Part 2
Wednesday the 14th of August
The letter would have been ignored, filed along with all the other hoax and attention seeking letters, apart from one thing, the signature. Detective Sergeant Billings, reread it. It gave specific directions to the location of six-year-old Alice Budd, who had been snatched off the streets of Salford two days previously. The interesting feature of the letter, well more of a note really was the signature, ‘Waterloo’.
The location of the stolen Turner paintings had been revealed by two sources. One, an informant who gave detailed information about the theft and where the paintings were. Then there was the additional letter that just gave the address of where they were held. The letter was signed Fernando.
Now here was a completely unrelated case, nothing in common apart from a letter mentioning ‘Abba’. There were two things to do; forensics and get a search warrant for the address.
*
“Go go go,” DS Billings said into his mic. Police ran into the terraced house. Three minutes later, two people had been arrested and missing Alice Budd had been found, locked in a wardrobe.
*
Forensics confirmed that the paper and ink for the two letters were identical. Both were post marked in the centre of Newcastle. This was going to get interesting. Two completely unrelated cases but anonymous tip-offs from the same source.
*
DS Billings had reluctantly agreed to handle the press conference. He stood up on the podium, he intended to make this as brief as possible.
“We can confirm that Alice Budd was found today in a terraced house in Manchester after an anonymous tip-off. Alice has been reunited with her parents. Two people have been arrested as a result of the incident. Are there any questions? Yes.”
“Has Alice been abused?”
“We are waiting for the medical reports.”
“What was the motive?”
“Investigations are ongoing.”
“What was the source of the tip-off?”
“It was anonymous, we have no clue to the person’s identity. Though if they want to contact the police I would be more than happy to speak to them.”
“So how did the anonymous source know where they were?”
What sort of question was that? They were anonymous. “I do not have that information.”
“Did the suspects have previous convictions?”
Monday the 19th of August
There were three escapees from Barlinnie
Frank, James and Wee Jimmy
They hid in a van
Threatened a man
They made the police look such ninnies
Apart from the limerick, there only one other line to the letter
‘They could be found on the attached map on Saturday – Supertrooper.
Now they were just taking the piss. DS Billings looked at the attached map. Three addresses were circled in the East End of Glasgow. He lifted his phone. “Get me Strathclyde Police.”
Wednesday the 21st of August
“There’s a man from MI5 to see you?”
DS Billings looked up at Jean. “Eh?”
“There’s a man from MI5 to see you.”
“What does he want?”
“He didn’t say.”
Well whatever it was, it couldn’t be less boring than the paperwork.
*
“DS Billings?”
“Yes.”
“We would like to speak to you in private.”
“Who is we?”
“I would,” the might-be-an-MI5 man said smiling.
*
It was strange being interviewed in one of their own interview rooms, DS Billings thought. He had done so many interviews in the past sitting at the opposite side of the table. “So what can I do you for?” he asked.
“You have been receiving letters that having been giving you the location of people or items you’ve been looking for.”
“Not just me, I didn’t get involved until the Alice Budd case.”
“Nevertheless the last one was addressed to you personally.”
“Well yes, we suspect, whoever was responsible, had seen the press conference and picked up my name from there. Why are you interested?”
“It would appear that someone is doing something very unusual. There is nothing to link the three cases.”
“Apart from the Abba letters.”
“So who knows about the Abba connection?”
“As few people as possible. Most police forces will have somebody who knows, because after the second letter, they were all alerted to letters post marked Newcastle giving a reference to Abba. Having said that, all three have been accurate. Only one of the Glasgow fugitives was caught, but we know that the information we were given was accurate. If you want further details of the case then you’ll need to contact Strathclyde.”
“One of my colleagues is already speaking to them. Ever been to Glasgow?”
“Never had the need.”
“Newcastle?”
“A couple of times in the last couple of years when we’ve needed to interview suspects. Been to Manchester several times.”
“Manchester?”
“Alice Budd.”
“Of course.”
“So do you have any idea of who is sending these letters?”
“None apart from the obvious, a Geordie, Abba obsessive and even those clues could be designed to put us off the scent.”
The might-be-an-MI5 man leant back on his chair and put his hands together. “I will leave you my contact number. As soon as you get any more of these letters you are to let me know immediately.”
DS Billings nodded. “You’ve not told me your name.”
“That is true I have not.”
“Well I have to call you something.”
“Call me Des.”
Friday the 23rd of August
The next letter arrived two days later.
‘Where are the two Glaswegians I hear you say.
The Tay, the Tay, the silvery Tay.
Is that the fugitives I see?
You might find them in Dundee.
See attached map. Voulez-vous want some more?’
“Jean, can you get Tayside police on the phone and get ready to fax them a copy of this map, I’d better get the MI5 or MI6 or whatever man.”
*
“Who has touched the letter?” Des said holding the plastic bag containing the ‘Dundee’ letter.
“Nobody apart from me and Detective Jones.”
“We are going to require the originals.”
“I take it you want to be informed if any more arrive.”
“Of course.”
Saturday the 24th of August
“Hello Des, we’ve just received another letter.”
“And?”
“It’s a list of Britain’s most wanted.”
“The one that was broadcast on Thursday night?”
“The very same.”
“There are ten maps, it says we’ve got to guess who is hiding where.”
“Take no action until we have arrived. We will be taking over.”
DS Billings suddenly wondered if the ‘Special on Britain’s most Wanted’ had been broadcast in order to solicite a letter. It had been a change to ‘our normal programming.’ He had some holidays accrued. Perhaps he should go up to Newcastle, and speak to a few people up there. See if anyone had bought a lot of street maps recently.
