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.
Chapter 10
Martin was angry and frustrated by the turn of events but was somewhat mollified when he returned to the Office and had the chance to have a brief telephone conversation with Tom and the boys. Harry and Simon had expressed disappointment at not seeing Martin the previous evening as they each had some news. Harry had been picked to play for the school soccer team and Simon had been cast in a starring role in the school show. Martin offered his heartiest congratulations to the pair of them and then promised to do his best to be present for both these events. Tom came on last and sounded really concerned that his partner was not making the progress he had hoped on the case. Martin was cheered by his lover's concern and by Tom's additional expression of concern and disappointment at the news of the pub fire. As a lawyer, Martin's partner could see how the death of a key witness could make it very difficult for Martin to make a case about the missing documents unless something else turned up in the meantime. Trying to inject some optimism into the situation, the younger man said,
"I'm sure something will turn up that will enable you to complete the investigation to your own satisfaction, Marty"
Martin gave a half-laugh and responded,
"I wish I had your optimism, Tom. Every time I think I'm getting somewhere, it all crumbles away. I feel I'm being forced to report the obvious but there are too many loose ends for my liking."
"I realise that, Marty, but sometimes you just have to accept that it isn't all going to work out, but I'll tell you one thing, if anyone can work it out it will be you. In the meantime I've got to get Harry and Simon off to school but if I can help in any way just ask!"
Martin was pleased by the support he had received from his lover but it had made little difference to the position he felt he was in. The Commander sat quietly thinking for a few minutes trying to plan out how he could not only report what he knew but also what he suspected. Martin's moment for thought was, however, interrupted when the telephone started to ring and Martin picked it up and answered in his usual manner,
"Roberts!"
A familiar voice boomed down from the other end of the line,
"Good morning, Martin, Freddy Eversley here! I'm glad I've caught you. Tom told me you were at work all night. How are you feeling, old boy? Absolutely awful, I expect. Well I hope that I've got something that will cheer you up!! I've got two bits of news for you which I hope will be useful."
Martin tried to sound less depressed than he was when he heard Freddy's voice,
"Good Morning, Freddy and yes I don't feel at my best at the moment. Tired and frustrated to be precise. But it's always good to hear from you. So what is it that you have got for me?"
Freddy sailed on without appearing to notice how drained Martin sounded,
"Well, my dear, as always, I've been working as hard as I can on your behalf and I've come up with a few snippets that might be helpful. First of all about the trial, which I assume is that of Winston Callendar, although you didn't say so. You are looking in the wrong place. He was quite rightly convicted on the evidence in Court, no doubt about that at all. However, rumour was that the case was brought against the wrong man."
"You mean he was framed?" Martin interjected.
Freddy paused and then carried on,
"Sort of, as you will see, Martin. It's difficult to pin it down but it seems there was some rather important man involved and rather than see a promising black career go down the pan, Mr Callendar was made the fall guy. He was, according to my source, paid well for his inconvenience and promised that he would be freed on appeal at a later date."
"You're not saying that Nick Trafford was behind all this, are you?" Martin again could not resist interrupting the narrative.
"No, Martin. I don't know who it was but I do know it wasn't your Mr Trafford. He was gay after all so I think you ought to have realised he isn't the chief suspect in a female rape case. I'll put that down to tiredness, my dear. Anyway that's the story but there is more. Mr Callendar found that he had been double crossed or hung out to dry and there was no appeal. How Mr Trafford got onto the case nobody is quite sure, but that's not the point. All I've told you is by way of background. Two names have come up in conversation, which I think you will recognise and understand the significance of. The first is Rachel Ferns, who in her other life is married to .."
"James Broadbent, the Home Secretary", Martin completed the sentence before Freddy could say it.
"Precisely", Freddy concurred, "She was the solicitor that arranged Mr Callendar's defence and instructed his barrister. My informant suggests that as a senior member of the partnership Ms Ferns knows a lot more about what the real story is than has ever been found out."
