Meanwhile Jack took a look around the office it brought back many memories.

It was definitely old, the floor and furniture matched for they were darkened with age, matured being a more appropriate word.

The old desk and chair, he could not resist thinking of the many old detectives who had sat on the chair and at the desk.

 Looking across the room, he saw an old Police gazette with a wanted man, Jack Black.

At least that Jack was wanted; seemingly, this current Jack was not wanted, by anyone certainly not here.

 He thought, “Should he continue?”

Then what came to his mind was the car number CHESH1, the white rolls cars, the obnoxious yuppie driver and the final response of the yokel farmer sending a shower of shit over Cheshire and the rolls car with it.

 This caused him to smile perhaps he might send a shower of shit over this lot, time would tell but he would do it, he had now made up his mind.

He walked across the room then hesitated.  He stopped, took off his hat and then threw it into the air.  It landed fair and square on the hat stand in the corner; I still have it a little he thought.

He heard a shuffle and on turning saw Constable Smudge standing at the door having witnessed the hat-throwing incident; he smiled, and said nothing just went down stairs.

Jack looked around the ancient office the drawers for the old index cards of streets, criminals and informants.

The whole room and the building from what he had seen was a match for him fading grandeur with a character of its own.

 He thought yes, many thousands of hours had been spent in here doing real police work.

 He consoled himself he had a reputation at least of doing real police work, until now at least.

As he looked around the office, he thought he might just add his own little mark, for the time being at least.

He sat at the desk, reached over and brought the old Remington type writer closer. He put in the white A4 paper and typed out a few lines to sum up many of those people with whom he had made his reputation of being a detective, honest, truthful but most of all steady, not forgetting being thorough with the most important requirement of all, attention to detail.

He put up the typed masterpiece onto the wall, it read

“A thief passes for a gentleman when stealing has made him rich”.

His thoughts were interrupted when Doris and Smith entered the room armed with the modern Remington typewriter, a computer.

“Put that on the end of the desk at the end, where you will be sitting and using it Inspector", he said with a smile.

They complied with his instruction, which when he realised what he had said caused him to realise that he may have appeared to speak to her in the same tone as the others, he regretted what he had said and would lose no time in putting matters a right.

“Ah, Inspector, perhaps I may have a few words with you. Thank you Constable Smith, you have been a great help”

 A clear indication that Richards wished to speak with Doris alone.

Smudge took the hint and was gone but on arrival, downstairs he could be heard calling, “Sergeant the comedy conference is on”.

Closing the door Richards sat at the desk and indicated with open hand for Doris to be seated on the other chair.

“Take a seat Inspector, time for a few words and ground rules I think”.

“Oh thank you” she replied and was seated.

“I thought I would tell you a little of myself, as we will it seems be working together”.

“That seems a very good idea” she replied.

“I served 35 years in the Metropolitan police, I started as a beat copper or wooden top and they used to be called in those days, I served in the East End of London.”

“I did a spell as a rural beat copper on the outskirts of the Metropolis there were actually some rural areas in those days.  It was ok, the bride enjoyed our time there but eventually I got back into the city having I might add, made no impact when I was a country bumpkin.”

“I had good luck, whilst on the beat on night duty in Islington I stopped a fellow and to cut a long story short he was wanted for murder. I didn’t know that then of course, I just wasn’t happy with his answers when I did a spot check and so nicked him, to be frank without much cause.”

 “The station detective inspector was impressed when the fellow’s involvement in the murder was revealed and so made me a CID aid for six months. Again, I had luck. I arrested several youngsters who eventually admitted a host of petty offences but they all counted so the station crime detection figures looked very impressive, it was a good example of all is not what it appears. I was made up to substantive DC and remained in CID for the rest of my time.”

“I have had the luck to investigate most types of crimes and deal with the worst and best in society; the worst always seemed to be doing better that the best.  My guiding rules throughout has been to be an honest copper having attention to detail, one has to have attention to detail especially when dealing with criminals.”

“No criminal visits and leaves the scene of any crime without leaving some clue, the task of the good detective is to recognise and retrieve that clue.”

 “There is another and just as important rule, you will slide a lot farther on bull shit than you will on gravel”.

My guiding rule is that I am employed to detect crime.  No matter what bullshit it takes to butter up suspects as long as they admit the offence that is what matters.”

“I have no sessions of curtains closed or pulled down all up front but soft soap them, even better, make them feel sorry for you, again as long as they cough the jobs, the end justifies the means.”

“Some cops have a problem with this, roughing up suspects and often said to me”.

 “How can you be so friendly with the bastards?”

“I often recall the words of a solicitor who when I asked him how he could defend such people said to me “In life you don’t have to like people to take money off them”.

“That is true and I have always recalled his words.”

“Well now it is my turn,” said Doris.

“I was born to a Chinese Dad and a White Mum, in fact she is Welsh.”

“My father is a very successful businessman; my mother was a medical doctor that it is how they met.”

“I have a brother he also took a different path he decided on a life away from the hustle and bustle, he is a Shaolin Priest”.

“I get a lot of stick about being mixed race or half cast as they refer to it here. My parents anticipated I would, so I was educated privately here and in China.”

“I worked hard and received good grades in my exams and eventually went to University in Manchester. I have no idea why but I studied law, I received an honours degree. I still for the life of me don’t recall why but I have the inclination to join the police, possibly to fight against racism”.

“On leaving Manchester University I went to the police college at Bramshill and as my parents were now living near Chester I applied for a post here as an Inspector.”

“My dad bought me a small house in Tarporley, as it is near to Chester and other cities such as Manchester, for shopping and the like”.

“I hear you live in the village Mr Richards, sorry about the petition and sorry I confess I signed it so did the HMI I saw his name on the list, I didn’t know you then, sorry.”

That is my story, here I am and you are lumbered with me.”

“So you have no practical police experience?” He asked

“Just making tea and odd jobs, they never let me do anything”.

Jack sat back in his chair, put his fingers to his mouth and thought for some time then said

 “Well I can’t tell you much about traffic law but regarding criminal law I know a little, as you are working with me I will lead you along and pass onto you that which was told to me and what knowledge I have gained from trial and error.”