Anchored - Part 31 "Dead Reckoning"

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 Anchored  

Part
 
Thirty One

 

"Dead Reckoning"

 

Tammy's Tales Book 6

 

 
Friday 30th October (continued)
 

It appeared that there had been a mis-communication as everyone was now being told they could go into the chapel. Tammy and Louise had hung back, the door into the chapel could have been used as an escape route. They quickly slid onto one of the pews, a few rows from the front, Louise took up a defensive position, leaving Tammy exposed on the end of pew, although the nearby exit doors were firmly closed.

"So what do you think happened?"

"I don't know, probably just a mistake." Tammy wasn't happy with Louise's answer but they both had exactly the same knowledge of the situation, nothing.

The rest of the mourners were now taking their seats in the chapel. In the waiting area Tammy had noticed a girl who was wearing almost exactly the same clothes as herself, the only major difference was her dark glasses that remained firmly on the other girl's nose. That girl was now sat a few rows ahead. Anne McIntosh slid alongside Louise, who swapped places with Tammy.

"Not very well organised, Tammy?"

"No, Anne." Tammy didn't want to dwell on the subject.

"Well, why would the police want to search here anyway, who would bomb a crematorium?"

"Who, indeed?"

The minister now came into the chapel, Cathy had gone against David's family's wishes for a full Church of Scotland service and had asked for a humanist service instead. That had caused some consternation but Cathy, backed by Elsie of course, had suggested they held a memorial service under whatever denomination they desired, but just don't expect the widow to attend.

The simple service was over in ten minutes and the chapel rose soon after the curtains closed, with 'Flower Of Scotland' playing through the speakers. The undertakers opened the exit doors onto a terrace and the pews started to filter outside. Louise held Tammy back.

"Too exposed there, let's circle around."

They went back into the waiting area, surprising one of the undertakers, Louise quickly checked the area outside the door for any dangers, spying two uniformed police officers in the carpark. The pair went outside and circled around the building back towards the terrace when a shot rang out, followed by screams. Louise pushed Tammy onto the ground.

"Oi!"

"Quiet, and stay down."

The uniformed and unarmed police officers had sprinted across the carpark and now disappeared from sight, whilst the mourners were panicking, most running to their cars or the coach, although Tammy couldn't see Cathy, Elsie or any of the others. No-one seemingly spotted Tammy.

A succession of shots rang out, accompanied by more screams. A loud voice was heard, "where is she?" Tammy thought she'd heard the voice before, a female voice repeated the question, adding "I have hostages, if I don't get Tammy Smart, they'll die." The voice seemed to come from within the chapel, just behind them.

Louise again told Tammy to stay down.

"I can't, my friends are there."

"You'll do exactly as I tell you."

The male's voice was getting closer, Tammy guessed he was coming through the waiting area, towards their position. Louise hesitated then beckoned Tammy to get on her feet but to stay low. She pointed for them to continue around the building, away from the entrance, given a lack of alternative routes.

They reached the two officers, both had been shot and one was clearly deceased, the other was losing blood from a chest wound.

"Spray." He whispered. Tammy unclipped the CS spray from the officer's utility belt, against Louise's wishes. They could now hear sirens approaching.

Tammy crept further around the building, reaching the terrace. The choices were to go onto the terrace, around it or double back; although none of the options was desirable. They could now hear noise of someone walking on gravel, approaching their position. Tammy pushed her way behind a bush, knowing that it wasn't ideal. Louise took up position close by, ready to defend her charge.

The male now came into view and immediately spotted Tammy, although she didn't have a clear view of him. He raised his weapon as Louise came at him, he deflected her blow and targeted her. Tammy burst from her space and sprayed the male, who she now identified as John Gore. Unfortunately she also caught Louise, incapacitating her.

John Gore fought the pain and levelled his weapon, although he could barely see her. She sprayed again, trying to keep her distance. He fired but missed her before dropping the weapon. Tammy grabbed his weapon and made her way inside the building, entering through the main door. She hid behind the door into the chapel.

Anita Gore was by the pulpit with a group of mourners on the front pew.

"Right, you, call her mobile again." Tammy couldn't see who was being spoken to but she was fairly certain that Elsie, Cathy and Helen were there. Fortunately, her phone was on the coach.

Suddenly there was movement behind her, two black-clad officers armed with Heckler & Koch MP5. Tammy recognised the weapon having used one in Kent. They were unimpressed when they saw what Tammy was holding.

"Drop that!"

