“Mr Richards what do you make of this case, this business of a whodunit thing?” She asked

“What do I think about it?” he replied.

“I think five policemen have been found dead and one cop with years of experience would like it looked into and asked me and now you to do it.”

“I think I will do just that, look into the cases and see what falls out of the bottom when I give it a shake after we complete our enquiries, other than that I think nothing”.

She made no reply but gave a nod.

He then said, “Now from this moment the paramount things of importance are these.”

“Keep an open mind, read, observe, listen and learn, we shall keep our eyes and ears open and our mouths shut.”

“Nothing but nothing goes from us to anyone and I mean anyone is that clear?”

“Yes but what do I say if asked”

“It seems to me they think you are a dummy, in that case play them at their own game just let them think what they want to think, you are a dummy and don’t know a thing.”

“It may well be there is nothing in the cases if so we will both be dummies and nothing is lost.”

“Now Inspector time for work, I could with a drink”.

Before he could speak to say he would make it there was a rattling of a bucket and a voice then it all arrived, in the guise of May Day, she was crying.

“Whatever is the matter May?” asked Doris.

“The Chief Super has made me redundant; he is getting contract cleaners in.”

“That damn man, I need the money being a widow.”

“Well never mind come with me May, I was just going to make us a brew", and she put her arm around the distraught cleaner and left.

They were leaving when Jack called “Inspector just a moment?”

“Yes Mr Richards”.

“I just thought to say, nothing special when making the brew just as it comes from the tap”.

“She smiled and said, “Why of course you haven’t qualified for my specials as yet”.

“I hope I never do” he replied smiling.

The phone rang, “who the hell is that?”

“No-one knows I am here?”

 “Hello, Jack Richards speaking, now can I help?”

“Hello Jack, Woodcock here just thought I would give you a call to make sure all is well”.

“Yes all is well and, oh don’t worry, I am here I didn’t change my mind. You won’t get egg on your face”

“Did you get the office and the experienced officer they promised?”

“Ideal,” he replied, “The office, well what shall I say, it takes me back many years, it is an old CID office still fitted out with all the old furniture.”

“I must say Christian it is just what I needed to take me back to the good old days. Certainly puts me in the right frame of mind”.

“I must ask you Jack; does it have a hat stand?”

“It does boss and like the politicians I can announce today I rung the bell, the hat landed onto the stand the very first time I arrived”.

“What about your help, did Denton-Smyth come up with an ideal officer?”

“He certainly did, I owe him a vote of thanks, he allocated me a very highly qualified lady officer she has even got an honours degree in law”

“She hasn’t any experience with this particular type of investigation but I have”

“She the makings of a bloody good detective”.

“Well Jack as you are all set up I will leave you to it”

“Ah, just a couple of things, better not say anything to Denton-Smyth, leave it to me.”

“I have told him and I will tell the others the same, I will update them all they need to know.”

I wouldn’t like to spoil your little party at the end”, said Jack, adding “especially if as very likely I suspect it will get nowhere and you will have to fall back on the additional drinking time”

“Mums the word Jack so in view of this even I won’t come back pestering you again but you know, I am here if you need official backing or have any problems”.

“Thank you Christian, there is one thing”.

“There is a cleaner, she works a few hours but has been made redundant by the force.”

“It seems they are having contract cleaners. Would our budget stretch as far as offering her a few hours to clean and help around here?”

“If not and you have no objection I will pay her myself, I did think of asking her to do a few hours for us, seems in Tarporley everyone has a cleaner”.

“I see no problem with that, stick her on the pay roll as an assistant rather than a cleaner, that’s it Jack I am off, bye”, he was gone.

Jack made no mention of the petition against his glass house but was surprised to hear his old friend Woodcock had also signed, just goes to show.”

He thought of a story

“At the time of the Falklands war when British Sovereign territory was invaded, the Americans announced they would remain even handed.”

“An American TV newsreader at the end of the bulletin announcing this when he closed his papers looked into the camera and said.

 “Who is the closest friend of America, stood by us when all others criticise us, who always sends their young men to support ours in times of need and despair, not the Argentineans, but the British.”

“Perhaps eventually the British people will have cause to reflect when their time of need came, who amongst their friends was only even handed”.

Maybe he thought one day Woodcock might have cause to reflect.

 Doris and May arrived back, drinks in hand, he leaned over took his drink and said.

“I am sorry May you lost your post next door, if you fancy it, the Inspector and I could use a little help around here, a bit of cleaning, answering the phone to take messages, making sure no tourists snoop around thinking we are part of the museum and of course keeping the pot on”.

“That would be wonderful”. She said

“Right well I am going for a look around the rest of this building. May you take your instructions from Inspector Scott-Ling, she will I am sure update you on the rules and do`s and don’ts of this little world inside here”.

He stood replaced his cup and saucer and left the room.

Arriving down stairs it was busy, tourists and school children visiting the old cells and the dummies dressed up as Victorian prisoners.

 Some were boisterous and on passing the birching room and stool, he looked stopped and thought, a session in here would give you miscreants a taste of old justice when the rule spare the rod and spoil the child was in operation.

He was joined by Doris who informed him they had a woman prisoner next door at the police station and she was required there to search the lady and sit in on the interview.

“Ok”, he said, “I will spend the day just contemplating how to tackle these cases, I will give you a call as and when things will kick off”.

As he toured around, he met Sergeant Reg Large. He was on this occasion, dressed in an old type uniform and armed with a Sergeants walking stick.

Such a stick had not seen by Jack since he had attended the Grand National at Aintree years ago when all the Scouser sergeants carried them on the course.

 More as a traditional dress than for practical use, the days of the Sergeant tapping his stick on the pavement edge to signal constables he was about had long gone, even before his time.

“Hello again Mr Richards. Just having a look around are you?”

“Ah, yes, it is very interesting; the children seem to enjoy it in particular putting on the old helmets and tunics.”

“Yes,” replied Large “Very good police public relations, this museum is”.

“Yes indeed” replied Jack, then added, “Since the cops on outside patrol don’t seem to stop and speak with the public these days I would agree it is a good police public relations exercise”.

Large hesitated, realising what Jack had said was the truth but a little taken back by its saying.

 Large hesitated and said “Oh I am interested in this enquiry in to these deaths, some think it is a waste of time and money, a senior officer’s bloody fad for a good night out. Still money is money better to get paid for that than having to do real police work”.