The avon rogue, p.28
The Avon Rogue, page 28
Toby was bringing over the fish and chips. Skelton saw the two large cod and chips and the mushy peas. ‘Go on, Bill, best get another couple of pints in to wash that lot down.’
Alexander turned round to see Toby carrying the plates. ‘Bloody hell, Dan, I am going to have to go on a diet.’
After they had finished their lunch, the two officers began to make their way back to the office. They were just turning right onto Bog Island when Skelton noticed a well-dressed young lady inserting her card into an ATM. As she keyed in her PIN, he noticed a young foreign looking man aged in his early twenties. He was looking nervous. As the young lady was retrieving her card, the machine began dispensing the cash. As quick as a flash, the young man made a grab for the cash. He had not anticipated Skelton being on to him. Just as he had grabbed the cash, Skelton grabbed him by the arms and wrestled him to the ground. Alexander was onto him too. The guy had no chance to escape and was very soon in handcuffs. Alexander radioed for the custody van and it arrived in minutes. Skelton reunited the lady with her cash. ‘Come on, Bill, let’s get back to the office. You can do the paperwork, sunshine.’
Alexander glowered and said, ‘Thank you very much, sir. I should just about finish it before its time to go home.’
Skelton went to his office and replied to some emails that had arrived whilst he had been out to lunch. When he had finished, he sat back in his chair and began thinking about what had happened in the last week. He was certain that at some point Murray was going to take on Mickey Chadwell, but where and when were the two questions that he had no answers to. He was intrigued by the operation that Chadwell was operating from the scrap yard in Bristol. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and in walked Alexander.
‘I have finished the paperwork on that guy we arrested at the ATM. He has five previous convictions for similar offences. It seems he has a drug habit that needs feeding. He will be appearing before the magistrates court tomorrow morning.’
‘Well done, Bill. Take a seat.’
Alexander sat down and looked closely at Skelton. ‘What’s on your mind, sir?’
Skelton had his hands behind his neck. ‘Tell me, Bill, when you were a boy, what did you do after school in the evenings?’
Alexander was a little surprised by the question and placed his hands on the desk and said, ‘Me and a few mates would play football most days. Why do you ask?’
Skelton smiled and said, ‘That’s what my friends did, but not me. You see when I was a boy of about eight, I walked into a scrap yard which was just up the road from where we lived. It was owned by a man called Bobby Dunn. I asked if I could play in the cars. They were mostly wrecks. He told me I could but if I wanted to make some money he would give me a job after school and at weekends. He actually owned another scrap yard, which was situated down a lane not far from the main yard. He kept three guard dogs in the main yard and two in what was called the top yard.
‘As you know, Bill, I love dogs and very soon it became my job to walk and feed the dogs. One Saturday afternoon I had fed the dogs in the main yard and was about to walk to the top yard when Bobby said he would give me a lift. He had just acquired a Ford Popular which he was going to keep for a while before scrapping it for spare parts. We drove along the main road then turned left onto the long lane that led to the top yard. He suddenly stopped the car and got out. He opened my door and told me to get into the driver’s seat. So, I slid over a little anxious. Bobby pointed out the clutch, brake and accelerator pedals and told me to put the car in gear. Before I knew it, I was driving the car. We did this every day from thereon.’
Skelton leaned his arms on the desk as Alexander studied his features. ‘By the age of ten, Bill, I was driving cranes and lorries and even a bulldozer. I had my own personal tractor and dumper truck. After school, I would be at Bobby Dunn’s before doing my homework. I loved it there and learnt so much about life. In those days before we realised about what our actions were having on the environment, the men in the yard would strip about six cars every day for spare parts, which we would sell. We had an area in the main yard which we used to set the shells of the cars on fire. It was my job to set the cars on fire. Can you imagine a ten-year-old boy being paid to set cars on fire? We used to burn the cars to soften the metal. Then Bobby would use our big crane to drop a two-tonne weight on them to crush them. This made it easier to load onto a lorry and take them to another scrap yard that had a crusher, or bailer as they are called. So, whilst my school friends were out playing football, I was setting fire to cars and getting paid for it. I had a marvellous childhood, Bill.’
