DISCLAIMER:
This is a story. None of the characters in the story exist and the events that take place are purely imaginary.
Thanks to all of you who have emailed me with comments and told me how much you enjoyed the first 'John' story. This is the second one and there are more in the pipeline, although there may be a delay as I'm on vacation for the next few weeks.
WARNING:
Do not read this story if you are in any way offended by acts of a homosexual nature.
Do not read this if you are under the legal age for accessing adult sites.
Always indulge in safe sex. MARTIN ROBERTS INVESTIGATES - PARTY GAMES Chapter 2
Nick Trafford had been elected to Parliament in the Labour landslide of 1997. The young MP had made his name before he entered Parliament having been, first of all, a member of a radical black student body that had campaigned for better access for black students. He had gone on after graduating from University to play the leading role in another radical organisation, this time concerned with radical gay rights' campaign. It was as the Director of this campaign that Nick had first met Martin Roberts' partner, Tom, who had acted for the organisation on a number of occasion in major court cases. It was hardly surprising that he attracted considerable press interest and most particularly among the tabloids, given that the young man was both black and gay.
Despite a major campaign of vilification, Nick Trafford had been chosen for the Parliamentary seat that he now represented in the House of Commons. He had gained the seat with a reasonable majority and had proved to be an effective constituency MP and, as Martin had learned a few weeks earlier, he was also well thought of in government circles and was about to enter the promotion ladder and join the government quite soon. Nick was in the Chamber and the ambitious, young MP was coming to the end of a short, but effective, speech in favour of the Government's Police and Justice Bill that was being considered on the first day of a two-day second reading debate. Speaking confidently and with only a few notes, Nick Trafford's contribution was reaching a conclusion,
"Mr Speaker, I will draw to an end by summarising the points that make me believe that this proposed legislation will not have the dire effects that its opponents both inside and outside this Chamber claim it will do. I would also point out that the opponents have misrepresented this legislation as 'the Police Bill' when in fact it is also dealing with criminal justice. Furthermore, there has been a concentration on just a few clauses within the proposals rather than looking at the whole picture. In regards to the controversial clauses, however, I support them wholeheartedly. In doing so, I would emphasise that we have sadly witnessed over the years several miscarriages of justice that can be, in part and sometimes in whole, attributed to the failure of the investigating officers to look into every aspect of the case. It has been far too easy to arrest a suspect and make the evidence fit around making a case against them. These cases are rare but anything we can do to prevent them should e attempted.
"I do not claim that this Bill will end all miscarriages of justice but what it does do is provide an avenue for elements of a case to be investigated independently of the police force involved where it can be shown to a Court that such an approach is justifiable. Herein lies the biggest safeguard. This is not a licence to go on wild fishing expeditions in the hope of finding an alibi however implausible it might be. Defence Counsel will have to persuade a Court that there is a material, I repeat a material, matter that has not been satisfactorily investigated by the police involved in the case. Only then, Mr Speaker, can the procedures outlined in this Bill be brought into play. Finally, may I say that this is a two edged sword that will only, in my view be used sparingly, because all evidence produced by these investigations will be available to both sides. It is conceivable that in asking for an investigation under the terms of these proposals a defendant or his legal team might just as easily unwittingly provide the Crown with evidence of their client's guilt. So, sir, I support these measures which I believe will enhance the already high reputation that this country enjoys in the administration of criminal justice. I ask all members of the House to support this legislation."
Nick sat down and could hear colleagues behind and around him muttering their agreement with the sentiments he had expressed. The young MP glanced at the time on his watch, smiled at a couple of his colleagues and then made his way out of the Chamber. There would be no vote that evening as the Government had scheduled a two-day debate on this piece of legislation, so Nick was free to go home and then onto his speaking engagement followed by his television encounter with Commander Martin Roberts. As he walked through the into House of Commons lobby and towards the Central Lobby where members of the public could come to see MPs, he was caught up by Home Secretary James Broadbent who beamed at him and said,
"Well spoken, Nick. It's speeches like that that will get you noticed and put you on the ladder of promotion. By the by, what are you doing for dinner this evening, would you care to join me once the debate has finished?"