Unfortunately that grabbed Anita Gore's attention and a shot reached one of the officers, catching his arm. Anita moved quickly and was suddenly in the doorway but Tammy hadn't moved. Anita had her target and went to fire but Tammy was faster, shooting Anita at point blank range. The woman went down immediately. Only now was she relieved of the weapon and pulled out of the area. A paramedic was allowed in to attend to the injured officer.

"Tammy, you okay?"

DS Franklin was just outside, wearing a stab-proof vest over his suit.

"I killed her."

"You did what?"

"I shot her."

One of the armed officers escorted the hostages from the chapel.

"Oh, Tammy, you're okay? There was a girl shot who looked like you, that bloody cow shot her before she realised it wasn't you."

"I'm fine Cathy, it's terrible but I'm not certain what's happening now."

That was answered by an officer approaching her, "Miss Smart, you are under arrest for murder. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you rely on in court. Anything you do say can be given in evidence."

Tammy shrugged, "it was self defence, her or me. I chose me."

He pulled handcuffs off his belt and went to secure her. Ben Franklin, spoke to him first.

"I think you need to know she has a Met Police firearms certificate, I've seen it."

"How?"

"Need to know, I'm afraid."

Regardless of this information Tammy was handcuffed and put into a police van that had now arrived. John Gore was being treated by a paramedic, an ambulance had left, presumably to take the injured officers to hospital. More officers had arrived.

---

"Now, now, Miss Smart, what do we have here?"

"Self defence, and I was the target."

She was sat, nearly two hours later, in an interview room at Inverness Police Station, had been searched, photographed, fingerprinted and had given a saliva sample for a DNA test.

"Even so?"

"Look, I have some documents at home, they would be very useful right now."

"What are they?"

"My firearms licence and a get-out-of-jail-free letter signed by the Chair of the Home Affairs Committee. It authorises me to take reasonable steps to protect myself. I think this counts as reasonable?"

"Home Affairs Committee? This is Scotland, not England. Anyway, her husband might not agree with you, nor their daughter?"

"They were international assassins, guns for hire. Someone must have taken a hit out on me."

"That's speculation."

"No, and it's happened before. Anyway, you know that I'm at risk because of the trials."

"It's not something that happens in the Highlands."

"It does to me."

Ten minutes later she was interviewed, giving her view of the morning's events. Naturally she strayed into some of the back story but stopped short when asked about her background.

"I'm sorry but you're not cleared for that. I can't answer your question."

"I suggest, Miss Smart, that you answer the question."

"My client has made it clear that she can't, it could be a breach of the official secrets act."

"You claimed to have a firearms certificate but you're not on our local database."

"It was issued by the Met's counter terrorism unit, I'm fully licensed and trained."

"Where is it?"

"In a safe in Thurso, there's a duplicate in my home safe, alongside my weapon."

The interviewing officer tried to get more out of Tammy but changed tact when she was getting nowhere.

"Now, did you know the Gores?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Their daughter goes to my old school and I had dinner with them a month or so ago."

"Several witnesses have told us that they were looking for you? Why would they do that?"

"I'm a witness in four high profile trials. This wasn't the first attempt on my life by them. I was also threatened on the phone yesterday."

There was a knock on the door, the officer stopped the recording and answered it, he stood outside for a minute, Tammy could see him shaking his head through the glass.

"I don't know who your friends are but I've been told to de-arrest you."

"Good."

"Miss Smart, you took someone's life today and you have made no effort to deny this, but you don't seem to be concerned. I find that amazing."

"I've been trained, I recently hesitated when I should have taken a shot so I was sent on an Special Forces training course. I learned a lesson on that course that you can't hesitate, it was very simple, her or me."

"You cannot make that choice. You don't have the right"

"Your officers were under attack and my bodyguard was injured, what alternatives were there? I'm sorry that a girl has lost her mother but she was a murderer who has killed many times before."

"You know this because?"

"I work in intelligence."

"You're a student?"

"Yes, anyway you said I could go?"

She passed John Gore in the corridor, he glared at Tammy.

"You bitch, you'll die for this."

She shrugged and turned to the officer, "you see?"

Fifteen minutes later she walked out of the main entrance, her father was waiting alongside Hilary.

"Thank you Jeremiah, until the next time?"

"Indeed, Miss Smart, indeed."

"Did they treat you okay?"

"Yes, how did you arrange my release?"

They started walking, there was a café a hundred metres away. Tammy needed a wee.

"The Met's Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for terrorism phoned the Chief Constable of Scotland and I brought your documents over. You owe a few thanks, but don't get the impression this is over?"

"No?"

"No, Tammy, no. There will be a fatal accident inquiry and you could still be indicted. John Gore could even attempt a private prosecution although he's likely to be busy handling his own affairs. His home has been searched, they found a safe set into the floor of the downstairs loo! The place was bugged, and it seems the officers conducting the search tripped an alarm. The Lavoska sisters have gone to ground."

