Page 36 of The Scene of the Crime (Jessica Russell #1)

‘Get after him,’ Chapman shouted at the two younger officers, who he knew would be a lot quicker and fitter than he was.

‘All units, target moving down the fire escape,’ Chapman said on the radio as he ran down after them.

The observation van officers told him that the front and back entrances to the flats were covered.

Liam descended to the ground floor and, seeing the two officers outside, turned back towards the fire escape well.

‘Target in lobby, now heading towards rear exit,’ an officer said over the radio.

One of the officers outside the rear exit stood with his back up against the wall by the fire exit door.

As Liam rushed out to escape his pursuers, he didn’t see the officer stick his foot out.

Liam stumbled forward, then fell and hit the tarmac face first, cutting his lip and forehead open.

An officer held Liam on the ground while the other forced his hand behind his back and handcuffed him.

Once he was restrained, they lifted him to his feet.

An out-of-breath Chapman joined them. He saw Liam’s face was covered in blood.

‘What happened?’

‘He tripped over his own feet,’ the detective replied.

Liam spat blood from his mouth. ‘You deliberately tripped me up. I could have broken my neck.’

‘No, you just couldn’t get away fast enough,’ the detective replied.

‘What’s your name, son?’ Chapman asked. ‘It’s Liam, isn’t it, and you live in Winston’s flat on the fourteenth floor.’

‘Fuck off, I ain’t done nothing wrong.’

‘Then why did you do a runner?’

‘Cause I thought you lot was some guys that out to get me.’

‘Upset someone, have you?’

‘What’s this all about?’

‘I think you know,’ Chapman said, ‘and that’s why I’m arresting you on suspicion of aggravated burglary and attempted murder.

You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court.

Anything you do say may be given in evidence.

’ While Chapman was cautioning Liam, DS Wood joined them, panting heavily.

Liam looked stunned. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I ain’t tried to kill no one . . . you got the wrong person.’

‘The stolen property we found in your flat says otherwise,’ Wood smiled.

‘I didn’t nick it. I bought it at a car boot sale.’

Wood laughed. ‘I’ve heard some shit excuses in my time, but that tops them all.’

‘What have you done to Liam?’ Iris shouted from the fire exit doorway, seeing his face covered in blood.

‘They beat me up, Iris. I ain’t done nothing wrong,’ he shouted back.

‘This is police brutality, and I’m going to report you all. Don’t say a word to them, Liam. I’ll call my granddaughter right away. She’s a solicitor’s clerk, so she’ll know what to do.’ Iris hurried off.

‘Who’s the old battleaxe?’ one of the detectives asked.

Chapman sighed. ‘This is all I bloody well need.’ He looked at the officers holding Liam.

‘Call uniform, get a van to take him to the local hospital and you two accompany him . . . do not leave his side. If he has to lie on a casualty bed to have stitches, cuff him to it. Let me know when he’s released from the hospital and booked in at the nick.

’ He turned to the two officers who had been inside Liam’s flat awaiting.

‘I want you to guard the flat for now, but don’t do any further searching until I’ve spoken to DCI Anderson. ’

As the officers led Liam away, Wood looked down at his trainers, still getting his breath back. ‘You all right?’ Chapman asked.

‘I’m too old for foot pursuits. I should have stayed with Iris and had another slice of cake.’

Chapman laughed. ‘You need to get down the gym and lose a few pounds.’

‘I can think of better ways of wasting my time, thank you Mr Motivator. Anyway, leave Iris to me. I’m good at sweet-talking old girls.’

‘Thanks. I think Liam’s flat needs a full forensic search. I’m going to call Jessica Russell and her team down here.’

‘I agree. He says he bought the watch, so some hard forensic evidence from his flat linking him to the crime scene could be invaluable.’

‘I forgot to clock his trainers,’ Chapman said, annoyed with himself.

‘I did, and they’re Skechers, not Adidas,’ Wood replied.

Chapman phoned Anderson, who was delighted to hear of Liam’s arrest but concerned about his fall. ‘How bad are his injurries?’ Anderson asked.

‘Just a few cuts that might need stitching. He was able to talk, told me to eff off and said he bought the watch at a car boot sale.’

‘Do we need to inform the IOPC?’ Anderson asked, referring to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

‘No, guv. It’s not an incident where they need to be involved.’

‘Death or serious injury during an arrest by direct or indirect police contact is a mandatory referral to the IOPC.’

‘Liam’s not dead, and his injuries aren’t serious. He tripped over trying to escape.’

‘The CPS defines serious injury as actual bodily harm.’

Chapman was growing irritated by Anderson’s lack of support for the arresting officers. ‘I’d say it’s borderline. He might not even need stitches.’

‘Is Liam likely to make an official complaint?’

Chapman had had enough. ‘Are you worried that an assault allegation might reflect badly on you?’

‘I’m just following standard procedure for these types of incidents.’

‘I was there when Liam was arrested, and I can tell you for a fact he wasn’t assaulted. If you want to inform the IOPC and have them accuse your detectives of assault, that’s up to you. But don’t be surprised if it causes a lot of bad feeling in the team.’

