knew that he was going to be at the epicentre of ridicule until some other poor sucker came into the ‘cross threads’ to replace him as the target of the universal ridicule that was certain to come his way.
Equally though, he knew that the events that had occurred at his home, would generate some sympathy for him, so, he would never be far away from knowing what was really going on with the investigation. That was vitally important to his plan…if he was going to salvage was left of his family.
Hodder had had enough of licking his wounds, and returning to his senses he decided that it would be better if he could find Baxter so that he could go home and collect the things that Grace and Lauren needed.
He made his way to the front entrance to the hospital, where standing at the main door, he saw an assembled crowd of pyjama clad smokers. What, he wondered, was the opinion of the staff towards these patients? Some still attached to intravenous drips or portable oxygen bottles were blocking the main door, whilst simultaneously blocking their arteries. They were not only a fire and health hazard, but were probably oblivious
to the fact that they were undoing the good work of the medical staff.
The image subconsciously drew a parallel with his own situation though it did not fully register at the time. Ho Hum…so long as he kept on paying his taxes they would survive…for a while longer anyway, and then they would be replaced by another batch of ‘wannabe dead people’.
Hodder rang Baxter who answered almost immediately. Baxter was back at the office having been briefed by Ben Heath as to the full extent of his baby sitting responsibilities regarding Hodder. Heath was nothing if not thorough. They agreed to meet outside Hodder’s home in thirty minutes and it was with a degree of trepidation that he drove to his home mindful that uniformed staff would be at the scene controlling entry and exit. They would be under strict instructions not to allow him in unless accompanied by Baxter or some other ‘Registered Childminder’ or to use police jargon ‘Appropriate Adult’.
Indeed, he suspected that Baxter may have contacted uniform ahead of his arrival, to ensure that he did not enter his home. Baxter arrived soon afterwards, obviously suspecting that Hodder would have made his way there early and would probably try to ‘busk’ his way in. Baxter was learning from his mentor…he was learning to learn to out-think him and he was not sure whether this was entirely a positive development.
On the plus side, he welcomed the idea that he was now planning and thinking ahead. On the negative side he felt a twinge of sadness, that like Hodder, he was beginning to lose faith and trust in humanity. Actually, that was a bit on the strong side. He reasoned that it was just Hodder that he did not trust at this point in time. He trusted or wanted to trust Hannah despite the less than auspicious start to their relationship.
Baxter found himself thinking about Hannah, and then his thoughts meandered to the parlous state of Hodder’s relationship with Grace, he pondered that if he was falling in love, then he had to look no further than Hodder to see what falling out of love was like. He wondered if it was all worth it. He concluded that it may not be, but he was determined to find out no matter what the long term consequences may be.
When he arrived, Baxter was surprised to see Hodder still sitting behind the wheel of his car outside his home, and in that moment, for all of Hodder’s faults, his heart went out to him. In truth, he found it hard to remain angry with Hodder for any length of time. Hodder cut a dejected figure, he looked utterly alone in the world. Or was it just that his hangover had chosen this moment to wreak revenge. Walking to his friend’s car, for he did think of him as a friend, Baxter was a little nervous.
The full surreal significance of the situation struck a chord with him…this actually felt like the archetypal ‘Teaching your granny how to suck eggs’ situation…Baxter knew that Hodder knew how to conduct himself at a crime scene, but none the less, as Baxter opened the car door, he felt impelled to crouch down and say ‘Let’s do this as quick as we can… I feel terrible too’… He broke the spell by adding ‘Please do not touch anything Jim’.
Hodder got out of the car and he stared deeply into Baxter’s eyes as he sighed loudly, his breath still heavy with stale alcohol as he muttered ‘Not you too Jeff. Give me a fucking break’. As their eyes locked Baxter saw a sad, battle weary man, there was a vacant, long lost, ‘not quite there’ expression on his face. It was as if Hodder was using some unspoken form of voicemail saying ‘I’m sorry, I’m not available right now…and I may never be again’.