Alexander stood up and said, ‘You never mentioned this before, Dan. Why have you brought it up now?’
Skelton leaned back in his chair and said, ‘I have been thinking about Mickey Chadwell and the scrap yard that he runs in Bristol. I reckon that it’s the perfect place to dispose of dead bodies.’
Chapter Sixty
It was a Saturday afternoon in November and Tommy Burns had arranged to meet friends in Victoria Park. It was a dry overcast day and quite chilly. Tommy was seventeen years old and had decided that university was not for him. The thought of incurring a huge amount of debt for tuition fees did not appeal to him. Tommy was good with his hands and his uncle was a carpenter. His uncle had promised him an apprenticeship and Tommy was looking forward to finishing school and starting work.
Tommy was good-looking boy of average height and weight. He liked to go running after school but was not interested in competing. He just liked to run on his own with his earphones in, listening to music. He often ran around Victoria Park after school and would see many fellow joggers. As well as running, he liked going to the gym two or three times a week.
It would be Tommy’s eighteenth birthday in a couple of weeks and his parents had promised him a car. He was an only child and was particularly close to both his mum and dad. His mum was a primary school teacher, and his dad was a postman. They lived in a terraced house, in Bath Hampton which was a few miles from Victoria Park. He took the bus and got off at the bus station in Bath. The city was very busy as Bath Rugby had a match starting at 6 pm. There were hordes of supporters on the streets, many of them waring the club colours. Although Tommy didn’t have a girlfriend, he had recently met a girl called Susan Peat. She was also seventeen and was planning to go to university and become a nurse just like her mother. Susan was the eldest of three sisters and had the looks to be a model, if she wanted such a career.
Susan lived almost next door to Brian Driscoll, who was Tommy’s best friend. Brian and Tommy had gone to school together and were like brothers. The previous week, Brian was leaving his house to meet Tommy at McDonald’s, when he bumped into Susan and suggested that she should join them. Tommy had never met Susan before but on being introduced, he was smitten by her. She was a tall blonde girl with piercing blue eyes and was very mature for her age. She also had an infectious laugh. Susan liked the look of Tommy and she very much hoped that he would invite her out for a date.
Tommy was on his way to meet Brian and Susan in the park. None of them had much money as they were all still at school and their pocket money did not go very far. Victoria Park is a very large park and very popular with families, especially at the weekend. Tommy had the idea that he would spend a couple of hours wandering through the park with Brian and Susan and then they could all go to McDonald’s. Tommy was planning to ask Susan out on her own. He thought he would take her to the pictures next Saturday afternoon. He would let her choose which film they would see. He hoped that Brian would understand. Although they were great friends, he could hardly ask him to join them on their first date. Brian did not have a girlfriend, but it was just a matter of time before he found one.
Tommy had arranged to meet them at the café in the park. They would not actually go inside the café, as they needed their money for McDonald’s. As Tommy made his way to the café, he spotted Brian and Susan, who were deep in conversation. Susan was wearing a blue coat to keep out the cold and Brian had on a hoodie. The hood covered his head so only his face was exposed. The two of them were laughing loudly when Susan spotted Tommy. A great big smile appeared on her face, and she ran to meet him. Tommy put out his arms to greet her and kissed her on the forehead.
‘Hi Tommy, great to see you. How have you been?’
Tommy was smiling broadly. ‘I’m great thanks, and great to see you.’
Tommy turned to see Brian, who was waiting to exchange high fives. Tommy raised his hand and took the high fives and then the boys exchanged hugs. Tommy was having the time of his life. Here he was in a beautiful park with his best friend and his prospective girlfriend. He hoped that one day, if he worked hard enough and saved as much as he could, he would buy a flat in Bath. Perhaps he and Susan would get married and have kids. He knew one thing for certain, that whoever he married, Brian would be his best man at the wedding.
