Chapter 7: Danny the Gas Man

TUESDAY

Tuesday night Aiden called Danny to let him know that his camera in a cone had picked up someone delivering. They couldn’t be certain, but they were pretty sure it was drugs as they had identified the man as a drug dealer from years back who hadn’t been in trouble since.

‘We have his home address, and his car is always left out on the road. Can you figure out a way to fit your trace.’ ‘Sure,’ Danny told him, ‘I’ll get back to you.’

WEDNESDAY

At lunchtime Danny texted Aiden. ‘Problem solved. Can you pick me up from home about five. It’ll only take half an hour if his car is there.’ ‘Ok.’ Aiden replied.

When Aiden arrived, Danny asked him to open his boot. He put some yellow coats and a very odd-looking item in. Aiden was intrigued but decided he would wait and see rather than ask.

Arriving in the suspects road, the car was parked in its usual place. Following Danny’s instructions, Aiden parked up a hundred yards away from the car. They got out and opened the boot. Danny gave him a yellow coat to put on.

When Danny put his yellow coat on, Aiden saw it had ‘GAS BOARD’ emblazoned on the back. Seeing him looking at it, Danny told him, ‘A neighbour works for the gas board. He owes me a favour, so he lent it to me for a couple of hours.’

He put a magnetic orange light on the roof of Aiden’s car and plugged it in to the lighter socket. It rotated and flashed just like any works vehicle. Then he explained that the odd-looking object was an old metal detector he had had for years.

He explained what he wanted Aiden to do, then he put the headphones on. With the metal detector in one hand and a can of aerosol yellow spray in the other, he started walking down the road about two feet out from the kerb.

As Aiden followed in the car about ten feet behind him, Danny waved the detector around as he walked. About ten feet before the suspect’s car, he stopped, did some extra waving around of the detector, then sprayed a small blob of yellow on the road as if he had marked something he had discovered.

Moving on again, he had put the paint can in his pocket and got the tracer out. He detected up to the back of the car, then lay down on the road, on the roadside of the car. He pushed the detector under the car as if checking the bit of road where the car was parked. Sticking the trace underneath the car, he got up and moved on down the road, followed by Aiden.

He sprayed two more spots with the yellow paint at various spots further down the road, then stopped. Danny took the headphones off and looked around. No one seemed to have taken the slightest bit of notice of their activities. He walked back to Aiden and put the detector in the boot. Aiden unplugged the flashing light and Danny took it off the roof.

Danny checked on Aiden’s special phone that he was logged into the new tracer, then Aiden took him home. After being dropped off, Danny returned the yellow jacket to his neighbour and thanked him.

Aiden returned to the station and found Sergeant Cline in the canteen. When he told him how Danny had fitted the trace he couldn’t stop laughing for ages. ‘That young man will go far,’ he said. ‘We really should start encouraging him to join the force.’

FRIDAY

When Danny was getting up, his phone pinged. It was a text from David at the Manor Hotel. ‘Just wanted you to know I have been talking to Vanessa lots of times. She told me her family problem has been sorted and said if I’d still like to, we could go out together. I told her there was nothing I’d like better so we’re spending the day together next Monday.

The last two times I’ve walked her home, instead of a hug and a quick kiss on my cheek, we have had a long kiss on the lips. Life is so good, Thank you so much.’

Danny replied, ‘Great news, follow your heart and enjoy.’

SATURDAY

Saturday morning Danny arrived at Johns as usual. The house was empty, there was a note on the table. ‘Just popped next door, then going shopping. See you at lunchtime. Let me know if you need me to stay away.’

Danny didn’t bother with a coffee. He went straight out and started his gardening. One problem with helping people on a Saturday was that he often got behind with his gardening.

It only seemed moments before it was lunchtime. He went in and was washing his hands as John came in. They had a hug and a kiss then sat at the table.

‘I called next door earlier,’ he said. ‘After they had asked after you and finished singing your praises, I asked them if anything happened to me, would they contact you. I told them that I wanted you to handle everything for me. I realised during the week that if you go away to university, no one might think of letting you know. They assured me they would.’

As they had their coffees, John said, ‘Incidentally, did you see in the local paper the other day that the head waiter from the Manor Hotel has been charged with numerous rapes?’ ‘I think I did notice it.’ Danny said. ‘That must have been the one who crept up behind David and made him spill the coffee.’ John said.

He went quiet for a few moments then he said, ‘You don’t think David was one of his victims and that’s why he was so nervous of him?’ ‘I think David was just a very shy and nervous type of person.’ Danny replied.

John looked at him and smiled, ‘Strange, isn’t it, how he got caught not long after we went to the Manor and met David. Still it’s probably just a coincidence.’ he said smiling at Danny but thinking to himself, ‘I’ll bet Danny had something to do with it.’

Danny returned to the garden and caught up with all his jobs, until the next delay.

MONDAY

As he left school on Monday, Danny looked at his phone. A text had come in during the morning whilst he had been in class. He opened it up and read it. ‘Hi, my name is Wyatt. I’m a waiter at the Manor Hotel. The boss gave me your number a week ago and said if I ever had a problem, you would be the person to talk to. I don’t know how anyone can help me, but I’ll try anything. I’m off Monday and Thursday this week and next week. Thanks.

Danny texted back, ‘Hi Wyatt, I’m sure I can sort it out for you. Let me know when I can ring and speak to you.’ He was almost home when he got a reply saying anytime from now on today is fine. Danny found a seat and rang him.

‘Hi Wyatt,’ he said. ‘I usually see people on a Saturday, but I’m sure I can sort something out. Can you tell me about where you live.’ Wyatt gave him his address and said, ‘It’s an old house in seven flats. I live in a small flat in the roof.’ ‘Do you live on your own?’ Danny asked. ‘Yes,’ came the reply. ‘How often do you have visitors?’ Danny asked. ‘Very rarely,’ he answered, ‘My nearest relatives are a hundred miles away and with my working hours I haven’t got any friends locally.’ ‘Ok,’ Danny said, ‘In that case if we’re not likely to be interrupted, I could see you at home.’

‘I can do tonight or Thursday, so you choose.’ ‘If you can, tonight would be perfect,’ he said. ‘What time.’ ‘Any time suits me.’ he added. ‘I’ll come to you for seven o’clock,’ Danny said, ‘Is that ok?’ ‘Yes, great.’ he said, ‘I’ll see you then.’

Danny went home and had his meal with his mum then at half past six he walked over to Wyatts. The house was a big old house with a slightly overgrown garden. At the front door there was an intercom entry phone. He pressed the button for number seven. A voice asked, ‘Is that you Danny?’ When he said, ‘Yes.’ there was a loud buzz. He pushed the door and went in.

On the ground floor were doors labelled 1, 2, and 3. He went up the stairs to find doors 4, 5, and 6 then a smaller set of stairs led up to door 7. It opened as he was halfway up the stairs. A young lad stood in the doorway. He was about six foot tall, slim with a well-proportioned figure.

As Danny reached the door he smiled and offered his hand. ‘Hi, I’m Wyatt,’ he said, ‘Thanks for coming, please come in.’ The door led into a medium sized lounge. ‘Would you like a tour?’ Wyatt asked. ‘Yes, please.’ Danny told him. At one end of the lounge was a single door, that led into a bedroom which had built in furniture and a large sized single bed.

They crossed the room and the door at the far end led into a small bathroom with a shower, basin and toilet.