"And yet you wanted me to go to Lausanne?"

"It's unlikely you'd have actually gone."

"What about the explosion in the office?"

"The gas line had been severed by a small explosive. The boiler was serviced a week ago and we're looking at video of the engineer to try to identify him. He was, of course, fully supervised while he was there. We've suppressed this information, of course."

"Even so?"

"Yes, my security failed. Jenny isn't happy at all."

They reached the café but spotted a couple of journalists inside so kept walking.

"The Police said you'd be ages so they came down here."

"Where's the car?"

"We flew."

The chopper was another ten minutes distant, sat in the spacious carpark of an abandoned store. A few locals were intrigued, even more so when the trio arrived, boarded and the rotor started to spin. Thankfully the onlookers moved back.

When the helicopter turned to head South, instead of West to Thurso, Tammy felt she wasn't being told everything.

"We're dropping you in Aberdeen, Helen and Louise will join you in a few hours and you're booked into a hotel."

"Oh?"

"It's best that you disappear for a while." Hilary pulled out a shoulder bag. "For the next few weeks you'll be Beccy Adams. All your documents are in there, plus your Glock and two magazines. Try not to kill anyone. We'll deal with the aftermath easier with you out of the way."

"Okay, where am I going?" Tammy badly regretted not using the loo in the police station.

"Fancy doing an art course?"

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Comments

She becomes Becky Adams after

She becomes Becky Adams after this was supposed to be compromised? I thought it was a burned or unusable identity? Perhaps there's more to this than Hilary is willing to say, given the offer of Cornwall last edition?

I fear for her as Becky Adams with Helen there, especially how air-headed Helen can be. It seems like it's only a matter of "when" not "if" Helen screws up.

I'm told STFU more times in a day than most people get told in a lifetime

Perplexed?

My, my, my, that girl knows how to find trouble.

Who was the (lookalike) girl that got shot? Puzzled that Tammy was as forthcoming with the local police as she was.

And now what happens? Art school?

WHOA!!!

Alecia Snowfall's picture

WHAM! BAM! WTF JUST HAPPENED?

quidquid sum ego, et omnia mea semper; Ego me.
alecia Snowfall

wow

Out of breath after this episode! its been relativly benign for ages and then all this excitement. The Police firearms people are such a pain with their formal arrest and you took the shot so it must be your fault, but this is the UK! our local firearms cops in Manchester have a dreadful record of shooting themselves and each other!

Are UK cops really that dense?

Of course in America, innocence is assumed until guilt is proven in a court of law. Louise had been with Tammy and knew the sort of action taking place. Well, of course Louise did not see the progression of events inside the church. You'd actually think they would ask a few more questions before carting her off? This would make me very disinclined to cooperate with the plod in any way at all.

I was actually in a similar situation and a SWAT team came knocking. They cuffed me and put me in a patrol car, but when the assailant showed up again, she was apparently known to the police, and they arrested her and let me go immediately.

WTF!!!???

"But it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you rely on in court."

That's the whole reason behind our Fifth Amendment. You can tell as much or as little as you want. And if you so desire an attorney and ask for one, then all the questioning has to stop immediately. They can't say "Boo" to you until your lawyer shows up.


I went outside once. The graphics weren' that great.

I actualy find that a bit confusing.

Hypatia Littlewings's picture

I don't think that exact meaning is obvious. You pretty much need to have studied it to understand it.

And no matter how you interpret it, and the wording is certainly open to interpretation, unless you trained/taught what it legally means, there is an additional problem. A person who is under stress and just under went a traumatic experience, is expected to make a spur of the moment decision out understanding the legal implication of what they should and should not say, and what ever they do can be held against them. And they are very likely under such circumstance accidentally to get it wrong in both directions.

I noticed that the cop did not ask "Do you understand... (etc.)", which is standard in the US, however the US version is rather more clear cut and easier to understand. For this version I would probably say "I do Not understand, that is confusing", whether asked or not.

>i<

UK Caution

shiraz's picture

I spent twenty years as a law enforcement officer and the caution that's used was standardised in the 80s across all agencies. What it means is you do have the right to remain silent, you can say nothing or simply "no comment" to all the questions. However the second part says that, if you remain silent during police interviews and, once in court, come up with some explanation about the alleged offence, the court can disregard your testimony. Too many cases were going to trial and failing because the (alleged) criminals tried to include a spurious defence once in court that couldn't be verified - the right to silence has a limit under UK law. The caution does not however prevent a prosecution or defence lawyer obtaining extra information through questioning.