The letter would have been ignored, filed along with all the other hoax and attention seeking letters, apart from one thing, the signature. Detective Sergeant Billings, reread it. It gave specific directions to the location of six-year-old Alice Budd, who had been snatched off the streets of Salford two days previously. The interesting feature of the letter, well more of a note really was the signature, ‘Waterloo’.
The location of the stolen Turner paintings had been revealed by two sources. One, an informant who gave detailed information about the theft and where the paintings were. Then there was the additional letter that just gave the address of where they were held. The letter was signed Fernando.
Now here was a completely unrelated case, nothing in common apart from a letter mentioning ‘Abba’. There were two things to do; forensics and get a search warrant for the address.
*
“Go go go,” DS Billings said into his mic. Police ran into the terraced house. Three minutes later, two people had been arrested and missing Alice Budd had been found, locked in a wardrobe.
*
Forensics confirmed that the paper and ink for the two letters were identical. Both were post marked in the centre of Newcastle. This was going to get interesting. Two completely unrelated cases but anonymous tip-offs from the same source.
*
DS Billings had reluctantly agreed to handle the press conference. He stood up on the podium, he intended to make this as brief as possible.
“We can confirm that Alice Budd was found today in a terraced house in Manchester after an anonymous tip-off. Alice has been reunited with her parents. Two people have been arrested as a result of the incident. Are there any questions? Yes.”
“Has Alice been abused?”
“We are waiting for the medical reports.”
“What was the motive?”
“Investigations are ongoing.”
“What was the source of the tip-off?”
“It was anonymous, we have no clue to the person’s identity. Though if they want to contact the police I would be more than happy to speak to them.”
“So how did the anonymous source know where they were?”
What sort of question was that? They were anonymous. “I do not have that information.”
“Did the suspects have previous convictions?”
Monday the 19th of August
There were three escapees from Barlinnie
Frank, James and Wee Jimmy
They hid in a van
Threatened a man
They made the police look such ninnies
Apart from the limerick, there only one other line to the letter
‘They could be found on the attached map on Saturday – Supertrooper.
Now they were just taking the piss. DS Billings looked at the attached map. Three addresses were circled in the East End of Glasgow. He lifted his phone. “Get me Strathclyde Police.”
Wednesday the 21st of August
“There’s a man from MI5 to see you?”
DS Billings looked up at Jean. “Eh?”
“There’s a man from MI5 to see you.”
“What does he want?”
“He didn’t say.”
Well whatever it was, it couldn’t be less boring than the paperwork.
*
“DS Billings?”
“Yes.”
“We would like to speak to you in private.”
“Who is we?”
“I would,” the might-be-an-MI5 man said smiling.
*
It was strange being interviewed in one of their own interview rooms, DS Billings thought. He had done so many interviews in the past sitting at the opposite side of the table. “So what can I do you for?” he asked.
“You have been receiving letters that having been giving you the location of people or items you’ve been looking for.”
“Not just me, I didn’t get involved until the Alice Budd case.”
“Nevertheless the last one was addressed to you personally.”
“Well yes, we suspect, whoever was responsible, had seen the press conference and picked up my name from there. Why are you interested?”
“It would appear that someone is doing something very unusual. There is nothing to link the three cases.”
“Apart from the Abba letters.”
“So who knows about the Abba connection?”
“As few people as possible. Most police forces will have somebody who knows, because after the second letter, they were all alerted to letters post marked Newcastle giving a reference to Abba. Having said that, all three have been accurate. Only one of the Glasgow fugitives was caught, but we know that the information we were given was accurate. If you want further details of the case then you’ll need to contact Strathclyde.”
“One of my colleagues is already speaking to them. Ever been to Glasgow?”
“Never had the need.”
“Newcastle?”
“A couple of times in the last couple of years when we’ve needed to interview suspects. Been to Manchester several times.”
“Manchester?”
“Alice Budd.”
“Of course.”
“So do you have any idea of who is sending these letters?”
“None apart from the obvious, a Geordie, Abba obsessive and even those clues could be designed to put us off the scent.”
The might-be-an-MI5 man leant back on his chair and put his hands together. “I will leave you my contact number. As soon as you get any more of these letters you are to let me know immediately.”
DS Billings nodded. “You’ve not told me your name.”
“That is true I have not.”
“Well I have to call you something.”
“Call me Des.”
Friday the 23rd of August
The next letter arrived two days later.
‘Where are the two Glaswegians I hear you say.
The Tay, the Tay, the silvery Tay.
Is that the fugitives I see?
You might find them in Dundee.
See attached map. Voulez-vous want some more?’
“Jean, can you get Tayside police on the phone and get ready to fax them a copy of this map, I’d better get the MI5 or MI6 or whatever man.”
*
“Who has touched the letter?” Des said holding the plastic bag containing the ‘Dundee’ letter.
“Nobody apart from me and Detective Jones.”
“We are going to require the originals.”
“I take it you want to be informed if any more arrive.”
“Of course.”
Saturday the 24th of August
“Hello Des, we’ve just received another letter.”
“And?”
“It’s a list of Britain’s most wanted.”
“The one that was broadcast on Thursday night?”
“The very same.”
“There are ten maps, it says we’ve got to guess who is hiding where.”
“Take no action until we have arrived. We will be taking over.”
DS Billings suddenly wondered if the ‘Special on Britain’s most Wanted’ had been broadcast in order to solicite a letter. It had been a change to ‘our normal programming.’ He had some holidays accrued. Perhaps he should go up to Newcastle, and speak to a few people up there. See if anyone had bought a lot of street maps recently.