Martin let out a low whistle and asked,
"Are you suggesting that the wife of a reforming Home Secretary and scourge of poor and corrupt policing may have been involved in a plot to pervert the course of justice?"
Freddy responded in his usual manner,
"That's what I'm hearing but I have to say again that it is only rumour and finding proof would be very, very difficult. But don't you want to know the second name?"
"Yes, please Freddy", Martin said with growing interest.
"Well, you also know this one as well. It's David Newman. Apparently at the time of the case, Mr Newman was a young and very junior member of the firm in which Ms Ferns was working. He left a few weeks after the trial and became a Parliamentary candidate in a safe seat. I hoe that helps."
Martin was busy writing all that Freddy had said down on a notepad but paused to say,
"Well it certainly needs thinking about and thanks a lot, Freddy, it's been a great help."
"Don't forget, old boy, you, Tom and the boys really must come over for a visit, very soon. Bye for now!!"
This cheery remark brought the conversation to a close. There was a lot to consider as a result of the information that Freddy had provided but one thing Martin decided straight away. Looking out of his door, the Commander called out,
"Mike, Aly, could you come in here now please?"
The two officers came as quickly as they could and Martin told them what he wanted them to do,
"I assume you have got David Newman's home address in London? If not, find it quickly. I want you to go round there and bring him in for questioning. I don't want to see him at the House and I don't want him to make any phone calls. Try not to have to arrest him but if necessary do so, but I'm sure you can find a way of persuading him to cooperate without that."
Mike Rickwood looked expectantly for an explanation but Martin did not offer one, merely saying,
"You will be able to catch up on what has prompted this when we get him here and start asking him questions. Until then it's probably best that you know as little as possible at this stage."
Mike looked disappointed not to be taken into the Commander's confidence but accepted the decision and disappeared quickly followed by Aly Young. As soon as the other officers had gone, Martin asked Mark to come into his office and there the Commander briefed his most trusted officer on the latest turn of events. While they waited for the return of Mike and Aly, Martin also raised with his friend a number of possibilities concerning the death of Nick Trafford, but asked the Superintendent to remain quiet about them for the time being. Mark nodded and made no further comment and the, having looked at his watch, Martin said,
"I think Tom will be back from taking the children to school by now so I think I will give him a call and chat to him about the law firm which had Ms Ferns as a senior member. He might be in the position to give me more information than even Freddy Eversley."
Mark nodded thoughtfully and then replied,
"It's possible, I suppose, though Freddy keeps his ears to the ground a great deal. Do you want me to leave?"
"Not at all, Mark", Martin said. "You'll get one end of the conversation at least. If you think of anything useful you can act as a prompt for me as well."
Martin dialled the number and did not have long to wait before Tom answered,
"Hi, Tom, it's Marty. I hope Harry and Simon get to school OK, I wonder if you can tell me anything about a lady called Ms Rachel ferns, apart from the fact that she is married to our dear Home Secretary?"
"The kids are fine and went to school on their bikes today as it is such a nice day, but why are you interested in Rachel Ferns?" Tom replied in a puzzled voice.
"Her name had come up in the course of investigation and as she is a lawyer I thought you might know something about her." Martin explained patiently.
Tom gave a nervous laugh and then said,
"Well, I'll tell you what I know. Her firm deal mainly with people from poor and ethnic backgrounds. She has the reputation of fighting to win and using every means at her disposal, legal means I should add. When I was a full time barrister I received instructions from her and her firm a few times and I always found her very focussed. Does that help?"
"Up to a point, yes, Tom, but can I press you on your point about doing anything legal to win. Did you ever hear of her bending the rules or even breaking them?" Martin chose his words carefully, aware that Tom was friends with Ms Ferns' husband, the Home Secretary.
"Personally, no", Tom said emphatically, "but there was some rumour around a few years ago that suggested that she did get someone off the hook for a serious charge. However, as the person who told me was a notorious old right-winger, I did not take it very seriously. Are you suggesting that I should have done so?"
