Whilst Ann was regaling her companions with the events of the court, across town at the police station Jack Towers was doing the same. Applause and whistles sounded when he had finished speaking.
‘It’s another job well done, lads, and my thanks go to every one of you. We’ve put another murderer behind bars. Let’s just hope we get no more for a very long time. Right, what’s next?’
‘House broken into up at Spring Head, sir,’ Constable Phillips said as he followed Jack into his office.
‘Shut the door please,’ the inspector instructed.
Phillips did as he was bid.
Jack nodded and opened the drawer to his desk. Taking out a paper, he handed it to the younger man. ‘Well deserved, my boy!’
Opening the letter, the constable gasped. It was a letter informing him of his promotion to the rank of sergeant.
‘Thank you, sir,’ he said with a tear in his eye.
‘Go and tell the others and, Phillips, enjoy it,’ Jack said, nodding towards the door.
He watched his new sergeant waving the letter in the air and heard the good natured comments and applause yet again.
Jack was pleased Phillips had been made up to sergeant. How could he not have been after Jack’s glowing report and recommendation? The lad had gone above and beyond his duty, particularly with the prostitute murderer. He smiled as he heard someone shout, ‘New frock to celebrate, Philomena?’ His smile turned to quiet laughter as he watched Phillips mince across the room and playfully tap his letter on the man’s arm. The whole room erupted as Phillips sauntered back to his desk, kissing his beloved letter.
The following morning, Jack rose from his warm bed and shivered as he quickly dressed. Downstairs in the kitchen, he looked at the cold range and shook his head. ‘Bugger it, I’ll get a cuppa at the station,’ he muttered aloud.
Donning his outdoor coat, he walked briskly towards his place of work. He would be there just long enough to down a hot cup of tea and inform his new sergeant he would be out for a few hours.
The tea had warmed him and Jack now stood outside the station. He gazed up at the blue lamp affixed to the wall. Introduced in 1861, these now adorned every police station in the country and he felt pride swell in him. Hailing a cab, he called out the address to the driver before alighting. Jack Towers was going to Stafford Gaol.
As the cab made the perilous journey over ice covered cobblestone roads, Jack looked out of the window at the snowdrifts. The people and traffic had cleared the roadways, pushing the now dirty piles onto the footpaths. He watched as women, skirt hems held up, endeavoured to traverse the street and avoid the slush.
The cab skewed to the side as the wheels could find no purchase on a patch of ice and Jack held on tightly as the driver gained control once more. He was beginning to think he should have waited for the weather to improve before making this journey, but it was too late now.
Arriving at the jail, he asked the cabbie to wait. Once inside the building, the inspector showed his identity card and gave his request to see the Governor.
Shown to an office, Jack introduced himself to the man sat behind a huge desk. He sat when invited to do so.
‘So how can I help you, Inspector?’ the Governor asked.
‘It was my force who apprehended and charged Victoria Beckett, and I was wondering how she was fitting into your fine establishment,’ Jack said as his eyes roamed the plush office. ‘I said I would try to keep her father updated…’
‘Ah, the delightful Miss Beckett,’ the Governor said. ‘I’m afraid you’ve come a little too late, Inspector. You see she’s no longer with us.’
Jack’s mouth dropped open in shock.
‘Oh, she’s not dead! I’m so sorry – allow me to explain.’ The Governor leaned his elbows on the highly polished surface of the desk and steepled his fingers. ‘The morning Miss Beckett joined us she attacked one of my female staff and bit the poor woman’s earlobe clean off! Later in the day she stole another inmate’s food and, when the person retaliated, Miss Beckett assailed her in a most violent manner. Therefore we had no alternative but to have her committed to the insane asylum. I have written a letter to her father informing him of these dreadful incidents and our subsequent action on the matter.’
Jack blew through his teeth. ‘I see. Well, I thank you for your time, sir.’
Shaking the other man’s hand, Jack then left the office and was escorted back to his waiting cab.
On his journey back to Wednesbury, he contemplated what the Governor had told him and he was glad they had caught Victoria when they had. God knows what could have happened had she remained at large. He determined that other than making the necessary notes on Victoria’s police file, he would keep this knowledge to himself. After all, Victoria Beckett was out of harm’s way now and would be for the rest of her life.