Fogarty: A City of London Thriller by J Jackson Bentley Read Free Book Online

putting together a Yankee for the evening races at Lingfield.”
    DCI Todd ignored Grierson’s remarks and instead concentrated on his left wrist.
    “Nice watch, Dennis. Rolex, isn’t it? Bit flashy for around here. You should be more careful. An old guy like you could be knocked over by a hoodie and have that nicked - if it isn’t nicked already, that is.”
    “No problem, Inspector, it’s a replica. Legal and everything. A man like me couldn’t afford the real thing.”
     
    It was all bravado, of course. It certainly was the real thing. When he’d seen the haul from Preston’s the Jewellers, the watch just spoke to him. He’d had to have it. He knew it was a risk - after all, Rolexes are all numbered - but he wasn’t expecting to be tugged. He hadn’t had his collar felt in years. Now he would be going down for receiving looted goods, at the very least. Although he didn’t really know what to expect next, he was still surprised when DCI Todd formally arrested him.
    “Dennis Grierson, I am arresting you on suspicion of burglary, aggravated burglary and the attempted murder of Police Constable Marisa Letterby. Other charges may follow as our enquiries continue. Do you understand?”
    Den nodded wordlessly. He had already spoken the last words he would say to the police. The DCI then read Dennis his rights and asked if he understood. The handcuffed man nodded again and was taken to a waiting van, which was ready to whisk him to a secure police station. In all likelihood it would be Paddington, where his well paid brief woul d be waiting to get him bailed.
    ***
    DS Scott, DS Fellowes and Ben Fogarty called in at Frankie and Benny’s New York Style Restaurant on the retail park for a bite of lunch, and to discuss the case. They ordered soft drinks and a starter and main course from the lunch menu before they began to talk in earnest.
    “Dennis is tucked up like a kipper this time, ” Scott said with some satisfaction. “We’ve got him on video attacking Marisa, cowardly bastard. The snatch squad have already taken his jeans and trainers, because the disclosing light has found spots of blood on them. Marisa’s blood, I expect. So, he will probably see out the rest of his days inside. That’s a result. Thanks Ben.”
    “It was only a matter of time,” Ben replied. “Someone would have dobbed him in eventually.”
    “I’m not so sure,” DS Fellowes joined in. “But here’s something interesting. A kid, aged fifteen, was admitted to hospital last Sunday with some serious facial injuries. He still won’t talk, but his younger brother, Chas, has been t alking non-stop. It seems they’re both with the THC - sorry, The Trafalgar House Crew, the local gang. The injured boy, name of Alphonse, apparently, nearly lost an eye. His nose has had to be reconstructed and he’ll have to wear a plastic mask for a year or so while his cheekbones repair and mature. We think that Marisa might have caused the damage while attempting to defend herself, because her blood was found on his fist and her DNA was all over him. Anyway, young Chas confirmed that Dennis Grierson organised the attack, and used the riot to cover his blagging of the jewellery store. I would imagine those two boys will end up in juvenile detention, possibly in the Home Counties or even up North.”
    “Can we share this information with the Gangs Taskforce?” DS Scott asked.
     
    “Already on it,” Fellowes answered. “Young Chas has the names and addresses of every member of the crew. Not too hard, as they all live in the flats, or at least most of them do. The taskforce will probably wait a week and then round them all up when things get back to normal.”
    The starters arrived and were consumed hungrily by all three men. Ben shook his head, shocked by the lawless behaviour of such young people.
    “What a mess. I was born on that estate. Given the chance, most of those kids could have made something of themselves. Some of them still could,