Martin tried to reassure his lover,
"I don't know yet, Tom, but suffice it to say Nick Trafford was investigating the case that may have led to that allegation being made. Did you know that David Newman worked at Ms Ferns firm before he became an MP?"
At the other end of the line, Tom sounded rather agitated and annoyed as he replied,
"No, Marty, I didn't. I never had that much to do with her firm and only met a couple of other senior people in my entire career. I assume David Newman was very junior and could not have been there for very long."
"Long enough to be involved in mischief, perhaps", Martin muttered under his breath and then said out loud,
"I know they are your friends and I'm sorry to have upset you, Tom, but you did say you would help and you have told me things that I needed to know. Thanks very much, I'll see you later today and make it up to you then. Bye, my love!"
Martin put the phone down and pulled a face at Mark, who smiled grimly back at his friend and superior officer. Martin had just enough time to say that Tom had been rather upset by the line that he had taken over Ms Ferns before Mike Rickwood put his face round the door,
"We're back, sir!"
"So I see", said Martin and looked up at the Chief Inspector enquiringly.
"He came very quietly, sir", Mike responded to the look and then added, "He didn't seem surprised or upset by our early call."
Martin acknowledged the information and indicated that he and Mark would interview the MP while Mike and Aly observed from the room next door. The small party walked down the corridor and parted just before the door to the interview room where David Newman was sitting waiting for them. As soon as he was inside and the formalities had been gone through and the MP had acknowledged that he knew his rights, Martin opened the questioning,
"Tell me, Mr Newman, are you absolutely certain that you did not know that Nick Trafford was investigating the Winston Callendar case when he died?"
David Newman flushed slightly and stammered a reply,
"Y .. Yes, Commander, I told you before, we rarely ever discussed what we were working on."
Martin pressed on,
"But you do know about Mr Callendar's case, don't you? You worked for the solicitors that mounted his defence, didn't you?"
The MP nodded in agreement to both Martin's questions and the Commander pressed on,
"You weren't there that long, I know but suddenly you left and found yourself a candidate for a safe seat with a General Election on weeks away. Did anyone help you find a seat?"
David Newman responded to the question with a look of anger,
"No, not al all. I won the nomination fair and square. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I had fought a hopeless seat the last time and I made no secret of my desire to get into Parliament."
Martin smiled and then commented,
"And it didn't harm your chances to work for the wife of a prominent member of the Shadow Cabinet!"
The MP reddened and then said in a loud and angry voice,
"I have never, repeat never, worked for Ms Ferns!! I resent the implications of what you are saying!! Why am I here? What have these questions got to do with the death of Nick Trafford?"
Martin remained calm and said quietly,
"Well it seems to me that sharing an office with Nick Trafford was not your idea of pleasure. Granted he was funny and good company but your views were so diametrically opposed. However, it might suit someone's purpose to have Mr Trafford somewhere where an eye could be kept on him. Did anyone ask you to share with Nick Trafford?"
David Newman gave a half laugh and replied in a defiant voice,
"Actually, it was the Sergeant-at-Arms who allocated me the room and asked me to share it with Nick. I don't think he can be bought and I deeply resent your suggestion that I was sent or asked to spy on a colleague. If you continue with this line of questioning I will request a lawyer. However, as I believe this is just a `fishing trip' interrogation, I will instead exercise my right and leave the interview now. After all, you have the man responsible for Nick's murder as I understand it and he has confessed. I don't see what else there is that needs to be investigated"
Martin looked across at Mark who shrugged and shook his head indicating that he had no questions at that point. The Commander would have liked to press on but given the belligerent attitude of the MP and his unwillingness to say anymore, Martin felt obliged to let him go,
"I'm sorry if I have upset you, Mr Newman, but there are some loose ends in this case and I am trying to tie them all up so that I can complete my report for the Commissioner."
Slightly mollified, the angry MP stood up and said,
"Well, I'm afraid I have nothing more to say and I don't think I can help you any further. I assume I am free to go?"
"Yes, indeed, Mr Newman and thank you for your time." Martin said as pleasantly as he could.
