Authors: David Lowe
Maguire carefully opened the door to the canal barge. Listening for any voices nearby, he checked to see if anyone was in the immediate vicinity. Satisfied it was safe he emerged into the bright sunshine of yet another hot summer’s day. He turned to Mahoney, winked at him and said, ‘See you Jimmy.’ Maguire got out of the boat and started walking along the towpath towards the bridge at the back of the Cathedral where he could join the road. Pulling down the peak of the baseball cap, he made his way to Thomas and Harvey solicitors’ office.
* * *
It was the hottest day of the year so far. The bright summer weather was attracting more people than anticipated into Chester for the Prince’s visit. Having gone midday, the entrance to the front of the Grosvenor Hotel had been cordoned off earlier than planned to cope with the throngs of people claiming a good spot to see the Prince. Many had flowers and other mementoes to give to the Prince on his walkabout in the hope he would come over and speak to them personally. Uniform police officers stood by the cordon. As well as keeping the crowds away, their role was allowing the security services, visitors and hotel guests with special day passes through to the hotel. Even though they had many hours to wait, the glorious weather along with the anticipation of having the heir to the British throne arrive along with his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, ensured there was a happy mood. A larger than expected crowd had gathered outside the hotel. While giving Maguire the advantage to mingle unseen it made it harder for Hurst and Adams to spot him.
From his observation spot in the first floor of a jewellers’ shop in St. Werburgh Street, on seeing the secretary walk away from the main entrance to the solicitors Steve radioed to the other officers, ‘Beckwith’s locked up the solicitors’ office and is making her way through the crowd away from the office. Anyone got sight of the Irish bastards yet?’
‘Patience Stevey, patience,’ David radioed back from his observation point in the tower of the Cathedral, ‘It’s just turned twenty past twelve. He’ll be here any minute.’
Close to the solicitors’ office, Steve saw a man walking forcing his way through the crowd. ‘There’s a male with the long brown hair wearing a baseball cap carrying a large grey holdall. He’s in Eastgate now coming into St. Werburgh Street. He’s going against the flow of the crowd. It’s hard to get a good look at him.’
Training his binoculars down St. Werburgh Street, David saw the man Steve described walking through the crowd. Not taking his eyes off him, he saw the man walk calmly to the back of the row of buildings that contained the solicitors’ office. Relaying the man’s movements over the radio, the man stopped at the back door of the solicitor’s office and turned round. Giving David the opportunity to get a good look at his face, his deep voice raised an octave as he said, ‘. . . to all units, its Maguire. The fucker’s in disguise. He’s at the back door now and it looks like he’s got keys. Wait until he gets into the premises before we make our move. Once he’s in, make to the arranged the RV point. Any sign of Mahoney?’
‘No, it looks like he’s on his own,’ Steve replied.
There was a tense silence over the airwaves as David watched Maguire put the keys back into his pocket, pick up his holdall and open the door. As soon as Maguire entered the office and closed the door, David shouted over the radio, ‘He’s in,’ then calling up the inspector of the armed rapid entry team, said, ‘X-Ray Sierra Four put your team in position.’
‘Will do.’
Taking his Glock out from its holster David took off the safety catch. Replacing it, he left his surveillance equipment in the Cathedral tower to be picked up later and made his way as fast as he could down the sandstone staircase of the Cathedral tower. Entering the knave, his Catholic respect for a House of God came out. He stopped running. Walking across the alter, he saw the gold and copper cross on the altar table. Even though it did not have an image of Jesus on it, he still bowed before it and made his way out to the main door. Being a protestant church, there was no holy water at the doorway, but he still crossed himself and said a prayer as he left the building.
Trying his best to walk nonchalantly, he made his way along the side of the Cathedral to the RV point. Expecting that once in the offices, Maguire would have a look outside, he did not want to run and bring attention to himself. Going through his mind was the fact the cat and mouse game with Maguire was coming to its end. The only problem being Maguire was no timid mouse. From the carnage over the past couple of days, David knew he was more likely to fight his way out of the offices than passively submit. Seeing the large crowds close by, he was aware of the potential danger this could cause.
