Temple knew his fury would prejudice any halfway decent discussion with Baker. That would have to wait. He vented his anger on Truscott instead.
"Why didn't you have the intelligence to pass on this message? Surely to God, you must have understood its importance." He waved the piece of paper in the unfortunate young man's face.
"Gov, I ..." Truscott watched in dismay as Temple brushed passed him and out into the corridor. Crossing to the window, he saw him get into one of the squad cars and drive away at speed.
Truscott felt sick. He realised he should have checked on Temple's whereabouts as soon as he took the call. He wondered whether it would have saved Cantwell and his wife from the shooting. He decided not to discuss it with anyone other than Temple himself. Though he was irascible, Cantwell had told him that he was always fair.
***************
Leaving the station, Temple headed directly for the hospital. A group of reporters was hanging around the main entrance, so he slipped along the side to the rear of the hospital. He inquired where he would find Cantwell. The nurse hesitated until he waved his identification disk in front of her. Then, she visibly brightened and gave the directions.
The same young doctor who had been looking after Brenda Ellacott was standing together with the ward sister. He turned as he heard Temple's footsteps. A look of concern crossed his face, he recalled the problems he'd had with Temple before. he decided to take the initiative.
"Inspector, I'm sure you will want to know how Sergeant Cantwell and his wife are. Come with me, please." He ushered Temple into a small office away from the ward. He glanced over his shoulder at the sister and pulled a face. If Temple noticed, he did not react but entered the office and turned to face the doctor, bracing himself for the news.
"Inspector, I'll try to give you the information I know you want. But, please understand, it's too early yet to give any precise or accurate details." Temple nodded. "Sergeant Cantwell had a bullet removed from his left shoulder. He hasn't come round from the anaesthetic yet. However, the surgeon thought that he should make a full recovery. He's lost a great deal of blood though and will need a pretty hefty transfusion."
"And Mrs Cantwell?"
"Ah, well, things are more complicated there. A bullet lodged itself in her shoulder. Also, another one passed across her forehead. We aren't yet sure of the extent of her injuries. She may need to be moved to the RD & E in Exeter. It depends on our senior surgeon. He may want a neurological opinion." Temple felt his stomach knot when he heard this. The doctor saw the impact on Temple of all the information.
"When will we know more definitely?"
"A day or two, I think. But, as with Mrs Ellacott, it's difficult to predict these things." His voice had an accusatory tone.
"When can I see my Sergeant?"
"I'm not sure ..."
"Please, doctor, I'd like to be there when he regains consciousness."
"He's in a side room. Of course, you can wait there. But, you must not agitate him in any way." He looked closely at Temple. "You understand?" Temple nodded.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Getaway Time
Baker heard the commotion outside the station some time before he saw it. Several local reporters and others whom he did not know were shouting and pushing in a melee at the entrance. One of the locals turned and spotted Baker. In an instant, the whole pack surrounded him, he felt like a trapped animal and desperately tried to maintain some semblance of composure.
Two police officers pushed their way forward and escorted him inside. The door was slammed shut, but even so the noise came through. Visibly shaken, Baker made his way to his office and sat down at his desk. Pulling himself together after a snifter from the brandy he kept in his top drawer, he asked for any reports from the road blocks on the roads leading out of Starmouth. There was nothing. The same result was true for the bus and train stations. Either the man had already escaped or he had found himself a bolt-hole. Now, with Starmouth virtually isolated from the rest of the county, there was nowhere he could go. That was what Baker fervently hoped.
***************
Willis had realised his mistake as soon as the first bullet was fired. Temple was not the man nearing the car. Temple was the man standing in the driveway. He had sprinted down the alley as if he were in a hundred yards final. Somehow, he had evaded Temple who showed as swift a turn of speed as Willis had seen from a copper. He discarded his coat, despite the evening chill, and once he was satisfied Temple had gone, he searched for a phone box. Police sirens seemed to be coming from every direction, but he kept his cool. A phone box stood on the corner of the street. A woman was talking her head off inside but he dared not rush her. Instead, he lit a cigarette and leaned as nonchalantly as possible against a wall. He made sure that she saw him, reasoning that she would finish her chatter a bit quicker if someone was standing nearby.
