nicotine-stained fingers holding his pen at the ready. “I need to inform our readers about what happened on Tuesday night at Lexington Gardens, and I need to give them a good reason why the police chose to withhold details of this murder from the general public. Your fine reputation is at stake on this one, Superintendent Keane.”
It was a thinly veiled threat. He knew Lambeth had been looking for an opportunity to discredit him for some time now. That was the nature of scum like ‘Slam’, thought Keane. He had some power and he chose to abuse it. For some reason, he would try to weaken those who were trying to do good, to the benefit of those who were destructive. To make matters worse, he would usually justify his lies and twisted half-truths by claiming that the press had a right to “freedom of speech”, or that what he was doing was in everyone’s best interest. ‘Slam’ felt it was his responsibility to present the “truth”.
Thankfully, there were many reporters with a genuine and laudable sense of ethics - Syd Lambeth was simply not one of them. It would be interesting to see, how responsible he would feel towards the 6 men the police were trying to protect through their reticence. But ‘Slam’ was not about to be given the opportunity to put their life at risk.
“There’s no point in me telling you what you already know, so tell me what you’ve got and I’ll fill in the gaps as well as I can” feigned Keane.
“Brett Russell, Australian, retired professional cricketer found dead in Kensington. No blood at the scene of the crime. Police silent as the grave.”
Keane knew it was futile to ask for his source. Furthermore, he suspected Slam was not revealing all he knew. “That’s it?” provoked Keane.
“Until you tell me more.”
“The circumstances surrounding Russell’s death were suspicious. We suspect foul play. To reveal any other details at this point, could possibly put other people’s lives at risk. We are therefore obliged to proceed with our enquiries, until we can be sure that it is safe to publicize more details.”
It was the standard answer that Lambeth was expecting; he changed his tack, “Superintendent, you know that the general public can provide invaluable assistance in cases like this . . . but only if they are informed!”
“We do intend to make a full statement as soon as possible.”
“Today?”
“If that is possible.”
Lambeth took a pack of cigarettes out, tapped the end of one cigarette on the desktop in front of him, and placed it between his thin lips. He was fully aware of Keane’s aversion to cigarette smoke and the fact that there was no ash-tray. He lit his cigarette.
“Does this murder put the general public at risk?” asked Lambeth
“We cannot yet confirm that a murder has taken place . . .”
“Don’t you have the Coroner’s report?”
“We cannot yet confirm that a murder has taken place, and our only motivation for not revealing any more at this point is to protect the general public.”
“So they are at risk!”
“There is no cause to alarm the general public. It would be fair to say that we are progressing towards a clarification of this case at a more rapid pace than is usual. And that is about as much as I can say right now. I will let you know as soon as we are ready to make an official statement.
“Something tells me that will be around 12 o’clock”. ‘Slam’ paused just long enough to interrupt Keane’s response, “Shortly after our next edition is on the street.”
Keane could feel he was about to lose his tether. He knew that Lambeth’s article would go right to the legal limit in terms of undermining the police’s efforts to solve a crime. He knew that he personally would be made to appear incompetent and callous as to the welfare of the general public. And he knew there was very little he could do about it. He was already
It was a thinly veiled threat. He knew Lambeth had been looking for an opportunity to discredit him for some time now. That was the nature of scum like ‘Slam’, thought Keane. He had some power and he chose to abuse it. For some reason, he would try to weaken those who were trying to do good, to the benefit of those who were destructive. To make matters worse, he would usually justify his lies and twisted half-truths by claiming that the press had a right to “freedom of speech”, or that what he was doing was in everyone’s best interest. ‘Slam’ felt it was his responsibility to present the “truth”.
Thankfully, there were many reporters with a genuine and laudable sense of ethics - Syd Lambeth was simply not one of them. It would be interesting to see, how responsible he would feel towards the 6 men the police were trying to protect through their reticence. But ‘Slam’ was not about to be given the opportunity to put their life at risk.
“There’s no point in me telling you what you already know, so tell me what you’ve got and I’ll fill in the gaps as well as I can” feigned Keane.
“Brett Russell, Australian, retired professional cricketer found dead in Kensington. No blood at the scene of the crime. Police silent as the grave.”
Keane knew it was futile to ask for his source. Furthermore, he suspected Slam was not revealing all he knew. “That’s it?” provoked Keane.
“Until you tell me more.”
“The circumstances surrounding Russell’s death were suspicious. We suspect foul play. To reveal any other details at this point, could possibly put other people’s lives at risk. We are therefore obliged to proceed with our enquiries, until we can be sure that it is safe to publicize more details.”
It was the standard answer that Lambeth was expecting; he changed his tack, “Superintendent, you know that the general public can provide invaluable assistance in cases like this . . . but only if they are informed!”
“We do intend to make a full statement as soon as possible.”
“Today?”
“If that is possible.”
Lambeth took a pack of cigarettes out, tapped the end of one cigarette on the desktop in front of him, and placed it between his thin lips. He was fully aware of Keane’s aversion to cigarette smoke and the fact that there was no ash-tray. He lit his cigarette.
“Does this murder put the general public at risk?” asked Lambeth
“We cannot yet confirm that a murder has taken place . . .”
“Don’t you have the Coroner’s report?”
“We cannot yet confirm that a murder has taken place, and our only motivation for not revealing any more at this point is to protect the general public.”
“So they are at risk!”
“There is no cause to alarm the general public. It would be fair to say that we are progressing towards a clarification of this case at a more rapid pace than is usual. And that is about as much as I can say right now. I will let you know as soon as we are ready to make an official statement.
“Something tells me that will be around 12 o’clock”. ‘Slam’ paused just long enough to interrupt Keane’s response, “Shortly after our next edition is on the street.”
Keane could feel he was about to lose his tether. He knew that Lambeth’s article would go right to the legal limit in terms of undermining the police’s efforts to solve a crime. He knew that he personally would be made to appear incompetent and callous as to the welfare of the general public. And he knew there was very little he could do about it. He was already
Similar Books