‘Come on Jim, I’m not enjoying this either…let’s get this over and done with’. As they walked towards the front door Hodder touched Baxter on the lower arm and they both instinctively stopped. Hodder said ‘Look, can I get a change of clothes too. I can shower and change at the nick…just jacket, trousers, shirt tie etc’?
‘Yeah No problem…’ They walked in silence to the door and gave their names and ‘collar numbers’ to the scene guard who entered the details on the entry log, before donning paper ‘scene suits’ and shoe covers. This felt very strange to both men, they had done this on countless previous occasions, but never quite in circumstances like this. Baxter felt embarrassed and sorry for his colleague. Hodder felt bitterness and a barely controllable rage. To him this felt like the scene from E.T. where the scientists ‘invade’ the family home following the discovery of the creature. If anyone felt like an alien right now it was Hodder.
As a matter of courtesy, both men announced their arrival to the Crime Scene Manager who immediately apologised to Hodder for any inconvenience caused and promised to return his home to him as soon as he could. This well rehearsed mantra was extremely well delivered, and apparently sincere. Hodder could see how victims of crime would put with any amount of inconvenience if the explanation was delivered with such plausibility. He reminded himself that he should remember to use these tactics one day…if he ever got the chance to work again.
It transpired that the outside of the property, the upstairs rooms and the stairs had been examined and the SOCO team was about to address the downstairs where in the full light of day, he saw fragments of a broken bottle on the carpet surrounded by numbered photographic markers. He knew that samples of glass would already have been lifted by SOCO, but he was advised to walk in the designated zones only which were indicated by tape, direction arrows and ‘walk on boards’.
Good. Despite his reputation, injecting just the correct amount of manufactured humility, distress and humanity could serve Hodder well. And Boy, was he looking to exploit it! Speaking in a subdued voice Hodder said… ‘Jeff. Grace has asked me to collect some clothes for Lauren and herself…I think that for the purposes of fairness that you should come with me…In fact’…he said…’ We should video this…we don’t want to compromise ourselves do we’?
Hodder was officially a ‘victim’ of this crime too, and as such, he could play no active or overt part in the investigation. However, Hodder being Hodder he was determined to influence this investigation and its outcome every step of the way. This was one occasion, when as a victim, Hodder would not be required to prove his whereabouts…his highly public argument and ‘post event drinking’ had not escaped the attention of both staff and guests at Clennell Hall.
In short, as long as he was not seen doing it, he could contaminate the scene as much as he wished. However, apart from collecting clothing, which proved to be far more emotional than he had anticipated, he was done with the scene, and had been for quite some time now. He would never be beyond suspicion for perverting the course of justice should it ever be alleged. However, as a victim, he also knew that he would be way beyond suspicion of sharp practices because his forensic, DNA and fingerprints would be plastered all over the scene.
A fresh difficulty arose when the Crime Scene Manager asked when Grace and Lauren would be available to provide sets of ‘Elims’. ‘Elims’ or Elimination Fingerprints were taken by the police to exclude persons who were NOT suspects from active investigations. The police already had Hodder’s…he was ‘printed’ when he enrolled in the service, and again when Electronic Fingerprinting Recognition was introduced.
‘Leave it with me’ responded Hodder. I can organise that. ‘Can you do me a favour please…my wife and daughter want to be back here as soon as possible…could you try to finish today’?
Hodder knew that, that was not the case…he just needed somewhere to lay his head for the night. A Travelodge just did not feel right…the office or the cell block were far more favourable alternatives…and he may even get a better sleep! Furthermore, Hodder reasoned that the more he was seen around the office, the less likely that he was going to be considered as a suspect if and when Dean Parks paid the price for his indiscretions.
The Scene Manager, a seasoned SOCO said ‘Jim, I can’t even begin to understand how you and your family are feeling right now…the sense of violation must be intolerable…beyond words…however…we want to catch this twat…and like me, I am sure that you want to send out a message that this will not be tolerated’.
‘Have you got anything, any cl
ues of any sort’ asked Hodder.
‘Well, there is the usual fibre lifts, hairs etc oh, and some sweets and cigarettes…by the way does your daughter smoke’?
‘Not that I know of said Hodder…but you never really know with kids do you? I will find out when I see her’.
