Chapter 14

Neither Lester or Brodie were in the office on the Monday morning. Andrew tried not to read too much into it but it was difficult. While he waited he escaped having to go to Greenham Common to collect some officers once they realised that he was a temporary summer employee and no one knew if he was allowed to drive a police van. It would have been comical if it hadn’t involved various people being annoyed at him. Well they were annoyed at the situation and he was handy, but still. He thought back to Vestie’s casual disregard for such things the previous summer. Andrew still didn’t know whether he should have been driving the LandRovers.

“They never know what to do with you, do they Andrew? For a lot of people you are just another one of the men, liable to be sent wherever help is needed. Then they realise you are a civilian not a cop and a temporary one at that. It throws all their thinking. There is a driving course you have to pass when you join the force, so everyone has done it years ago. Then you turn up.”

Susan shook her head.

“Come on, if we can’t send you off to sunny Berkshire then you can help me figure out how far behind we are on inspections, and prepare a priority list for the Super to look at.”

So the morning was spent going through the long list of facilities that were the responsibility of the MoD Police, and comparing it to the annual plan. There were three categories and Susan ignored the category three facilities immediately.

“Let’s figure out where we are with the category one facilities first and then see about the category two.”

The difference between the different categories related to what was behind the fence.

“Why are we behind on all these inspections Susan?”

“CND.”

It was said in a tone that made it seem as if that was obvious.

“What do you mean?”

“Sorry I forget that you won’t have been told any of this. I asked the same question seven years ago when I started and I doubt that it has changed much. The number one priority of the MoD Police is the protection of nuclear weapons and nuclear materials; specifically all the bases and factories, not just Aldermaston and Burghfield although they are the key ones. Britain hasn’t changed its nuclear infrastructure in decades so there is a staffing plan and a manpower plan to deal with them. Then the bloody cruise missiles turned up and CND got all excited again, suddenly there are huge crowds not just at Greenham Common but back at Aldermaston and Burghfield as well. Not so much in Scotland, just the places that are easy to get to in the south of England. What these CND types don’t realise is that the armed police, us, are there to protect them as much as keep them away.”

Andrew looked confused.

“The weapons are guarded by soldiers Andrew. Well a special Royal Marine group actually. And they will not permit nuclear weapons to fall into the hands of the enemy. And the enemy is everybody. They don’t know if the demonstrators are Soviet agents under cover, terrorists, anarchists or whoever. Nobody gets near the weapons. And they will kill anyone who tries. That is the bit that CND don’t get. Sure we are guarding the fences, the walls of the bases, keeping them out but we are also the buffer between the demonstrators and the Marines who will shoot first and say sorry after.”

Andrew sat there looking stunned.

“Yeah, can you imagine that political mess? But that is the reality. Soldiers or Commandos with orders to protect the weapons at all costs. Now think about Greenham; they are American cruise missiles, with American guards. All governed by a thousand regulations about use of force in the UK but with exactly the same orders. Nobody gets to the weapons. And can you imagine that political mess? American soldiers shooting unarmed British civilians.”

Andrew rocked back in his chair. Bloody hell.

“So when there are mass protests at a nuclear base, either ours or the Americans, we have to respond. To protect the public from being shot by our own or allied troops. So the Greenham and Molesworth protests have screwed everything up royally. That is why everyone has to respond. Not enough men is not an answer. Do you think you would have been sent to Halstead or BUTEC last year if there had been anyone else? You were a godsend in that you could be Vestie’s bagman and driver, you kept your gob shut and weren’t an idiot.”

Andrew needed to remember to add that caustic summary to his CV.

“You were hired to provide summer cover in the Records Centre Andrew. Not to be a part time policeman.”

As they looked through the list of places that needed an urgent inspection it was clear that the MoD Police was stretched paper thin. They probably could have done without him dropping more work into their lap. After lunch Brodie put his head round the door, shouted at Andrew, just to keep in practice, and told him to go to the meeting room. When he got to the meeting room there was a rumpled looking man sitting in the meeting room with Lester. He wasn’t introduced and Andrew sat and waited.

