Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2004 15:13:44 +0100 (BST)
From: Steve Rose <cutrose40@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Martin Robert/Party Games - 10

DISCLAIMER:

This is a story. None of the characters in the story
exist and the events that take place are purely
imaginary.

Thanks to all of you who have emailed me with comments
and told me how much you enjoyed the first 'John'
story. This is the second one and there are more in
the pipeline, although there may be a delay as I'm on
vacation for the next few weeks.

WARNING:

Do not read this story if you are in any way offended
by acts of a homosexual nature.

Do not read this if you are under the legal age for
accessing adult sites.

Always indulge in safe sex.

Chapter 10

Martin was angry and frustrated by the turn of events
but was somewhat mollified when he returned to the
Office and had the chance to have a brief telephone
conversation with Tom and the boys. Harry and Simon
had expressed disappointment at not seeing Martin the
previous evening as they each had some news. Harry had
been picked to play for the school soccer team and
Simon had been cast in a starring role in the school
show. Martin offered his heartiest congratulations to
the pair of them and then promised to do his best to
be present for both these events. Tom came on last and
sounded really concerned that his partner was not
making the progress he had hoped on the case. Martin
was cheered by his lover's concern and by Tom's
additional expression of concern and disappointment at
the news of the pub fire. As a lawyer, Martin's
partner could see how the death of a key witness could
make it very difficult for Martin to make a case about
the missing documents unless something else turned up
in the meantime. Trying to inject some optimism into
the situation, the younger man said,

"I'm sure something will turn up that will enable you
to complete the investigation to your own
satisfaction, Marty"

Martin gave a half-laugh and responded,

"I wish I had your optimism, Tom. Every time I think
I'm getting somewhere, it all crumbles away. I feel
I'm being forced to report the obvious but there are
too many loose ends for my liking."

"I realise that, Marty, but sometimes you just have to
accept that it isn't all going to work out, but I'll
tell you one thing, if anyone can work it out it will
be you. In the meantime I've got to get Harry and
Simon off to school but if I can help in any way just
ask!"

Martin was pleased by the support he had received from
his lover but it had made little difference to the
position he felt he was in. The Commander sat quietly
thinking for a few minutes trying to plan out how he
could not only report what he knew but also what he
suspected. Martin's moment for thought was, however,
interrupted when the telephone started to ring and
Martin picked it up and answered in his usual manner,

"Roberts!"

A familiar voice boomed down from the other end of the
line,

"Good morning, Martin, Freddy Eversley here! I'm glad
I've caught you. Tom told me you were at work all
night. How are you feeling, old boy? Absolutely awful,
I expect. Well I hope that I've got something that
will cheer you up!! I've got two bits of news for you
which I hope will be useful."

Martin tried to sound less depressed than he was when
he heard Freddy's voice,

"Good Morning, Freddy and yes I don't feel at my best
at the moment. Tired and frustrated to be precise. But
it's always good to hear from you. So what is it that
you have got for me?"

Freddy sailed on without appearing to notice how
drained Martin sounded,

"Well, my dear, as always, I've been working as hard
as I can on your behalf and I've come up with a few
snippets that might be helpful. First of all about the
trial, which I assume is that of Winston Callendar,
although you didn't say so. You are looking in the
wrong place. He was quite rightly convicted on the
evidence in Court, no doubt about that at all.
However, rumour was that the case was brought against
the wrong man."

"You mean he was framed?" Martin interjected.

Freddy paused and then carried on,

"Sort of, as you will see, Martin. It's difficult to
pin it down but it seems there was some rather
important man involved and rather than see a promising
black career go down the pan, Mr Callendar was made
the fall guy. He was, according to my source, paid
well for his inconvenience and promised that he would
be freed on appeal at a later date."

"You're not saying that Nick Trafford was behind all
this, are you?" Martin again could not resist
interrupting the narrative.

"No, Martin. I don't know who it was but I do know it
wasn't your Mr Trafford. He was gay after all so I
think you ought to have realised he isn't the chief
suspect in a female rape case. I'll put that down to
tiredness, my dear. Anyway that's the story but there
is more. Mr Callendar found that he had been double
crossed or hung out to dry and there was no appeal.
How Mr Trafford got onto the case nobody is quite
sure, but that's not the point. All I've told you is
by way of background. Two names have come up in
conversation, which I think you will recognise and
understand the significance of. The first is Rachel
Ferns, who in her other life is married to
.."