Looking suitably flattered, the rising young politician shook his head and replied
"Thank you for your encouragement and for your invitation, but I really am sorry, Home Secretary, I can't tonight. I agreed to speak to a Labour Party meeting in North London. I've postponed twice already so I feel obliged to not let them down this time."
"Of course, absolutely right. There will be plenty of other occasions for us to dine together but keeping the party faithful happy is always important. Good luck, not that I think you'll need it and good luck in the debate with Martin Roberts. I know him and his partner quite well, he's a very good copper and, incidentally, a constituent and a voting supporter. Must dash, see you soon."
With a cheery wave, James Broadbent disappeared back into the Chamber and Nick walked down the short corridor that brings members into the Central Lobby, as he walked by the doorman smiled and said,
"Good night, Mr Trafford, sir. Have a good evening!"
Nick acknowledged the greeting with a wave of his arm and, as he did so, wondered not for the first time how these people could remember everyone so precisely by name. The young MP realised that his case was easy but he was still learning the names and constituencies of most of his fellow members. On the other hand, despite a large new intake at the General Election these men and women knew every one in Parliament. Walking out into the cool evening air, Nick crossed over the road and walked up Whitehall to where his office was located. Like many MPs he was looking forward to the completion of the new building that would mean moving out of the crowded room he shared with another Labour member. When he got to the office it was dark and deserted and so Nick picked up his briefcase and carefully selected the papers that he needed for the meeting he was going to in North London. He also took some briefing notes to read in preparation for the subsequent debate on television. He had gained some personal momentum from the speech in the House and he did not want to lose the edge he had gained by putting in a poor performance on the small screen. The MP checked that he had got everything he needed one last time and, then made a brief telephone call, before he left to catch the Underground to his destination.
Just up the road at Scotland Yard, Martin Roberts' had completed his second full week as Head of the Metropolitan Police's Press and Public Relations unit. However, for much of the day, the Commander had sat in the Press Gallery of the House of Commons listening to the debate on the Police Bill. To Martin's mind, some of the speeches were very good but others had been very poor and even at times factually inaccurate. Although he did not agree with the approach taken by Nick Trafford, the MP's command of an argument, his lack of wild assertion and the general manner of his delivery had impressed the Commander. Mr Nick Trafford was certainly an effective performer and Martin could recognise that the young politician had a great future ahead of him.
Shortly after Nick Trafford had concluded his speech the Commander had been called away to return to Scotland Yard so that a press statement could be issued on the Met's reaction to the first day of the debate on the Police Bill. The office had been divided with one view being held that the any statement issued should be factual rather than argumentative and should attempt merely to correct any errors of fact that might have arisen during the debate. However, others officers in the unit had argued that the statement should continue the campaign against the Bill in the hope that it would bolster support for the Police arguments when it went for consideration in the House of Lords. A final decision on the precise wording of the statement was now imminent and Martin had to make arbitrate between the two camps. Both sides had prepared drafts and, on his return to his office, the Commander read them carefully before he managed to produce a compromise text that satisfied both parties without really pleasing either.
Later that night, Martin had been asked to appear in a television news programme to debate the issues of the Bill with one of its leading supporters, Nick Trafford. After the rest of the day staff had gone and only the skeleton night duty officers were present, the Commander had gone to have a word with Mark Jamieson to catch up on any developments in the Special and Sensitive Cases squad's cases. Martin was pleased to learn that the cases that were on the go were progressing satisfactorily and that there was nothing urgent for him to worry about. After this piece of good news, the Commander called home to tell Tom and the boys that he would be working late and would probably not be back until after the television debate. Both boys and Tom sounded disappointed but acknowledged that Martin's job was important and this part of it could not be shirked. After he had talked to Harry and Simon for a short while, Martin went the canteen and grabbed a sandwich and returned to his office. Once there, the Commander prepared the arguments he wanted to pout over in the television debate carefully and tried to anticipate the questions that the interviewer and his opponent might raise during the discussion. The argument Martin had had with James Broadbent at dinner some weeks earlier provided a basis for what he would say and the Commander was certain he would give a good account of himself. Nevertheless, Martin was aware from what he had observed earlier that day that the MP was no easy opponent and was a skilful and clever politician. During this time, Martin was informed that Nick Trafford had a meeting in North London that night and would not be present in the BBC studio but instead would be televised from a private room near the meeting hall.