He waited a good five minutes before she left. Inside the box, the air was hot and smelled strongly of cheap perfume. He dialled Redbourne's office number, praying he would still be there. The phone was picked up almost immediately.
"So! I've heard all the commotion. Done it?" Redbourne sounded buoyant.
"No! It's all gone arse up!" He told Redbourne the story as succinctly as he could.
There was a long silence, once he had finished. Willis knew Redbourne was still on the line, he could hear him breathing heavily.
"Where the fuck are you?"
"In a box at the corner of Rolle Street."
"Ted'll drive down and pick you up. He'll take you straight to my place. We'll talk later. Wait in the box - Ted's just left. He'll be five minutes." The receiver slammed down. Willis glanced nervously out of the box. The street was empty save for two young women carrying shopping bags.
When the call was over, Redbourne went ballistic. Ted left the office to pick up Willis leaving Charlie Davey to get the full brunt of Redbourne's anger.
"Fuckin idiot! I'd throw him to the bloody dogs if I had my way! But we can't do that - not yet! After Ted's taken him to my place, Charlie, we'll have to keep a watch on Willis. Tomorrow, we'll move him out to Grange Farm - wait till all this bloody mess has died down. Then, maybe, we can kill two or three birds with the same stone. Surely to God, I'll get some good out of this mess." He punched the wall with his fist.
Two police officers pushed their way forward and escorted him inside. The door was slammed shut, but even so the noise came through. Visibly shaken, Baker made his way to his office and sat down at his desk. Pulling himself together after a snifter from the brandy he kept in his top drawer, he asked for any reports from the road blocks on the roads leading out of Starmouth. There was nothing. The same result was true for the bus and train stations. Either the man had already escaped or he had found himself a bolt-hole. Now, with Starmouth virtually isolated from the rest of the county, there was nowhere he could go. That was what Baker fervently hoped.
***************
Willis had realised his mistake as soon as the first bullet was fired. Temple was not the man nearing the car. Temple was the man standing in the driveway. He had sprinted down the alley as if he were in a hundred yards final. Somehow, he had evaded Temple who showed as swift a turn of speed as Willis had seen from a copper. He discarded his coat, despite the evening chill, and once he was satisfied Temple had gone, he searched for a phone box. Police sirens seemed to be coming from every direction, but he kept his cool. A phone box stood on the corner of the street. A woman was talking her head off inside but he dared not rush her. Instead, he lit a cigarette and leaned as nonchalantly as possible against a wall. He made sure that she saw him, reasoning that she would finish her chatter a bit quicker if someone was standing nearby.
He waited a good five minutes before she left. Inside the box, the air was hot and smelled strongly of cheap perfume. He dialled Redbourne's office number, praying he would still be there. The phone was picked up almost immediately.
"So! I've heard all the commotion. Done it?" Redbourne sounded buoyant.
"No! It's all gone arse up!" He told Redbourne the story as succinctly as he could.
There was a long silence, once he had finished. Willis knew Redbourne was still on the line, he could hear him breathing heavily.
"Where the fuck are you?"
"In a box at the corner of Rolle Street."
"Ted'll drive down and pick you up. He'll take you straight to my place. We'll talk later. Wait in the box - Ted's just left. He'll be five minutes." The receiver slammed down. Willis glanced nervously out of the box. The street was empty save for two young women carrying shopping bags.
When the call was over, Redbourne went ballistic. Ted left the office to pick up Willis leaving Charlie Davey to get the full brunt of Redbourne's anger.
"Fuckin idiot! I'd throw him to the bloody dogs if I had my way! But we can't do that - not yet! After Ted's taken him to my place, Charlie, we'll have to keep a watch on Willis. Tomorrow, we'll move him out to Grange Farm - wait till all this bloody mess has died down. Then, maybe, we can kill two or three birds with the same stone. Surely to God, I'll get some good out of this mess." He punched the wall with his fist.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)