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19th May 2014
Quietly reading through a file, Thurstan looked up in response to the knock on his open door.
“Derek! What news can you bring me?” A slight smile played across his face. “I believe the results are out today, am I right?”
Degsy laughed. “You are right, Boss.”
“And? Don’t be shy now,” he chided him.
“I passed.” Degsy blushed as he shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. “I don’t know how, but I passed.”
The DCI rose from his chair and shook his Sergeant’s hand firmly. “Congratulations, Derek. They obviously have more confidence in you than you have yourself. We all do.”
He wasn’t surprised by the news, he’d had a phone call earlier but protocol dictated it had to appear as if the successful applicant for promotion had received it first.
“Right, take a seat, I’ve had a rethink,” he continued. “Nickson. We need to check all Ports and Airports from the seventh of May up to today. I want to know if he’s come back. No stone unturned. I know he doesn’t appear to have come back under his own details but we need to close down the possible Irish re-entry route so we’re going to have to officially circulate him. No arrest, information only.
“He could be using false documentation. Speak to the Border Force and see if they can give us the data and we’ll sift through it. Names that reoccur and coincide with the periods we know he was here but for which, officially, he wasn’t. Patterns, that sort of thing.”
Seeing the look on Degsy’s face, he waved his hand dismissively. “I know. It’ll go down with that lot out there like a lead balloon but it can’t be helped.” He easily managed to simulate a look of genuine apology. He’d been a Police Officer a long time and was a great believer in the saying: ‘If you can’t feign sincerity, you shouldn’t be doing the job’.
“If it has to be done, it has to be done, Boss.”
The DS shrugged and managed to raise a smile. His DCI looked pensive.
“Thing is, Derek, I doubt he’ll use the same false documentation twice. Judging by the array of stuff he’s been producing at hotels along the way, he’s got access to new stuff all the time. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t use it more than once – increases the chance of being traced.
“If he has come back in under his own details, he’ll have done us a favour. At least we’ll know he’s here but I doubt he’ll be leaving us more messages. He’ll have guessed we found the knife and he knows its potential. Yes, it’s ‘needle in a haystack’ stuff, I know, but I’d hate to ignore the possibility he’s been more obvious and we missed it because we weren’t looking for it. Bottom line? Those enquiries will probably amount to nothing, but if we don’t do them, we’ll never know.” A genuine apologetic look this time. “Can you sort that?”
“No problem, Boss. They might moan a bit at first, but they’ll get stuck in nevertheless. I’ll get Gandalph and Taffy to head it up. They’ve been working well together doing the Welsh enquiries and at least we know Llangrannog seems clean in terms of potential ‘victims’. I suppose even ‘Avengers’ need to take a little break now and then.”
Thurstan got up and closed the door then said quietly, “I’m glad you raised the matter of ‘The Avengers’. It’s caused me to give this a lot of thought and I’m sure you’ve done the same. We need to have a candid conversation and I need to know exactly what you think.”
“No probs, Boss.”
Thurstan smiled his appreciation. “Look, as far as I’m concerned this is how it goes. Our job is to impartially report the facts, as we find them, and the CPS decide whether or not there is enough real evidence in those ‘facts’ to obtain a conviction. That’s the actual bottom line. It seems that doesn’t always work for some, but that’s how it works for me and always has.
“Sometimes, if the first test isn’t fully met, the CPS will decide it’s in the Public Interest to proceed, which tips the scales. I think Nickson is going to be one of those cases. At this moment in time, this is definitely a ‘no cough, no job’ situation. Unless we find him with the smoking gun, the best we can hope for is his DNA.”
He waved the file he’d been reading then removed a report sheet. “It says, Derek ‘there is a very, very strong probability the DNA from the toothbrush and the knife will match any sample obtained from your suspect, as named.” He put the sheet back into the file and closed it. “We get him, we get DNA. That’ll be enough to get him charged, well, that and the ‘Public Interest’ considerations. Is it enough for a conviction? Clever Barrister, I don’t think so.” Degsy nodded agreement.
“We both know sometimes a defeat at Court is hard to take, Derek.” He paused and leant forward. “But, in this case, I really don’t think it would bother me. Would it bother you?”
Degsy chuckled. “I know exactly where you’re coming from, Boss. Of course, I want to ‘nick’ him – personal and professional pride but I have to confess I’ve got a sneaking admiration for him and, whoever they are, what they’re doing. I know it’s probably not what I should be saying but the fact is it wouldn’t bother me either if he got off with it.” It was his turn to pause as he rubbed his chin. “I almost wish we didn’t have to catch him. Is that wrong or weird, Boss?”
“No Derek, neither. I know exactly what you mean.” He leant back and waved his forefinger. “But we are going to get him.”
“Absolutely, Boss. Absolutely,” Degsy said seriously.
There was a moment’s silence then Thurstan added, “Oh, before I forget. Any movement on his accounts at all?”
Degsy shook his head. “I’ve been keeping an eye on that since he left. Nothing. Squat. He must be dealing in cash he brought with him or ...” he shrugged, “maybe he’s using someone else’s money.”
Thurstan placed the palms of both hands on his desk and declared, “Ok. It’s good to know. Let’s get to it then.” He gave him a warm smile.
As Degsy opened the door to leave, he turned back towards his DCI. “Incidentally, I hope you don’t mind me mentioning it, Boss, but I assume you’ve told Lizzie everything as well now.”
“Yes, I have. I thought it was about time and, in fact, I really shouldn’t have left it so long.”
Degsy nodded, sagely, then added: “Oh, I forgot to ask! How did your Sunday lunch go, by the way?”
“Sunday lunch?” Thurstan looked puzzled. “Oh, that Sunday lunch! Yes, it was lovely actually, Derek. Great bunch of people, very nice meal.” He felt awkward and hoped it didn’t show.
“Good. I’m glad.” Degsy said, thoughtfully, noting the awkwardness. Turning to leave, he smiled to himself then casually said: “Maybe it’s a love interest.”
Thurstan looked at him quizzically.
“I mean Nickson. Maybe he’s getting his money from a partner we don’t know about.” He smiled. “Door open or shut, Boss?”