At that point Hodder was hit by a bombshell…’Fuck!...the media fallout’!…he was going to have to speak to Ben Heath and he was going to have to do it soon. He was now struck by a new sense of urgency.
A civilian SOCO, videoed Hodder as he collected clothes, toiletries and other personal items, whilst Baxter watched on. He was not packing for a holiday, and if he had of been he would have wished that he had packed a travel iron. Yeah…he would get a bollocking from Grace for the state of the clothing, but on the grand scale of things that did not even register.
As he left the house, the words of the Crime Scene Manager resonated with Hodder. He had been to countless crime scenes during his career ranging from murder, burglary, robbery to violence at all ends of the scale. The realisation hit him like a body blow…how could he have been so insensitive to the needs of victims for all of this time?
In all of the operations that he had been on, and there had been many over the years, it did not matter how experienced you were, you still got a tense, churning nervous sensation in your stomach…Hodder had put this down to adrenalin, pressure, the thought of going into the unknown…even excitement. Hodder was now sensing a different sensation in the very pit of his soul, and it dawned on him what it was. It was fear.
For the first time in his adult life Hodder was at a loss what to do…he felt utterly powerless, but he did know that he would resolve this problem one way or the other. He reasoned, that Parks had now made this intensely personal. There was however, one thing that he did not know…Parks obviously knew what he had done…Hodder did not know if Parks had known where he had done it.
His visit home had been like an out of body experience. Hodder did not know if he could ever fully return home again, whether he could relax comfortably in an armchair knowing what had happened upstairs. The ‘For Sale’ signs had already been mentally erected.
But, this was Hodder all over. He was considering his feelings before those of Grace and Lauren. Because he had seen so much violence and trauma in his life, it did not even occur to him that the effects of the incident would be far more profound and long lasting on Grace and Lauren.
Hodder was not entirely sure what the future held for Grace and himself, but it was abundantly clear that, quite correctly, her priorities lay with Lauren and that she blamed him for not being around when he was needed the most. He also knew that if Grace had of known the full facts behind their bogus holiday, he was certain that that would have put pay to their relationship then and there. Hodder resolved that he would attempt to keep the facts under wraps whilst at the same time dealing with Parks.
The risks associated with this strategy were numerous namely he would risk destroying his marriage and his relationship with Lauren. He would risk unleashing the wrath of the police, he would possible face prosecution and he would also have risk taking on Parks, a much younger, fitter man with ruthlessly violent tendencies.
Hodder knew that both Parks and he had much to lose. Parks would lose his liberty and spend much time in isolation branded as being a rapist. He on the other hand, would lose his wife, daughter, house, career, friends and what was left of his rapidly diminishing reputation. To Hodder there was no decision to be made…the circumstances had made the decision for him…he literally had no choice in the matter.
He knew that he could not work on the investigation but he also knew that he had to stay close to it….But how?
If Baxter was seconded onto the investigation he was sure to find out what was happening. He knew that he was asking a lot of Baxter…he also knew that he would have to stay operational because he would seek to manufacture the opportunity to ‘meet up’ with Parks, in the near future.
The full extent of Hodder’s cowardice only became apparent when he asked Baxter to drop him off at the police station…he was going to have to see Ben Heath. He knew that he was pushing his luck asking Baxter to deliver the clothing for Grace and Lauren, and to make arrangements for the ‘Elims’.
Baxter was no fool but he was in no mood to argue…this is just the sort of thing that any copper would have done for any victim, so, taking the line of least resistance Baxter agreed… ‘You never know’, He thought ‘My luck may change and I may even bump into Hannah’.
As Hannah passed through his mind, so did Sykes and Tamblin. Somehow they seemed to have been forgotten amidst the events of the last few hours. That was the thing with police work, you were often multi-tasking and as such nothing ever got your full attention…How many victims were denied justice because of this…it was like being a side show juggler…the show would go on and you could carry it off so long as you kept the plates spinning and did not drop too many.
As he approached Ben Heath’s office Hodder knew that this meeting could go one of several ways, none of them favourable to himself. As usual the door was open. It was Hodder’s experience that senior officers who kept their office doors open broadly fell into two categories.