"James Broadbent, the Home Secretary", Martin
completed the sentence before Freddy could say it.

"Precisely", Freddy concurred, "She was the solicitor
that arranged Mr Callendar's defence and instructed
his barrister. My informant suggests that as a senior
member of the partnership Ms Ferns knows a lot more
about what the real story is than has ever been found
out."

Martin let out a low whistle and asked,

"Are you suggesting that the wife of a reforming Home
Secretary and scourge of poor and corrupt policing may
have been involved in a plot to pervert the course of
justice?"

Freddy responded in his usual manner,

"That's what I'm hearing but I have to say again that
it is only rumour and finding proof would be very,
very difficult. But don't you want to know the second
name?"

"Yes, please Freddy", Martin said with growing
interest.

"Well, you also know this one as well. It's David
Newman. Apparently at the time of the case, Mr Newman
was a young and very junior member of the firm in
which Ms Ferns was working. He left a few weeks after
the trial and became a Parliamentary candidate in a
safe seat. I hoe that helps."

Martin was busy writing all that Freddy had said down
on a notepad but paused to say,

"Well it certainly needs thinking about and thanks a
lot, Freddy, it's been a great help."

"Don't forget, old boy, you, Tom and the boys really
must come over for a visit, very soon. Bye for now!!"

This cheery remark brought the conversation to a
close. There was a lot to consider as a result of the
information that Freddy had provided but one thing
Martin decided straight away. Looking out of his door,
the Commander called out,

"Mike, Aly, could you come in here now please?"

The two officers came as quickly as they could and
Martin told them what he wanted them to do,

"I assume you have got David Newman's home address in
London?  If not, find it quickly. I want you to go
round there and bring him in for questioning. I don't
want to see him at the House and I don't want him to
make any phone calls. Try not to have to arrest him
but if necessary do so, but I'm sure you can find a
way of persuading him to cooperate without that."

Mike Rickwood looked expectantly for an explanation
but Martin did not offer one, merely saying,

"You will be able to catch up on what has prompted
this when we get him here and start asking him
questions. Until then it's probably best that you know
as little as possible at this stage."

Mike looked disappointed not to be taken into the
Commander's confidence but accepted the decision and
disappeared quickly followed by Aly Young. As soon as
the other officers had gone, Martin asked Mark to come
into his office and there the Commander briefed his
most trusted officer on the latest turn of events.
While they waited for the return of Mike and Aly,
Martin also raised with his friend a number of
possibilities concerning the death of Nick Trafford,
but asked the Superintendent to remain quiet about
them for the time being. Mark nodded and made no
further comment and the, having looked at his watch,
Martin said,

"I think Tom will be back from taking the children to
school by now so I think I will give him a call and
chat to him about the law firm which had Ms Ferns as a
senior member. He might be in the position to give me
more information than even Freddy Eversley."

Mark nodded thoughtfully and then replied,

"It's possible, I suppose, though Freddy keeps his
ears to the ground a great deal. Do you want me to
leave?"

"Not at all, Mark", Martin said. "You'll get one end
of the conversation at least. If you think of anything
useful you can act as a prompt for me as well."

Martin dialled the number and did not have long to
wait before Tom answered,

"Hi, Tom, it's Marty. I hope Harry and Simon get to
school OK, I wonder if you can tell me anything about
a lady called Ms Rachel ferns, apart from the fact
that she is married to our dear Home Secretary?"

"The kids are fine and went to school on their bikes
today as it is such a nice day, but why are you
interested in Rachel Ferns?" Tom replied in a puzzled
voice.

"Her name had come up in the course of investigation
and as she is a lawyer I thought you might know
something about her." Martin explained patiently.

Tom gave a nervous laugh and then said,

"Well, I'll tell you what I know. Her firm deal mainly
with people from poor and ethnic backgrounds. She has
the reputation of fighting to win and using every
means at her disposal, legal means I should add. When
I was a full time barrister I received instructions
from her and her firm a few times and I always found
her very focussed. Does that help?"

