Deadly Secrets (Detective Erika Foster #6)(8)

‘There’s a welt coming up already!’ cried Elspeth, tilting Joseph’s head to one side. He kept hold of his camera, and scowled at Erika and McGorry.

‘Do take a seat, officers,’ said the man, pulling out more chairs at the table.

‘Can I see the certificate for your firearm,’ said Erika, ignoring the chair.

‘Certainly,’ he said, leaning the shotgun by the fireplace and moving to a drawer in the Welsh dresser.

‘It’s a legal firearm,’ insisted Elspeth, helping Joseph out of his wet coat and draping a towel around his shoulders. Erika noted he didn’t want to let go of the camera, even when she was trying to get his arms out of the coat.

‘What’s your full name?’

‘Family name is Pitkin. I’m David, this is Elspeth and Joseph. I take it you weren’t expecting to be on duty today?’ he said, looking up from rummaging in the drawer. He indicated Erika’s soaked, misshapen shoes.

‘No.’

‘Were you headed anywhere nice?’

Erika realised she still had to tell Marsh she wouldn’t be coming for lunch. She ignored him and pushed the thought to the back of her head.

‘What do you do for a living?’

‘I’m a horologist,’ he said, tapping the magnifying lens strapped to his head by a leather band. ‘I repair clocks and watches, although, to be honest, it’s more of a hobby since I retired from the bar. Ah, here we are,’ he said, pulling out a folded piece of paper.

‘You were a barrister?’ Erika said, her heart sinking.

‘Yes. Thirty years.’

Erika took the licence and scanned the details.

‘It’s Elspeth’s gun. I have my own. We like to shoot. It’s a hobby, of course.’

‘That seems in order,’ said Erika, passing the licence back to him. ‘But if it’s a hobby, why was the gun so easily to hand?’

Elspeth looked up from peering at Joseph’s neck. ‘I have it in a locked cabinet in the back office! I saw you in the garden, creeping about. This isn’t the nice area it used to be. There’s drugs, and burglaries almost every other day… Look what you did to him! He’s going to have a nasty bruise.’

‘I’ll also remind you, DCI Foster, of the law in Britain regarding self-defence, based on the principles of reasonable force being used?’ said David.

‘Does she brandish a double-barrelled shotgun, in broad daylight, to anyone she finds in the garden? Seems a bit excessive,’ said Erika.

‘Excuse me, I’m not going to be called “she” in my own house,’ snapped Elspeth. ‘I was going to offer you a piece of my coffee and walnut cake, to show no hard feelings, but I’m not going to now.’

McGorry turned away, suppressing a grin, but Erika didn’t find the situation funny. What she wanted to do was to get hold of the camera Joseph was still clutching tightly, and return to the crime scene.

‘A court will usually take into account the fact that being threatened in or at one’s home is a frightening situation,’ said David. ‘The spirit of the law being that someone should have the right to defend themselves, their possessions, and those they are responsible for…’

‘At no point was your son’s or your wife’s life in danger,’ interrupted McGorry.

‘Really? What’s your name, young man?’

‘John McGorry, Detective Constable.’

‘Detective Constable John McGorry, why were you attempting an illegal chokehold on my son?’

‘I wasn’t…’

‘Please don’t lie. You were using Joseph’s camera strap to restrain him about the neck. It’s illegal to use chokeholds on suspects or members of the public. In years gone by, the police were trained in chokeholds, but I would think you’re a little young and inexperienced…’

‘I was merely…’ started McGorry, his cheeks flushing with annoyance. Erika shot him a look to stay quiet.

‘And your superior officer should know this too,’ added David.

‘I do know this,’ said Erika. ‘I can also tell you that if a police officer does use a choke hold, the officer may be able to present a justification for the use of force based on the circumstances. And based on the fact your son was attempting to suffocate my officer, by pushing his face into the snow, a choke hold in self-defence could be considered reasonable or necessary. Check online, this was detailed in a recent freedom of information act to West Mercia police.’

David tried, but failed to hide his annoyance.

‘This still doesn’t explain why you were pursuing my son?’

‘Your son was trespassing at a crime scene.’

‘Which isn’t a criminal offence,’ said David.

‘He was taking photos of the crime scene…’

‘Again, not a criminal offence.’

Erika paused and gave him a thin smile.

‘He was evading a police officer.’

‘Yes, and now we are all here and he will cooperate, within reason.’

‘Your son may have information on his camera which could help our investigation,’ said Erika. She felt foolish for giving chase, and now she was having to defend herself and McGorry to this retired barrister who was threatening to get the better of her.