Evidence

Chapter 12

Fourth Witness - DCI Gene Hunt

'It's now or never', he thought to himself, 'time for a showdown!'.

One of his team was in trouble and now was the time to begin the fight back.

Gene had entered the court room only moments earlier and had made his way to the witness box.

There he had, as usual, sworn to tell the truth...or as much truth as Alex would allow him.

If the truth was what they really wanted then Gene wanted nothing more than to tell the assembled masses of the court room that he had had enough of this charade. That his DI was innocent, that he wanted her released now, and that the real killer had blown himself to bits on October 10th 1981.

He had spent a long time, just nights before, consoling Raymondo.

Ray had not taken at all kindly to having his words twisted by the prosecution and had exploded with rage outside the court soon after. But now it was time to turn things around.

It was now time for the defence to take control of the proceedings and DCI Gene Hunt was to be a key defence witness.

Gene looked to Alex; the legal teams shuffling papers as they prepared to speak.

Immediately he was struck by how tired she appeared and he instantly knew why.

One of Alex's most noticeable traits was that she thought too much, far too much "'ead full of brains" as he had once said to her.

As a betting man, Gene knew it would be easy odds to bet that Alex had probably lain awake at night since the start of the trial, weighing up all the pros and cons of the evidence both for and against her.

Over analysing and thinking too bloody much, typical of Drake.

Gene shot Alex a look. A look which, without the use of words asked "You okay?"

Nobody in the courtroom seemed to notice this silent communication apart from the recipient of the look.

Alex gave a subtle smile of thanks and a slight nod in response.

Gene was satisfied. It was the closest he was going to get to speaking to Alex for the time being but it would do. She wasn't alright, this Gene knew. Nobody in Alex's situation - accused of a double murder they didn't commit - would be 'alright'.

But he was also relieved to have seen her and seen for himself that there were no more marks or bruises since he visited the prison. Gene was pleased in that respect that Alex had managed to keep herself out of any further trouble.

But now it was time for Gene to come to Alex's defence, to ride to her rescue, something he had been wanting to do since all this had started.

Time to go in with guns blazing....Oh how she would berate him yet again for his "cowboy metaphors" if she could hear his thoughts.

"DCI Hunt...", Jarvis began.

Gene looked to Jarvis. Ordinarily Gene would have written Jarvis off as another of those 'bloody lawyer types' that he generally had no time for - posh accent, too much money, Tosser!.

But right now Jarvis was the best hope there was for getting Alex off and back to freedom.

"...would you, as the defendant's superior officer, say that Detective Inspector Drake is a good police officer?"

"One of the best", Gene replied with absolutely no hesitation, "and I won't hear anybody say otherwise. I only have the best on my team! If they don't make the grade I'd ship 'em out in no time".

"Is DI Drake a trustworthy officer?" Jarvis continued.

"Ofcourse she is", Gene replied steadfastly, "Look, we work 'ard keeping scum off the streets! That means drug dealers, robbers, rapists, murders, you name it! Against scum like that I need a team I can trust - and DI Drake is part of that team!"

Before Jarvis could move on, Gene decided to continue. He was going to redeem as much of Alex's tarnished reputation as he could.

"Look, she's 'elped put away scores of dealers, pimps, and all sorts of robbing filth! You lot sleep safe in your beds at night because of coppers like Drake! So yes, she IS trustworthy! I'd trust her with my life!".

Jarvis nodded before moving on.

"DCI Hunt", the lawyer continued, "Could you tell us about DI Drake's relationship with the Price family? What did you make of it?"

Gene breathed in before answering, collecting his thoughts.

"I wouldn't say there was a relationship as such. I'm the first to admit the Prices were a pain in the arse for me", Gene explained, "but Drake...Well, she's a bit posh and the Price's were a bit posh, I guess they had that in common".

"Can I just ask you to clarify for the court", Jarvis butted in, "exactly what you mean by the term posh?"

Gene blew out a breath.

"Well, privately educated, well spoken", he sifted through the various stereotypes in his mind, "Telegraph rather than The Sun, Opera rather than football...Y'know, posh!".

"So, not working class?" Jarvis asked.

"If you want to put it that way", Gene agreed, "and if they're her kind of people she's hardly going to want to kill them".

"Did you ever see any signs of DI Drake harbouring a form of obsession with the Price family?" Jarvis moved the questioning along.

Gene shook his head.

"No. She spoke to Caroline a bit but then we're coppers, coming into contact with lawyers is part of the job. I must see the same half a dozen local lawyers representing suspects all flamin' week".

"Moving on to the day of October 9th 1981", Jarvis continued, "could you give us an account of DI Drake's actions on that day relating to the car bombing?".

Gene nodded.

"October 9th, we had a short notice warning that Lord Scarman would be making a visit to the station so naturally I wanted everything to be spot on, perfect".

"I see", Jarvis prompted Gene to continue.

"While everyone else is running around tidying and making CID presentable, Drake 'ere is running around chasing up leads about some car bomb that might or might not happen".

