The Path of Deception by David Gilbertson

Author:David Gilbertson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2017-08-24T15:02:53+00:00

***

In the Metropolitan Police, for decades, any regular meeting of senior officers to discuss operational strategy or the previous day’s events has always been referred to as ‘morning prayers’. For such a determinedly irreligious organisation as the police, this tradition is strange, but has much to do with the way that hierarchy and deference to rank operates. The chairman, invariably the most senior officer present, will seldom countenance interruption and, sadly, usually deals with the business of the day in the manner and style of a clergyman who has been appointed headmaster of a 1950’s prep-school. Too often, morning prayers re-define the concept of boredom.

However, that was not Keith Martin’s style.

His ‘morning prayers’ were challenging events, which had more in common with the board meetings of a public company than the sort of police gatherings that most were used to. Tightly minuted, with a detailed agenda linked to a schedule of ‘Actions’ and ‘Follow Ups’, his meetings were intended to get the maximum amount of business done, efficiently, in the shortest period of time.

So it was today. With the briefest, “Good morning, all,” Commander Keith Martin swept into the room on the dot of 9.00am, sat down at the head of the table to the immediate left of Shaf Hussein, and launched directly into item 1 on the agenda, a report by Detective Superintendent David Champion on the proposed arrest of Imam Abid Rauf in Bradford. One by one, with careful attention to detail, the agenda items were dealt with; questions were asked and answered; ‘Actions’ were recorded for subsequent review, and instructions linked to the broad direction of the enquiry were given by Martin and noted in the policy file by Shaf. By the time the meeting reached the final items dealing with surveillance capability and manpower availability, an hour had passed, and most of those present were anxious to leave, to start their real work for the day.

Just as agenda item 12 was being discussed, the door of the meeting room opened quietly, and one of the Detective Sergeant office-managers from the major incident suite entered the room. Not wishing to interrupt Martin, who was in full flow, the DS waited for an appropriate pause and then shimmered over to Shaf, and passed him a handwritten note. It was from the clerk at the communications desk, and was brief and to the point. ‘DCI Hussein, Urgent message on phones for Comm. Martin. Can you come and deal straight away please.’

Mumbling an apology to his boss, who was busy dealing with an issue raised by one of the SIO’s, Shaf rose from his seat and left the room. In the corridor, an anxious-looking civilian telephonist, who was clearly somewhat in awe of all senior officers, met him.

“It’s Wiltshire Constabulary HQ,” she said, “I’ve explained that Mr Martin can’t be disturbed under any circumstances, but they insist that they must speak to a senior officer immediately. I’ve got them on hold, sir.”

She was about to lead Shaf to her work-station,

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