“Well” replied Jack “unless you have any logical explanation or some good ideas whether anything other than natural causes was behind the officer’s death I doubt you can help much.”
“I have nothing. I was hoping that you might be able to shine some light on the situation, I presume you will have already made some enquiries”.
“Yes we have” replied Jack “preliminary mind you”.
“And they have revealed”? Asked Johns
“Until today sir, not much, we endeavour to persevere”, added Jack.
“I see, right well this officer didn’t have much service, looking at his record just before you arrived I see he joined only three years ago”
“I recall it for it was January, we weren’t actually recruiting anyone due to the cuts but then it appears there was an exception made in the case of Rick and so he joined”.
“What would the exception be?” Asked Jack, the date of his joining the force had rung alarm bells.
“I have no idea, I myself, didn’t arrive here until some weeks after that so the subject never came up”.
“I see” said Jack, “I wondered if him being a mounted officer had anything to do with it, it being a little on the specialised side”.
“You may be right, just a moment I will ask Vera she is a wealth of information, Vera would you please step inside?”
Before he could replace the phone Vera was in the room and without prompting asked, “Can I help thee?”
“Ah, yes Vera we were just wondering if you had any idea as we were not recruiting at the time how Rick Masterton came to be admitted to the force?”
“Oh Rick, Oh yes it was because of the last Chief, he was a big riding man. We were short of jockeys for ponies and Rick was a rider at a stables in North Wales, near Wrexham and the Chief had a cottage near there.”
“I recall he had a weekend away and took some police bosses with him; the HMI at the time was one. The next minute we had a new horse and rider, that’s all I know”.
“I see thank you Vera”.
She left the room then the Chief smiled and said.
“There you have it, Jack, problem solved seems it was wheels within wheels, a boys week-end out and Manchester gets a new horse and rider.
“Are you going to the scene?”
“Yes sir, I had intended to”, replied Jack.
The Chief opened a draw and handed Jack a Leaflet, “here Jack take this. Where you are going is a beauty spot, a nature reserve but it wasn’t always like that.”
“You will be impressed with the scenery and wildlife. I recently took my son, his wife and our grandchildren there so picked up this leaflet. A fine example what Manchester can do?”
“Thank you so much for this. I will read this and await my visit there with interest; if it is that good I will come again and bring Anne”.
“You consider doing that Jack, you will see it is a very attractive place, loads of people taking photos and there are even some films on You tube, only of the birds and other wild life of course”.
“Chief, thank you for all your help. A good job done there, you have been very helpful. We must get on I would like to visit the widow next”.
“Yes of course Jack, keep me posted of any developments though it still appears a no goer crime wise”.
“Yes” replied Jack “it does appear that way at the moment”.
They stood shook hands and both investigators were soon in the foyer when a large police van pulled up.
“There is your escort, a sergeant and ten officers should suffice,” said Miss Harper-Johnson”
Jack looked at her causing her to reply, “Don’t worry they should be enough, unless you would be any happier with a dog handler coming as well”.
“Ah no, no” replied Jack wondering where the hell they may be heading, he was soon to find out if only a taste of life in the north.
They drove off following the police van and had not travelled far when they past large group of youths some armed with dogs on thick leads and harnesses. The youths were getting the dogs to bay at each other in a fighting stance.
Looking up at the rows of terraced houses he saw here and there were roof lights and incredibly, he thought he could see young men sitting on the roof outside the windows only one slip away from certain death.
The police van suddenly veered to the right and so did Doris in her car, a group of youths on the road side had thrown a pedal cycle into the road obviously at the police van, they jeered “Cita,. Cita”. As the convoy passed them. Jack assumed if translated into English they were chanting “City” the slang an indication they were supporters of Manchester City football club, which only goes to prove that Jack had made the best choice when he had taken up golf.
As they travelled along, Doris’s phone rang and being unable to answer it, she handed it to Jack who placed it into the car phone holder and pressed louder speaker, “Hello Jack Richards”
A voice answered, “The Sergeant here in front. Stick close, we are coming to the nasty area now”.
Jack thought and then said, “Christ after what we have seen so far what is the next bit like”.
He thought at any moment a helicopter would fly over head with a loud speaker blazing, “This area is now under the command of the 5th Armoured brigade”, and immediately he anticipated a convoy of armoured vehicles joining the convoy, the members of which would be armed with fixed bayonets.
As it turned out a message arrived, saying “Welcome to the arse hole of the empire”, there was a laugh, then.
“I was only joking we have gone through the Labour area. Here we are coming into Tory town”.
The area had changed and it appeared they had arrived in a reasonably attractive area. The convoy stopped and the sergeant arrived by the car.
“Here it is Inspector, the house is just here. Rachel Masterton is expecting you”.
“Thank you Sergeant”, replied Jack.
They alighted from the car and as they did so, the officers left the van some began to smoke and others simply leaned on the side of the van.”
Gone it seems was the nicely pressed police surge with a crease in the trousers and polished boots. Instead, the officers were dressed in some type of black overalls and boots, which if anything had ever been placed on the footwear it, was either black car oil, axle grease of at best waterproof dubbing.
The officers were armed to the teeth with batons, gas and stun guns. Looking inside the van Jack saw two firearms securely fastened to the side.
As they walked down the drive, the door of the house, which was named, The Haven, opened and a lady was standing pending their arrival.
She appeared like the other wives, to be in her early thirties, though with long auburn hair. She was wearing a hat and coat giving the impression she was about to leave home,
“Good day to you, Mrs Masterton?” Asked Jack
“Oh yes, I was expecting you but I do have to go out soon, an appointment for a job”.
“We won’t keep you long,” replied Jack.
They went inside, the house was clean, tidy and well furnished there were several photographs of Rick and his horse together with several of their wedding, sad thought Jack.
“Please do sit” said Rachel, “would you like a cup of tea or coffee?”
“Thank you Mrs Masterton but we have yet to travel the many miles down to Shropshire and you have a commitment of your own. May I first add that you have my deepest sympathy at the loss of Rick”.
“Thank you” she replied adding, “How can I help? I had assumed it was a natural cause case”?
“And you would be correct. It is just that there were several officers, though not connected with each other as far as we know, their deaths though natural are rather unusual due to the age of the officers. Nothing for you to worry about it is simply an enquiry to confirm what has already been established”.
”Very tactful” thought Doris.
“I might just ask one or two questions of you Mrs Masterton”, said Jack.