The first category was by far the largest, and represented those paranoid insecure individuals who monitored all activity both visual and audible in the corridor, in the region of their office. It was a kind of ‘unofficial early warning system’ where they would be altered by the ‘jungle drums’ of overheard conversations and office tittle-tattle, the primary reason being one of ‘self-preservation’. In truth, it was no fault of these individuals, for they existed in, and helped to proliferate a ‘blame culture’. This group, were also notable for another aspect of their organisational culture…they would usually adopt a lowly paid civilian support/clerical worker as their secretary/PA…in effect these individuals were no more than another obstacle in the chain of contact ‘with the boss’. A ‘Buffer’ or ‘Early Warning System’ no less.
The second group, of which Ben Heath was a prominent advocate, were genuinely professional and talented individuals, who were not only comfortable with rank and responsibility, but more importantly, they had credibility amongst the lower ranks. These people would have excelled whatever their chosen profession. Their doors were genuinely open at all times, and to all comers. This simple act ensured that they got and kept the most talented staff possible, for it imbued mutual trust, loyalty and respect.
Most senior officers’ overtly denied the existence of either group, but in private all felt that they belonged to the second, because, when all was said and done, they knew that at the end of the day, it was all just a game of politics.
As Hodder approached the door, Heath looked up from some documents on his desk and over his half-moon glasses, and without as much as a ‘hello’ he picked up his phone and said ‘Coffee for two please’.
Pointing to a seat Heath said ‘How are Grace and Lauren’?
‘Upset, angry and bewildered. All of the things that you would expect, and probably in the days to come, a few things that you wouldn’t. You know what it’s like’.
‘How are you Jim’?
Coming from most senior officers’ a question like that would have had Hodder retreating into his shell and producing the ‘standard’ ‘ Oh, I’m bearing up Sir’…it was the police service’s equivalent of the Medical Profession’s ‘As well as can be expected under the circumstances’. But this was not ‘most Senior Officer’s’…this was Ben Heath…his friend and close colleague and confidante of many years standing, a man who had been through the mill many times with Hodder. Professionally, Heath knew him better than almost anyone.
Actually, he did know him better than anyone both professionally and privately…including, if the truth be known, Hodder himself, and that was probably one of the reasons Hodder worked for him.
The coffee arrived and the door was closed.
‘Okay, Jim…I know what
the initial reports say and what is on the force computer, but what really happened’?
There was little point in going over the reasons behind Grace and Hodder being away…Heath knew all of that, what he really wanted to know was what the ‘officers attending’ didn’t know.
Hodder was honest to the extent that he had no idea that Lauren was planning a party. He was honest to the extent that he had no idea who attended the party. The facts of the matter and initial crime enquiries at the scene would establish the identities of the party-goers and what had occurred there.
They moved onto the subject of Katy. Hodder had to concede that he did not know her personally, but understood that she was a college friend of Lauren’s and that she hailed from the Manchester area and that her parents were en route. That much Heath knew.
Ben Heath told Hodder that preliminary examination had suggested that Katy had recently had intercourse, but that blood tests had indicated high levels of toxicity, including, alarmingly, Royhypnol. Further physical examination would be completed once her parents arrived and together with their daughter gave informed consent for further intrusion into her body. Unpleasant as it would be, it was essential to establish the full facts.
Hodder dare not mention that he had been to the scene and worse still that he had tampered with it.
On days like these, Heath, a highly skilled and accomplished investigator, secretly yearned to trade the trappings of high rank for the cut and thrust of the daily battle. These days the battles that he had were with were Admin Service Managers, about budgetary restraints and Home Office statistics.
The only statistic that Ben Heath truly believed was that 82.5% of all statistics were made up.
After a moment or two of silent contemplation, Hodder said…’Ben…Grace is at her wits end because I had had too much to drink to drive her home when Lauren called for help. We had an argument at the hotel. She blames me, she blames the job, she blames herself…she has left me to stay with her mother, what am I going to do’?
‘What do you want to do’?