"Up to a point, yes, Tom, but can I press you on your
point about doing anything legal to win. Did you ever
hear of her bending the rules or even breaking them?"
Martin chose his words carefully, aware that Tom was
friends with Ms Ferns' husband, the Home Secretary.

"Personally, no", Tom said emphatically, "but there
was some rumour around a few years ago that suggested
that she did get someone off the hook for a serious
charge. However, as the person who told me was a
notorious old right-winger, I did not take it very
seriously. Are you suggesting that I should have done
so?"

Martin tried to reassure his lover,

"I don't know yet, Tom, but suffice it to say Nick
Trafford was investigating the case that may have led
to that allegation being made. Did you know that David
Newman worked at Ms Ferns firm before he became an
MP?"

At the other end of the line, Tom sounded rather
agitated and annoyed as he replied,

"No, Marty, I didn't. I never had that much to do with
her firm and only met a couple of other senior people
in my entire career. I assume David Newman was very
junior and could not have been there for very long."

"Long enough to be involved in mischief, perhaps",
Martin muttered under his breath and then said out
loud,

"I know they are your friends and I'm sorry to have
upset you, Tom, but you did say you would help and you
have told me things that I needed to know. Thanks very
much, I'll see you later today and make it up to you
then. Bye, my love!"

Martin put the phone down and pulled a face at Mark,
who smiled grimly back at his friend and superior
officer. Martin had just enough time to say that Tom
had been rather upset by the line that he had taken
over Ms Ferns before Mike Rickwood put his face round
the door,

"We're back, sir!"

"So I see", said Martin and looked up at the Chief
Inspector enquiringly.

"He came very quietly, sir", Mike responded to the
look and then added, "He didn't seem surprised or
upset by our early call."

Martin acknowledged the information and indicated that
he and Mark would interview the MP while Mike and Aly
observed from the room next door. The small party
walked down the corridor and parted just before the
door to the interview room where David Newman was
sitting waiting for them. As soon as he was inside and
the formalities had been gone through and the MP had
acknowledged that he knew his rights, Martin opened
the questioning,

"Tell me, Mr Newman, are you absolutely certain that
you did not know that Nick Trafford was investigating
the Winston Callendar case when he died?"

David Newman flushed slightly and stammered a reply,

"Y .. Yes, Commander, I told you before, we rarely
ever discussed what we were working on."

Martin pressed on,

"But you do know about Mr Callendar's case, don't you?
You worked for the solicitors that mounted his
defence, didn't you?"

The MP nodded in agreement to both Martin's questions
and the Commander pressed on,

"You weren't there that long, I know but suddenly you
left and found yourself a candidate for a safe seat
with a General Election on weeks away. Did anyone help
you find a seat?"

David Newman responded to the question with a look of
anger,

"No, not al all. I won the nomination fair and square.
I just happened to be in the right place at the right
time. I had fought a hopeless seat the last time and I
made no secret of my desire to get into Parliament."

Martin smiled and then commented,

"And it didn't harm your chances to work for the wife
of a prominent member of the Shadow Cabinet!"

The MP reddened and then said in a loud and angry
voice,

"I have never, repeat never, worked for Ms Ferns!! I
resent the implications of what you are saying!! Why
am I here? What have these questions got to do with
the death of Nick Trafford?"

Martin remained calm and said quietly,

"Well it seems to me that sharing an office with Nick
Trafford was not your idea of pleasure. Granted he was
funny and good company but your views were so
diametrically opposed. However, it might suit
someone's purpose to have Mr Trafford somewhere where
an eye could be kept on him. Did anyone ask you to
share with Nick Trafford?"

David Newman gave a half laugh and replied in a
defiant voice,

"Actually, it was the Sergeant-at-Arms who allocated
me the room and asked me to share it with Nick. I
don't think he can be bought and I deeply resent your
suggestion that I was sent or asked to spy on a
colleague. If you continue with this line of
questioning I will request a lawyer. However, as I
believe this is just a `fishing trip' interrogation, I
will instead exercise my right and leave the interview
now. After all, you have the man responsible for
Nick's murder as I understand it and he has confessed.
I don't see what else there is that needs to be
investigated"

Martin looked across at Mark who shrugged and shook
his head indicating that he had no questions at that
point. The Commander would have liked to press on but
given the belligerent attitude of the MP and his
unwillingness to say anymore, Martin felt obliged to
let him go,

"I'm sorry if I have upset you, Mr Newman, but there
are some loose ends in this case and I am trying to
tie them all up so that I can complete my report for
the Commissioner."