In a pleasant flat just opposite Hampstead Heath, Mrs Muriel Powell's dog, Monty, brought his lead to the elderly lady. It was a few minutes before nine and this was the time that the dog and its mistress went for their late night constitutional, a quick ten-minute stroll round the block. Monty had been a gift from Muriel's late husband. Despite warnings from her children about the dangers of walking on the Heath in the late evening, the elderly lady had made the nightly walk into a routine. Wrapping up against the chill of the evening and, now that the clocks had gone back, thinking that only a few weeks previously it had been warm and bright when she had undertaken the walk, Muriel and the dog walked across the road. Once on the Heath the elderly lady released Monty who immediately ran off but then checked and ran in a slightly different direction before he stopped a few yards off the path and began to bark furiously. Aware of the kind of things that went on behind the bushes Muriel hesitated for a moment but she had never before known the dog to behave in this manner and so she shone he powerful torch in the direction of the barking dog. Mrs Powell could see immediately that someone was lying motionless on the ground and she walked as quickly as possible to the spot. She secured the dog on the leash and then moved closer to the figure lying on the ground. One look at the prone figure illuminated in her powerful spotlight told Muriel that the man was dead. The elderly lady reached into her coat pocket and immediately dialled '999' and asked for Police and, as an afterthought, an ambulance. Mrs Powell was pleasantly surprised when she heard the siren from the patrol car and walked back to the path to await its arrival.
Back at Scotland Yard, Martin Roberts looked at the clock and noted that it was just before twenty past nine. The Commander decided that he had just enough time to go over his material once more before leaving for the TV studio. Martin had just finished this last run through and had put on his coat and was walking out of the door of his office when the phone rang. The Commander had been half-tempted to let it ring but, fortunately, changed his mind and answered it. With a slight sound of irritation in his voice he said
"Martin Roberts."
"Sir, this is Mike Rickwood. I'm on my way to Hampstead Heath, I think that you ought to know that a local policeman has just found a body. The local police are convinced that it is the MP Nick Trafford. I thought I ought to tell you because you were supposed to be in a TV debate with him tonight. Secondly, it is obvious that the press will get the news pretty quickly so your press unit had better be warned what to expect. Finally and perhaps most importantly, this is the sort of case that I know Mark and I would want you to lead on. Obviously, I expect you'll want to clear it with the powers that be I've left a message for Mark to call me back as soon as possible but at the moment he's not at home. Either way, I hope to see you and him very soon and I'll try to keep the lid on things until the two of you arrive. I'll radio in the precise location of the body and where I will be as soon as I get there"
"Thanks, Mike. Yes, I'll get onto it straight away. As you say, I'll have to talk to the Commissioner but I don't think he will resist and I'll also brief the press unit and call in Ron Alder. After that I'll hope to be with you as soon as I can. Radio me the location in the car if, as I hope, I've left before you arrive at the scene. If I'm still here, leave a message in the Squad office and I'll pick it up from there."
Martin put the phone down and then immediately called the Commissioner who in turn had only just spoken to James Broadbent, the Home Secretary, and permission for Martin to take command of the investigation was immediately forthcoming. As soon as he finished speaking to the Commissioner, Mark Jamieson was on the line and the two senior officers agreed that they would rendezvous as soon as possible at the crime scene. Martin also called in deputy, Superintendent Ron Alder, and a number of other key senior officers from the unit and briefed them on the situation. It was clear that when the news broke the media would become very excited but the Commander expressed the hope that officers at the scene could prevent the early release of the name of the victim. Martin also spoke to the BBC and explained that he would have to drop out of the broadcast that evening as a crisis had arisen at work that he needed his urgent. This, the Commander hoped would place the blame for cancellation on him and possibly prevent the outside broadcast team from going on a wasted journey. If the camera crew was already there, news that the MP had failed to turn up for the meeting he was due to speak at would quickly get out. After that, Martin knew that it would not be long before some journalists made a possible connection between Nick Trafford's absence and finding of a body on Hampstead Heath.
