THE TROUBLE WITH DECEIT

Part 19 Covering Tracks

Walking into the small back room of the police station Keith asked his Sergeant if he could bring up details of a hoax call they had received that same evening about a half hour ago.  "Yes, here it is Keith"  Taking the printout from him He quickly scan read it, "hmmm a call about a stabbing at a local shop.  Immediately ascertained to be a hoax call, and we have a contact number, hmmm"  Feeling puzzled and not completely convinced by the guy in the other rooms somewhat fuzzy statement Keith made what history would call a lucky decision.  He rang Rani's number and she answered the call.  "Miss Rani Singh?"   "Speaking, yes."   "Constable Hunter from station rd police station, I believe you reported a hoax call earlier to my colleagues.  Thing is we have had a man come forward and report a stabbing there.  He tells us he witnessed this himself.  We can send a car but we have here on record that you said you were there at the time that he has told us this happened"  Thinking on her feet Rani said,  "I'm so sorry about all of this but I wouldn't waste your time as this is an on-going foolish prank by students trying to make a point, and I can assure you that we will  be taking action of our own to make sure this doesn't happen again, as we are well aware of how stretched you good people are."   As soon the policeman had ended the call Rani quickly related all that was happening to Derek Howard.  He made the decision to go and fetch Mary from the shop, and bring her to the hostel where she could be kept out of trouble for a while at least.

Back at the station Keith Hunter returned to the interview room and once again sat down with Arnold Riley.  Trying to look his sternest he said, "Mr. Riley earlier this evening we received a call about an incident at the premises you are referring to in your statement, claiming this is some kind of a hoax.  Now there have been no other reports of a disturbance at this address, so before we send a car there is there anything else you would like to add to your statement."   Now completely confused  Arnold realised there was something very strange going on here and that obviously no alarm had been raised, this was his chance to get himself right out of the frame.  Trying look honest he met the policeman's eyes and said, "look, I'm very sorry, it was stupid of me, somebody asked me to report this, and this person is not the most reliable. I did have my doubts and now I am thinking I have let myself get tricked into helping with a hoax."     "You will give me this mystery person's name please Mr. Riley!"   Looking as contrite as he was able he said: "I know I must sound incredibly stupid to you but I honestly don't even know it."   "Mr. Riley we will get in touch with you if we need to, so do not leave the vicinity for three days and keep your mobile phone with you.  We are very stretched at this time and we do not appreciate time wasters.  Go home and think yourself lucky not to be ending up in court yourself!"

Mary was half dozing in her chair, after all the events of the day coupled with just being back from holiday, she felt completely drained.  Suddenly her doorbell rang, jumping to her feet she rushed down thinking it must be to do with Reece.  There was a rather pleasant looking lady standing on her doorstep.  "Hello," the lady said, "I'm Lottie, I work at the college that Kip attends."  After Mary had invited her to come inside Lottie said, " I shall get right to it, your son, Reece is very worried about you being here on your own, given what happened tonight.  He said he would feel easier if you were to come back with me and stay at the college so that he won't have to worry about your safety."     Dabbing her eyes Mary said, "So he's alive, I didn't even know.  He looked like he was dead!  they said he was alive, but I didn't believe it."    "Come along now Mary lets get you back to the College with me and soon you will get to see your Reece."  Smiling thinly Mary said, "He's not my son, not really, he works for me and we look out for each other."   Lottie had already known this but had played a bit on the obvious bond to help persuade Mary to go with her.  Somebody, probably Derek was going to have to sort this mess out when they got back, as, for the moment nobody knew if Reece was even going to make it, and all of this was just to keep Mary from arousing anybody's suspicions. 

"Do you have anybody who can open up the shop for you in the morning Mary?"   Nodding she told them she did have a lady who would step in for her.  "Good,"  said Lottie, "We will give her a ring when we get there and make arrangements for her to do that, best not tell her anything that's happened at this time, the police might not want it made public, just tell her that Reece is unwell and you are going to be helping him for a few days."     "Very well,"  Mary said, "I don't like all of this cloak and dagger way of doing things, but if you think it is best then I shall tell her that for now."

In fact, the next afternoon a constable did pop his head around the door of the little clothes shop and ask the lady at the till if everything was alright.  She had glanced up and told him everything was, fine thank you.  And he had left it at that, as there was obviously no problem in there!  When he did mention to Keith Hunter that he had checked and all was well, the only response he got from him was "Bloody students!"

The ambulance screeched to a halt at the elite little private hospital and they ran the stretcher trolley inside crashing it through the swing doors.  As they pushed through a second set Kip heard the medic shouting "he's arrested!"   As he tried to follow he felt a strong hand clamp onto his arm and looking around he saw that it was Tom Arnold.  "Leave them to it son,"  he said kindly, there's nothing more that you can do for him now.  You sit down here with me and I'll get us both a hot drink, I think we both could do with one.  Then I think we need to have a little chat."