Slightly mollified, the angry MP stood up and said,

"Well, I'm afraid I have nothing more to say and I
don't think I can help you any further. I assume I am
free to go?"

"Yes, indeed, Mr Newman and thank you for your time."
Martin said as pleasantly as he could.

After the MP had been shown out Martin said to his
colleagues,

"Methinks he doth protest too much!"

Mark smiled but said seriously,

"Maybe, sir, but he did not admit to anything at all
and I don't think you can use anything he said to
further the point you want to make."

"And what is the point you wish to make, sir?" Aly
asked pointedly.

Martin was about to reply when the phone on his desk
rang and he answered it. It was obvious to those who
were standing next to him that the caller was speaking
sharply to the Commander who finally responded with
confirmation that he would, indeed, report to the
Commissioner immediately. Turning to his colleagues
and shrugging his shoulders, Martin said,

"It seems as though Mr Newman, MP had contacted the
Home secretary who in turn has raised the matter with
the Commissioner and I am now to be hauled over the
coals for the interview I have just conducted!"

The Commander disappeared in the direction of the
Commissioner's office and was soon outside the door
awaiting the summons to enter. When Martin did go in,
a very angry Sir Thomas Brown confronted him and
spluttered,

"What on earth do you think you are playing at?
Dragging an MP from his bed and cross-examining him
without a lawyer in an aggressive and threatening
manner. I've just had the Home Secretary chewing my
ears off over this!!!"

Martin waited for the explosion to subside and then
responded in a quiet and measured tone,

"Well sir, I found out some information that I thought
was relevant to the murder of Nick Trafford and I
followed it up for reasons that I will explain in a
moment. However, on the specific point I would have to
say that Mr Newman came voluntarily, he was informed
of his rights and left at his own request. We did not
drag him from his bed, as he alleges. To the best of
my knowledge and belief, my officers treated Mr Newman
with politeness and courtesy. In the interview I asked
him questions relevant to my inquiry, as soon as he
felt uncomfortable about the direction my questions
were leading, he was allowed to go."

The Commissioner was not to be easily pacified,

"That is not his version, or at least not according to
the Home Secretary. You say you had reasons for the
line of enquiry that you followed. I think I need to
know what they are."

Martin had hoped for more time but, faced with a
direct question, he could no longer remain silent,

"I will tell you why I asked Mr Newman to come in,
sir, yes. The significance of what he told me I have
yet to confirm. Here is the information. Before he
became an MP, Mr Newman worked for a firm of
solicitors, a senior member of which was Rachel ferns,
the wife of James Broadbent, who was at the time a
leading member of the Shadow Cabinet."

"I don't see why a former work colleague of the Home
Secretary's wife should have any bearing on the murder
of Nick Trafford", the Commissioner said, interrupting
Martin's explanation.

Undeterred, the Commander resumed his account,

"Shortly before Mr Newman was found a safe seat and
left the firm, Ms Ferns was involved in defending a
man accused of rape. The man, Winston Callendar, was
found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. Nick
Trafford was investigating the case at the time of his
death. I wanted to ask Mr Newman about that particular
case and whether he was aware of his colleague's
interest in the matter. I have learnt from another
source that there were at the time rumours that the
man finally convicted had been set up to take the
blame for someone rather more important. However, Mr
Newman claimed that he did not know anything about the
case and denied that he knew that Mr Trafford was
working on the matter."

The Commissioner narrowed his eyes as he thought about
the implications of the Commander's last remarks but
then said suddenly,

"But you went further than that, didn't you? You
accused Mr Newman of being a spy and of using his
shared office as a base through which to keeps tabs on
the dead MP."

Martin acknowledged the fact but added,

"I felt that it was a legitimate question to ask, but
I can understand that Mr Newman might have felt upset
by the implication."

"He was indeed. I have assured James Broadbent that
there will not be a repeat of such interviews and have
agreed that you will personally apologise to Mr Newman
in writing before the end of the day. I hope that will
bring the matter to a close. Is that clear?"

Martin had no option but to accept his commanding
officer's orders on this matter and said quietly that
he would comply with the requirement. Having received
the assurance from martin, Sir Thomas said,

"Thank you, Commander, that will be all."