Once he was satisfied that the Press unit was fully operational, Martin also made sure that some senior officers from the Special and sensitive Cases squad were called back to work and fully briefed. Making the essential organisational arrangements all took longer than the Commander had hoped and, by the time, Martin did eventually leave Scotland Yard, Mike Rickwod was already there and Mark Jamieson would be not far behind him. Knowing this reduced the pressure to get to the crime scene quickly, as Martin was certain that his two most trusted senior officers would ensure that everything was done properly and the press and public kept at bay.
This was indeed the case because when Martin did eventually arrive at the scene he had to drive through a knot of people. At the cordon, the Commander showed his warrant card and was allowed to pass through the barrier of police holding back onlookers and the press. Martin could immediately tell that Mike and Mark had both secured the scene and were busily deploying police in the tasks necessary to preserve the crime scene. When he drove past them, a few members of the press corps recognised Martin and this caused several of them to speculate about the particular crime that was so important that he should be there. Martin had ignored the shouted questions as he arrived but it was clear that a statement of some sort would be necessary later. However this would, of necessity, have to wait until after the two senior officers had briefed him.
Getting out of the car, the Commander walked over to where he could see a tented of area and looked inside. Mark Jamieson and Mike Rickwood were talking to the forensic team but broke off when they saw Martin coming towards them.
"Welcome back, sir!" Mark said with a smile and then added, "I think you are our number one suspect on this one given who it is and your desire to get back to investigative work!"
Martin laughed slightly and then walked over towards where a body was clearly visible. The Commander took a quick look at the crushed skull but was unable to make out the facial features clearly and also noted that the body was fully clothed before he turned and walked away. After a moment Martin asked Mark,
"You are sure that it is definitely is Nick Trafford?"
Mike responded quietly,
"Not much doubt about it, sir, although officially we will wait until he's been formally identified. We found his House of Commons pass on him and his wallet was also in his pocket. So I must conclude that the motive doesn't appear to be robbery."
Martin nodded his agreement and then said,
"Yes, that begs the question of what other motive there might be. Do you think he was waiting to meet someone? It's not exactly on the way to where he had his speaking engagement tonight, if the BBC information as to where he was going to take part in the debate from was correct. I know that he was gay but a man in his position hardly seemed the type to go cruising on Hampstead Heath. He almost certainly had more discrete methods of getting partners, assuming he did not already have one. I guess we will have will have to look into that. Of course, he could have been meeting someone here for some other purpose entirely, although at the moment I can't think why he should. In the meanwhile, what else can you tell me?"
Mark replied this time,
"As you, say sir, it's not exactly on the way to his meeting so I agree with you I think Nick Trafford probably came here to meet someone or maybe he was just unlucky and met someone by accident. It does happen but not that often. As to the murder, it looks as though the victim was struck by something very heavy, an iron bar or a large wooden branch and then dragged a short distance off the path and into these bushes. An elderly lady, Mrs Powell, who was out walking her dog, found the body. The dog dragged her to the spot and she immediately used her mobile phone to call assistance. As luck would have it there was a patrol car in the vicinity. They called an ambulance but it was pretty obvious that the man was dead but the body was still warm and he had been killed only a short time before the discovery of the body. The local patrol officers took time to look after the rather shocked lady and her dog, secured the scene and then called for more support. Once the local police realised who the victim appeared to be they had enough sense to know that they needed to call our unit at Scotland Yard and the rest you know, sir."