‘Like I said, I’m just following standard . . .’

‘It’s not always about the rule book. You don’t earn respect by destroying your team’s morale.

You should be thanking and supporting the arresting officers.

Liam tried to kill De Klerk and left a knife embedded in his back .

. . he could have stabbed one of your officers during the arrest.’ Anderson didn’t know what to say.

‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a flat that needs searching.

I’m also calling the MSCAN team in to do a full forensic sweep of the premises . . . if that’s OK by you.’

‘If you think it’s necessary,’ Anderson muttered.

‘I do, and that’s why I asked,’ Chapman replied bluntly.

‘Ask her to keep me informed of any developments.’

‘I’m sure she will, as a matter of course.’

‘I’ll see you when you return to the office. We need to discuss the interview strategy.’

Chapman hung up and called Jessica. ‘How’s it going?’ she asked.

‘Good and bad. We arrested Liam, but I think I overstepped the mark with Anderson.’

‘What happened?’

Chapman told her about the arrest and her conversation with Anderson.

‘What do you think he’ll do about it?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know and don’t care. I just want to get this case done and dusted. If Anderson wants me off the team for insubordination, so be it. I’d be much happier working for someone who knows what they’re doing and supports his officers.’

‘You never know, what you said might have hit a nerve and made him realise the error of his ways.’

‘You can always dream. I want your team to come to Liam’s flat and examine it . . . and before you ask, Anderson has approved it.’

‘See, your charm is working on him already. I’m still at the hospital with DC Owens, taking a statement from Michelle De Klerk. Anderson gave me the Rolex watch and cash he found, so I’ve—’

Chapman interrupted. ‘He didn’t find them . . . DS Wood did. The continuity of items seized in an investigation is critical. Pathetic lies like that can cause problems and make any forensic results worthless or inadmissible in a trial.’

‘Then you need to tell him that, Mike.’

‘He’s so self-righteous he won’t listen to me or anyone below his rank. It might be better if you spoke to him.’

‘I don’t know him well enough. I believe he respects you and might accept what you say.’

‘I’ll see what I can do,’ he said grudgingly.

Chapman asked how long it would take her to get to John Walsh Tower.

Jessica said Diane and Taff were at the lab, and she’d tell them to go to the scene.

Then, when she was finished at the hospital, she’d join them.

She also told Chapman that Taff would need a set of Liam’s fingerprints to compare to any found on the watch, cash and other items they had seized.

‘The station has a Live Scan machine. I’ll make sure Liam’s fingerprints and DNA are taken as soon as he’s booked in. ’

Jessica knew that Live Scan allowed a suspect’s fingerprints to be compared with a national database and identified within a few minutes if they had a criminal record. ‘Did you find any bloodstained clothing or Adidas trainers at the flat?’ she asked.

‘Not yet. Anderson had us withdraw and set up the observation before we could do a full search. DS Wood is with me. We can start looking if you want, but I’d rather wait until your team gets here so it’s all coordinated and there’s no risk of contamination.’

‘No problem. I should be there within the hour. Will you still be at the flat, or have you got to return to the station?’

‘Anderson wants me to help him prepare the interview with Liam, so I’ll have to head back.’

‘Are you doing the interview with him?’

‘I don’t know. DS Wood will remain here to assist you. Let me know if you find anything else of evidential value, then Anderson can ask Liam about it.’

Chapman took the lift to the fourteenth floor. Inside Iris’s flat, he found Wood eating another slice of cake with squirty cream with a large glass of whisky on the table in front of him. It was clear that Wood had been using his charm on the old lady.

Chapman raised his eyebrows. ‘Feeling better, are we?’

‘Yes, thank you. Iris said a wee dram would help clear my chest.’ Chapman deliberately coughed and beat his chest with his fist.

Iris came in from the kitchen. ‘Would you like one as well . . . and maybe a wee slice of cake?’ she asked.

‘That’s very kind of you. Just a whisky will be fine, thanks.’ Chapman waited for her to leave the room and turned to Wood. ‘Did she call her granddaughter?’

‘Yes. She was speaking to her when I got back up here.’

‘So, there will be an official assault complaint.’

Wood shook his head. ‘Not at present. I spoke to the granddaughter and explained what happened. I told her Liam tripped over running from the police and . . .’

‘Her very upset granny called her, so she won’t believe you. She’ll organise a solicitor for him, a complaint will be made and Anderson will be on my back like a leach.’

‘You have a bad habit of interrupting,’ Wood said calmly.

‘Go on then,’ Chapman snapped back.

‘The granddaughter won’t be doing anything. She works for a firm of solicitors in Scotland whose laws, as you know, are different from ours, so she can’t help or send anyone to represent Liam. If he wants a solicitor, he’ll get the duty one.’

‘What did you say to Iris?’

‘I told her we found stolen property in his flat, and that’s why he ran off, which resulted in him tripping over. She agreed it was the action of a guilty man, and he only had himself to blame for his injuries.’

Chapman looked relieved. ‘Can you work your charms on Anderson?’

‘I don’t do miracles,’ Wood replied.