Martin left the Commissioner's office even more
convinced than he had been before that his actions of
that morning had touched a raw nerve but frustrated by
the fact that he had no proof to back up his
suspicions.

When he arrived back at his office, however, Martin
was confronted by a smiling Aly Young, who greeted him
enthusiastically,

"Good news, I hope, sir, Diana Robinson is in
reception and she wants to speak to us. I took the
liberty of contacting her after you left to see the
Commissioner. I thought maybe if I did a girl-to-girl
approach she might be more receptive. Anyway, I told
her what we had discovered and she has agreed to help,
but only if I do the questioning.

The Commander smiled at this, thinking to himself that
this young female officer would go far and then said,

"Who do you want to be in there with you? Mike
Rickwood?"

Aly nodded,

"Yes, sir and you and the Superintendent in the
observation room if that's OK?"

"Fine by me. Let's get it started."

Diana Robinson looked stylish and confident as she sat
in the interview room and waited until Aly Young was
ready to begin the interview. Speaking quietly, the
Inspector began,

"You did know that just before his death Nick Trafford
was working on the Callendar case, didn't you, Ms
Robinson?"

The former political assistant nodded her head and
said,

"Yes I did."

Aly moved swiftly to the next question,

"You also knew that he was following up information
concerning a possible miscarriage of justice in the
case?"

Again Diana Robinson nodded and Aly went on,

"Did you know that he had discovered that David Newman
had worked in the same firm as the solicitor that
represented Mr Callendar?"

For a third time, the young woman being interviewed
nodded and then said,

"Yes, but we were not sure whether it was important as
he left the firm shortly after the case was ended. We
were more interested in trying to confirm whether Mr
Callendar was persuaded to take the blame and the
punishment instead of the real perpetrator. We were
keen to find out who that was."

Mike intervened for the first time,

"Did you think that Mr Newman might be able to help?
That he left the firm either because of what happened
or to keep him quiet?"

Diana Robinson turned to face her questioner,

"Nick didn't really say. He was going to try to get
David to talk about the case but never got round to
it."

Aly nodded and resumed her questioning,

"When you were asked last time, you said you had no
idea what Mr Trafford was doing on the night he was
killed, have you had time to perhaps reconsider that
answer?"

A slight smile crossed the attractive black woman's
face,

"On the day he was killed, Nick received a phone call
around mid afternoon and he called me into his office
immediately afterwards. He told me that a man had just
called who had definite information on the Callendar
case. The man claimed he had documentary proof of the
identity of the real rapist. The informant had asked
Nick to meet him later that evening on Hampstead Heath
and he would be given the documents then but in return
and to show that he was genuine the caller asked Nick
to take the case papers with him as the informant did
not want to hand over what he knew and his proof to a
journalist or someone like that."

The Inspector indicated that she recognised the
importance of the last reply and added,

"So, Nick left the office with a document case
containing his copy of the Callendar case trial
papers?"

Diana Robinson nodded,

"Yes, he did."

Mark intervened for a second time,

"I assume that neither Mr Newman nor his political
assistant was nowhere near when this conversation took
place."

Nick Trafford's former political assistant nodded and
Mark asked a further point of clarification,

"Could anyone else have overheard this conversation?"

Diana Robinson shook her head,

"No the door was closed. The only way anyone could
have known about what we were discussing was if the
room was bugg..."

The interviewee's voice tailed off and Mike asked
gently,

"And do you think it was bugged?"

A somewhat subdued response came back in answer to
this question,

"I really don't know. It might have been but if it was
I doubt if you will find evidence of it."

The Chief Inspector nodded and said,

"You're probably right, Ms Robinson, but it is a
possibility. Before we finish, I'd like to ask you
something else. You may recall that when you were
first interviewed the two most senior officers in the
team asked about a number of weekend dates and Mr
Trafford's apparent disappearance. At the time you
said that you knew nothing about them. In light of
what we have already uncovered, is there anything you
would like to say about these dates now?"

Diana Robinson did not respond for some little time
and then began to speak very quietly,

"The dates your Commander and the man from Special
Branch asked about were times when Nick was off doing
research on his miscarriages of justice cases. I think
the ones in question referred to the Callendar case
and Nick had been trying to track down various people
who might help. Nick never told me exactly what he did
or indeed whether he got anywhere. I did not say
anything about it before because I did not think that
it was relevant to his murder."

