Chapter 1: Terrified

Reg contacted Brian to let him know, so he could look out for a matching machine when they raided the owners house. Two hours later a male came out of the house and got into the car registered to Justin Waldon. Aiden and Len followed him carefully.

As soon as he was on a quiet bit of road, they pulled him over and arrested him on suspicion of supplying drugs. He looked very nervous but denied it and asked what proof they had. ‘I’ll tell you that after we have searched your house.’ Len told him.

Waldon was handcuffed and put into the back of Lens car. A message was sent to Brian who ordered the search team to meet him at Waldon’s house. Mrs Waldon was clearly totally shocked when they told her why they were there.

She let them in and showed them the room her husband used as an office. When questioned she told them people called regularly to place orders with her husband. ‘He deals in business furniture,’ she told them, ‘He has their goods despatched to them direct by courier.

She couldn’t believe that the goods were really drugs. She didn’t know about his previous convictions as they had only been married three years, the children were one from her previous relationship and one from Justin.

A search of his office revealed a safe built into a heavy desk and a machine for printing values on gift cards. A box of new cards was alongside it. Mrs Waldon was astonished to be shown the safe, ‘I had no idea it was there,’ she told them. ‘Mind you he prefers me to keep out of this room, he said he doesn’t like anything moved about.’

Brian had sent another car out to pick up Waldon’s keys from Aiden. That arrived a few minutes later. Opening the safe, it was full of bundles of cash. Brian bagged ten bundles for the Supers special fund, then locked the safe again.

Mrs Waldon was called back in and the safe was opened. She was clearly amazed at the amount of cash in it. She sat and watched as it was all counted. The total came to a hundred and forty-seven thousand pounds.

Brian signed two receipts, asked her to sign them too, then he gave her one. ‘The cash is being seized pending a decision by the proceeds of crime unit.’ He told her. ‘This house will also be seized but I’ll talk to you about that before I go.’

Satisfied about Justin, Brian sent the details to the Jury and got the expected reply twenty minutes later. He contacted Aiden and told him a van would collect Justin from them shortly. He contacted Inspector Terry Dalton who was on standby with a small van. He rendezvoused with the car holding Waldon.

As it pulled up, Aiden recognised Terry driving so as Terry backed the van up to them, he got out and opened the door by Waldon. ‘Can you pass me that folder,’ he said pointing to the floor. As Waldon looked for it, Aiden pushed the hypodermic in his arm. He was out in seconds. Between the three of them it was easy to transfer the body to the van. Aiden recovered his handcuffs and replaced them with some cable ties.

A piece of heavy plywood had been laid on the floor of the hire van with some straps bolted on. Waldon was gagged and strapped in place so he couldn’t kick and make a noise if he should come round before Terry reached the garage.

Once Terry had left, Len set off back to the station in his own car, whilst Aiden drove Waldon’s car back to the station yard.

Meanwhile Brian was having a chat with Mrs Waldon over a coffee in the kitchen. The whole thing had clearly shocked Mrs Waldon. ‘I don’t know what I’m going to tell the children. I’ve been ringing Justin since you arrived, but he’s not answering.’

‘I have to tell you,’ Brian said. ‘I’ve just had word that his car has been found in the car park at Warrington Station. It was unlocked and the keys were still in it. It looks like he got wind of our raid and has done a bunk. When we catch him, with the quantity of drugs involved, he’s going to get twenty years at least. I am sure you didn’t know what he was doing, so my advice would be to forget him.’

‘There will be a court case to seize this house and his assets.’ he told her. ‘Because of the children the local council will rehouse you. However, as I’m certain you had nothing to do with your husband’s activities, I’m going to risk getting into trouble with my superiors by making you an offer which will save us both a lot of trouble.’

‘If you don’t contest us seizing the assets, there will be no need for a court case so there will be nothing for the press to report on. I’ll arrange for you to keep enough from the sale of this house to buy a small house for yourself and the children. We found a bank statement in the safe too showing a balance of ninety thousand pounds.’

‘We will take the cash in the safe and will seize his car. Also, any other assets we find, but you can keep the funds in that account. Give it some thought, take any advice you want, then my assistant, Constable King will contact you in a few days to see what you have decided.’

As he got up to go, Brian shook her hand and said, ‘I’m so sorry to have had to drop this on you.’ ‘It’s not your fault,’ she told him, ‘You’ve been very kind.’ ‘If you decide to accept my offer before anyone contacts you,’ he told her, ‘Put the house up for sale and start looking for your new one. Any problems, give me a ring,’ he gave her his card.

Back at the station, he updated everyone and gave Reg Mrs Waldon’s details. ‘You’re our expert now,’ he told him, ‘So I’ll leave her for you to sort out.’ The monitor showed Russell back at home, then as they watched, the trailers red spot started to move. A check on the camera showed it leaving the yard empty. Glenda was despatched with a portable monitor to keep an eye on it.

Nothing else happened for the rest of the day. Waldon had arrived at the garage still unconscious. Terry backed up to the garage, unstrapped him, slid him onto the trolley, wheeled him in, dragged him onto the bench, cut his cable ties and strapped him down. Closing everywhere up, he sent the text ‘Item in Stock’ then returned to Widnes.

DI William Dodd, who was also ex-military and had been asked to help out as terminator, got his text saying, ‘Item in Stock.’ Knowing there was a busy period coming up, he left for the garage right away. Letting himself in, he found Waldon awake and as usual confused as to where he was. ‘Justin Waldon,’ he said, ‘You have been found guilty of drug dealing on a major scale. As such you have been responsible for suffering and death far and wide.’

‘A jury of twelve good men have sentenced you to death. Your execution will be by a massive dose of the very drugs you have been peddling. I am going to prepare you by inserting a canula into your groin. Then the next person you see will be your executioner.’

William undid his belt and cut through his trousers and shorts with a large pair of scissors to expose his groin. Halfway along there was a faint mark. Clearly, he had used drugs in the past, then stopped. Probably when he started dealing.

‘I see you have already sampled some in the past,’ he said as he inserted the canula. ‘So, you know what effect a fifty times dose will feel like.’ William added a tube to the canula which was out of sight of Waldon with his head strapped down.

Turning on the little tap, William said, ‘Your death today will save thousands of people from suffering. Goodbye.’ Switching the light out, he locked up and went back to work. Whilst Waldon waited for his executioner, his blood would drain out through the canula and tube into the can below. He wouldn’t be aware of it happening, he would just grow weaker and weaker, then die.

Meanwhile Glenda had followed the transporter as it visited six local garages picking up various cars, then it drove out of town to a large car dealer where it unloaded them all before returning to its base. This seemed to be a normal everyday delivery so that was ignored.