After the MP had been shown out Martin said to his colleagues,
"Methinks he doth protest too much!"
Mark smiled but said seriously,
"Maybe, sir, but he did not admit to anything at all and I don't think you can use anything he said to further the point you want to make."
"And what is the point you wish to make, sir?" Aly asked pointedly.
Martin was about to reply when the phone on his desk rang and he answered it. It was obvious to those who were standing next to him that the caller was speaking sharply to the Commander who finally responded with confirmation that he would, indeed, report to the Commissioner immediately. Turning to his colleagues and shrugging his shoulders, Martin said,
"It seems as though Mr Newman, MP had contacted the Home secretary who in turn has raised the matter with the Commissioner and I am now to be hauled over the coals for the interview I have just conducted!"
The Commander disappeared in the direction of the Commissioner's office and was soon outside the door awaiting the summons to enter. When Martin did go in, a very angry Sir Thomas Brown confronted him and spluttered,
"What on earth do you think you are playing at? Dragging an MP from his bed and cross-examining him without a lawyer in an aggressive and threatening manner. I've just had the Home Secretary chewing my ears off over this!!!"
Martin waited for the explosion to subside and then responded in a quiet and measured tone,
"Well sir, I found out some information that I thought was relevant to the murder of Nick Trafford and I followed it up for reasons that I will explain in a moment. However, on the specific point I would have to say that Mr Newman came voluntarily, he was informed of his rights and left at his own request. We did not drag him from his bed, as he alleges. To the best of my knowledge and belief, my officers treated Mr Newman with politeness and courtesy. In the interview I asked him questions relevant to my inquiry, as soon as he felt uncomfortable about the direction my questions were leading, he was allowed to go."
The Commissioner was not to be easily pacified,
"That is not his version, or at least not according to the Home Secretary. You say you had reasons for the line of enquiry that you followed. I think I need to know what they are."
Martin had hoped for more time but, faced with a direct question, he could no longer remain silent,
"I will tell you why I asked Mr Newman to come in, sir, yes. The significance of what he told me I have yet to confirm. Here is the information. Before he became an MP, Mr Newman worked for a firm of solicitors, a senior member of which was Rachel ferns, the wife of James Broadbent, who was at the time a leading member of the Shadow Cabinet."
"I don't see why a former work colleague of the Home Secretary's wife should have any bearing on the murder of Nick Trafford", the Commissioner said, interrupting Martin's explanation.
Undeterred, the Commander resumed his account,
"Shortly before Mr Newman was found a safe seat and left the firm, Ms Ferns was involved in defending a man accused of rape. The man, Winston Callendar, was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. Nick Trafford was investigating the case at the time of his death. I wanted to ask Mr Newman about that particular case and whether he was aware of his colleague's interest in the matter. I have learnt from another source that there were at the time rumours that the man finally convicted had been set up to take the blame for someone rather more important. However, Mr Newman claimed that he did not know anything about the case and denied that he knew that Mr Trafford was working on the matter."
The Commissioner narrowed his eyes as he thought about the implications of the Commander's last remarks but then said suddenly,
"But you went further than that, didn't you? You accused Mr Newman of being a spy and of using his shared office as a base through which to keeps tabs on the dead MP."
Martin acknowledged the fact but added,
"I felt that it was a legitimate question to ask, but I can understand that Mr Newman might have felt upset by the implication."
"He was indeed. I have assured James Broadbent that there will not be a repeat of such interviews and have agreed that you will personally apologise to Mr Newman in writing before the end of the day. I hope that will bring the matter to a close. Is that clear?"
Martin had no option but to accept his commanding officer's orders on this matter and said quietly that he would comply with the requirement. Having received the assurance from martin, Sir Thomas said,
"Thank you, Commander, that will be all."
Martin left the Commissioner's office even more convinced than he had been before that his actions of that morning had touched a raw nerve but frustrated by the fact that he had no proof to back up his suspicions.