Martin acknowledged his friend's clear report and said,
"Thanks, Mark, succinct as always. As soon as the forensic team have finished with it, we'll get the body transferred to the mortuary for the post mortem. However before that there are a number of things I want to do, First, I think I'd like to go over and talk to the lady who found the body. I do hope that she's OK and been taken back to be in the warm at home. After that, I'll talk to the press but, at this stage, I'm not going to name Trafford unless I have to. For the moment we should be as discreet as possible and for as long as possible. This is a well-known Member of Parliament, who is not only black but also left wing and gay! The press will have a field day when they find out. While I'm doing on that and preparing the press statement I'd like you two to get on with a few things. Decide between you which of you does what, but one of you needs to stay here to have a good look round and organise a search of the area to see if you can find the murder weapon or any other clues. Get some lighting rigged so that you can have a first sweep tonight. It's also possible that there are some other witnesses about, after all this is not far from one of the most famous cruising areas in London and other people use the Heath for walking and exercise. I'd like the other of you to see if Nick Trafford's office had any idea what he night be doing up here. I know he had a meeting elsewhere in this area tonight because he and I were due to debate the Police Bill on television and he was coming live from outside his meeting. Find out whether his office had arranged for him to meet someone briefly round here before he went on to where the meeting was being held."
The two senior officers nodded and the Commander walked off leaving them to decide between them how they would divide the work. Going back to the cordon, Martin asked a young policewoman, Mary Green, to come with him to visit Mrs Powell, the elderly lady who had found the victim's body and her dog, Monty. It was not far to walk and after knocking on the door, the Commander and the WPC were ushered into a cosy, well-maintained flat. The living room was furnished with deep armchairs and there were family photographs displayed prominently around the room. The elderly lady was settled in her favourite chair, drinking a cup of tea and talking quietly to a local WPC with Monty lying quietly beside her chair. Martin accepted the offer of a cup of tea and chatted briefly to the witness but did not learn much more from the visit than he already knew. Nevertheless, as he got up to leave, the Commander noted how much Mrs Powell seemed to appreciate a visit from such a senior officer. To his obvious expression of concern, although clearly upset and shocked by what she had discovered, the old lady reassured all present that she was going to be alright and that there was absolutely no need to fuss.
Leaving the warmth of the flat and coming out into the night, Martin noted that the autumn chill had begun to pervade the air. Pulling his coat more tightly around him, the Commander walked the short distance from the flat back to the murder scene. In his absence, the body had been removed and arc lights had been installed to help those officers engaged in a fingertip search of the area. Mike Rickwood had remained behind to supervise this, while Mark Jamieson had gone to locate Nick Trafford's political assistant and also to discover whether there was a partner or family members that needed to be contacted. After a brief discussion, Martin decided that he would now have to face the press. The Commander thought for a few moments, composing in his head the words he wanted to say and then slowly walked over to the cordon where the journalists were waiting. Martin waited for a few moments as television lights and cameras were brought into position and journalists crowded around before he began to make a brief statement,
"I have a very brief statement for you. At about 9.30pm this evening, the body of a man was discovered by a passer-by. At the time that he was found he had been dead for probably less than half an hour. All the evidence points us to the belief that the man who was smartly dressed and fully clothed was murdered at or near the place where he was found. There is no evidence of robbery or any other apparent motive for the killing. I am not able to name the victim at this time as the body has not yet been formally identified and his family have not yet been informed. As soon as we are in a position to confirm the identity, we will issue a further statement. At this time, I would ask two things. First, I want to express the hope that the media should respect the privacy of the victim's family and friends at this terrible time. Second, I want to appeal to anyone that was out and about on Hampstead Heath this evening to please make contact, in confidence, either with their local Police Station or, if they prefer, directly to the investigation team at Scotland Yard. That is all I have to say at this time, thank you very much."
Several reporters shouted questions but Martin turned and walked back towards the crime scene and talked to Mike Rickwood and other members of the search team, giving them encouragement in their efforts. A few moments later, he was being driven back to Scotland Yard. As soon as he arrived, the Commander spoke to the Commissioner on the phone. Martin reported what he knew and that is his opinion the motive for murder was not overtly sexual although robbery also seemed not to have been a cause either. Sir Thomas Brown expressed relief on the point that sex was not an issue and then moved on to another matter. The Commander was informed that, because of the fact that the victim was an MP, James Broadbent would be taking a direct personal interest in the investigation. Martin expressed the view that this might make the enquiry easier if he had to deal with other MPs and Parliamentary authorities but harder if the Home Secretary decided to try to interfere in the way he ran the investigation. The Commissioner assured Martin that he would have a free hand in conducting his enquiries and that he would personally prevent political interference from obstructing the Commander in the conduct of his duties. Somewhat reassured by this conversation, as soon as he had completed his conversation with his superior, Martin next went to check that the Press and Public Relations unit was fully briefed and was relieved to see that his deputy, Superintendent Ron Alder, had returned to take control. Martin smiled at Ron and asked,
"Have are things going here, Ron? Has anyone from the press identified who the victim is yet?"
