Deep Heat II Chapter 5

5.

“Chief Inspector, I expect discretion from my officer.” It was the Chief Constable Michael Baines who then handed me over the grainy photo. I could tell that from my reading, it was done by phone. “You were seen in the company of named Derek Langston last night.”

I nodded and was to reply when he backed me off.

“Langston is a leech and damn bleeder. He is a pariah with the Department from London to Dover and perhaps the Isle of Man if he ever visited there. Robert…. I meant Assistant Chief … Ex…. or whatever. I detest that man.” The Chief himself went red on his facial expression. “That was not all. Derek Langston had turned in the hospital injured and in a coma this early morning near his home. He was apparently mugged.”

“I am lost, Sir.”

“Derek Langston was the one who got mugged. What were you meeting Langston about?” I was asked.

“I … was there to see some officer’s friends and casually, we spoke of the Assistant Chief Constable and then Langston motioned me to see him. I did not know him but he was drunk. I bought him a drink and dismissed him off.”

“After an hour of conversation? You must be balmy or utterly hopeless in your assessment of a drunk. Are you not trained as an officer to question a person?”

“I do, Sir but Derek ….”

“So, it’s the first name now.” The Chief voice had raised up higher than before. “Tell me more, Chief Inspector.”

“We spoke and he asked me on the Assistant Chief Constable. I asked for his opinion. He claimed to know the Assistant Chief Constable.”

“So, it was not a coincidence that you were there. You were there to get information but on what? The seedier part of the Assistant Chief Constable? Or perhaps even mine?”

That was a low blow. I was still reeling from it when he decided to suspend me.

“The case will be handled by …. Chief Inspector Bromley, David Bromley from Midlands. You will be re-assigned. Period.” The Chief Constable Carter pulled the folder out from the pile of papers on his table. There was a photo on the top of the file. He called his aide to collect the folder.

“Give this to CI Bromley. It’s the Derek Langston file.” The photo there did not look like the Derek Langston I met. It was someone else. I was dismissed and from there I went back to the Precinct. I got changed and later was on the Ninja doing top speed on the roads.

I stopped at the hospital where Derek Langston was admitted in. I got the room reference and went there. There was a uniform on duty that I did not meet before. However, I saw Tabitha arriving then. I caught her in the hallway and told her to get me in.

“You can’t go in. We were told to wait for CI Bromley and only he was to access the victim.” Tabitha told me.

“Then do me a favor. Take a photo and message me.”

The photo I got was not the Derek Langston I met.

I then rushed out to meet the man who was to meet me at the Red Lion. I sat there at the corner table with the half-pint bitter beer watching the going on at the place. It was football night and the place was slowly being filled with supporters cheering the team. They won the game that afternoon. The place began to fill out and soon it was packed shoulders to shoulders. I could have sworn someone pinched my buttocks but I not make out who it was. I moved to the far corner and sat by the bar stool. It was one location I can have a vantage view of the crowd and no one at my butt.  I then saw the man I was to meet. He strolled over in the football club’s color and squeezed himself next to me. He had on the shawl and cap of the club worn low on the forehead.

“Hey, mate. Get your own corner.” The burly guy in the club’s colors refused to move for Derek to step towards me.

“Pardon me, mate. My wife is there. I need to join her or lose my colors.” Derek replied with a smile. “Be a good bloke and let me come through.”

“Okay, since you are being nice.” Derek was given passage and stood next to me.

“You thought I was in a coma, right? Well, I missed that part.” The man I met as Derek Langston placed an order for his beer on the counter table. “I did not expect them to move so fast. I was lucky…”

“Who are you? And who is on the bed at the hospital.”

“That was Derek Langston the journalist. I am not him. I am Derrick Langley, the other person who was Derek’s good friend. We looked quite similarly and at times, we are mistaken for brothers. I am also a journalist and of late, working on the Selby and Cohen link to the Police.” The man replied. “I did not deceive you. I merely lay the bait and the other side picked it up.”

“How did you know?” I asked.

“The bartender knew me and Derek. The plainclothes officer who saw us enquired at the bar. He was given Derek’s name. It was the ploy we do at the bar as a prank. However, I did not expect the event to be tough. And Derek is paying the price now. I heard he was tortured and left for dead. So will be the officer who thinks he is getting more info back at the bar.”

“I don’t understand.” Derek pushed the handphone over. There was a clip on it. And it showed two guys bashing another. “That is the retribution for the damage to Derek.”

“You are vigilantes.” I snapped back.

“True, but only on the evildoers. Now, do you want to know about Robert Kellie? He was one of the bad guys too.”

“Can we speak elsewhere? I can’t hear you.” I feigned an excuse to get out. Derek nodded and then we filed out in a single line with a lot of push and pulls. Finally, we were out and Derek hailed a taxi. Our next stop was an all-night café that also served the tea and scones. The drink came in a small pot and the dainty cup that was offered with the plate of scones. We ordered two sets and got down to talking. We were seated away from the window and to the rear where the kitchen door was next to me. The place was empty except for us, with the bored waitress. She took our orders reluctantly and then served us the meal.

“Let us get to the matter fast.” I hit the play switch on my side.

“You are a fast player, Chief Inspector. I will tell you what I know of Robert Kellie.”