‘I want Grace and Lauren back and I want whoever did this fucked for fucking up my entire life’.
In those nineteen words Hodder had confided more in a Senior Officer than he had done in the last twenty two years, and he felt that he was letting both himself and his family down. Hodder could feel that his emotions were beginning to get the better of him and as he shuffled uneasily in his seat he fleetingly thought about how he had strived for years to induce just such a reaction in the countless ‘prigs’ that he had interviewed and investigated.
Good Detectives are very good salesmen and call these the ‘buy signs’, nonverbal indicators that resistance was beginning to subside and that the ‘subject’ was beginning to consider the advantages and benefits of the ‘deal’…Hodder knew that the longer that he was unable to control his emotions, the less likely he was going to come out of this smelling of roses.
Many times, over the years, had he convinced people that even if they did not confess, then saying something was better than saying nothing. Hodder knew that on many occasions, there was absolutely nothing to be gained by confessing, other than personal and financial ruin. It was a complete ‘no brainer’ but even he too, felt himself being ‘sucked in’. It was prevarication for the sake of prevarication.
Ben Heath sensed this too and said ‘Jim, You know that I am going to have to submit a report to both Welfare and Personnel about this matter…well, how about this? You tell me what you want me to write and I will sign it…any old shit as long as we do enough to keep the wolves off our backs and then we will sort out the real issues later’.
Hodder instinctively knew that this was the best and only offer that he would receive from Ben Heath…he also recognised that Heath was taking a brave and unusual step by putting his own reputation on the line. They both knew that the D.I. was being ‘whitewashed’ out of the process, which would make him (the D.I.) livid.
Both Hodder and Heath recognised that the D.I. was not powerful enough to take on Ben Heath and win. Indeed, if the D.I. took on Ben Heath, he would most certainly lose not only what little credibility he had, but possibly also the letter ‘D’ in front of his rank.
However, Hodder knew that the D.I. would do his utmost to exact revenge upon him for the D.C.I.’s loyalty to him and when Hodder mentioned this Ben Heath said ‘What do you want me to do? Wipe your fucking arse? He is no match for you as long as you stay one step ahead of him and I can help you do that’.
Heath sat well back in his chair, eyes to the ceiling, with the kind of rocking movement that would have earned him a rebuke in the classroom. Hodder knew that something was coming, but he thought it best not to break the silence, suspecting that if he did Heath, who was so obviously on his side, may do an about turn leaving him with little room for manoeuvre.
Finally, Heath returned to what passed for ‘first floor terra firma’ and said…’Okay, we have some options…we can temporarily transfer you to another station because we are doubtless going to draft some staff into the HOLMES suite, or you can work exclusively on the day to day enquiries that come into this office…what do you think’?
‘It’s pretty obvious to me that I have some pretty serious bridge building to do with Grace and Lauren, so the closer that I work to home and them, then the easier that may be…I am sure that you can sell this to the bosses as a welfare decision’.
‘You know what Hodder, just when you should be displaying all the victim signs you prove that you really are just a devious bastard’, said a smiling Heath, who already knew that Hodder would jump at his only chance to remain operational locally.
Hodder was stunned by extent of Heath’s loyalty to him and he was justifiably moved by it, and said ‘What’s the catch’?
‘Give me what you have got so far…don’t drop me in and don’t compromise or go anywhere near the investigation AND if you come across anything, and I mean anything you give it to me. You do not act on it. Do you understand?
‘Clear as a bell’.
‘There is one other condition Jim…’
‘Go on’, said Hodder leaning forward in his chair, even though he knew what was coming next.
‘If I find out that you are free lancing you are on your own’.
‘Okay. Understood. Thanks Ben’.
‘Jim, you would do the same for me…this conversation goes no further…Now that you are at a loose end, homeless and have been abandoned by your family, are you coming back to work or just going to sit there and lick your wounds’?
Both Heath and Hodder burst out laughing though they were not entirely sure why.
‘Okay’, said Heath…knowing you I think that you will have your suspicions.
‘Well, actually, I don’t have any suspicions. I know exactly who we are looking for. The only problem is I don’t know where to find him’.
‘Come on then…Pray do tell’.
