The Recoverer 14.
by Angharad.
We were doing a stake-out, Stephanie and me. Not the best team for it, because as women we can be easily overwhelmed by the physical strength of men, especially ones who work out regularly. Although I try to keep myself together by working out regularly, trying to build a routine that strengthens me without developing large muscles. Most of it is aerobics with some defence moves thrown in, I have a punch bag in my basement gym and punch and kick it regularly. I can probably hold my own against the average male couch potato but against those who train seriously, I doubt I could, oestrogens having reduced musculature but redistribute fat about in interesting places. Stephanie does very little exercise claiming that being a teen she doesn't have to. I think she's wrong but when do youngsters ever listen? As well as my gym workouts I also ran twice a week, up to a three or four miles. It's something I've always been relatively good at and enjoy the endorphins at the end which are the closest the body comes to producing opiates. After a run and shower, I usually do it first thing in the morning, I eat my breakfast bathed in the good feeling the endorphins provide and it lasts for up to an hour and the benefits the exercise gives last all day possibly longer with lower blood pressure and enhanced circulation and feeling of wellbeing. Stephanie misses out on all this claiming all it does is to make one all sweaty.
The stakeout was on a warehouse we were sure was dealing in stolen items, the police were interested but didn't have the manpower to aid us, I also warned the detective chief inspector if the perpetrators got wind of my investigation by a tip off, I would have words with the chief constable and the crime and police commissioner. I also said if I did expect heads to roll and jail terms to be the reward. I've mentioned bent coppers before, if I can stay honest, so can they. I hate bent coppers they get everyone on the side of the law a bad reputation, even people like me, who generally has a good reputation for honesty and integrity as well as efficiency.
We were sitting in our car as night fell, sharing the binoculars and night vision thingy which is also equipped with a camera. We also has a camera with telephoto lens but it was too dark to use. Next time I have some spare cash I intend to buy an infrared camera which will certainly help at times like these, recording car number-plates and other vehicles. They seem to have some deliveries and collections at rather odd hours. I know big warehouses do use overnight deliveries and collections, but I had my doubts about this relatively small one and none of the vans calling late at night seemed to be recognised carrier or haulage firms. Even there I accept a bloke and his van may occasionally be cheaper, but for distribution countrywide or even abroad, I don't think so.
We're involved because of thefts while in transit, they have claimed on insurance for some equipment which is rather pricey, electronics mainly, but also some optics. It had turned 9.00 pm and I was feeling hungry and sleepy. I wanted to get out and walk about but it was cold and raining and I didn't want to leave Stephanie on her own, besides she was engaged in shovelling crisps into her mouth in a less than ladylike manner. "You can vacuum the car tomorrow." I was referring to the BMW, a black one which we'd parked on the parking space of a plumber's merchants. I knew the manager or my plumber did, he introduced us and I obtained permission to park there to stakeout this other building. I promised to be gone by opening time, which was 7.30 am.
I had introduced an expenses clause to the insurer to charge extra for overnight observation which this was. A van drew past us, slowing down as he did so, before proceeding to the building we were watching. I was about to succumb to a tuna salad roll when two rather well built man emerged from the warehouse in question and walked purposely towards the car. Stephanie was still feeding her face when I started the car and shot out of the car park we were in. She ended up with crisps all over her and while I drove away without putting lights on, I reminded her of the need to clean the inside of the car tomorrow. She naturally complained I could have warned her before I drove off but I replied that if she had been working not eating, she'd have seen Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum approaching. I parked in a supermarket car park and ate my roll and drank some of my flask of tea. I gave Stephanie some and she grumbled about it. After we had a brisk walk around the car park to wake us up. I had kept watch on the road the van had used to get to the warehouse and they hadn't left by it. Once back in the car we drove back to the plumber's merchants and parked around the back. We could still see the warehouse and the van was there but was closing up the doors, the back looked full of boxes.
It started up and I made the executive decision to follow it. During the chase, although the driver of the van didn't spot us for quite some time, Stephanie called the police and reported the van, she spoke to a copper we knew and they contacted the DVLA to get the driver's name, he was also the registered owner - a Guy Strachan. He had previous form for receiving stolen goods, televisions and computers mainly but he was supposed to be going legit. Stephanie reported what we had seen, the copper asked where we were and decided to do a stop under the pretence of unsafe load, which is a genuine reason for stopping vans and trucks.
The van was packed to the gunnels and it was wobbling about a little. We gave way as police patrol car overtook us, he waved to show he recognised us, followed the van for a couple of miles before stopping him. We dropped back and dimmed our lights watching what happened before us. The driver opened the back of the van and then after the police had looked at one or two boxes another man emerged from the van and the police were attacked and pushed into the bushes of the grass verge. Stephanie filmed it and then called the police to inform them of possible injuries to their colleagues. I was in two minds to, stop and examine the two police victims or to follow the van and see where it went. I was still thinking about this when Stephanie volunteered to wait for the police and for me to follow after them. Before I could say anything she jumped from the car holding her coat and bag and yelling for me to follow the assailants.