At the rear of the Cathedral, David saw the rapid entry team officers along with Steve, who was talking to the team’s inspector. The inspector looked over to David and as he approached him said, ‘DS Hurst, we’re ready to go when you are. I’ve a sergeant watching the rear of the office and two of the team have made their way to the front. No doubt you heard MI5 and SO15 officers say they were also covering the front of the office from the Grosvenor?’
‘Yes, so we should have everything covered. As you’re the officer in charge, I’m in your hands now. My worry is the safety of the crowd standing outside the office’
‘The problem we’ve got is we won’t have a silent entry. The danger is if he takes a few pot shots at the crowd to get us to stand back. To prevent that happening, I’ve got the OIC of the whole operation to place marksmen in locations in the hotel overlooking the first floor windows of the offices. If Maguire shows his face, he’s a goner,’ the inspector said laying out a plan of the offices on the bonnet of one of the personnel carriers used by his unit. ‘I believe you reckon our target will be using this office here,’ he said pointing to the room used by the solicitor Harvey.
‘That’s right,’ David said placing his right index finger on the map, ‘from here he’ll have a good sight of those arriving at the Grosvenor for tonight’s reception, and he’ll have a height advantage as well. Once you get up the stairs you can’t miss the office. It’s on the right with a large brass plate on the door with John Harvey’s name on it.’
‘According to intelligence reports Maguire’s used a pump-action shotgun with rifle slug ammunition on the two police officers and a thirty-eight semi-automatic pistol, and I’m assuming if he’s looking to bump off people attending tonight, it’s likely he’ll also have a high velocity rifle. Have you any further intelligence to add to that?’
‘No sir,’ David said, ‘all we know is, he’s not frightened to use the weapons. He thinks he’s a soldier fighting for a cause and police officers, even civilians will be casualties of war in his eyes.’
‘That’s what bothers me. We’ve got armour plated shields to provide protection to the first officers going up the stairs, but it’s still risky. He could get a shot into the side of the officers going up the stairs. Once he hears us using the duplicate key, he might come out of the first floor office,’ the inspector said as the rest of his team were putting the finishing touches to donning their protective equipment.
‘I know the commander of the regional counter-terrorist unit and the MI5 boss that’s up here would like Maguire to come out alive so we can interview him,’ David said knowing this could be difficult for the entry team to achieve.
As the inspector put on his helmet, he said, ‘We’ll do our best for you, but there’s no guarantee. I suggest you stay here and I’ll radio through when it’s safe for you to enter.’
David shook hands with the inspector and said, ‘Best of luck.’
‘Thanks,’ the inspector said who then called to the rest of his team to follow him.
As they made their way to the back of the offices, David took his cigarettes out of his pocket. Offering one to Steve, he said, ‘May as well have a ciggie while they do their bit.’
‘I didn’t know it was pay day or have you had a win on the horses? You’ve got your ciggies out for a change.’
‘Very funny, do you want one or not?’
‘Cheers,’ Steve said putting the cigarette to his mouth.
David took out his lighter. Cupping his hand around it, he offered Steve a light and said, ‘I just hope Maguire doesn’t try to shoot his way out of this.’
‘Me too,’ Steve said.
‘None of this would have happened if the management followed our suggestion that you and I with an armed officer were the reception committee inside the solicitors waiting for him. We could have taken him out as soon as he entered.’
‘Why didn’t they go with that?’ Steve said exhaling spent smoke.
‘It was fucking Edge interfering again. George told me that at the senior officers’ meeting he convinced the CTU commander that it would take too many officers away from other duties. On top of that Edge said there was no solid intelligence to support it, only a hunch from junior officers, us two!’
‘The fucking tosser,’ Steve said stubbing out his cigarette. As the officer spoke they could hear the battering ram being used by the rapid entry team on the back door to the solicitors’ office, both looked up. From their location, they were unable to see what was happening.
After three loud bangs, the door burst open followed by the team entering the rear of the offices. Within seconds of entering, gunshots came from inside the solicitors’ office. David and Steve looked at each other with concern as they heard officers inside the premises radioing through that Maguire was at the entrance to Harvey’s door and had fired a few rounds at the officers ascending the stairs. Following reports that the team returned fire, it suddenly fell silent on the radio.
‘DS Hurst, come in,’ the rapid entry team inspector called over the radio.
‘Go ahead sir.’