When he arrived back at his office, however, Martin was confronted by a smiling Aly Young, who greeted him enthusiastically,
"Good news, I hope, sir, Diana Robinson is in reception and she wants to speak to us. I took the liberty of contacting her after you left to see the Commissioner. I thought maybe if I did a girl-to-girl approach she might be more receptive. Anyway, I told her what we had discovered and she has agreed to help, but only if I do the questioning.
The Commander smiled at this, thinking to himself that this young female officer would go far and then said,
"Who do you want to be in there with you? Mike Rickwood?"
Aly nodded,
"Yes, sir and you and the Superintendent in the observation room if that's OK?"
"Fine by me. Let's get it started."
Diana Robinson looked stylish and confident as she sat in the interview room and waited until Aly Young was ready to begin the interview. Speaking quietly, the Inspector began,
"You did know that just before his death Nick Trafford was working on the Callendar case, didn't you, Ms Robinson?"
The former political assistant nodded her head and said,
"Yes I did."
Aly moved swiftly to the next question,
"You also knew that he was following up information concerning a possible miscarriage of justice in the case?"
Again Diana Robinson nodded and Aly went on,
"Did you know that he had discovered that David Newman had worked in the same firm as the solicitor that represented Mr Callendar?"
For a third time, the young woman being interviewed nodded and then said,
"Yes, but we were not sure whether it was important as he left the firm shortly after the case was ended. We were more interested in trying to confirm whether Mr Callendar was persuaded to take the blame and the punishment instead of the real perpetrator. We were keen to find out who that was."
Mike intervened for the first time,
"Did you think that Mr Newman might be able to help? That he left the firm either because of what happened or to keep him quiet?"
Diana Robinson turned to face her questioner,
"Nick didn't really say. He was going to try to get David to talk about the case but never got round to it."
Aly nodded and resumed her questioning,
"When you were asked last time, you said you had no idea what Mr Trafford was doing on the night he was killed, have you had time to perhaps reconsider that answer?"
A slight smile crossed the attractive black woman's face,
"On the day he was killed, Nick received a phone call around mid afternoon and he called me into his office immediately afterwards. He told me that a man had just called who had definite information on the Callendar case. The man claimed he had documentary proof of the identity of the real rapist. The informant had asked Nick to meet him later that evening on Hampstead Heath and he would be given the documents then but in return and to show that he was genuine the caller asked Nick to take the case papers with him as the informant did not want to hand over what he knew and his proof to a journalist or someone like that."
The Inspector indicated that she recognised the importance of the last reply and added,
"So, Nick left the office with a document case containing his copy of the Callendar case trial papers?"
Diana Robinson nodded,
"Yes, he did."
Mark intervened for a second time,
"I assume that neither Mr Newman nor his political assistant was nowhere near when this conversation took place."
Nick Trafford's former political assistant nodded and Mark asked a further point of clarification,
"Could anyone else have overheard this conversation?"
Diana Robinson shook her head,
"No the door was closed. The only way anyone could have known about what we were discussing was if the room was bugg..."
The interviewee's voice tailed off and Mike asked gently,
"And do you think it was bugged?"
A somewhat subdued response came back in answer to this question,
"I really don't know. It might have been but if it was I doubt if you will find evidence of it."
The Chief Inspector nodded and said,
"You're probably right, Ms Robinson, but it is a possibility. Before we finish, I'd like to ask you something else. You may recall that when you were first interviewed the two most senior officers in the team asked about a number of weekend dates and Mr Trafford's apparent disappearance. At the time you said that you knew nothing about them. In light of what we have already uncovered, is there anything you would like to say about these dates now?"
Diana Robinson did not respond for some little time and then began to speak very quietly,
"The dates your Commander and the man from Special Branch asked about were times when Nick was off doing research on his miscarriages of justice cases. I think the ones in question referred to the Callendar case and Nick had been trying to track down various people who might help. Nick never told me exactly what he did or indeed whether he got anywhere. I did not say anything about it before because I did not think that it was relevant to his murder."
