Chapter 8: Letting The Cat Out Of The Bag

‘You should avoid first offenders wherever possible unless they have killed deliberately or heinously.’ the super continued, ‘Repeat offenders of minor crimes may be a nuisance but don’t come under our remit unless they are very violent to their victims.’

‘People who rape once should not be considered, for there is always a difficulty of proof. But serial rapists should definitely be included. Another serious issue is drugs. Users and minor dealers should be ignored. But if you can nab a main dealer that would perhaps escape prosecution in normal circumstances, his removal would alleviate a lot of crime and suffering.’

‘Now the good news,’ he continued. ‘I have been allocated some funds for a trial special operations group aimed at reducing serious crime. This will enable me to pay all reasonable expenses you incur. Also, if we need to run a surveillance operation, I will be able to second you to the group whilst it is carried out so it will be paid time or part of your normal week.

That still means we will be doing a fair bit of unpaid voluntary effort.’

‘It will be our policy that any cash or saleable items that may come our way, will be kept by this group to fund further action as well as assisting group members when needed. Anything too awkward to retain will be passed over through usual channels to the state.’

‘That’s it I think,’ he said at last. ‘Our next meeting may be soon, it may be months away, we can only wait and see. Has anyone any questions or comments?’

‘What if we become aware of a suitable client outside our immediate area?’ one member asked. ‘Good point,’ the Super told him. ‘I don’t see any problem with that,’ he said. ‘At least we wouldn’t need to go through the formalities of passing into other areas.’ This got a round of laughter. So, he continued, ‘Whilst for the time being at least, our immediate area is our prime concern, anything can be considered.’

‘How safe are the disposal arrangements?’ another member asked. The Super replied, ‘There is always the possibility of bodies turning up, but I believe our present arrangement is as safe as it can be. By restricting knowledge of how and location, I am sure that the likelihood is minimal and should it ever happen, be easily controlled.’

Over the next hour they sorted out annual election dates, replacing a jury member and submitting new names for membership along with many other details. A three-monthly meeting was planned for now, with the Jury members being able to meet independently or even make a decision without physically meeting if the need arose.

When everything was sorted, the Superintendent announced that ‘Items’ would be the code name they would use for criminals to be terminated. It was also decided that if a member of the public killed an attacker or a burglar, they would make every effort to dispose of the item rather than let the victim be charged with a crime or suffer any public aggravation.

‘In such an event,’ continued the Super, ‘It is vital that you get the item hidden, preferably in your car, as fast as possible, then use the mobile number you have all now got to call for help so one of the collection team can come and take it from you. Where it goes after that it is better you do not know.’

‘Danny and Lewis, you have the same options and say in everything we do as everyone else. But because you are not policemen, I am looking on you as an added safeguard to our jury system.’

Everyone looked satisfied, so there being no further questions, the Super declared the meeting closed. The rest of the evening becoming the usual social event drifting into the usual chatter about past experiences that always developed when coppers got together.

As everyone mingled and chatted the Super spoke to the three youngsters on their own. ‘Do you have any concerns about what we’re planning?’ he asked. ‘Speak freely at these meetings, Tom.’ he added. ‘No, it seems well thought out and as long as disposal arrangement are safe, it should work well.’ Danny said. ‘Agreed.’ Lewis and Tom said together.

A few days later, Detective Sergeant Brian Johnson who had been at the meeting, came in to see the Super. ‘The meeting went well,’ he said to the super, ‘Are you sure about the youngsters?’ ‘Yes,’ Lee told him, ‘They’ve proved themselves well enough. Although we’ll probably restrict future new members to sergeants upwards so we will have known them longer.’

‘How about you, are you ok about being the terminator?’ ‘Yes, no problem,’ he said, ‘My time in the military won’t be wasted. Have you thought up how and where for termination and disposal.’

‘They have both been giving me problems,’ Lee admitted, ‘But I think it’s close to being solved. Ironically by suggestions put forward by our two young civvies who had no idea at the time what I had in mind.’

‘Disposal it is best you don’t know about. But for storage and transfer, the suggestion is we rent a couple of lock up garages in a run-down area. Make them secure, then Items can be dropped off there by any of the team.’

‘Then you’ll get notification and can go and deal with them when convenient. After you’ve gone, the disposer can collect and deal with them.’

‘I have to arrange the disposer now we’re going ahead, but I don’t anticipate any problems.’ After Brian had left, the Super thought about the conversation he had had with Danny the night after the meeting and Lewis the following night.

He had asked Danny to call at his home as his wife was going to be out for the evening. In response to the question about disposing of criminal bodies, both Lewis and Danny had suggested they be buried in concrete under new buildings. Once they were settled in the Supers lounge with a coffee, Lee asked him about his idea. ‘Actually,’ Danny said, ‘I have had a better idea since.’

‘Go ahead,’ Lee said. ‘Well, Danny replied, ‘My original suggestion is reasonably safe, but unless the disposer was burying them on his own property, there would always be a risk of someone excavating for alterations in the future.’

‘But just suppose that the disposer was a builder who wanted to build his own house. Imagine that he had a large plot of land in a good quality area with planning permission for two houses. Apparently, there is no limit on how long it takes you to build it, once you have dug the foundations. For which of course it would be normal for him to be mixing a lot of concrete.’

‘In an area of houses having old style boundary walls, he could lay a foundation for his new walls with precast concrete blocks around seven feet long, three feet wide and two feet high. Each block would contain an Item which would be wrapped in re-enforcing mesh before the concrete was poured. Once cast, the block could sit in full view whilst it hardened then be lifted into the foundation trench anytime.’

‘Depending on quantity, they could even be laid two blocks side by side and two blocks deep. If anyone ever asked, they could be told the ground wasn’t good, so a strong footing was required. He could probably spend years and years doing that. In between times he could be building his house. On the site of the second house would be his workshop where he would prepare, mix and cast his blocks.’

‘Do you think this builder would be willing to do the job?’ Lee asked. ‘I can’t be certain until I ask him,’ Danny said, ‘But a builder’s work is often very erratic. Having a site to work on in slack times would be quite an asset.’

‘If he was willing,’ Lee said, ‘I could provide him with the land which would be in his name, a JCB to lift the blocks and enough to build his workshop. I would have it fitted with a top range alarm system wired direct to police control so it would be completely secure. On top of which there would be a payment for each item he dealt with. I’ll let him suggest what that should be.’

‘Once it was all set up,’ Danny asked, ‘What exactly would he have to do each time.’ ‘He would get a coded text,’ Lee said. ‘When he could, preferably within twenty-four hours, he would go to a collection point and collect an Item which would be in a sealed body bag. He would never need to actually see the Item.’

‘He would take it to his workshop and put it in a secure storage locker. Over the next few days, to suit himself, he would encase the item in re-mesh, put it in the mould, fill it with concrete and leave it to set.’