well but died of some rare heart complaint covered by the medical term sudden “Adult death syndrome”.
“The heart has a disturbed rhythm and no blood circulates so death ensues. There is no cause for this”.
“I just have a feeling there might be more to this than meets the eye. It’s just my intuition but I feel it is worth looking into even though I have no evidence”.
Bentley pondered and then said, “What are your feelings Chief Inspector?”
“I wouldn’t like to get egg on my face if there is something amiss, yet there is no point in making a big issue of it, if it is a nothing”.
“I will tell you what I suggest,” replied the Chief Inspector, “Woodcock here always had a good eye and ear for a mystery I suggest we permit him to get someone to look into it, sort of unofficially and report back.”
Bentley thought and then said, “Well with all the cuts we couldn’t be seen to be using too many resources if it is all for nothing”
Woodcock smiled and said “Gentlemen I suggest we ask ex Detective Superintendent Jack Richards of New Scotland Yard fame to look into it. He has recently moved north near me, I don’t think he has anything on so he may well be pleased to return to duty although in an unofficial capacity to look into this”.
“I recall Richards and many of the very unusual and complicated cases he has solved over the years, yes indeed there was the case of the ten headless women”.
There was a nodding of heads, “I seem to recall they call him Jack the Hat” replied Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Wilfred Jepson.
“I tell you what Woodcock?” He continued, “You fix this up get Richards back and on these cases. If there is nothing in it, there will be no rocking of the boats and won’t wreck any force budgets, you could cover it Woodcock under miscellaneous”.
“I will make a further suggestion; why not get him to report back to the annual conference of Inspectors of Constabulary and Chief Constables later in the year”.
“This will be a very nice change to the usual after dinner speeches we all get bored with”.
“What if he finds nothing?” asked Bentley.
“In that case it will be a little more wine tasting time,” said Jepson”
This caused a round of laughter.
“There is one thing?” replied Woodcock,” if there is anything in it Jack the Hat is the man to get to the bottom of it”.
“That is it then” announced Bentley “until the annual conference then, I bid you good day, and he rose and left the room”.
“Well done there Woodcock”, replied Jepson, “Very well done”.
“Contact Jack and be sure to give him all resources, make sure the Chiefs of the various forces understand it is approved by The Home Secretary as well as our department”.
They shook hands and parted.
Two days later Jack Richards was sitting in his study, he had started his book-completing page 100 but was now struggling, not through lack of knowledge or ideas but painstakingly typing.
The phone rang; he answered it, “Hello Jack Richards speaking can I help?”
“Hello Jack, it is Woodcock here, I need a word”
“Thanks for fixing up the membership at the golf club” said Richards
“Really, sorry not me I have been too busy. I need you on another matter.”
“How can I help?” asked Jack
“It’s too complicated to speak on the phone. Is it is Ok to come down we could discuss it sometime?”
“Very well I look forward to seeing you as and when”.
“Ok Jack, I will ring you from home and pop down and we can speak, bye”.
The call was ended.
PART SIX
JACK THE HAT RECALLED
He was proceeding nicely with his book, to quote a phrase from his long so long ago days of walking the beat in East London, at the regulation pace.
How he now wished all those years ago when just after joining the police when he had been brought face to face with a new instrument, which was to prove the main tool in his new life in the
“The heart has a disturbed rhythm and no blood circulates so death ensues. There is no cause for this”.
“I just have a feeling there might be more to this than meets the eye. It’s just my intuition but I feel it is worth looking into even though I have no evidence”.
Bentley pondered and then said, “What are your feelings Chief Inspector?”
“I wouldn’t like to get egg on my face if there is something amiss, yet there is no point in making a big issue of it, if it is a nothing”.
“I will tell you what I suggest,” replied the Chief Inspector, “Woodcock here always had a good eye and ear for a mystery I suggest we permit him to get someone to look into it, sort of unofficially and report back.”
Bentley thought and then said, “Well with all the cuts we couldn’t be seen to be using too many resources if it is all for nothing”
Woodcock smiled and said “Gentlemen I suggest we ask ex Detective Superintendent Jack Richards of New Scotland Yard fame to look into it. He has recently moved north near me, I don’t think he has anything on so he may well be pleased to return to duty although in an unofficial capacity to look into this”.
“I recall Richards and many of the very unusual and complicated cases he has solved over the years, yes indeed there was the case of the ten headless women”.
There was a nodding of heads, “I seem to recall they call him Jack the Hat” replied Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Wilfred Jepson.
“I tell you what Woodcock?” He continued, “You fix this up get Richards back and on these cases. If there is nothing in it, there will be no rocking of the boats and won’t wreck any force budgets, you could cover it Woodcock under miscellaneous”.
“I will make a further suggestion; why not get him to report back to the annual conference of Inspectors of Constabulary and Chief Constables later in the year”.
“This will be a very nice change to the usual after dinner speeches we all get bored with”.
“What if he finds nothing?” asked Bentley.
“In that case it will be a little more wine tasting time,” said Jepson”
This caused a round of laughter.
“There is one thing?” replied Woodcock,” if there is anything in it Jack the Hat is the man to get to the bottom of it”.
“That is it then” announced Bentley “until the annual conference then, I bid you good day, and he rose and left the room”.
“Well done there Woodcock”, replied Jepson, “Very well done”.
“Contact Jack and be sure to give him all resources, make sure the Chiefs of the various forces understand it is approved by The Home Secretary as well as our department”.
They shook hands and parted.
Two days later Jack Richards was sitting in his study, he had started his book-completing page 100 but was now struggling, not through lack of knowledge or ideas but painstakingly typing.
The phone rang; he answered it, “Hello Jack Richards speaking can I help?”
“Hello Jack, it is Woodcock here, I need a word”
“Thanks for fixing up the membership at the golf club” said Richards
“Really, sorry not me I have been too busy. I need you on another matter.”
“How can I help?” asked Jack
“It’s too complicated to speak on the phone. Is it is Ok to come down we could discuss it sometime?”
“Very well I look forward to seeing you as and when”.
“Ok Jack, I will ring you from home and pop down and we can speak, bye”.
The call was ended.
PART SIX
JACK THE HAT RECALLED
He was proceeding nicely with his book, to quote a phrase from his long so long ago days of walking the beat in East London, at the regulation pace.
How he now wished all those years ago when just after joining the police when he had been brought face to face with a new instrument, which was to prove the main tool in his new life in the
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