Mike Rickwood was tempted to comment that everything
was relevant in a murder enquiry but saw no point in
rubbing salt into the wound. Instead, the Chief
Inspector changed the subject asked,

"Did Mr Trafford know that he was being investigated
by Special Branch and how did he evade their expert
attentions?"

Again the political researcher hesitated before
replying,

"Nick knew he was being considered for government
office, so I guess he must have been aware that he
would be vetted and his behaviour and actions
investigated. What I do know is that he had a secret
way out of his apartment so that he could avoid the
attentions of the press. I guess Nick also used that
as a means to escape from the attentions of Special
Branch when he didn't want them to follow him or find
out what he was up to. I'm only guessing, because Nick
never told me how he did it or indeed that he had been
away."

Aly took over and asked a few further questions but it
was obvious that there was little more to be learnt
from Diana Robinson and the Inspector terminated the
interview a short while later. After she had made
arrangements for the attractive former political
assistant to be taken home, Aly joined Mike, Martin
and Mark and together the four senior officers
reviewed what they had learned. The Commander looked
at Mike and said,

"Well done on getting the information about the
mysterious weekends. That was very good and seems to
clear the matter up. I shall be delighted to tell my
old friend Donald Gough how Nick Trafford evaded his
finest officers!! On the other hand, Mike, what made
you ask whether Nick Trafford's office was bugged?"

Mike looked at Martin and said,

"It seemed to me that it was the best explanation for
how someone could have found out that Nick Trafford
was going to Hampstead Heath that night. If someone
knew about that, then they could have arranged to have
had him followed and killed."

The Commander looked dubious and said,

"It's a possibility, I grant you, but a dangerous
game. If there was someone with information as was
being suggested they would need to get rid of both Mr
Trafford and the informant. But we only have one body.
I still favour the view that the whole thing was a
set-up and Nick Trafford was lured to his death with
the promise of sensational proof of a major
miscarriage of justice. I only wish that we could get
our hands on David Newman again, but I've been well
and truly warned off."

Mark Jamieson had been silent but now he made a
suggestion that was so simple the others could not
understand why they had not thought of it before,

"Why don't we ask to speak to David Newman's political
assistant, Colin Smart?"

Martin grinned and said,

"It's worth a try, if we can get away with it."

"Should I telephone first?" Mark said his tongue very
firmly in his cheek.

Martin, Aly and Mike all joined in laughing and the
Commander said,

"On balance, I think not. You might get something out
of him before the element of surprise wears off."

The expectation that had been raised by Mark's
suggested course of action proved to be short-lived,
as somehow the political assistant was made aware of
the Superintendent's intentions. Colin Smart was,
thus, able to make good his disappearance on an urgent
matter that David Newman needed investigating. It was
a somewhat down cast Mark that reported this news to
Martin, who, on hearing the news, shrugged his
shoulders and said to his most loyal and trusted
assistants,

"It was always a long shot. Now, I suppose I shall
just have to get on and write my report for the
Commissioner, unless either of you have any useful
suggestions."

Mike Rickwood though desperately of an avenue that
might be explored and finally said,

"What about rattling the cage of that journalist, Alan
Birch? He might have been investigating something
similar to Nick Trafford, it's the sort of thing a
reporter like him would be interested in."

Martin smiled at his young friend's suggestion but did
not discourage it,

"OK, give it a go, but don't waste too much time on
it. Take Aly with you but remember time is very
short!"

Just at that moment Ron Alder came bursting into
Martin's office and said,

 "This is hot news, sir. I know it has nothing to do
with us now, but I still have friends in other press
offices and they've just passed this on to me. I
thought you'd want to know straight away. There is to
be an official statement saying that the man that died
in the car explosion was a person called Michael
O'Brian and a man wanted by the Anti-Terrorist squad,
but this is not so! Apparently his real name was Jason
Stanton and in the past he has worked for the Secret
Service."

Martin nodded and said,

"I rather thought that they might have had something
to do with all this. The problem is we are not
supposed to know and even though we do have this
information we will never be able to prove it."

