The Inspector Walter Darriteau Murder Mysteries - Books 1-4 David Carter (autobiographies to read txt) 📖

liaise with him,’ and at that moment Walter was aware that the pilot was talking to someone on the phone about arranging their collection.

‘Thank you, ma’am.’

‘Not any alternative, really. See you back here as soon as poss...’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘There’s still plenty of work to be done.’

‘Yes, indeed.’

‘Good luck!’ and then she was gone.

Jun said her goodbyes to the captain, all very formal, and Walter wondered what reports would be written on whom and by whom, on the events of the day, and what ramifications would follow, but that was nothing to do with him, and there was nothing he could do about that. In any event, Jun Woo, in his eyes, had behaved and acted impeccably throughout.

17.15. THE PILOT HANDED control of the vessel back to the captain and would normally have gone by then, but he’d stayed onboard, anxious not to miss the fun. The big yellow RAF Sea King helicopter came in directly above the bows.

‘Never been on a heli,’ said Karen, excitedly.

‘I have,’ said Walter.

‘When?’

‘Tell you some other time. Let’s concentrate on the job in hand. Jessica will go first, then Jun, then Karen, and lastly myself,’ and they saw the ’copter hovering close to the bridge, and the side doors high above them opened, and an RAF officer in a crash-hat and orange overalls slowly descended on a wire in the wind, as the river pilot stepped forward and reached for him and grabbed him, and beckoned Jessica onward, and Karen and Walter helped her toward the guy, and in the next minute she was in his clutches, and being winched high into the sky with a squeal of delight, as they watched her disappear into the safety of the yellow cabin, just as the drizzle began to fall.

The others followed without a hitch and there was much excitement inside the ’copter, as they smiled and exchanged stories and thanked their rescuers, and soon after that they enjoyed fantastic views, as they approached the mouth of the Mersey and the Freeport, and the docks and ships and trucks, and the vacant berth below them, from where they’d sailed not so long ago.

They could see the silver Volvo, still there, looking abandoned, and a young policeman standing by it, thoughtfully arranged by Sergeant Gill, as the helicopter selected a suitable landing spot, surprisingly close by, and set down, and they all thanked their dashing rescuers and stepped out. Walter and the girls headed for the car, thanked the young PC, and in the next moment they were in the Volvo, and heading out of the Freeport, Karen and Walter in the front, Jun and Jessica in the rear.

Back on the ship, the pilot had stood tall and watched and waved at them as the ’copter swept away. He glanced across as the rolling Pilot launch and cursed his luck, and the stiffening breeze and growing waves. No helicopter ride for him, just that challenging trip over the side, that no matter how many times he’d completed, never seemed to get any easier.

17.50. THE CAR HEADED south, down the dock road, hitting the main rush hour traffic, flowing down toward the tunnel. It would be a long crawl all the way through, no bike-riders to smooth the way this time.

Walter asked Jessica to describe the two men who had taken her from his house. Jun immediately realised they were the same two who had collected her from the Freeport, the men whose names she didn’t know, the men she knew as Man One and Man Two, violent and ruthless criminals who were still at large.

Walter turned in his seat and glanced at Jessica.

‘Will you be all right to come back to the station and make a statement?’

‘Of course. I want those guys catching as much as you do.’

‘And after that we’ll fix you up with a hotel.’

‘I don’t want a hotel, Walter, that’s the last thing I need, to be on my own. Can’t I come and stay with you?’

That threw him. He hadn’t considered the idea, and ridiculously the image of the still to be replaced carpet jumped into his mind and he said. ‘Well, that’s a bit unusual.’

‘I stayed with you before, Walter.’

‘Yes, I suppose you did.’

‘Go on, Guv,’ said Karen. ‘The girl needs help.’

‘Well, okay, just so long as Mrs West hasn’t made other plans.’

‘And I’ll need a hotel too,’ said Jun.

‘No, you can come and stay with me,’ said Karen.

Jun smiled. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Deffo!’ said Karen, ‘not a prob.’

‘Okay,’ said Jun, ‘That would be great. I need to get some new clothes, and a good haircut.’

‘My hair needs attention too,’ said Jessica, and they all glanced at her face, and the rough hack job that the weirdo Brinton had done in the pep talk room, and they all grinned and laughed and Walter said, ‘I am keeping out of any discussion to do with haircuts,’ and they all laughed at that too.

‘The Guv broke Brinton’s jaw,’ said Karen.

‘Did you?’ grinned Jessica.

Walter didn’t reply, and Karen said, ‘He did! One punch. Unbelievable!’

‘I wish I’d seen that,’ said Jess.

‘It was cool,’ said Jun. ‘I wish all the girls Brinton bullied, smacked, frightened, and abused had seen it.’

‘Will you get into trouble. Walter?’ asked Jess.

Walter shrugged his shoulders and pulled a face, ‘No idea. Don’t regret it. Shouldn’t think so.’

‘The guy was trying to kill us!’ said Karen. ‘That’s all you need to know.’

‘He would have killed us all, given the chance,’ said Jun, and they all agreed with that, and Karen changed the subject. ‘We’ll go shopping together,’ she said, and Jun nodded, and Karen continued, ‘Are you up for some shopping, Jessica?’

‘Damned right,’ she said. ‘Models and shopping go hand-in-hand,’ and she giggled. ‘And anyway, I’ll need some new things. I don’t suppose my stuff’s still in your house, is it?’

‘No,’ said Walter, ‘they took everything away.’

‘Count me in,’ said Jess.

‘Shopping is important,’ said Walter, ‘but it takes second place to the investigation, there is still work to be done.’

‘Course,’ said Karen,