‘It’s Dean Parks, you know, my escapee? It’s him’.
‘I’m all ears, but this sounds a little like damage limitation on your part. I won’t have you using police resources to settle your own vendetta just because some arsehole escaped from you and you are trying to save a bit of face. Come on Jim. I’m sticking my neck out for you here’.
Over the next forty minutes or so, Hodder acquainted Ben Heath with the more salient facts regarding the similarities of the previous rape for which Parks was still on his heels, and the incident at his home, namely his penchant for sweets that he said that he heard had been left at the scene.
Hodder had thought it was prudent to mention the ‘Old Sunderland Offence’ electing to plead ignorance if he was ever asked as to who may have been the officer in charge of that particular case. Hodder also added that he was waiting for a full copy file to be sent from the Archive at Sunderland.
Heath, forever the politician wanted to appear to be in control and he asked to see the file as soon as it arrived.
&
nbsp; One of the purposes of Hodder’s visit to see his friend was to explain the highly sensitive nature of the incident at his home as he saw it. ‘You know Ben, I do not know what the future holds for Grace and me, but I do know one thing…if even one knuckle trailer who has ever had an argument with, or an axe to grind with the police gets to hear that the offence occurred at the home of a serving officer then I think we may be in danger of declaring ‘open season’ not only on my home but on every Police Officer’s home’.
Hodder went on to remind Heath of a number of incidents a few years back when ‘Ram Raiding’ was at its height and when after making substantial inroads into the gangs involved, the homes and children of Police Officers involved in the investigations were targeted.
In one particularly high profile and unsettling case, professional thieves drove a stolen high powered car through the front window of a serving officers’ home narrowly missing his baby daughter who was happily playing on the floor of the living room. Thankfully, the child and other occupants of the dwelling were uninjured, but it takes little to imagine the sheer terror and distress caused by such a coordinated, planned and some may say cowardly attack.
That sadly, was the state of policing in modern Britain and it was a particularly difficult time. When officers’ were at work their minds were at home worrying about their loved ones, and when they were at home they were on tenterhooks worrying about every car or pedestrian that passed their front doors.
This put enormous strain on a number of marriages, and several failed. The only people who really benefitted from this were local Estate Agents who saw a sharp rise in the number of homes occupied by Police Officers’ going onto the market for a ‘Quick Sale’ which turned out to be Estate Agent speak for ‘Below Market Value’.
It was bad enough having your private car stolen from the police station car park, for it was not entirely unknown for criminals to watch the car parks at police stations where they would identify and steal an individual officer’s car. In a perverse way you had to admire their creativity, because they would often abandon the vehicle and set it on fire in a particular part of the command area, knowing that the first officer to attend would be the owner.
Cars were only metal and plastic but when they took the battle to your own door this was simply going a step too far.
Granted this was a few years ago, but on those occasions, senior officers’ and the press office were able to keep a lid on the situation and fortunately the new sport of ‘Polis Baiting’ never really got off the ground. However, this was in a much simpler age. This was in the pre internet, Facebook, Twitter, MSN, mass communication society of today.
Hodder also pointed out that most of the ‘guests’ at his home had been students or friends of students all of whom were probably technologically very savvy, and most definitely not suspects. This was going to be a very difficult case in terms of ‘news management’, and leaks from witnesses, and even Police Officers would be almost impossible to control. The incident, was surely going to be a hot topic of debate, and Hodder pointed out that as targeting students was a significant feature of Parks M.O., then the local universities would have to be informed because naturally both the police and the Uni’s had a duty of care to all students.
Heath suggested that he would speak to a contact within the press office with a view to bringing the local media on board in a deal where he would offer to exchange their ‘managed silence’ for ‘exclusives’.
Hodder continued ‘I am going to have to provide the investigation team with a stolen property list. Naturally, I do not know what if anything has been stolen because I have only had a cursory look around the house. Actually, it may be a few days before we know what if anything, had gone, because I really do not want Grace and Lauren going there whilst it is still an active crime scene, not to mention a mess’.