The Superintendent looked pleased as he was able to report,
"Not yet, sir, but I understand that a few of them are getting quite close. I suspect that by the time the last editions are printed they will have the name, either from us or from other sources. I assume that you will release the name once formal identification has taken place. I can only imagine that the headlines will be quite sensational once it all becomes public but at the moment we are holding the line that we are unable to release any name until after the body has been formally identified and the family informed."
"Well done. Let's try to keep this line in place for as long as possible. We'll be under great pressure both here and in the investigation team once the full story breaks. I agree that the headlines will be sensational but we have to stay focussed on the job in hand. This is especially true as the Home Secretary is taking a great interest in the investigation. I am assured from on high, however, that there will be no political interference and I hope that is true. What we need to ensure down here is that we are not only sensitive to the needs of the press but also the privacy of the family as well as my needs as chief investigating officer. There will be a lot of interest in this killing but we need to ensure that we manage information effectively. I have a lot of faith in you, Ron and I hope that this faith will be reflected in your handling of the rest of the unit."
"Yes, sir, thank you, sir. I'll try to ensure the smooth running of this end of the operation and leave you free to spend your time on the investigation. If I have any concerns or need guidance on what to do or say, I'll check everything through with either you, Mark or Mike if at all possible."
"Thanks, Ron. That's good to know. I'm just off to see if Mark is back yet. I want to hold a full briefing as soon a she is there and I think it would be a good idea for you to be there as well. I'll give you a call when we're ready."
Martin walked over to the stairs and climbed to the level where the Special and Sensitive Case squad had its main offices. The Commander was pleasantly surprised to see all the lights on and a large number of officers assembled and at their desks. As he entered the room, several of those in the room caught sight of him and gave a spontaneous cheer, which Martin acknowledged with a shake of the head and a slight wave. Looking around, it was clear that Mark was not back yet so the Commander clapped for silence and said,
"OK, lads, we've got a big case on. As you probably know already, the controversial black MP, Nick Trafford, was found battered to death on Hampstead Heath earlier tonight. We've kept the press at bay for now but it won't be long before the news breaks. We are going to be under a great deal of pressure both from the Commissioner and also from the politicians, including the Home Secretary, to get the case solved. Mike Rickwood has stayed up on the Heath coordinating the search for clues and witnesses there. Mark Jamieson is checking into the political and personal life of the victim but should be back very soon. That's the bare outline. As soon as Mark returns I would like to have a full briefing. Could someone also see if Mike could come back for that as well? If he can't, we'll have another fuller briefing first thing in the morning."
Martin disappeared into the old office that he used when he had been sole commander of the squad and, glancing at the clock, the Commander took the opportunity to call home to his partner,
"Hi, Tom, it's me. I thought I ought to tell you that I probably won't be back until very late tonight or maybe not even at all. Something's come up and I am back in charge of an investigation."
Tom acknowledged his lover's message and responded by asking,
"Is this why your television debate with Nick Trafford on the Government's Police Bill was cancelled tonight, because you couldn't get away? I was going to stay up for it but they announced it was not going to take place and did not give a reason. I was looking forward to having you back home. It's not often a guy can boast of being fucked by a TV star, not that having you make love to me isn't always great, of course!! Anyway, I wondered what had happened that had led to the cancellation of the debate. Can you tell me what is so urgent that you had to cancel then?"
Martin smiled as he replied,
"No, Tom, it wasn't cancelled because I had to work late, the fact is I'm working late because I'm investigating Nick Trafford's murder on Hampstead Heath. He was killed there earlier this evening, that's why the debate was cancelled!"
