Breaking down the Barriers

The team reinvestigate the mysterious death of a promising young music star who had died mysreriously twenty years ago.

Working in the office early on a Monday morning, Jack had been the first in he couldn't sleep the previous night as he had a nightmare about Ricky Hanson standing over his bed mocking him and swearing at him. He hid himself in his work. As the door swung open Gerry entered carrying two plastic cups of coffee. "Here ya go Jack looks like you need it", Jack didn't say anything to his friend as he accepted the cup of coffee.

In the busy car park Brian was carrying his bike with his hand as he looked around looking up at the CCTV zooming. He waited for Sandra as she arrived in her car getting out as she greeted him with her usual smile "Morning Brian" he nodded wearing his bike helmet.

Strickland was sitting on the chair in the office of UCOs waiting for Sandra to arrive he had wanted to give them a twenty year old murder case. Brian entered the office putting his bike in the corner of the room. As he looked at Gerry miming "what does Strickland want I thought he was busy preparing for the police annual ball" Gerry shook his head not knowing.

"ah good morning Sandra I'm glad that you are all here as I have case for you to solve" as she took her jacket off listening as the guys sat around on their chairs. "I'm giving you the murder case of Mark Hopkins to solve, here are the original documents from the investigation from 1989, he was a famous musician he was apparently big in the eighties but he had a lot of enemies"

Brian seemed to know who he was he explained that Esther had taken him to see one of his gigs in the dance halls and that he had nodded off half way through Hopkins' performance "Esther enjoyed it but I didn't it wasn't mind kind of scene".

Strickland handed the rest of the documents to Sandra as he quickly left the UCOs office. She asked Jack to check who was the investigating officer at the time of the investigation . He typed up the name on the computer as a list of long names came up she leaned over to look at one "DS Graham", Gerry recognised the name "I know him he was a right pain in the arse never liked any of his items been touched on his desk".

"Right nuisance was he? Brain asked as Gerry nodded agreeing.

Gerry and Brain headed out to question Mark's fiancée Jenette Crosby where she was at the time of his death. They knocked on her front door answering it , she looked about early 40's blond short hair. "Can I help you gentlemen" , Gerry showed her his badge "I'm Gerry Standing this is Brian Lane we're from the UCOs team investigating the murder of your former fiancée Mark Hopkins".

The smile from her face dropped as she let them in the house. Brian sitting down on the sofa noticing it was very soft and cushy as he bounced a few times Gerry told him "not now Brian".

She stood in the middle of the room listening as they asked her a few questions about Mark "where were you at the time of his death" as she thought back wiping a tear away from her eye. "I was at my mum and dad's house then his mate John rang up from the tour bus that they shared he said Mark had collapsed and John thought he might have collapsed from a heart attack"

She apologised as she stopped talking for a moment. Gerry leaned forward and asked if she knew if Mark had taken any medication and could it have been swapped with a powerful medication dose. "He was epileptic he took his medication about twice a day morning and night time he was ok with the medication that he had, no problems with it".

Brian asked her if she knew if he had any enemies she nodded in disagreement "He never had any at all that I knew of".

Sandra felt concerned for Jack watching him through the glass door as she noticed that he didn't look himself this morning he was rubbing his head looking worried "Jack you sure you'll be able to work today" He smiled slightly acknowledging her concern "Sandra I'll be ok it was just a bad night I had ". He sat back down at his desk clicking for name of suspects on the computer.

Gerry and Brian arrived back as Brian sat down in his chair looking completely shattered "By heck it's a hard job getting up them stairs should have taken the lift instead Gerry" He laughed at his friend telling" it always good for exercise".

DS Roberts knocked on Sandra's door handing her files of names of suspects that were questioned twenty years ago over the murder, she examined the names as Gerry came into help look through them "What about this name John Ryan he was Mark Hopkins' mate, Jenette mentioned him, looks like he might have been telling a few lies better go and pay him a visit."

Sandra grabbed her jacket following Gerry as Brian done a search on his computer "ahh got it Jack come and have a look at this" he looked relieved for what he had been looking for on the computer, "What is Brian" as Jack leaned in to look

It was picture image of who was at Hopkins last concert he was giving a v sign with his fingers on the picture John was there in the background but there was also Stephen Frederick, Gary Jones and Mick Bell they were three suspects that had been questioned in 1989 they had previously denied being at the concert.

Jack got back up from looking at the computer "You don't think they all planned it together do you Brian" looking confusingly at a smiling Brian who had thrown his arms behind his head. "I think we should wait till Sandra gets back at let her know"

Gerry and Sandra knocked on the door of John Ryan's house as he slumped against the door "Blimey he's looks ill" Gerry thought, Ryan was ill he had been ill for a few years. He let them in to his house which looked a right tip. Sandra looked around noticing old pictures of Hopkins and Ryan in the good old days at Rock concerts and them playing the guitar and the drums.

"You must have been a right rebel with Hopkins" asking him as he sat down ready to here what question they were going to ask.

"You know where here to ask you about really happened to Mark on the night he died in 1989." John poured himself a glass of wine as he listened to what Sandra was saying. "I thought the case was solved" he looked puzzled.

Gerry told him "I'm afraid not mate we have to ask you again".

Remembering back " We're excited because Island Records was going to offer Mark a three year deal I was happy for him and he was about to marry Jenette in a few weeks after that"

"He was on medication I know he had no problems with it I still struggle to get my head round how he died" as he sat with a sad thought on his face.

Sandra had asked a few more questions which John answered taking his time.

They eventually left his house as Brian phoned Sandra letting her know that they were bringing in one of the suspects from the investigation from 20 years ago Gary Jones apparently his jacket was found on the tour bus he had travelled with them but failed to mention that when he was originally bought in for question.

As Sandra and Brian question Gary Jones he reveals something surprising information which turns the murder case in another direction