‘Target’s still alive, but he’s angled himself in a corner of the room. It’s too dangerous to make an approach without one of our team getting shot at. Are either you or DC Adams a trained negotiator?’
‘We both are,’ David replied.
‘I need you over here straight away,’ the inspector radioed back, ‘before you do, put on one of the spare vests from inside the carriers before you get here. The driver will get them for you. Once you’re ready, we can get you in. Meet me by the rear entrance and I’ll take you up the stairwell. You’ll have to do the negotiation at the top of the stairwell. Although he hasn’t got a clear shot of the top of the stairs, we can’t take any risks. Let’s see if you can talk him out.’
‘I’ve got that. I’ll take the lead in the negotiations, but I want Steve right behind me.’
One of the carrier drivers issued the Branch officers with a protective vest, which they put on. David and Steve ran over to the rear door of the solicitors’ office where the inspector was waiting for them. ‘Before you go in, are you two armed?’ he asked the two officers.
‘Yes,’ David said.
‘They stay in your holsters. If it’s needed, we’ll do the shooting. I want to remind you of a couple of things before you go in. You do exactly whatever any member of my team tells you to. Your safety is our priority in there. If it looks like he’s not going to play ball, I’ll get you out straight away and you’ll leave him to us. While you’re negotiating, I’m going to look around to see if we can gain another entry into Harvey’s office. Also, I’m considering using stun grenades if your negotiations break down. That may be the only way we can get him out alive. Don’t worry. Using stun grenades and rushing him will be a last resort.’
‘I appreciate that sir,’ David said.
The inspector called to one of the rapid entry team and instructed her to take David and Steve through the ground floor and up the stairs. As they neared the top of the staircase, the officer instructed them to go no further. Both officers crouched down as David looked over to John Harvey’s office. Just as the inspector told them, the door was ajar, but they could not see Maguire. Opening negotiations, David shouted out, ‘Jimmy Maguire, this is Detective Sergeant David Hurst from Special Branch. You’re surrounded by firearms officers. Make one move towards them and they’ll kill you, but I can offer you a way out of here alive. Are you willing to talk to me?’
‘Are you the Hurst that arrested me in Derry and killed young Quinney all those years ago?’ Maguire shouted back, looking around the room for options open to him to escape without having to go near the office door.
‘I’m glad you remember me because you know I won’t bullshit you. My interest is in getting you out of here alive. You’ll have to take my word on that.’
‘If I’m to trust you, tell me what you did to Sean McCrossan in Ireland last week?’ Maguire shouted back remembering McCullagh told him Hurst had gone over on a mission to trace McCrossan and they had not heard from him since.
David thought for a moment. His first reaction was not to reveal what happened. Jenny Richmond instructed him he wasn’t even to tell his own colleagues. Knowing by gaining Maguire’s trust was the only way he would get him out alive, the dilemma going through David’s mind was whether or not Maguire knew. He had no idea if McCullagh had found out and told him. He knew he could not lie. Taking the gamble, David shouted back, ‘I traced him to a farm in the republic just across the border from Armagh. I was going to bring him in, but he was armed. I had no choice. I had to kill him.’
‘How do I know you’re not going to kill me,’ Maguire said crawling over to a window, out of sight of the doorway, to assess if other officers were waiting outside to block him leaving the front of the building.
‘Jimmy, I only shoot those that want to shoot me.’
Managing to sit up and look through the bottom of the window into Eastgate Street below. Maguire laughed and said, ‘Trust me Hurst, I’d love to fucking kill you.’
‘I’m sure you do, but I want you to come out of this building alive.’
‘And rot in some prison because your fucking British justice system hates Irishmen like me.’
‘But it’ll be in a top security prison in a cell with all the modern conveniences with you being a hero back home. If you don’t do as I say, you’ll be dead and all you’ll get is an IRA funeral. After a while people will stop tending your grave and you’ll become a forgotten man. In a category A prison you’ll be alive. There’s likely to be campaigns for your release. You’ll not only be a hero you’ll be alive and still talked about. Not just among your own, but also on the national and international media. Alive, you’ll be an inspiration to the younger ones at home to take up the cause. Think about it.’ As David spoke, the officers surrounding him looked in surprise at what the DS was saying to Maguire. The last thing they wanted to hear was sympathy for this Real IRA terrorist that killed their own and innocent civilians.