There was a long pause and then Tom spoke,
"Christ, Marty, this is really going to be a big case!! I understand now why they've asked you to take charge. Nick Trafford never struck me as the type to go looking for sex on Hampstead Heath. He wasn't cruising on the Heath was he? Tell me he wasn't."
"I don't think so, Tom, but you know him better than I do so I'd like to talk to you about him later. We haven't found evidence of a current partner unless you know of someone, so we can't rule anything out at this stage. If you think he might have been cruising, imagine the headlines in those elements of the press that hated him tomorrow!! Incidentally, the news that the body is that of Nick Trafford is still confidential. Anyway, I thought you ought to know, but I'm going to have to go now as I see Mark has just come into the office and we're going to hold a quick update briefing. I'll catch you when I can. Love you. Bye."
"Love you, too, Marty and good luck. I'll ask about to see if any of my contacts can help on the personal life front. I know I speak for many people when I tell you that I hope you get the bastard that did this as soon as possible. Bye."
Martin replaced the received and went out to meet his friend, Mark, and, having ascertained that he had no great sensations or positive leads to reveal, explained that his colleague might just as well brief him and the other members of the investigation team together. Just as the briefing was about to start, Mike Rickwood arrived and to Martin's raised eyebrow enquiry, the Chief Inspector shook his head and came into the room and positioned himself close to where the Commander and Superintendent were standing.
The squad members crowded round the three senior officers and Martin began the briefing,
"Mark and Mike are back now and I'm going to ask them to fill us in on the latest developments. Mike will you start?"
The Chief Inspector cleared his throat and said,
"Yes, sir. You all now know that the body of Nick Trafford M P was found on Hampstead Heath. He had been hit from behind by someone wielding a heavy object probably made of metal but it could have been wood, the post mortem will establish which it was, and died instantaneously. He was found just about nine o'clock, fully clothed and with both his wallet and House of Commons pass still on his person. We've had a team searching the area but so far no weapon has been found and, perhaps given the location, no witnesses have come forward. We have a large area of the Heath cordoned off and guarded and I propose to resume the search tomorrow and also do some house-to-house enquiries and then I think we should make a public appeal for witnesses. We know what goes on up there and I want any potential witnesses to feel that they will be able to speak to us in confidence. I think we managed to keep the press at bay tonight but by morning it will be obvious who the victim was and his name will be public knowledge. Hopefully this might trigger a response from some people who might otherwise be reluctant to speak to us."
Martin nodded his agreement,
"Absolutely, so we need to be seen to be very active but I think you've done all you can tonight, thanks, Mike. Mark?"
The Superintendent began his report,
"I have been looking into two different but related aspects of Mr Trafford's life, the political and the personal. On the political side, I can confirm that the MP had a meeting in North London but some distance from where he was found and that he was due to speak there at just after nine. Mr Trafford left the House of Commons at least an hour earlier, just before eight, because a House of Commons messenger saw him go. What we need to know is where he went between leaving the Palace of Westminster and the place he was found on Hampstead Heath, which as I said was some distance away from the location of his meeting. I spoke to his political assistant who arrived at home just after seven and he said that Mr Trafford had no prior engagement and could think of no reason why he would have gone to the Heath. I also tracked down the family of the deceased and I have arranged for local police officers to visit them to break the news. In due course we will have to interview them ourselves but I do not think it is necessary to do so tonight, especially as they live in Leicester and Hull! I telephoned the MP's London flat and there is an answer machine but no evidence that he had a partner living with him at this time. I went round to the apartment block and none of the tenants there seemed to think there had been another person living in the flat. This will need to be confirmed and if true then we will need to track down any former partners the MP may have had. It means quite a heavy agenda for the next day or so but if we all pull together I'm sure we can cope. Oh, sorry, sir, I think that's supposed to be your bit isn't it?"
