Chapter 32

"Dr Andrews, we have studied the evidence carefully and have taken into consideration the character references which various sources have provided for the inquiry board."

The room held its breath.

"You are indeed a very capable Coroner and have been a long standing asset to the court for many a decade…." The Chairman of the committee stood as he spoke behind a long table where a number of committee members sat in judgement over Dr Max Andrews.

Dr Andrews sat nervously with his lawyer opposite the formidable group, whom were just about to declare his fate. He had dreaded this day for many months, the day when he would be hauled in front of a committee to have his misdemeanours so publicly and painfully aired in minute detail. He had lied, there was no hiding away from it, he had fabricated a report on behalf of Robert Makepeace…all be it under severe duress. The committee had taken this into consideration whilst raking through every case he had ever worked on in his long career.

Maddy, his daughter, sat apprehensively at the back of the court amongst the witnesses and various members of the press. Also at the back on the opposite side of the room was CSI Gordon Spikings. Stony faced, silent, motionless.

"That said.." The Chairman continued "You have committed the serious act of destroying evidence, falsifying documents and bringing the Coroners court into disrepute. Therefore, it is with great regret that the board has no other option but to suspend your license with immediate effect…"

There was a gasp from Maddy and the other witnesses immediately started whispering amongst themselves.

"…. It is my duty to inform you that you will now face criminal proceedings for perjury in a court of law…"

"Nooo!" cried Maddy from the back of the room.

Spikings grunted in disapproval.

Two uniformed police officers appeared either side of Dr Andrews.

"I now conclude this inquiry, case closed."

Dr Andrews stood and resignedly held out his wrists to be cuffed by the officers.

"That won't be necessary Sir." Said one of the officers "But I do have to caution you…Dr Andrews, You do not have to say anything. However, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything that you do say…."

"Nooo.." Maddy cried again, cupping her face in her hands with despair.

Dr Andrews gave one last glance back at his daughter as he was led away.

"How did it go?" asked Harry looking hopefully at her boss Spikings.

Spikings shook his head despondently "They threw the book at him – sorry girl, I did my best."

"Poor Max, poor Maddy, haven't they suffered enough?" said Harry. "Thanks Sir, I know you tried your best for them."

"There are some things even I can't fix.." Spikings tried to explain further "That's the justice system for you – out of my hands entirely."

"I know Sir. Will they be lenient? It's not like he deliberately set out to deceive the court."

"Who knows how their minds work. Murderers and rapists get off scott free with a slap on the wrist and good men like Dr Andrews face a stretch in jail." Spikings plonked himself behind his desk and studied the mountains of paper work which had seemingly appeared since early that morning "All we can do is to keep wading through this lot- eh?"

Harry gave him a small smile "Yes Sir."

"Any news on our awol American?"

Harry's heart sank "No, not a peep. His disappeared, six weeks and nothing."

"The thought of Dempsey out there on his own doing God knows what fills me dread."

Harry thought for a moment and said quietly "I'm worried Sir."

"Me too, me too."

Shaz's eyes were wide in amazement as she and Alex entered the ornate foyer of the Chessington Hotel. "Wow! How the other half live Ma'am."

The foyer was adorned with cut glass crystal, plush red carpets and 17th/18th century paintings. Every wall and furnishing oozed riches beyond most people's means. " I would love to be able to afford to stay in a place like this." gushed Shaz ,still scanning the room."

Alex was also studying the room intently, she had to be sure "This is it Shaz, this is the hotel."

"The one in your dream Ma'am?"

"Yes." She moved over to vast staircase. "This is definitely it." She wafted a hand at the stairs "This is where I saw the woman; she was coming down this staircase."

Shaz was confused. She had gotten used to Alex's strange premonitions over the years, but even this was stretching it. To Shaz, the pair had seemed to have wasted so much Police time searching various hotels in London looking for a staircase and a nameless woman which appeared in a dream and yet no apparent crime had been (or was about to be) committed . "I'm not being funny Ma'am, but why are we looking for this woman if nothing has happened?"

"Because Shaz, Something is going to happen." said Alex with conviction. "I just know it – it's all about connections."

"Right." Said Shaz not really understanding "What connections?"

"I don't know yet, that's why we're here, to find out."