"And what did you make of this?" Jarvis queried.

"At first I thought she was on a wild goose chase, that this lead of hers would come to nothing", Gene explained, "but as time went by, it became apparent that she was indeed onto something".

"And how would you describe her behaviour on the day?" Jarvis quizzed, "her emotional state?".

"She was concerned, naturally", Gene answered, "she was trying to stop a murder, trying bloody 'ard to stop it!".

"But she failed", Jarvis stated.

"Yes", Gene admitted, "yes, she failed. We failed. If we hadn't been held up by a broken down lorry we would have made it in time to save them and that little girl would still 'ave her folks".

Jarvis nodded somberly.

"And after the car bomb exploded", Jarvis moved on, "how did DI Drake react?".

Gene thought back to the event, the memory of looking down from the grassy hill at the burning wreck.

"She was gutted, obviously", he began, "She'd seen two people she knew get blown to bits right in front of her. Nobody wants to see somethin' like that. She fell to her knees and screamed, shock I 'spose".

Again Jarvis nodded.

"Has DI Drake ever said or done anything to give you the impression that she was pleased that the Prices were now dead?"

"Absolutely not!" Gene was adamant, "She's a good copper, one of the very best! She would never ever have anything to do with anything like this! There's more chance of Maggie Thatcher voting Labour than Drake being behind this!"

"Thank you very much DCI Hunt", JarVis nodded to indicate that he had finished.

Once again, Alison got to her feet for the prosecution.

She gave the Manchester DCI a look, taking in his appearance and sizing up her opponent.

Even from where she stood she could almost see the sense of loyalty between this witness and the accused.

"So...DCI Hunt", Alison slowly began as she fixed the DCI with her glare, "where to start."

Gene returned the glare. He wasn't going to be intimidated by this woman.

"You have told the defence that you believe DI Drake to be a trustworthy police officer", Alison stated.

"That's right", Gene said, "honest as the day is long".

Alison nodded, "So she is completely honest? No misdemeanours, not even any minor transgressions?"

Gene shook his head, wondering what Alison was trying to get at.

Ray had warned him about Alison and the way she made seemingly everything appear incriminating.

"No, nuthin'", Gene again replied.

"That's interesting because we have record of a reported incident from mid 1981".

Gene was baffled, even casting Alex herself a quizzical glance where she stood in the dock.

"What are you gettin' at Luv?", Gene demanded.

"In mid 1981 a red Audi quattro, registration JLY 751V, was reported missing from outside the Fenchurch East police station", Alison finally explained, "You are the registered keeper of this Audi quattro are you not DCI Hunt?"

"I am", Gene agreed, "but I think you're making something out of nothing 'ere".

"Who took the car DCI Hunt?" Alison quizzed.

"Look it's not like you're making it sound", Gene fought back.

"I ask again", Alison repeated "Who took the car?"

Gene huffed.

"DI Drake took the quattro", he reluctantly admitted as he began to understand Ray's warning.

"Detective Inspector Drake took the car", Alison continued, "without the consent of the owner. Hardly the actions of a supposedly trustworthy police officer now?".

"It's not like that", Gene disagreed, "she needed to retrieve some evidence fast, and she just didn't tell me she'd used the quattro. Per'aps she couldn't even find me, it's a big police station after all!".

"Yet you were concerned enough to report it missing?" Alison stated.

"Of course I was! I thought some spotty little boy racer had nabbed it, in which case it would have been ploughed into a building in five minutes flat".

Alison paused for a moment to allow the jury to take in the details.

"Whilst we are on the subject of whether DI Drake is trustworthy", Alison continued, "allow me to cast your mind back to CID's investigation into the theft of Children in Need charity money collected by a Mr Gill Hollis".

Gene waited, he knew where this one was going.

"Is it true DCI Hunt that this investigation was carried out using, shall we say, dubious methods - methods which saw you temporarily suspended and sent on leave?".

Reluctantly, Gene nodded. "I was suspended, yes, briefly".

"DCI Hunt, who was it who reported your actions to your superiors and was therefore responsible for you being suspended?" Alison asked.

Gene didn't want to answer. He knew he had been, procedurally at least, in the wrong that day but nothing had been making sense with Hollis's story.

"Who was it, DCI Hunt?" Alison repeated her question.

"Look it was DI Drake alright?!" Gene answered loudly, "but she was doing her job! We were dealing with a slippery character and our methods just clashed. Seems my methods weren't so acceptable anymore, but we got our result and that Hollis bloke is now banged up where he belongs!"

Alison again paused.

"So after taking a vehicle without consent, and betraying your friendship and professional trust during an investigation", Alison looked briefly over to Alex, "you still consider this woman to be trustworthy and honest?"

"Yes I bleedin' well do!", Gene placed emphasis on every word.

"Well let's move on to another issue now", Alison decided, "DI Drake's arrest of Mr. and Mrs. Price for possession of narcotics".