“Tell my colleague what you told the Chief Inspector and I on Friday.”

After his 20 second recounting of the conversation he had to explain why he was there and how he happened to overhear the conversation.

“How are you sure it was this Corporal Grey?”

“There were only two other Scots on the course. This guy was from the west coast and the other one was from up north. It would be like knowing the difference between a Geordie and a cockney.”

“And you are sure about the other person in the conversation?”

“Not 100% but the voice sounded the same and he talked to Corporal Grey at most breaks and meals.”

The man turned back to Lester.

“It is still thin but I see your point. You have to go and check because of the UN angle. We have danced around the issue of primacy for years; fraud and foreign policy are your remit. But you know the Provost Marshall is going to want us to have the lead role. I think we need to get a joint team in place and let head office decide who is in charge. We have a detachment over there and can assign someone to this. I think we need to send someone out to take charge. I will get you that name.”

Lester escorted him out and Brodie and Andrew sat there until he returned.

“That was a senior officer in the SIB, in case you hadn’t figured it out. The Chief Inspector and I ruined the Chief Constable’s morning with this case. The UN piece is the bit that has everybody twitchy. And then there is the jurisdiction issues, of which there are a shedload. The UN force have their own police force believe it or not, but it is traffic control, stuff like that. There is no investigative function. We, the MoD Police also do not have jurisdiction out there, there is the separate Base Area Police Force that I told you about. But it is only four British officers and the rest are local Cypriots. They do not have an investigative capacity either. There are also two separate SIB detachments, one for each Base Area, although my understanding is that they are small units. As you heard they are only going to use one bloke from there on the case. Which brings us to you.”

Andrew looked up in time to see the penny hit him.

“You will be accompanying the Chief Inspector to Cyprus. Your role will be similar to one you performed with Vestergaard last year. Support, driver where necessary and general awareness of the situation. Meaning staying switched on, eyes and ears open. I know that it is unusual, in fact it is unheard of, but I have no choice. I doubt Greenham Common is going to calm down over the summer, the warm and dry weather encourages them. How many weeks do you have after this one?”

“Er, five.”

“Right you are going to Cyprus Monday morning for four weeks. Your final week will be admin back here. The Chief Inspector will give you further details later.”

Andrew was dismissed and walked back through to the MIU in a daze. Four weeks in Cyprus? And no mention of flying back. He was stunned and not sure what to think. This had nothing to do with engineering and he felt out of his depth. Even more than normal. He sat at his desk until he felt a push on his shoulder.

“Hell’s teeth Andrew. You were miles away. What’s wrong.”

“Sorry Susan, you are right, I was miles away. I just found out I am being sent overseas again, this time for four weeks.”

“Really. Where?”

He stopped and looked at her.

“I am not trying to be an arse but I don’t know if I am allowed to tell you. Can I check first?”

Rather than be offended Susan just laughed.

“How are you going to get wherever it is? Do you know how to liaise with the RAF and get seats on a plane?”

Oh. Andrew ruefully laughed in turn.

“Sorry I am full of it today. The whole thing was just dumped in my lap. I am being sent to Cyprus with Brodie for four weeks.”

That wiped the smile off Susan’s face.

“Brodie is going to Cyprus for four weeks?”

He was clearly of no consequence but Brodie going for so long was a big deal. The rest of the day passed in a haze and Andrew swam for a long time that night before returning to the flat. What to say to Freya? When the conversation over dinner turned to his day he had the opening he needed.

“The day was interesting, and that is the height of understatement. I am being sent overseas again, for four weeks and I don’t think I am returning during that time.”

Jim watched as Freya’s eyes narrowed.

“I see.”

He didn’t think he had heard the last of it but it was left alone until later. When Andrew returned from a walk that night he sat and joined them with a whisky.

“I am going to a gig on Saturday night and will need to pack a bunch of stuff if I am off for a month. I gave the College this address for my results which should be here any day now. If they arrive after I leave can you open an envelope from either Trinity or the University please. I will call at the end of the first week to find out. There should not be anything that needs to be returned to them, accommodation know where my room is next year and will deal with the long bed. It would just be good to know.”