Mark walked in just as the Commander was concluding
his last sentence and asked,

"Prove what, sir?"

Martin shook his head and said,

"Under the circumstances it's best that I say no more.
I will tell you what I suspect when the time is right
but now I have a report to write."

Meanwhile, Mike and Aly had tracked down Alan Birch to
a quiet pub, just off The Strand. The Chief inspector
had bought a round of drinks and the three of them
were sitting in the corner of the lounge bar. Mark
opened the conversation by asking the journalist a
direct question,

"Did you ever hear of a case involving a man called
Winston Callendar and a possible miscarriage of
justice?"

For just a moment, but long enough for both the
other's to recognise it, Alan Birch's face registered
surprise but his voice appeared calm in reply,

"A rape case, wasn't it? Yes I recall it but why are
you asking?"

Aly answered,

"We know that Nick Trafford was investigating the case
at the time of his death and we thought that you, as
an investigative reporter, might have been interested
in it as well."

Alan Birch had recovered his composure by the time he
replied,

"No, I wasn't investigating that case. I had never
heard that there was a problem. I thought at the time
that the evidence was overwhelming. If there was a
possible miscarriage of justice it's hard to imagine
what it was!"

Mike took over,

"You never worked on any case with Nick Trafford?"

Again the journalist was ready with a swift reply,

"No, never, I don't think he and I would have got on,
his politics and mine were, how can I put it, rather
dramatically opposed. No, I never worked with him and
never interviewed him."

"But you tracked down Mr Trafford's former lover after
the murder." Aly said sharply,

Alan Birch ignored the comment and the conversation
lapsed. Not long after this, the journalist finished
his drink and made to leave. Mike and Aly made no
effort to stop him and another possible avenue of
investigation came to a dead end.

News that yet another potential lead had come to
nothing further depressed the already low morale among
Martin's team. The Commander seemed increasingly
resigned to the fact that his report would contain the
barest minimum that was already known about the
killing of Nick Trafford. Looking suitably grim,
Martin retired into his office and closed the door, a
sure sign that he did not wish to be disturbed. Once
he had settled down, the Commander reached for the
telephone and dialled his home number. Trying to sound
as cheerful as possible, when the telephone was
answered, Martin said,

"Hi, Tom, it's Marty. There's something I need to
discuss with you urgently. Can you meet me for lunch
not too far from Scotland Yard?"

Despite or perhaps because of the earlier rather
strained conversation they had had, Tom sensed that
Martin was in urgent need of his support and advice.
Without hesitating, Tom immediately suggested a quiet
restaurant close to the centre of Covent Garden and
within easy walking distance of Scotland Yard and the
two lovers agreed on a time when they would meet
there.

Encouraged by his partner's willingness to drop
everything and come to his assistance, once he had
finished his telephone conversation, Martin opened the
door and asked Mark Jamieson to come in and join him.
Once the Superintendent was inside and the door had
been shut Martin told his friend and chief assistant
that he would be going out for a while but left him a
number where he could be contacted if there were any
developments that needed his attention. Mark was
somewhat surprised that his friend did not elaborate
on what he was doing or precisely where he was going
but decided that it was not the right time to ask too
many questions. Although Martin understood Mark's
desire to know more, the Commander felt it was in the
Superintendent's best interests to be kept in the dark
as far as possible. All the Commander would say was
that he wanted Mark to trust him and then Martin left
his office and went off to meet Tom for lunch.

Martin had toyed with inviting Freddy Eversley to join
him at lunch but decided against this and, in the end,
he was glad that he had not done so. The lunch had
patched up the difficulties he and Tom had had earlier
and Martin was able to explain in more detail what the
problem was and discussed with his partner how he
intended to deal with it. Tom had told Martin over the
lunch that he believed that legally the course he was
proposing to take was the soundest one that Martin
could do under the circumstances but warned his lover
that he would be taking an enormous risk with his
career if he pursued the path he had chosen. Martin
had reassured his partner that he fully understood
that what he was doing carried risks but saw no other
option. More than anyone, as a lawyer, Tom understood
that in taking the course of action he planned and
taking him into his confidence about it, Martin was
preparing himself and his lover for the possible
consequences of his intentions.

