Authors: David Lowe
DCI Harvey paused for a moment and said, ‘I remember that job. If my memory serves correctly, you shot a couple of the buggers didn’t you?’
‘Yes sir, but I didn’t do anything different to what the others would do in my situation,’ David said, hoping the topic would change to what targets like Murphy were currently up to.
‘Modesty, I like that. I’m sorry, I interrupted you.’
‘As you know, another target’s come into the frame, a Declan Murphy. That’s why I’m here. I believe you’ve already got a team watching him?’
‘That’s right, Gary Baker’s. What do you know of this Murphy character?’
Jenny’s words of warning were ringing in David’s ears as he paused for a moment, wondering why the head of Cheshire’s Speical Branch was asking this question. ‘Surely he knows,’ David thought to himself, then said, ‘All I know is that he’s a former member of PIRA’s Tyrone Brigade and was arrested by SO13 as they were then, in the 1990’s. He was imprisoned but released following the Good Friday Agreement. He’s living in a large detached house in Kingsley, just outside Frodsham on the road that leads to Delamere Forest. Since his release, he’s made his money in property development, mainly in the north of England. Intelligence shows he’s got fingers in a few pies, and some of those pies include having local politicians and a couple of senior police officers in his back pocket.’ David then thought he would bite the bullet and see if he could put the DCI on the spot and said, ‘I hate to say this, and please don’t be offended but it’s believed that one of the officers on his payroll is a senior officer in Cheshire Police.’
‘Don’t be embarrassed in raising that issue, George warned me about that when you were coming over here. I suggest we keep that last bit between ourselves. When you brief the officers I’ve assigned to work with you, just mention the local politicians, don’t mention there’s a bent bobby in this force. I’m assuming we’ve no names for the police officers suspected of being on the take?’
Regardless of their previous connections, David was surprised George would mention this to the DCI in the police force where it was suspected the IRA mole was working, ‘Not yet. Once I have any details, I’ll let you know. Have you got any ideas who it could be?’
‘One or two names come to mind. Best if I keep them to myself for now until I see George, as I might be wrong. No matter how high one rises in this job, and we’re pretty well paid for what we do, it’s like old habits die hard. For a bobby to be on the take today, it’s just greed.’
‘I suppose it is sir,’ David said picking up his cup of coffee and looking at the DCI sat opposite him. He felt uncomfortable. Harvey seemed too friendly, too familiar with him. He took a sip of his coffee, smiled at the DCI as he put his cup back on the desk, his sixth sense could not discount the officer opposite him being the informant. He thought how DCI Harvey would be well placed to access intelligence and pass it on. ‘Regarding Murphy, I suggest we watch him for a few days and see what he gets up to. You know, do the usual. Find out what his routine is, who he meets up with and once we’ve got the authorities in place, tap into his phone and Internet traffic.’
‘That sounds good to me. Have you any idea what Murphy’s part is in all this?’
David felt he was in a difficult and awkward situation. It was obvious the head of Cheshire’s ISB would ask such questions. Running through his mind was if the DCI was asking to know about the operation or to test the water to see what the security services really knew about a person that could have this DCI in his back pocket. ‘It’s suspected he’s the financial backer behind a Real IRA attack they’re planning on the British mainland. My brief is to liaise with your officers and assist on the Cheshire side of the investigation. That’s all I know for now sir.’ It was hard not to trust a fellow police officer, especially one that was a good friend of his DI and one he knew had been a good operational detective. Knowing that caution was important, David decided to remain vague about what he knew.
DCI Harvey rubbed his hands together and enthusiastically said, ‘It is like the old days when the Provo’s took up most of our time. It makes a change from looking at Muslim groups. Your experience will be important working alongside Gary’s team. None of them have had any dealings with Irish terror groups.’
* * *
Debbie knocked on George’s open office door and peered round the door to see him sat at his desk studying some files, ‘Have you got a minute George?’
George looked up from his files and said, ‘I always have a minute for you. Come in and close the door. Have you heard from David?’
‘Not yet. I take it you’ve not heard from him either?’
‘No, but knowing Alec Harvey, he’ll keep him talking for ages.’