Mike Rickwood was tempted to comment that everything was relevant in a murder enquiry but saw no point in rubbing salt into the wound. Instead, the Chief Inspector changed the subject asked,
"Did Mr Trafford know that he was being investigated by Special Branch and how did he evade their expert attentions?"
Again the political researcher hesitated before replying,
"Nick knew he was being considered for government office, so I guess he must have been aware that he would be vetted and his behaviour and actions investigated. What I do know is that he had a secret way out of his apartment so that he could avoid the attentions of the press. I guess Nick also used that as a means to escape from the attentions of Special Branch when he didn't want them to follow him or find out what he was up to. I'm only guessing, because Nick never told me how he did it or indeed that he had been away."
Aly took over and asked a few further questions but it was obvious that there was little more to be learnt from Diana Robinson and the Inspector terminated the interview a short while later. After she had made arrangements for the attractive former political assistant to be taken home, Aly joined Mike, Martin and Mark and together the four senior officers reviewed what they had learned. The Commander looked at Mike and said,
"Well done on getting the information about the mysterious weekends. That was very good and seems to clear the matter up. I shall be delighted to tell my old friend Donald Gough how Nick Trafford evaded his finest officers!! On the other hand, Mike, what made you ask whether Nick Trafford's office was bugged?"
Mike looked at Martin and said,
"It seemed to me that it was the best explanation for how someone could have found out that Nick Trafford was going to Hampstead Heath that night. If someone knew about that, then they could have arranged to have had him followed and killed."
The Commander looked dubious and said,
"It's a possibility, I grant you, but a dangerous game. If there was someone with information as was being suggested they would need to get rid of both Mr Trafford and the informant. But we only have one body. I still favour the view that the whole thing was a set-up and Nick Trafford was lured to his death with the promise of sensational proof of a major miscarriage of justice. I only wish that we could get our hands on David Newman again, but I've been well and truly warned off."
Mark Jamieson had been silent but now he made a suggestion that was so simple the others could not understand why they had not thought of it before,
"Why don't we ask to speak to David Newman's political assistant, Colin Smart?"
Martin grinned and said,
"It's worth a try, if we can get away with it."
"Should I telephone first?" Mark said his tongue very firmly in his cheek.
Martin, Aly and Mike all joined in laughing and the Commander said,
"On balance, I think not. You might get something out of him before the element of surprise wears off."
The expectation that had been raised by Mark's suggested course of action proved to be short-lived, as somehow the political assistant was made aware of the Superintendent's intentions. Colin Smart was, thus, able to make good his disappearance on an urgent matter that David Newman needed investigating. It was a somewhat down cast Mark that reported this news to Martin, who, on hearing the news, shrugged his shoulders and said to his most loyal and trusted assistants,
"It was always a long shot. Now, I suppose I shall just have to get on and write my report for the Commissioner, unless either of you have any useful suggestions."
Mike Rickwood though desperately of an avenue that might be explored and finally said,
"What about rattling the cage of that journalist, Alan Birch? He might have been investigating something similar to Nick Trafford, it's the sort of thing a reporter like him would be interested in."
Martin smiled at his young friend's suggestion but did not discourage it,
"OK, give it a go, but don't waste too much time on it. Take Aly with you but remember time is very short!"
Just at that moment Ron Alder came bursting into Martin's office and said,
"This is hot news, sir. I know it has nothing to do with us now, but I still have friends in other press offices and they've just passed this on to me. I thought you'd want to know straight away. There is to be an official statement saying that the man that died in the car explosion was a person called Michael O'Brian and a man wanted by the Anti-Terrorist squad, but this is not so! Apparently his real name was Jason Stanton and in the past he has worked for the Secret Service."
Martin nodded and said,
"I rather thought that they might have had something to do with all this. The problem is we are not supposed to know and even though we do have this information we will never be able to prove it."
Mark walked in just as the Commander was concluding his last sentence and asked,
"Prove what, sir?"