Whatever had been said over lunchtime had changed the
Commander's demeanour and, on his return from his date
with Tom, Martin seemed, to those who knew his moods
well, to be much more cheerful. The Commander did not
even flinch when he heard that there had been no new
developments to report. Martin merely nodded an
acknowledgement of the news and to Mark's enquiring
glance, the Commander said quietly,

"It's OK, Mark, I've decided what I must do. You all
will have to trust me on this one. However, the less
everyone knows about my intentions, the better."

With that, Martin went into his Office and closed the
door. Those outside could hear the Commander tapping
away at his computer keyboard and from time to time
the sound of his printer as the pages were produced as
hard copy. A few speculated as to why a report that
appeared to be so simple could take so long to prepare
but others knew that Martin would wish to be
meticulous in getting his report into a form with
which he was fully satisfied. Martin had been alone in
his office for some time when a woman appeared at the
entrance to the squad room and asked for the Commander
by name. The young officer who greeted her was
Sergeant Hassan and he did not recognise the visitor
so he politely enquired her name. The smartly dressed
woman replied to the enquiry that she was Deborah
Stokes and she was from the Crown Prosecution Service
and was here to discuss a case with the Commander. Ali
Hassan showed Ms Stokes to the door of the Commander's
office, knocked gently and, when invited to do so,
went in and told Martin who was waiting outside. The
Commander did not seem particularly surprised at the
news but did not seem particularly pleased either, but
told the Sergeant to show  the lawyer in. Whatever was
discussed in the meeting did not take very long
because within fifteen minutes, Ms Stokes was on her
way back out of the squad room door. Martin had shown
the lawyer to the exit and then the Commander, looking
grim, had returned to his office and shut the door
firmly behind him.

Some twenty minutes before he was due to see the
Commissioner, Martin asked his friend and chief
advisor, Mark Jamieson to come into his office. At the
same time the Commander also asked Ron Alder, his
assistant in the Press Office to join him. Once the
two senior officers had made themselves comfortable
Martin looked across at them and said,

"I have finished my formal report for the Commissioner
and I've discussed the case with a representative from
the Crown Prosecution Service and we have agreed a
course of action. So now all that remains to be done
is for us to complete the necessary arrangements.
Mark, just after I have gone in to see Sir Thomas, I
would like you to bring Ed Grantham from the cells to
the Custody Sergeant and formally charge him with the
murder of Nick Trafford. We will ask for a remand
until a hearing before the Magistrates' Court
tomorrow. Thanks."

Mark nodded his acceptance of the inevitable and
waited for Martin to say more, but instead the
Commander turned his attention to Ron Alder,

"Ron, I have prepared a brief press statement which I
would like you to issue to the media as soon as Mark
has formally charged Mr Grantham. Run your eye over it
but I think you will find that it is OK."

Ron took the proffered piece of paper and read it out
loud,

"A 42-year old man has been charged tonight with the
murder of the MP, Nick Trafford. The man has been
remanded in custody and will appear before Magistrates
tomorrow morning."

Ron paused for a moment and then said,

"I think that will do. What do I say if they ask for a
name?"

Martin thought for a moment and replied,

"Try to resist, but if they press you, I see no reason
to keep the identity secret."

The two senior officers made for the door of Martin's
office, leaving the Commander sitting quietly at his
desk. When Martin finally did emerge from his office,
it was just before time he was due to deliver his
report to the Commissioner.

The more observant of the Commander's colleagues
noticed that the folder that Martin was carrying
appeared to be rather thick and several officers,
including Mike Rickwood and Aly Young, wondered how
their friend and Commanding Officer had managed to
find so much to say. However, neither of these two
officers said anything and the members of the
investigating team watched in silence as Martin walked
towards the door that led upstairs to Sir Thomas
Brown's office. Of those present, all the officers had
noticed the grim and determined look on Martin's face.
Just as the Commander reached the exit a round of
applause began to ripple around the squad room. On
hearing this, Martin turned momentarily to look back
at his colleagues, raised his hand in acknowledgement
and gave his supportive squad members a curt smile and
then turned back and walked out of the room. For a
brief moment, the thought crossed Mark Jamieson's mind
that this could be the last time he saw the Commander
in charge of the Special and Sensitive Cases Squad.
Indeed, the Superintendent wondered whether his
closest friend in the force would ever be in charge of
anything ever again at Scotland Yard.


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