Gene listened. This Alison was irritating him no end, just like Caroline Price used to.

"On October 9th DI Drake took both Tim and Caroline Price into custody for possession of narcotics, a charge they both strenuously denied at the time", Alison continued, "The very next day, you let them go, how come?"

"There was no evidence against them", Gene simply answered.

"No evidence?" Alison checked.

"Nothing in the evidence room relating to their arrest", Gene explained, "in which case we had no reason to hold them for any longer".

"So what happened to the cocaine DI Drake, this completely trustworthy officer, is alleged to have found in the Price house?", Alison continued.

"I dunno", Gene admitted, "There was nothing in the evidence room".

"Is DI Drake a drug user DCI Hunt?", Alison asked.

Gene was surprised at hearing such a question.

"Christ, of course she isn't", he was getting angry, "She's a police officer, she doesn't take drugs and she doesn't arrange murders either".

"That will be for the jury to decide DCI Hunt", Alison reminded the witness.

She paused for a moment.

"And on the subject of murders DCI Hunt, let's move on".

Gene waited, wondering what rubbish this woman would spout next.

"I believe you accompanied DI Drake on one of her visits to Arthur Layton in Wormwood scrubs prison?".

"I did", Gene nodded.

"Tell me, is it accurate to state that he seemed to know all about this impending car bomb?".

"He was taunting us both about it yes after being questioned on the subject", Gene agreed, "saying he knew about a car bomb, on a timer, but he could have just been talking nonsense to get a reaction from us".

"And did you, at any time, leave DI Drake alone with Arthur Layton?"

Gene thought back...

"Yes but just for a minute", he replied, "I went back to the quattro to wait for her. Scarman was at my station and I needed to be there, not poncing about prisons. I thought if I went back to the car then Drake would inevitably have to follow - 'cos otherwise she was walking back".

"Did she tell you what she had discussed with him in the few minutes they were alone?", Alison asked.

Gene shook his head, "No, she just called him a bastard then we changed the subject".

"Hmmm..." Alison digested the information.

Gene liked Alison less and less as the questioning went on. It was as if she had the ability to read negative things into the smallest of events.

"DCI Hunt, would you say DI Drake is a rational, stable individual?"

"As stable as any woman is", Gene answered without hesitation.

Alison scowled at him, the remark clearly having not gone down well.

"I don't doubt that DI Drake is an experienced officer. I also don't doubt that she must have dealt with all sorts of violent cases", Alison continued, "So why did she take the Prices death so badly? Why did she break down and scream in the middle of the street at a murder scene?".

"Look, I dunno", Gene was getting angrier, "you'd have to ask one of these psychology types - like Drake - about why people react as they do. Like I said, this involved people she knew, people she respected. This wasn't the usual case of some unknown victim, she knew these people so she's bound to take it 'ard!"

"Thank you DCI Hunt", Alison finished, "no more questions for this witness".

As Gene left the witness box he was unable to take his eyes off Alex.

She in turn looked to him, trying to hide her concern and worry at Alison's line of questioning.

Eventually Gene had to break his gaze and left the court room.

Gene's pulse raced in anger as he headed straight down the corridor and to the outside, onto the London street.

Right now he needed three things; some air, a ciggie and a drink.

Outside, amid the sound of the traffic and the grey London day, Gene leant against the walls of the court.

He reached into his black overcoat and retrieved his cigarettes and a lighter as the many pedestrians of London passed him by without a glance.

After a moment, the cigarette was lit and Gene inhaled the smoke deeply.

He understood how Ray had felt down after he had given evidence.

"There you are Guv!" a familiar male voice called.

Gene looked round as Ray approached, clearly having been looking for him.

"I only just got here", Ray said apologetically, "got held up by bloody Millwall fans fighting this morning. How did it go?"

"You were right Ray" Gene took another lung full of his cigarette, "That Alison bird's a harpie! She's out to get Drake".

"But they can't", Ray protested, "I mean they've got nothin' on her!"

"The way that woman twists things, she could probably convince a jury that Drake was behind the great fire o' London", Gene flicked his fag ash onto the pavement.

"What are we gonna do then, Guv?", Rays concern was genuine, "I mean, they can't pin this on Drake".

"It's all down to the next witness now, Raymondo. And she'd better play this one to win", Gene chucked his cigarette end on the ground. It wasn't finished but he was too agitated to smoke anymore of it.

Once again, the Guv reached into his overcoat and this time produced his hip flask.

"Who's up next then?" Ray enquired.

Gene took a gulp of his whiskey, savouring it as the taste hit him hard.

"Bolly Kecks".

End chapter 12...

(As with previous chapters I sometimes have problems with formatting when I upload fics to this website. Sometimes this site randomly loses gaps, bunches stuff all together and generally messes with the layout, despite having been beta'd. If this happens with this chapter, please take that into account as I don't yet know what causes this website to do this during the upload)

As ever, huge thanks to Heidi and Skywise!