Chapter 23
Detective Sergeant Rogers peered through the eyehole at the figure sat wrapped in a blanket.
Hawkins looked at his superior expectantly,
"Shall we bring him out for questioning?
"Nah, let him stew a while, let the withdrawals really kick in, it'll give him time to think about his predicament.
Turning they headed back up the corridor towards the canteen.
"But we've got him pretty much bang to rights.
"Maybe we have but it aint him they want.
The young officer looked at his superior nonplussed.
"Look at him, the Sergeant continued, "he's just a junkie funding his habit, they want Jarvey.
"He won't grass on him, not a chance.
"Maybe, but it's worth a try, that poor bastard in there'll know he's in trouble, knows he's fodder for the courts to make an example of, so there could be a chance of him doing a deal.
"Let them make an example of him, he's a dealer in death, he deserves everything he gets.
"Listen Hawkins, I know you're new to the squad and eager for results, but people like him sat in there are ten a penny. Yeah he might be a scumbag, part of the whole supply chain, but people like him are as much victims of people like Jarvey as any other screwed up addict out there. Lock him up and there'll be another just like him waiting to take his place within an hour.
"But there'll be another along to replace Jarvey by tea time.
"Maybe, but at least he'll deserve copping a hefty sentence, besides do you think them upstairs would be pleased with someone like Treacey, nah they want heads to roll over this.
Jean-Paul sat shivering, usually he wouldn't need another fix so soon after his last but being arrested always had the effect of bringing on instant withdrawal. Looking round the cell at the multitude of names scratched into the dirty cream walls he spotted his own, written a year or so before.
He'd been sat here many times, had inhabited every cell in the block at some point, but never for anything like this.
Trust it to be Kelly Landers who died, and now here he sat looking at god knows how long, years he knew that. That was how the system worked.
Getting up he walked over to the small button by the door and pressed it setting off a buzzer in the corridor. After waiting a few minutes he pressed it again this time keeping his finger on the button for longer.
Again no answer.
Returning to the bench he sat re-reading the names on the wall.
One caught his attention, Mandy Shore. Someone else who'd bought from him last night. Who else? His heart sank as he sat recounting in his head everyone.
Hearing the sound of footsteps echoing from the corridor he jumped up.
The small red light outside his cell would indicate he'd pressed the buzzer but he pushed it again to make sure.
A door somewhere down the corridor was unlocked and he heard the distorted sound of voices as someone was taken out of a cell.
Again he pressed the buzzer but the footsteps disappeared back the way they'd come.
Frustrated he kicked the door.
A couple of minutes later he heard the sound of footsteps again. This time they stopped outside his door and the spy-hole opened,
"What do'you want?
"Can you tell me when the doctors gonna be here?
"Yeah I can.
"Well when?
"When he gets here.
Prick, thought John-Paul,
"What about my solicitor?
"He's upstairs already.
Before he could ask anything else the hole closed and he heard the sound of footsteps retreating up the corridor.
Laying down on the bench he dozed into a shallow sleep.
DS Rogers looked round the room feeling uncomfortable at the amount of manpower being used in the case. After all, Kelly Landers should be just another dead addict, no-one else would get this sort of attention. Only one other dealer had been caught with anything when they'd executed the warrants, the drugs found there had been different to those found with Kelly, darker and more gritty looking. Everything pointed at Treacey. The only thing Rogers found comforting about the manpower was it could mean getting Jarvey, he may have at long last over-stepped the mark.
There had been reports that he'd been down on the Riverside earlier, around the time they'd raided Treacey.
"Has anybody found out who Jarvey's middlemen are at the moment?
The assembled detectives shook their heads,
"No-one seems to know anything, the word is Jarvey's dealers don't even see the person who drops off the drugs, they're left somewhere for them to pick up. My snout reckons it's not anybody on the Riverside and if it is they're very careful, no-one with any sudden surge in wealth or anything like that.
Rogers looked agitated,
"That's not good, we need to get something linking him and Treacey.
He looked round for more suggestions.
"Well we'll just have to¦
"No Simon, Rogers interrupted, " we aint gonna stitch him up, we're gonna get him properly.
"But¦.
"No buts, this is gonna be done properly, imagine the public backlash if he got off because of some fuck up on our part and it all came out. Chief Superintendent's daughter dies and local black man's stitched up, excellent PR for race relations.
A voice in the doorway pulled him away,
"Mike.
A large detective in his fifties beckoned him over,
"I've got something you might find useful.
Reaching the door Rogers nodded for him to continue.
"Rogue batch of strong gear I hear. Well word is Alfie Wilson's started branching out into drugs, maybe the two are connected.
Stroking his beard Rogers looked thoughtful,
"You sure?
"Surprising I know but it's from a reliable source.
"Interesting, nice one Paul, I owe you one.
Turning back to the assembled team he announced,
"Listen I've just been told the Wilson's are getting involved in the drug scene so I'm going back down the Riverside to check it out. Can someone see if they can get any info on it from here, oh and call the doctor. I want the prisoner fit for interview when I get back.
"How long you gonna be?
"Not long, an hour at the most. despite this new lead I still want you gunning for Jarvey alright. Come on Hawkins, you can come with me, you might learn something.
After he'd gone the team looked round shaking their heads.
"We won't get Jarvey, one commented, "look how long we've been trying already, he won't slip up.
The rest nodded in agreement.