‘While we’re on the subject, how well do you know DCI Harvey?’ Debbie asked knowing it could make George feel uncomfortable being put on the spot.
‘Are you asking me in an official capacity or out of personal curiosity?’
‘We’ll let’s say out of personal curiosity for now.’
‘I know him very well. We were DC’s together in the old Regional Crime Squad and our paths have crossed a few times while we’ve been in the Branch. He’s as straight as they come. Why?’
‘I was just wondering how David will behave towards him. You know what he’s like with incompetent police bosses.’
‘There’ll no worries on that front, Alec’s the sort that respects the likes of David. He’ll give him the shirt off his back to help him get the job done. I wouldn’t have sent David there if I thought there was the possibility of fireworks happening between the two of them.’
‘The real reason I came to see you is we may have a problem in London. Your father-in-law’s told Jenny that he’s coming up to Manchester tomorrow, not next week as planned. The problem we’ll have is keeping him safe, especially with the G-Mex exhibition being on. SO15 will be pushed to provide additional protection on his journey up here if he comes up tomorrow. They can only spare one officer to provide personal protection if he does. While he’s in London they can cope having two on him at a time, as being down there they can do shifts while they look after him. Coming out of London will cause problems. I know you’ll struggle to provide protection for him as you’re already short staffed. This Irish job’s drained the reserve staff you had available.’
‘The impatient bugger. I told him the night before last it could take weeks if not months before we have the chance to make a move on the targets, but he won’t hear of it. He went rambling on about flushing out the Real IRA so we can arrest them. Do you want me to have a word with him?’
‘If you could George, I’d be grateful. Jenny’s tried talking to him, but he refuses to hold back on coming up to Manchester.’
‘The chances are he won’t listen to me either, he can be stubborn old goat at times.’
‘Could Chloe have a word with him to try and change his mind?’
‘We can try, can’t we?’
‘We’ll have to. This West Yorks job looks like it’s going to go down next week at the G-Mex.’
‘So it’s not a target for the Irish then?’
‘No. Alex Bullard and the team saw our doctor and dentist going over to the G-Mex a few times this week and it appears they’ve been doing a reccie of the place. We’ve intercepted a conversation between Abdullah Islam and the Bradford cell discussing the G-Mex. Not only will we have to provide staff for protection duties, we’re going to have to use a number of teams to deal with the two in Prestwich and the Bradford cell. I can see all of this happening next week. Alan needs to be told that we haven’t got enough officers to provide him with sufficient protection. This isn’t a vanity thing. The last thing we want is to have the Real IRA having a successful hit on top of the G.Mex operation. The press will have a field day showing how the UK is a hotbed for terrorists and it won’t help inspire confidence with our international colleagues. You or Chloe really do need to emphasise these points with him. He’s better off staying down in London this week.’
As Debbie summed up the situation George thought for a moment and said, ‘As always, you’re right. I’ll have a word with him. I’ll just put him in the picture. If Al Qaeda is targeting the G.Mex, I wonder what our Irish friends have in store for us.’
‘Looking at previous patterns of IRA activity on the British mainland and from a search of other major events coming up this summer, one possible target is the Royal Visit in Chester next week. Liverpool’s still too risky a target for IRA activity as they have too many sympathisers there, Manchester and London are on a high terror alert and the chances of success are minimal. The reason I’ve gone for the Royal Visit at Chester is that Murphy’s based there and O’Byrne, McElvaney and Pickup have based themselves in Liverpool, and being a half hour drive down the motorway, it’s only a stone’s throw away from Chester.’
‘That makes sense. It looks like we’ve put David right in the middle of it. Have you run this past him?’
‘Not yet, I wanted to speak to you and Jenny first. I’ve emailed Jenny as she wasn’t in. I know if we go for this as a possible target, it’s likely we’ll have to divert already stretched resources to cover it.’
‘You’re right about London. They’ve re-introduced their Ring of Steel around the capital following the potential of both an Al Qaeda and an Irish terrorist attack. What’s to stop the Irish lads hitting another target like Birmingham or Leeds?’ George asked.