Martin shook his head and said,
"Under the circumstances it's best that I say no more. I will tell you what I suspect when the time is right but now I have a report to write."
Meanwhile, Mike and Aly had tracked down Alan Birch to a quiet pub, just off The Strand. The Chief inspector had bought a round of drinks and the three of them were sitting in the corner of the lounge bar. Mark opened the conversation by asking the journalist a direct question,
"Did you ever hear of a case involving a man called Winston Callendar and a possible miscarriage of justice?"
For just a moment, but long enough for both the other's to recognise it, Alan Birch's face registered surprise but his voice appeared calm in reply,
"A rape case, wasn't it? Yes I recall it but why are you asking?"
Aly answered,
"We know that Nick Trafford was investigating the case at the time of his death and we thought that you, as an investigative reporter, might have been interested in it as well."
Alan Birch had recovered his composure by the time he replied,
"No, I wasn't investigating that case. I had never heard that there was a problem. I thought at the time that the evidence was overwhelming. If there was a possible miscarriage of justice it's hard to imagine what it was!"
Mike took over,
"You never worked on any case with Nick Trafford?"
Again the journalist was ready with a swift reply,
"No, never, I don't think he and I would have got on, his politics and mine were, how can I put it, rather dramatically opposed. No, I never worked with him and never interviewed him."
"But you tracked down Mr Trafford's former lover after the murder." Aly said sharply,
Alan Birch ignored the comment and the conversation lapsed. Not long after this, the journalist finished his drink and made to leave. Mike and Aly made no effort to stop him and another possible avenue of investigation came to a dead end.
News that yet another potential lead had come to nothing further depressed the already low morale among Martin's team. The Commander seemed increasingly resigned to the fact that his report would contain the barest minimum that was already known about the killing of Nick Trafford. Looking suitably grim, Martin retired into his office and closed the door, a sure sign that he did not wish to be disturbed. Once he had settled down, the Commander reached for the telephone and dialled his home number. Trying to sound as cheerful as possible, when the telephone was answered, Martin said,
"Hi, Tom, it's Marty. There's something I need to discuss with you urgently. Can you meet me for lunch not too far from Scotland Yard?"
Despite or perhaps because of the earlier rather strained conversation they had had, Tom sensed that Martin was in urgent need of his support and advice. Without hesitating, Tom immediately suggested a quiet restaurant close to the centre of Covent Garden and within easy walking distance of Scotland Yard and the two lovers agreed on a time when they would meet there.
Encouraged by his partner's willingness to drop everything and come to his assistance, once he had finished his telephone conversation, Martin opened the door and asked Mark Jamieson to come in and join him. Once the Superintendent was inside and the door had been shut Martin told his friend and chief assistant that he would be going out for a while but left him a number where he could be contacted if there were any developments that needed his attention. Mark was somewhat surprised that his friend did not elaborate on what he was doing or precisely where he was going but decided that it was not the right time to ask too many questions. Although Martin understood Mark's desire to know more, the Commander felt it was in the Superintendent's best interests to be kept in the dark as far as possible. All the Commander would say was that he wanted Mark to trust him and then Martin left his office and went off to meet Tom for lunch.
Martin had toyed with inviting Freddy Eversley to join him at lunch but decided against this and, in the end, he was glad that he had not done so. The lunch had patched up the difficulties he and Tom had had earlier and Martin was able to explain in more detail what the problem was and discussed with his partner how he intended to deal with it. Tom had told Martin over the lunch that he believed that legally the course he was proposing to take was the soundest one that Martin could do under the circumstances but warned his lover that he would be taking an enormous risk with his career if he pursued the path he had chosen. Martin had reassured his partner that he fully understood that what he was doing carried risks but saw no other option. More than anyone, as a lawyer, Tom understood that in taking the course of action he planned and taking him into his confidence about it, Martin was preparing himself and his lover for the possible consequences of his intentions.
