Stake-out by Ann Reader

It's hard to believe that only a week ago I was so excited I hardly knew where to put myself.  My first week in CID and already seconded to the drug squad. Exactly where I wanted to be. After college I drifted through a series of dead-end jobs. Then my younger brother died from a heroin overdose, and I found my mission in life. I was going to get the bastards that had turned my sweet natured brother into a sullen, secretive and deceitful wreck.

I applied to join the police force and thanks to an equal opportunities drive to recruit more women, the fact that I was somewhat older than the usual intake was overlooked. I worked hard and made it into CID and now I was to join the drug squad in a stake out.

Intelligence had it that a house on Allen Street was being used for dealing. We had obtained a first floor flat in the building opposite. The team included me and DC Rob Prentice, We were to be the obvious residents playing the role of a couple. Rob did the night watch and left every morning as if going to work, returning in the evening after catching his sleep at home. I was to play the role of housewife with trips to the shops etc giving me the excuse to walk past the target house. DS Benning and DS Clarke watched from the living room behind the recently installed one way glass. Ṭhey would not leave the building until action was indicated. After a week of watching, the excitement of my first stake out was giving way to boredom and frustration.

We had identified the three residents of the target house and could recognise each of them at a distance. Archie, the main man seldom left the house, his two sidekicks Ronnie and Ashley appeared to be runners for him, delivering drugs and returning with money. It was frustrating having to ignore their blatant deals, but our aim was to catch the people who supplied them. It was fairly certain that Archie would need supplies soon. It was equally certain that the big dealers would not come to the house in Allen Street, we needed Archie to lead us to them.

Over a week had gone by and for the last two days no one had come or gone from the house. Then unusually Ronnie and Ashley were seen to go towards Archie's car. The two DS's made a snap decision to follow them leaving me on watch. I saw the two lads head off towards the town and radioed the DSs.

About an hour later Archie came out and look directly at our window, then at the place where DS Clarke's car had been parked and smiled. It seemed he knew we had been watching. He went to a shed at the side of the property. He was struggling to get a scooter out. I could just make out the rear number plate with the aid of binoculars. Obviously, he had sent the other two off as a decoy.

I had to follow him, the only other vehicle available was DS Benning's Suzuki 750cc motorcycle, which had been parked in a garden round the corner. I had not ridden a bike for 12 or so years and was not insured for this one but I wasn't going to give up that easily. I radioed control asked them to put me on cover, gave the scooter's registration and pressed the button for radio silence.

I grabbed the keys, crash helmet and Belstaff from the hallway. Fortunately DS Benning was not large, they would fit. I shoved them into a shopping basket to maintain my disguise and disciplined myself to walk sedately down the street, past Archie who was struggling to start the scooter, and round the corner.

Fortunately the Suzuki started immediately. I reached the corner just as Archie had managed to get going and was able to follow him as he headed out of town. As we got onto the main A road heading south I was able to enjoy the powerful machine. My youthful rebellion had been motorbikes. I had a full license by the time I was 19 and my own 650cc Yamaha shortly after.

Suddenly I heard a voice in my crash helmet " DC Chalmers what the hell are you up to?" I had never used a helmet walkie-talkie system I had no idea how to reply. I heard a voice in the background saying the bike was tracked and I was already being followed. I felt a wave of relief. I would not be without backup.

Several miles later I saw a dark BMW parked in a lay-by, the scooter pulled up beside it. I could only ride past and hope my back up would arrive in time. I stopped round the bend and crept back on foot under the cover of some bushes. I began to video on my phone as something was passed from the car window. Just then 2 unmarked police cars and a panda arrived and boxed them in. Archie tried to make a run for it but didn't get far. It was all over in a matter of seconds.

I felt a hand on my shoulder I turned to see the DCI smiling at me. "Well lass," he said taking my phone, "you gave us a few uneasy moments there but we got them all so we can overlook the TDA! But don't do it again, at least until you've been trained in all the features of an undercover police bike!"

I found myself smiling back.