Woodcock however knowing him realised his mind was in full gear and every word he had spoken was being absorbed and digested. Jack made no response even though Woodcock had stopped speaking.

“I have a feeling Jack there may be more to this than meets the eye, but what I have no idea”.

“My mission here today is to ask you to investigate the deaths, see if there is another answer”.

Jack now turned and replied “ But I am retired why me?”

“Why you? Because Jack you are the best there is”

“Unfortunately, I am now engrossed in writing a book”

“A book Jack, not one of them, a book, have you researched the chances of getting it published?”

Jack nodded but made no reply.

“Come on Jack, say you will investigate these cases, if you will agree think of the satisfaction you will get looking into these cases rather than sitting here for hours and at the end more than likely all your effort has been for or nothing”.

“Christian it doesn’t seem practical, I have no facilities, no authority to speak with anyone, check documents the whole range of problems, you know the giff”.

“If you will agree Jack, I will arrange for you to have an office at Chester nick, I will arrange for a senior experienced officer to assist you, that officer will have full powers. In addition all Chief Constables of the forces concerned will be made aware of your enquiry and that it had been authorised right from the top”.

Jack looked towards the window again further contemplating, but this time he did speak, but without looking back.

“What if there is anything amiss in the cases or if there is not, what do I do with the information I find, if any of course?”

“Ah yes Jack it is hoped you will be able to complete your enquiries by the occasion of the annual conference of Inspectors of Constabulary and Chief-Constables, in the evening you would present your results to the gathered audience of the elite of the police so to speak.”

He nodded slowly and said, “I see”.

“Come Jack say you will agree”, said Christian almost begging, he had no idea what he would tell his chief should Jack refuse, something he had so far not contemplated?

“Based in Chester Police station you say, well it’s not too far, and I have a senior officer, an experienced detective to do the bag carrying, who is in charge at Chester anyway?”

“Oh Jack a very great guy I can definitely vouch for him.”

  “Craig Denton-Smyth, one of the new breed of managers, so he doesn’t have much practical background but is a wonderful administrator”.

“I can fully vouch for him. He joined the police only four years ago as an adult manager.”

He came direct from University at Manchester with a top law degree. He went to Bramshill was so great there he was successful in the junior and intermediate command courses, back to back.”

 “He was appointed a Chief Super and directly came from Bramshill as my bag carrier in fact.”

 I found him a great help on my force inspections. I managed to pull a few strings and persuaded Chief Miles Ridwell to appoint him as the Chief Super here in Chester, Craig will be of every assistance to you, no doubt about that.  You will be greeted with open arms”.

Jack knew the type they were everywhere in the police these days, didn’t know their arse from their elbow but were ambitious and intent of setting the world on fire at the expense of anyone in their way.  He pondered then gave his answer.

“Christian I will just give it some thought, and speak with Anne, then get back to you, but no promises.”

Christian rose, he felt he had stated his case; the ball was now in Jacks` court.  He rose they shook hands and Woodcock then left.

When he had gone Jack went down stairs, upon his arrival Anne was dressed and waiting to go out. “Morning drink time” thought Jack, who said nothing simply put on his coat and hat but as he did so, he put up his thumb, striking the front of his hat so that the item adjusted backwards.

Anne said nothing but smiled, then would wait to see what he had to say.

They arrived at the coffee shop, and sat down, Mrs Delwright arrived took the order which he gave her; she turned and left, then stopped and returned. “You did say one tea and one coffee and a piece of carrot cake”.

“That’s` it” replied Jack removing his hat as he spoke.

Mrs Delwright turned once again and on arrival at the counter, spoke to Girda to make the drinks.

She herself reached over took a serving knife and plate and was about to place a piece of cake on the plate from the rear of the plate.

 She hesitated then looked up and saw Jack looking at her. She then changed her tact and took one of the two large pieces from the front of the carrot cake plate, then smiled which was returned by Jack.

“Cake and coffee this morning Jack” said Anne, “what is in the wind?”

“Well Timber Dick had a proposition for me”.

“I beg you pardon” she replied, “Jack whatever are you saying?”

The comment was not missed at the tables of the Yuppies causing heads to shake and spectacles to be removed and replaced,

“Sorry” replied Jack, “Old Woodcock in the old days when he was a footslogger they called him Timber Dick”.

She smiled as Mrs Delwright arrived with goodies, which she put down.

Clearing the two tables adjacent then whispering with the yuppies, she left shaking her head.

“Well Anne" he said, "Woodcock has asked me to look into some mysterious deaths of some police officers, he says it is authorised from the top.”

“I would be working at Chester with a top experienced detective.”

 “They want me to report at the annual conference as to the result of my investigations.”

“How wonderful Jack” said Anne tapping him on the shoulder,

 “I knew there was something when I saw the hat go on and you flip it back as you did in the old days Jack the Hat investigates once again”.

He looked at her, and said, “I beg your pardon what’s this Jack the hat?”

Then he smiled.

“You do it Jack go for it, you just jolly well do it”.

“I have started my book” he replied.

“Oh you can do that anytime, as you say no one will ever read it”.

He looked at her and she realised what she had said, before she fell through her seat or flew off, she spoke again.

“Go for it”.

“I will do it if you think I should, I will ring him later”.

The morning mission completed, they left and completed their morning constitutional walk.

“Hello, Miss Kelly, can I help”?

“Yes my name is Jack Richards could I please speak with HMI Woodcock, please”.

“Ah yes Mr Richards, Mr Woodcock said you might call, I will put you through”.

There was a pause, then

“Hello Jack, will you do it”?

“Yes Ok, but remember the conditions, I have an office local in Chester nick, an experienced officer to help”.

“Thanks Jack I will put everything into motion, from my Chief, to all the Chiefs at the Forces and with Miles at Cheshire. Can you start next Monday morning?”

“I will,” replied Jack.

 The call ended.

He sat back in his chair, looked at the open book on the screen, pressed save then closed the folder. He spoke to himself or to the friendly robin, which was now a visitor into his office for tit bits, he neither knew nor cared to which.

“That’s it, with the book for now at least”.

He pondered, in future when passing any library and on seeing all those books being read free, he would think of how the poor authors felt. All their work and effort being read and used for nothing.

“Would the readers do anything for the authors for nothing?”

He doubted it but that was not a problem for him for the time being at least.

He sat back, rocked in the office chair, he thought as his eyes closed, it does seems a strange set of cases, till Monday 9am however, he would kiss the pack good bye.