The three friends joined hands, Tommy had Susan’s left hand and Brian held her right. They walked hand in hand without a care in the world. It was what being a teenager should be. Happiness and joy. Tommy was wishing that he had brought a coat. He was just wearing a pullover on top of his tee-shirt and the temperature was slowly falling. Maybe he could cuddle Susan to get warm. He smiled at the thought. They had been walking for about ten minutes and were approaching the band stand. Tommy noticed that there were four boys sitting there. He reckoned they were about fifteen or sixteen and they were all smoking. Suddenly, Tommy got a whiff of the smoke. It was weed. Tommy did not do drugs and neither did Brian or Susan, but they all knew the smell of weed.
Tommy pulled Susan’s hand in the opposite direction and all three made the turn. They now had their backs to the four boys. Brian spoke. ‘Listen, after we go to McDonald’s, why don’t we all go back to my place and watch a film? Dad will have some beers in the fridge and we can chill out. You can stay the night, Tommy. How about that?’
It was Susan who spoke first. ‘Oh yes, that would be great. What do you say, Tommy?’
Tommy dropped Susan’s hand so that he could give these sweet, beautiful people a hug. ‘Count me in, that’s for sure.’ They all laughed.
It was Susan who noticed the boys first. ‘Look, there’s those boys from the band stand. They look pretty much out of their minds. Let’s head to McDonald’s.’
The three friends began to quicken their step, but the four boys were running towards them. The smallest of them, who was wearing a Liverpool FC shirt and blue jeans, seemed to be the leader. Whilst Tommy and Brian were bigger and older than the four boys, it was two against four should a fight break out. Tommy’s heart began to pump harder; he was going to have to protect his friends as best he could.
The boy in the Liverpool shirt was about sixteen and was only about five foot six. He had red hair and was plainly looking for trouble. It was obvious now that he was the gang leader. Suddenly he pulled out a very large knife from under his shirt. Susan screamed.
‘I want your mobile phones and whatever cash you have on you.’ To Tommy, it sounded like the boy had a Bristol accent. Tommy got in front of Brian and Susan.
‘Look we don’t want any trouble. We are leaving now. Just leave us alone.’
The gang leader swayed slightly and said, ‘Give me the fucking phones and the money, or I will do you.’
He waved the blade from left to right. His three mates stood behind him. They made no effort to stop him. This was a joint enterprise attack. In the eyes of the law, all four were equally guilty to whatever was about to happen.
Susan began to sob, she was frightened. Brian put his arm over her shoulder. ‘It’s all right, we will be out of here in a minute.’ Tommy took his phone and the twenty-pound note that was his pocket money from his pocket. As he moved closer to the red headed boy, he gripped the phone and the money in his right hand. His mum and dad would buy him a new phone. It happened in a flash. For no apparent reason, the boy stuck the knife deep into Tommy’s neck. Susan let out a blood curling scream and Brian rushed forward to try and take the knife away. But the boy was off his face from the cannabis. He came at Brian and lunged with the blade. It went deep into Brian’s tummy. Tommy had fallen to the ground, blood was spurting from the deep wound. He would be dead in a few seconds. Brian fell to his knees. He was clutching the wound to his tummy and could feel the warm blood on his fingers.
Susan was now screaming at the top of her voice. The other boys suddenly realised the extent of the trouble they had caused. One of them grabbed the red head and said, ‘Come on, we have to get the fuck out of here.’
They didn’t bother to pick up Tommy’s phone or the twenty-pound note. They simply ran away, leaving Tommy dead and Brian fighting for his life.
Luckily for Brian, two young medical students heard Susan’s screams and ran to the scene. One of them was wearing a scarf and he took it off and used it to apply pressure to the wound. The other called the ambulance and police. It was obvious that Tommy was beyond help. Yet more lives ruined due to a teenager carrying a knife.