So far as the "do you understand", the requirement is to issue the caution at the time of arrest and the "understood?" is optional. However, once back at the police station the caution is repeated and the custody officer asks the "understood?" question, recording the answer in his log as well as answering any queries. Interpreters or impartial helpers will assist if necessary. The caution is also repeated at the start of any interview.

Oh, the number of "no comment" interviews has dropped to a trickle.

- - - -

Paperback cover Boat That Frocked.png

Discovery

In the U.S. in a criminal case, the prosecution is required to reveal all evidence to the defense, including evidence that can undermine their case. Due to the right against self-incrimination the defense is under no such requirement. The fact that this evidence was not revealed during suspect interrogation means nothing in the U.S. The court (and jury, if there is one) are required to consider the evidence on its own merits. I'd say its pretty much a given that the defence may produce evidence the prosecution knows nothing about.

That goes back to my comment that much of what Tammy was put through simply doesn't occur in the U.S. There are merits and faults with each system. I would not like to be charged criminally in the U.K., no doubt you would be equally unhappy to be charged in the U.S.


I went outside once. The graphics weren' that great.

Actually clearcut

1. You have the right to remain silent
2. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law
3. You have the right to talk to an lawyer and have him present with you while you are being questioned
4. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish
5. You can decide at anytime to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements

Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?

The version we used was a bit different but I looked this up instead of following my memory. Of course anybody that has watched CSPAN has heard a thousand times "I decline to answer on the grounds my answer may incriminate me" or "At this time I am invoking my 5th Amendment rights and declining to answer."

I suppose if you want to play legal beagle you might toss some words around about how and when the suspect was given their Miranda warning. There is one dodge I have seen used where the person is not placed under arrest right away in an attempt to get them to say something before they are Mirandized, but some courts frown on police officers trying to be lockerroom lawyers.

So down at the street level (or the station) it really is cut and dried. The suspect doesn't even have to have been Mirandized, the minute they ask for an attorney the questioning stops. Been there, done that. Play all the legal games you wish, it doesn't change what an officer is required to do. The courts have had their say.

Two extra notes. 1. I am only talking about the U.S. legal system. 2. I've met 8yr old kids that can recite their Miranda rights better than I can. I suggest the jist of it has entered the collective consciousness to the point where anybody and everybody knows them.


I went outside once. The graphics weren' that great.

I got a good giggle out of that.

WillowD's picture

I believe there was discussion earlier wondering if Elise could get Tammy to go to the art course. It looks like Shiraz has Elsie beat when it comes to getting Tammy to do something.

What a dumb copper is she to

What a dumb copper is she to curtsey and ask to pretty please kill me or kill the one shooting up the place.Bet that copper who nicked her was well pissed off when he was told to let her go.

Procedure

joannebarbarella's picture

In America it's Miranda, that's if the cops haven't shot you first. The UK has that "You are under arrest...etc". The procedure has to be followed so as not to void any possible prosecution.
The alarm bells should have gone off when there was a second security check.

Oh, so Tammy doesn't have the right to choose to live?

Oh, so Tammy doesn't have the right to choose to live? Her life was in immediate AND imminent danger! In Florida that's all she needs to justify using deadly force.

A full frontal lobotomy would benefit that copper and the public would somewhat safer. Does she believe that a court could bring someone back from being dead? I know there are people who believe the same way as this cop, unfortunately.

Good, chapter. Tammy said a bit too much to the STUPID cop but the readers needed some of the information.

Ok, I'll be nice. Please have that STUPID cop sent to the same Special Ops training that Tammy just finished. She just may turn out to be acceptable.

Don't have the right?

Jamie Lee's picture

I'm trying to wrap my head around the logic that says if a person is pointing a weapon at you and about to pull the trigger, you don't have the right to shot them first. Does that officer mean a person is supposed to stand there like a paper target and get killed?

How did Tammy know the Gores were gunning for her? Let's see, daddy was yelling for them to get her because he had hostages, mommy was about to put a round into Tammy, and the girl in the dark glasses, likely Martina, was look out to spot Tammy. Plus the bugs Martina put in the shop.

Oh Hilary and the others are going to get grilled big time. They kept telling Tammy don't assume this or that, but Tammy's assumptions could have kept this from happening. But which of those experienced agents is going to listen to a 19 year old girl?

Funny how the Penny sisters vanished after this mess. And had Tammy gone with them she would have been the one to disappear. But would it have been for her safety or to feed the fish?

Guess Helen can thank the Gores for making it necessary for Tammy to be taking that art course. Wonder how long it will take Tammy before she strangles Helen? Or for Helen to get the message about keeping a low profile?

Others have feelings too.