For months now Alex had been having the same recurring dream. She would be in the hotel foyer…why she hadn't yet worked out, then this glamorous women would descend the stairs. Then the scene would fade to screaming followed by an explosion and fire. The dream would always feel very real. Alex, when experiencing the dream, was always struck by the presence of Leroy being near.

"So, where does Leroy fit into this?" Shaz was still miffed "I can't really see him staying in somewhere like this."

"That's just it Shaz, despite the Guv thinking that Leroy has simply run away, I think he's something to do with this woman…connections Shaz, it's all about connections."

"Like a jigsaw Ma'am, but we don't have all the pieces yet?"

"Exactly! It's our jobs as detectives to find all the pieces and put them together."

"Even if those pieces don't exist?" puzzled Shaz, she couldn't see how you could solve a case until it had actually happened.

"Sometimes you have to follow your instincts." smiled Alex.

"Okay. I get it, I think" Shaz smiled back.

"And since the Guv has relegated me to little more than tea girl because he doesn't want me anywhere near any action just in case I get hurt, he's not going to question me following what he considers a wild goose chase."

"Welcome to my world." Said Shaz sourly "Since Leroy left all I've been doing is making the tea and shuffling paper. I really thought I was moving forward and now I feel I'm back to square one."

"Don't worry Shaz, I'll tell him you're helping me as part of you training."

"Fab." Beamed Shaz "So what do we do next?"

Alex suddenly started looking frantically around the room again "Find the ladies. I think I've got a foot pressed against my bladder…"

Dempsey shrugged on the white faux leather jacket he had purchased from a charity shop four weeks ago and checked his look in the mirror. Now sporting a moustache and slightly greasy hair, he looked grubby. His cheeks were pale and drawn, his eyes dull outlined with dark, tired circles. He hardly recognised himself. He had prided himself on keeping in shape, fit and healthy, now he looked like a shadow. He had lost weight through lack of eating and endless sleepless nights had caught up with him. This was what deep cover and constantly looking over his shoulder had reduced him to.

He had holed himself up in a dilapidated room which was part of a building which laughingly described itself as a hotel. It reminded Dempsey of the seedy motels back home in the US. The places where criminals on the run took refuge and hookers turned tricks for $30 before robbing you blind by the morning.

Here, in this dingy place, all of London's worse pond life lived…..or rather existed. And that was what Dempsey was doing, existing. All his focus and energy was centred on surviving, to find the truth, to free himself once and for all or die trying. It was futile to try and think beyond this world, this limbo he had created between make believe and reality. He had well truly immersed himself and didn't allow himself to think about his real life. In this undercover business there was no room for sentiment or nostalgia, no room to let the enemy get a glimpse of your real identity, therefore it was easier to try and forget who you were…..and forget anyone else.

In this shady world he was Johnny Lupino, the loud mouth hood, the chancer, the thug,the lowlife. The sort of guy who would cut a victim's brake lines for the right money, the sort of guy that would happily terrorise a debtor for a loan shark, the sort of guy who was muscle for hire – and that was the plan. He had heard whispers that there was an American looking for muscle for a job. Nobody knew what kind of job, when or where. Dempsey didn't even know if this guy would lead him to Coltrane or not. There were plenty of Yanks over here in London all looking to make a quick buck, but Dempsey figured it wouldn't take long for one Yank to find another Yank in the same line of business.

Dempsey lit himself a cigarette. Although a cigar smoker, he didn't think Lupino was classy enough to appreciate a cigar, so Lupino smoked rough cigarettes. Nor did he have the taste for expensive beer therefore, Johhny drank cheap lager. He had even swapped his fashionable aviator sun glasses for tacky imitations. It was all about the detail.

Dempsey stubbed out the half smoked cigarette, squashing the butt amongst the others in the ashtray. He didn't like them and was hankering after a cigar, but the pretence, the cover had to be upheld at every moment of the day and night. Paying this must attention 24/7 was wearing him down.

He checked the wad of notes in his pocket and counted them. He couldn't risk leaving his money in the hotel room so he carried his cash everywhere he went. Tonight was no exception, as he made his way out, heading to the snooker club where played most nights for money.

In north London, there was another undercover officer preparing to go into into central London. Leroy too had changed his name, changed his clothes, but his rendezvous was to be very different to Dempsey's… Leroy was now wearing an expensive suit, trendy brogues and carrying a briefcase worthy of any hotshot successful businessman. To complete the look, he climbed into a Porsche ….It was all about the detail.