‘Okay’ said Ben Heath, ‘I’m going to attempt to clear this with the Detective Chief Super on welfare grounds, because believe it or not Jim…I need an insurance policy too. In the meantime, I’m going to speak to the D.I. and tell him that I want you and Baxter working on local jobs only. Oh, and before you get any ideas Baxter will report any indiscretions to me…comprende?’
‘Yes…Thank you Ben’.
As he left the office and headed downstairs, this felt like a partial victory for Hodder. Had he not been so blinkered he would have seen that any other senior colleague, other than Ben Heath would have got him as far away from his ‘home station’ as possible.
The incident at his home was obviously common knowledge in the nick because Hodder could barely walk ten paces without someone offering help and commiserations…’Don’t suppose you have a bed for the night’ was one of the many responses from Hodder.
Despite all the back biting and political infighting that formed so much of the backbone of the police service, when ‘one of their own’ was personally affected in such a way, the service did actually pull together in a way that to someone less cynical than Hodder would have appeared to be genuinely compassionate.
These were not the circumstances under which Hodder wanted to find out a) just how popular he was b) just how inquisitive his colleagues were and c) how devious the D.I. could be. As he was walking back towards the main CID office, he passed the D.I.’s office just as the senior man called out. ‘Jim. A minute please’.
As he entered, he saw that Baxter was already there sitting in a chair in front of the D.I.’s desk. Baxter had the look of a scolded schoolchild who had been caught running down the corridor or who had forgotten his sports kit.
‘Ah Jim, I’ve been talking to the D.C.I. about your delicate situation and I have to tell you that he took some convincing but, because of the man power that is going to be diverted towards the incident at your home, I have persuaded him, and I might say that this was against his better judgement, that you and DC Baxter should concentrate on local enquiries. Do you understand’? Hodder knew that the D.I. was lying. He had to be he was talking.
‘Yes, I do. Thank you’ said Hodder barely able to conceal his derision.
‘However, Jim, I know what sort of person you are and Mr Heath has agreed to do this only on the grounds that you do not interfere in the investigation AND that you report any suspicions or information that you get directly to me so that I can ensure that it gets fed into the incident room in the correct manner. Do I make myself clear’?
‘Absolutely Boss. You have my word’…and testing the water he continued, ‘I have absolutely no idea who may have been behind this thing, but be assured if I hear anything you will be the first to know.’
‘I know I will Jim, and that is why Jeff here will be working with you. Jeff is my eyes and ears on this so, you can cut out all of your scheming little plans safe in the knowledge that he has my blessing to grass you up should you transgress and if you do Sergeant I will fucking burn you alive…here endeth the lesson now fuck off’.
Walking back to the main office with Baxter Hodder said ‘You turncoat. It didn’t take you very long to nail your colours to the mast did it…who do you think I am Jack Bauer? You will certainly have your work cut out 24/7 if you want to play it that way’.
‘Come on Jim, you heard what he said…he is trying to save your bacon he has been to see the DC.I. on your behalf. Why don’t you just cut him a bit of slack and try not to see the worst in everyone’?
‘First things first Jeff, you may as well go back in his office and tell the D.I. that this is not going to work…I am not having you spying on me. I don’t expect you to look for any clues or give them to me if you find any but I sure as fuck will not have you spying on me. Are we clear on that’?
‘Do you know that I got my bollocks savaged just before you came into his office? Do you know that he thinks that you are a loose cannon and he wants me to grass you up. Do you know that he told me that this was all the D.C.I.’s plan to shaft you? Did you even stop for a second to think that
I am precisely where I do not want to be? You are making it out that you are the only casualty here. Oh no you’re not. Look at me. I cannot win, but typically it’s all about you…thank you very much for your understanding, support and loyalty’.
With that Baxter, turned on his heels and walked away. Hodder did not know if Baxter was off to see the D.I. but on reflection he could not blame him if he did. Hodder, went after him, momentarily losing his composure, as he followed in the wake of his junior colleague who had comprehensively called his bluff as he headed along the corridor and out of the building.
At that precise moment Hodder knew two things: He knew that he owed Baxter an apology and that there really was no situation that a Police Officer could not make worse?