A laugh went round the room and Martin joined in,
"Technically, I suppose it is but I like to think of us all as a team pulling together. I think Mark and Mike have both indicated that there is considerable amount of work to be done, so we should all go home, get some sleep and then be back here refreshed and ready for an early start at about eight. Tell your loved ones that you will probably not be home much in the next few days. We will be the centre of a lot of media and political attention and we need to be on top of things and get this right. So, let's make the best of what's left of the night and get some sleep. See you here tomorrow, OK?"
The squad members murmured their agreement and slowly filed out of the room to go to their respective homes. Martin indicated to his two most senior colleagues that he wanted them to stay for a short while, so that together they could plan how they would organise the subsequent days of the enquiry. The three officers quickly agreed a way of proceeding and it was not long before Mark was driving his friend the Commander home. As they sped through the more or less deserted streets, Martin smiled and said,
"Just like old times, isn't it?"
Mark smiled back and said,
"Yes, it is even down to the fact that Ruth is pregnant again!"
In the less formal setting the two men dropped the formality of the office and as they made steady progress towards home the conversation turned to other matters. Martin was pleased to hear that David, Mark's son, was doing well at school since it had been a little while since they had all met socially. This was partially due to the fact that Ruth's pregnancy had been problematic and not unreasonably the couple had decided to limit their social life until after the baby was born. Martin and Tom had been concerned for their friends and had tried to curb the excitement that Harry and Simon had for the new baby. However, the Commander knew that he would be expected to give a full report to all three of them the following day, so he asked,
"How are things with Ruth, it can't be long now?"
"No, it's not. I think they will induce her fairly soon. Bloody awful timing I know but they are still concerned about her and want to get it over as soon as possible."
"That's fine. If you need time off I will understand and in any case Mike is very much and will easily cope."
"Thanks, Martin. I agree Mike can cope but this is one case I really would like to help solved."
Mark's car had turned into the road where Martin lived and, as he opened the door to get out the older officer smiled warmly at his friend and said,
"Let's hope we can do it quickly then! Thanks for the lift. See you later. Can you pick me up again in the morning?"
The Inspector nodded and wished his friend 'goodnight' and the Superintendent wished the same in return. Martin was surprised to see that Tom was still up when he got in but also he was delighted that his lover had chosen to wait for him to come home. The two men embraced and the younger man said,
"It must have been a terrible day for you, today, I wanted to be here for you when you got home and to give you my support."
"Thanks, Tom, I appreciate the thought. If you don't mind, I'd really like to get to bed as soon as possible, we are going to have an early start in the morning."
Tom nodded and together the two lovers went to bed. Lying in the dark and despite his tiredness Martin felt a stirring in his groin and was delighted when he felt Tom's hand reach over a slowly caress the swelling shaft. In a moment both men were erect and exploring each other with their hands. There seemed to be an unspoken understanding that what each wanted was a quick release and they began to wank each other slowly but insistently. Martin as always marvelled at the soft silky texture of his lover's shaft and foreskin and he worked the dick with his hands, covering and uncovering the head with his strokes. Meanwhile, Tom was giving similar treatment to his partner's cut cock and both men were finding the experience most enjoyable. At other times, the two men's love-making was more leisurely and ranged across a number of positions and activities, but tonight the main aim was to make each other cum. Tom was groaning and stopped his wanking of Martin's cock and instead knelt up so that his lover could see the pre-cum dribbling out of his piss slit and said,
"Wank me hard!! Don't stop!! Make me cum for you!!"
Martin knew just what to do to bring his partner's wish to fruition and within moments Tom gave out a light cry and his cock was spewing forth his creamy ball juice and the spunk was dropping onto his lover's body. Once the older man had milked the his cock dry, Tom resumed his enthusiastic wanking of Martin's cock and his lover lay back and enjoyed the feel of the younger man working his shaft. Tom's efforts were rewarded very quickly when his lover's piss slit opened wide and cum shot out and splattered over the pair of them. The younger man carefully mixed the double portion of jizz and slowly fed some to himself and Martin before the two lovers fell back and drifted off into a satisfied sleep. Although rest came quickly, it would not be long before the new day began; a day that would be very busy for Martin as the full investigation into the murder of Nick Trafford got properly under way.
If you enjoyed this part of the story or have any comments please let me know cutrose40@yahoo.co.uk