Whatever had been said over lunchtime had changed the Commander's demeanour and, on his return from his date with Tom, Martin seemed, to those who knew his moods well, to be much more cheerful. The Commander did not even flinch when he heard that there had been no new developments to report. Martin merely nodded an acknowledgement of the news and to Mark's enquiring glance, the Commander said quietly,
"It's OK, Mark, I've decided what I must do. You all will have to trust me on this one. However, the less everyone knows about my intentions, the better."
With that, Martin went into his Office and closed the door. Those outside could hear the Commander tapping away at his computer keyboard and from time to time the sound of his printer as the pages were produced as hard copy. A few speculated as to why a report that appeared to be so simple could take so long to prepare but others knew that Martin would wish to be meticulous in getting his report into a form with which he was fully satisfied. Martin had been alone in his office for some time when a woman appeared at the entrance to the squad room and asked for the Commander by name. The young officer who greeted her was Sergeant Hassan and he did not recognise the visitor so he politely enquired her name. The smartly dressed woman replied to the enquiry that she was Deborah Stokes and she was from the Crown Prosecution Service and was here to discuss a case with the Commander. Ali Hassan showed Ms Stokes to the door of the Commander's office, knocked gently and, when invited to do so, went in and told Martin who was waiting outside. The Commander did not seem particularly surprised at the news but did not seem particularly pleased either, but told the Sergeant to show the lawyer in. Whatever was discussed in the meeting did not take very long because within fifteen minutes, Ms Stokes was on her way back out of the squad room door. Martin had shown the lawyer to the exit and then the Commander, looking grim, had returned to his office and shut the door firmly behind him.
Some twenty minutes before he was due to see the Commissioner, Martin asked his friend and chief advisor, Mark Jamieson to come into his office. At the same time the Commander also asked Ron Alder, his assistant in the Press Office to join him. Once the two senior officers had made themselves comfortable Martin looked across at them and said,
"I have finished my formal report for the Commissioner and I've discussed the case with a representative from the Crown Prosecution Service and we have agreed a course of action. So now all that remains to be done is for us to complete the necessary arrangements. Mark, just after I have gone in to see Sir Thomas, I would like you to bring Ed Grantham from the cells to the Custody Sergeant and formally charge him with the murder of Nick Trafford. We will ask for a remand until a hearing before the Magistrates' Court tomorrow. Thanks."
Mark nodded his acceptance of the inevitable and waited for Martin to say more, but instead the Commander turned his attention to Ron Alder,
"Ron, I have prepared a brief press statement which I would like you to issue to the media as soon as Mark has formally charged Mr Grantham. Run your eye over it but I think you will find that it is OK."
Ron took the proffered piece of paper and read it out loud,
"A 42-year old man has been charged tonight with the murder of the MP, Nick Trafford. The man has been remanded in custody and will appear before Magistrates tomorrow morning."
Ron paused for a moment and then said,
"I think that will do. What do I say if they ask for a name?"
Martin thought for a moment and replied,
"Try to resist, but if they press you, I see no reason to keep the identity secret."
The two senior officers made for the door of Martin's office, leaving the Commander sitting quietly at his desk. When Martin finally did emerge from his office, it was just before time he was due to deliver his report to the Commissioner.
The more observant of the Commander's colleagues noticed that the folder that Martin was carrying appeared to be rather thick and several officers, including Mike Rickwood and Aly Young, wondered how their friend and Commanding Officer had managed to find so much to say. However, neither of these two officers said anything and the members of the investigating team watched in silence as Martin walked towards the door that led upstairs to Sir Thomas Brown's office. Of those present, all the officers had noticed the grim and determined look on Martin's face. Just as the Commander reached the exit a round of applause began to ripple around the squad room. On hearing this, Martin turned momentarily to look back at his colleagues, raised his hand in acknowledgement and gave his supportive squad members a curt smile and then turned back and walked out of the room. For a brief moment, the thought crossed Mark Jamieson's mind that this could be the last time he saw the Commander in charge of the Special and Sensitive Cases Squad. Indeed, the Superintendent wondered whether his closest friend in the force would ever be in charge of anything ever again at Scotland Yard.
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