‘Logistics. If they’re members of the Real IRA, they’re only a small cell at the moment and it’s unlikely they’ve not got the support network like the Provisional’s had. To travel across the country from Liverpool and Chester involves a greater risk in us tailing them and lifting them before they can do any damage. Looking at the evidence, Murphy has a number of properties in the Liverpool and Chester area they can use. In addition to which, he has more influence in this area. As you know, we suspect him to have a number of local politicians and senior police officers in his pocket. It’s a lot easier for them to do a hit and run style of attack, and it’s a lot closer for them to escape from Liverpool or Chester back to Ireland if they need to. From Chester it wouldn’t take them long to get to the Irish ferries that run from Holyhead in Wales.’
‘If you’re right,’ George said, ‘we might have just stole a march on them.’
* * *
As David and DCI Harvey were talking in his office they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Alec introduced the caller to David, ‘Michael this is DS David Hurst, our GMP liaison sent to us regarding this Irish job. David this is DI Michael McCullagh.’ As the two men shook hands, DCI Harvey said, ‘Michael’s been with us for some time. He’s been a Branch man throughout most of his career to date.’
‘I’m sorry I’m late boss, I got tied up with sorting out the Royal protection duties.’ Michael turned to David and said, ‘Prince William’s coming up to our patch next week to open some building, unveil plaques and shake hands with local dignitaries. It’s a hard life for some!’
‘How are the plans coming on?’ DCI Harvey asked McCullagh.
‘Just fine. SO15 are bringing their Royal Protection Unit up with the Prince and I’ve spoken to the Chief. She’s agreed to providing the number of uniform officers we’ll need to support the visit.’
‘That doesn’t surprise me. I knew she’d be supportive for a Royal visit. I suppose she’s managed to get herself on the guest list of the main reception to meet the Prince?’ DCI Harvey asked.
‘In fact she’s got herself on the guest list for two events sir. One when he arrives, she’s part of the reception committee and she’s going to the evening dinner reception at the Grosvenor Hotel.’
‘That’s typical of the brown nosing bitch. Let’s not bore David with our internal issues. David’s briefed me and he’s basically going to repeat everything he’s told me at the briefing, which I think we should start, is that OK with you Michael?’
‘I’ve got the team you requested assembled in the briefing room and we’re ready to start when you are,’ McCullagh said.
* * *
After the briefing David walked into DCI Harvey’s office with Gary Baker the Cheshire DS he would be working alongside. Gary placed the surveillance authority requests onto Alec Harvey’s desk and said, ‘Here are the requests for the surveillance authorities for Murphy’s business addresses in the area sir. As we’ve already got the authority in place for his home, we’re asking for covert surveillance to be carried out on his business properties that are known to us. That includes phone taps on landlines, mobile phones and Internet traffic as well as placing covert devices in his premises. If it’s alright with you sir, I’ll take David and a few of the team out to the area around Murphy’s address now.’
DCI Harvey picked up the written authority requests, had a brief look at them and said, ‘Good, thanks Gary I’ll sign them now so you can go to the Chief and get them approved. The less contact I have with her the better. The sooner we start, the sooner we can stop Murphy from causing trouble on our patch. Keep me informed on developments. Thanks Lads.’
As they left the office David said to Gary, ‘Your boss seems alright.’
‘He goes on a bit, but he lets us get on with the job. One problem he has is our Chief’s always looking to take staff out of the Branch as she doesn’t think Cheshire’s a target for terrorists. He claims she interferes with what he’s trying to do. She’s one of those Bramshill high flyers that’s never been a bobby in her life. She’s clueless. Being pro-uniform, she gives the CID a hard time. Thankfully, Alec gets support from MI5 and the Home Office. What’s your boss like?’
‘He’s a total wanker. But that said, we have good DI’s and a DCI that keep him in check as well as Bernard Gamble, our Chief Con. I thought something was up between Alec and your Chief. When your DI was going through some details of the Royal visit you’re having next week, not only did his voice change but also his body language. It looks like he can’t stand her.’
‘That’s an understatement.’
‘What’s McCullagh like?’ David asked.
‘Are you checking us all out? It wouldn’t surprise me if you asked the boss about me?’ Gary said laughing.