There was moment of indecisive silence when Judge Royston Stevens stood and said
“Home Secretary, honourable guests I have known Jack Richards for many years”.
“I beg you to show him the respect he deserves and to permit him to continue with his narrative”
There was now silence as the judge sat down putting his flat arm and hand out to indicate for Jack to continue
Jack spoke “Home Secretary, Commissioner, officers of all ranks a message perhaps from the more experienced, me, to the more senior in rank, newly appointed Chief Constable Denton-Smyth, the message being one always has to keep focused”.
“Focused, what do you mean focussed?”
“What the hell are you talking about Richards?”
“Your whole involvement is a load of rubbish, enquiry indeed, into some natural deaths to entertain a group of old boys”.
Denton-Smyth in his eagerness to speak had forgotten how Jack had just instigated the arrest of Wrexham Sid.
There was now complete silence and amazement at the exchange.
Woodcock was thinking, “what the hell have I done inviting this old dinosaur here?”
“ He has seemingly solved the crime with Sidney the head waiter but now he has botched it all up by rattling the cage of this newly promoted Chief Officer, do I stop this or what?”
He was about to rise when Jack the hat spoke again and said
“Focus, please focus Mr Denton-Smyth on your Inspector Scott-Ling, Dopey Doris I think you refer to her”
Jack smiled and indicated for Doris to stand by him and whispered to her.
“Now stand here and recall all those comments and stick you have had from Striker and others, today is the anniversary by date of the battle of Waterloo.”
“The British army seemed beaten, the Duke of Wellington ordered a dummy retreat but concealed his men over the hill, the French came on only seeing victory, the British were on the run”.
“At the critical moment the Duke called to General Maitland. “Now Maitland, this is your time”, today Inspector, this is your time”.
Before another word could be spoken, Doris said
“Chief Constable Craig Denton-Smyth I am arresting you for the murders of Police Constables Ifor Evans, Rick Masterton. Robert Friday, Sidney Upton, Gerald Cheshire and one Ramona Shah.”
“You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence, if you fail to mention, when questioned, something which you may later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence”.
“Do you understand?”
“What the hell you mean?”, shouted Denton-Smyth, he stood went to push her away, but she caught his wrist bent him over in a hold, then put handcuffs on him.
“What the hell is going on?” called Woodcock and Ridwell in unison, the remainder all turning to each other in close tittle-tattle, the Home Secretary looking for a hole in the ground to drop into. What had he done he could see his career floating down the famous river Dee.
“Gentlemen if you would remain calm”, called Jack.
“You instructed me to investigate these matters. I have done so.”
“You would be well advised to now permit me to finish my narrative which I may add I was so rudely interrupted”.
“I assume you still feel you are gentlemen and ladies of course so I ask your tolerance all will be revealed shortly”.
Denton-Smyth was sniggering and called “this is all rubbish, outrageous rubbish, Richards you will pay for this and Ling your police career is finished.”
Jack ignored him and was about to continue when Ridwell asked. “Are these handcuffs really necessary on such a gentleman, a fellow officer on only seemingly flimsy evidence, very humiliating”
“Don’t worry Craig” came a call, “let him finish the old has been, he will be sorry for this”.
Doris removed the handcuffs but kept a hand on the shoulder of Denton-Smyth
“Jack remained passive then continued.
“Whilst in Daram I was informed by sources that a plant growing there provided a rare chemical named Rancinite”.
“This drug has been used by natives for many years. If given in the correct dose it has the effect of slowing the heart rate giving the appearance of death.”
“Regrettably if given as an overdose it simply stops the heart beating, death is instant.”
“The drug has, it is alleged been used by military sources, administered by injection to enable them to abduct wanted persons quietly.”
“After death for some time the drug displays no traces or signs hence when the first post mortems were done on the officers nothing was found.”
“It would appear however after some time there are traceable signs for instance a pink tinge on the skin where the needle entered the body”.
“With regards to the second post mortems upon all the officers and the lady Ramona”.
The examinations found clears signs of the pink tinge and a small needle mark. There was such a mark on each neck at the back of the head in the officers found dead in the police car, indicating they had been injected from behind simultaneously”.
“The officer in Church Stretton had a mark on the left side of his neck indicating he was administered the injection from the van passenger seat.”
“The officer at Wrexham had a similar mark at the back of the neck proving he had also been attacked by the same method but from behind.”
“The mounted officer had a needle mark on his right thigh showing he had been injected by someone standing at the side of his horse whilst he was still mounted”.
Enquiries and tests at the British hospital of tropical diseases confirmed all the officers died from an injection of this drug”.
“Both professors are now satisfied all officers died as a result of an over dose injection of Rancinite”.
“Denton-Smyth is a meticulously clean and tidy person especially for cleaning his shoes; bulling I think it is referred to and further they are stored in the same location behind his desk”.
“Chief-Constable Craig Denton-Smyth presented himself immaculately whilst he was a Chief Superintendent, he wore hand made uniforms. These uniforms were stored in his office.”
“Whilst he was away at Bramshill on a course, I arranged for Professor Bolister to visit Craig’s office, samples were taken from the carpet on the floor where his shoes were kept; in addition specimens were taken from his uniforms. These have since been examined”.
“In the samples from the carpet were found particles of sheep droppings, and those of the game bird Grouse these matched those found at Church Stretton.”
“In addition, in the office samples there were traces of various toxins.”
“These matched those taken from the death scene at Chorlton Park Lake in Manchester.”
“Samples taken from the pew at Wrexham parish church due to the tacky nature of the treated wood had retained some woollen fibres. In addition the fingerprint matched that of Denton- Smyth who like all police officers has his fingerprints on file at New Scotland Yard”.
“In the police car at Audlem fibres of wool were also found”.
“The woollen fibres found at the scenes of the crimes in the police car and at the parish church in Wrexham matched those taken from the three uniforms of Denton-Smyth stored in his office.”
“I made enquires under warrant with the Tailors used by Denton-Smyth in Saville Row London. The wool is from a unique supplier and no other shop acquires the material, it is hand made and expensive. A record is kept of those who purchase it.”
The records show that Mr Denton-Smyth bought numerous items.
Tests at the Forensic Science laboratory confirm that the wool in stock at the shop, in the suits of Mr Denton-Smyth and the fragments found at the scenes of the deaths all match.”
The room remained silent save for Denton-Smyth who interrupted “This is a stitch up how the hell would I go this bloody place Daram”.