I drove off after them and although they had a good start I managed to catch them up before they got to any motorways. I have hands-free in the car and I gave a running commentary on where I was and was still about fifty metres behind the van. About half an hour as we drove towards London, a police car flashed me and hammered past and stopped the van, moments later another police car joined them and they were not too gentle in arresting the pair in the van.
I phoned Stephanie and asked where she was, she said the hospital, she had accompanied the two stricken officers and was still there with another police officer. I said I was on my way and would pick her up from there. After lots of questions and supplying our video of the assault on the coppers, a fresh cuppa and reminding the police that we were on their side, we got home about 2.00am, the police were visiting the warehouse and impounding everything they found there. Stephanie described the injuries the coppers had received which she said looked like head wounds. The police were very pleased we had helped with the victims recovery and told us they would keep us informed. The last time they said that was about a year ago and I'm still waiting, although I did mention to a senior officer that they were to keep our part in it very quiet was still a live case possibly involving big insurance fraud.
About a week or so later, we had a visit from our local plod in the form of DCI Bearing, would you believe the nickname of 'Daring Bearing'. We talked about the case and he told us they had found an insurance claim form in the office of the warehouse, detailing all that had been taken that night and claiming it had been hijacked en route to London, the van taken when the driver made a comfort stop, he was claiming that he stopped for a meal as well as a pee and didn't notice his van had gone. He was also claiming for a taxi fare home from the service area, for a journey we know he couldn't have taken. As far as we were concerned, it tended to show that everything the claimants said was a lie and the whole thing a huge insurance scam and the police were going to bring charges of theft, conspiracy, assault of officers doing their duties and anything else they could think of. I checked with the insurance company while Bearing was drinking my coffee and eating my cakes and they confirmed that the case was now inactive and an interim fee would be paid with the rest and a bonus as soon as convictions were confirmed. As that can take forever by the time the courts have played with it, I wasn't too pleased but there was little I could do about it. I couldn't even suggest interest charges for the delay because that would affect my future commissions. However I was told that the bonus was substantial but they wouldn't tell me how much it was. The police estimated the van load was worth anything up to forty thousand which with the previous case they were claiming for and which caused us to be involved to have a total of about £150,000, 20% is £30,000 plus the bonus so worth having.
I grumbled to Stephanie and Mike after Bearing had gone and she said she had spoken with Bearing and he told her that they found several claims for future shipments, so we had potentially saved the insurers loads. I emailed them and they said it would be reflected in the bonus as these crimes were planned rather than being effected and that the police had to take some of the praise as their prompt action in seizing the warehouse had blown the case right open. I wanted to remind them that the police only got involved because we requested it and assisted them. It didn't make any difference and before they felt annoyed by me I left them to it. I suspected I earned more than the two coppers who got their heads bashed, so I couldn't even complain to the police.
Stephanie and Mike were rather sanguine about it all saying that they knew I'd share all proceeds with them so they'd have a percentage of what the business received from the case and others we worked on. Perhaps I'm paying them too much. A few weeks later I was getting ready to go out for a date, as was Stephanie, obviously with a different bloke and she left with Mike who was going home to watch tele after his dinner when I heard a scream from outside and discovered Mike lying unconscious on the drive and Stephanie wrestling with an assailant. I grabbed him and someone grabbed me from behind. I managed to elbow him in the guts and then hit him in the throat and finally kick him in the family jewels, Stephanie was still struggling and I ripped her attacker off her and hit him once in the throat with a chop-like blow and he collapsed coughing and spluttering on the drive. While Stephanie wanted to thank me, I called the police and an ambulance for Mike.
The emergency services were pretty quick in responding and after they questioned out attackers, they decided this was fallout from the electronics warehouse scam, in other words our reward from the villains for the arrest of their friends and colleagues. For their troubles they each would get prison for aggravated assault and GBH as well as troubles with their throats for a long time. The police told them trying to sue me for their injuries was a waste of time as they had started the affray. The one who I'd kicked in the goolies after punching him in the throat, claimed I had reduced his chances of being a father, which I suggested I should get a pension for taking him out of the gene pool, which made the police and my colleagues laugh.
It wasn't funny really because if I hadn't landed a few telling blows, we could be the ones going to hospital and women are less strong than men, so we could have been really hurt. Stephanie told me I was brilliant and suggested she learn some more self-defence to compensate for her loss of muscle, not that she had much to start, however, I agreed I'd fund it through the business as long as she did some other physical training as well. Amazingly, she agreed and now we both go to self-defence lessons and do some other physical training as well. She complained about early mornings but when I reminded her she could be anything from dead to disabled by the attack, she shut up and followed me on our training run.
Mike recovered from his concussion but we couldn't persuade him to join us, he wanted to go a computer course instead especially as he'd two of us to protect him now. That's the sort of logic my cat uses, perhaps I should try arguing with her, would be just as futile.