Chapter Sixty-One
Skelton was in the kitchen and was just pouring himself a can of Fosters when his phone rang. It was Inspector Graham Symonds. Skelton answered, ‘Hello, Graham, I take it this is not a social call on a Saturday afternoon.’
‘I am sorry to disturb you, sir, but there has been a murder in Victoria Park and another young lad is fighting for his life. Can you come down straight away please?’
Skelton had been looking forward to having an Indian takeaway that evening. That was no longer going to happen. ‘Yes, Graham, let me call Bill Alexander. He can pick me up and take us to the park. We should be there in half an hour.’
Skelton called Alexander and then Ross Turnbull. Turnbull answered on the second ring. ‘Ross, there has been a murder in Victoria Park. Get the murder squad mobilised, Bill and I will be there in half an hour.’
‘Yes sir, consider it done.’
Alexander drove them as close as he could to the forensic tent which had been erected by the forensic team. Bob Richards the head of forensics was already clad in white overalls and was giving directions to his team. The body of Tommy was still in situ, albeit under the protection of the blue forensic tent. Inspector Graham Symonds was in charge of the crime scene, something which he did very well.
‘Come on, Bill, let’s see what they have got for us.’
They got out of the car and Alexander counted nine police vehicles and an ambulance. Skelton led the way, and they approached Symonds. ‘Hello, Graham, what do we have here then?’
Symonds cleared his throat and added Skelton and Alexander’s names to his sheet. ‘Three young friends out for a stroll in the park, two boys and a girl. Four boys who had been on the band stand approached them and demanded their mobile phones and cash. A young boy named Tommy Burns was handing over his mobile when the boy in a Liverpool FC shirt stabbed him in the neck. His friend called Brian Driscoll was then stabbed in the stomach. He is in a serious condition but should live. The girl was unhurt but is in shock. She is in the ambulance over there if you want to see her. Her parents are with her. She’s not been able to describe the other boys in the group.’
Skelton saw that the rest of the murder squad were gathered outside the back of the tent. ‘Come with me, Bill.’
The officers made their way over to join the rest of the team. The team turned to face Skelton and Alexander. Skelton had his hands in his coat pockets to help keep out the cold. ‘Right, we have a young man dead and his friend is in hospital. Janet, I want you to go to the hospital and get a statement from him as soon as he is stable. His name is Brian Driscoll. See if you can get a description of his attackers and radio it in as soon as you can.’
Janet Griffin took her leave. Skelton continued. ‘We understand that there were four boys hanging around the band stand. Our two boys and the girl were confronted by them. The knife man, or should I say boy, was wearing a Liverpool FC top and had red hair. It’s unlikely they got here by car. At the moment, we don’t know if they are local or from outside Bath. I want you guys to get over to the train and bus stations and review the CCTV. Find out if they boarded a train or bus and find out where they were headed. The killer was likely covered in blood, so he may have dumped the Liverpool top. He should still be easy to spot as he has red hair and is aged about sixteen. Bill and I will wait here for the Home Office pathologist to arrive. Right, off you go and make sure you keep me posted.’
Skelton and Alexander made their way to the entrance of the tent. Bob Richards was standing at the entrance. He was holding two pairs of paper overalls. ‘Here you go, chaps, put these on and we can go inside. I am afraid it’s not a pretty scene in there. The poor boy must have bled out. There is blood everywhere. We have recovered a mobile phone and a twenty-pound note which we think belonged to the victim. Look, here comes Dr Challis.’
Dr Challis was the Home Office pathologist, and he would make an initial examination of the body and later conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. Dr Challis was already in his overalls, and he made his way to join the police officers. He saw Skelton and said, ‘I was on my way to see Bath Rugby play this evening when I got the call. Shall we have a look inside the tent and see what we have?’
The officers stood aside and let Dr Challis enter the tent. The tent was well lit from powerful lights. The first thing that Dr Challis did was to take several photographs of the body in situ. He then knelt down and examined the young man’s body. ‘It looks to me that he received just the one blow to his neck. There are no defensive wounds to his hands. So, he must have been taken by surprise.’
