IC - 25 - Paperwork - Everyone

[Mephistophilis]

Sunday evening, 14th March 2010, High Wycombe Police Station

One day since Regina Balfour was rescued.

Back at the station Kris runs James Williams's prints. He has an interesting history, the fingerprints are recorded on the PNC as belomnging to one Philip Dagenham, with a string of convictions dating back to his childhood in London, mostly drug possession, some dealing, and a few street robberies, but nothing for the last five years or more. It seems that Phil has managed to forge a new identity for himself in High Wycombe.

Hauling Johnny straight into the interview room he just answers 'No comment' to everything he's asked. Figuring it is worth putting pressure on James Williams, or Phil Dagenham, or whatever he is called, Kris has him interviewed in parallel, 'accidentally' letting Johnny catch sight of him as he is led out of the cells. James is a lot more cooperative than Johnny. He denies knowing anything about any weapons and looks shaken at the suggestion he might be involved. He says he’s kept in touch with Johnny over the years but they’ve not been close. When Johnny contacted him recently he agreed for him to come and stay with him for a few days. He admits to dealing cannabis but says that the pills are for his own consumption. He also tests positive for cannabis, as does Johnny.

Okay, so we'll run the interviews a bit more broad brush - we don't need to roleplay everything everyone says - but let me know anything you might want to ask - what you might want to do - any tactics etc.

[Silver Priest]

Simon gets Kris and Jocelyn alone and shared with them his thoughts. Which quickly turn into a lecture.

"In my broad understanding of the criminal mind it seems rather clear that Mr. Zero will give us little. Jail does not scare him; he is a seasoned perpetrator. More importantly, he is a zealot. Keep in mind he very certainly believes that Reverend Balfour is in touch with God and doing the Lord's work. Nothing we threaten him with is likely to shake this conviction. How then can we expect to get answers from him?" He looks towards the others, awaiting an answer as though he's back in the classroom. After a dramatically appropriate moment, he raises a finger and smiles.

"It must be understood that almost all people have pressure points that when properly exploited compel them to cooperate. Mr. Zero is no exception. And I believe I know precisely what may get him to talk. His mother. Simply put, we imply we're investigating her for a part in all this sordid affair. Imply that she knew where he was or might have been a part of Balfour's scheme and that we're opening an investigation into her. Perhaps imply a leak to the press and that she will soon be harassed by reporters at her door, all asking her about her connection to her criminal son. It has been said that even bad men love their mums, and I believe Mr. Zero to be no exception. I believe he will offer up something to save her from the trouble, and a deal should be able to be arranged."

[Philulhu]

”He’s been unwilling to talk so far, so if you think that will work, Simon, then I’m willing to give that a try,” Kris replied. “As for Mr Dagenham, he seems fairly co-operative but we could always let on that Zero was involved in Balfour’s terrorist plot and, in turn, that makes him a suspect too. He’d find it a lot harder to start again with MI5 constantly on his tail.”

[Mr. Handy]

"Sounds like a plan," says Jocelyn. "We could also try to trick Dagenham into thinking that Johnny started cooperating and has betrayed him, in order to get him to betray Johnny. Then we can use whatever he tells us as leverage when we question Johnny."

[Silver Priest]

"My initial impression is that Mr. Dagenham knows very little about whatever Mr. Zero was planning. I suspect he was just helping out an old mate. That said it shouldn't prove too difficult to get him to tell us whatever Johnny told him when he came seeking shelter. Especially when we indicate how much trouble Johnny is in. Impress upon him this is a terrorist case and that in exchange for his cooperation the police can overlook his part in this and let him get back to his life, and I suspect he'll sing like a canary. Tweet tweet." Simon smiles, amused at his bon mot.

[Philulhu]

”Let’s hope you’re right, Simon. I think we’re going to need all the leverage we can get with Johnny Zero,” said Kris “Ok, so we have a plan. Let’s go and ask Mr Dagenham some more questions.”

[Mephistophilis]

As the seriousness of the case against Johnny becomes more apparent, Philip Dagenham first admits he 'might' have been dealing the pills as well then begins to clam up as he realises he's implicated in the kidnapping of Regina Balfour. He looks anxious and twitchy. 'I'm not saying anything else until you get me a brief. This is too much for me!'

You want him to say anything else give me a successful Persuade roll. You know 100% his solicitor will advise him not to say anything else. I'll let you have a bonus die since you've got a lot on him and you can go with your plan of implying Johnny has rolled over.

[Philulhu]

Persuade (55%) - 1d100
Bonus dice - 1d10

”You realise how much trouble you’re in?” said Kris. It was a rhetorical question - the look Dagenham’s face made that clear. “But you help us and I’ll put in a good word with the prosecution team. Otherwise… …” he shrugged.

[Mephistophilis]

'Waddaya want, waddaya want?' stammers Dagenham. 'I don't know nuffink. Whaddaya want?'

[Philulhu]

”Let’s start with everything you know about ‘Johnny Zero’, shall we?” said Kris, leaning forward to study Dadenham intently.

[Mr. Handy]

"You're going to have to come up with something," says Jocelyn, "in order to convince the Crown Prosecution Service."

[Silver Priest]

Simon crosses his hands in front of him and leans in, giving a soft smile. "Mr. Dagenham, you strike me as a fellow who has learned from his past troubles and really has made an effort to turn over a new leaf. None of us are interested in destroying the new life you've built for yourself. But I'm afraid Johnny's in a tremendous amount of trouble. You may have been aiding an old friend, but we have reason to believe he's involved with things that have national security implications. If the worst happens and those he is affiliated with carry out such a plot, everyone who aided Mr. Zero and his friends is going to be looked at very harshly. But I firmly believe you can help us stop anything serious from happening, and demonstrate your own willingness to assist us.

"As for what we need, my associate has the right of it. Why don't you start by telling us how Johnny reached out to you to begin with, and anything he may have told you about why he needed your assistance. Especially anything involving his faith or the church he's now in. Anything about his mood in the days you harbored him... did he seem stressed or troubled?"

[Mephistophilis]

Dagenham starts blabbering, almost uncontrollably he describes his acquaintance with Johnny from growing up in London and the gang culture there. He says they were never close, Johnny was involved in much more serious stuff than him, drug distribution, enforcement, maybe even taking out some rivals. 'Everyone was afraid of him man. He was the real deal, hard fucker alright.' Dagenham says he just fell in with the wrong crowd, did a bit of street level drug dealing himself, 'Moved a bit of blow,' but managed to get out of the capital and settle down in High Wycombe with an uncle. He changed his name and went straight, well, mostly straight. He admits to selling cannabis 'And a few pills. But I don't know nuffink about any little girls, you gotta believe me. I ain't into none of that stuff.'

He says that he didn't have anything to do with Johnny again until the last few years when Johnny turned up in Wycombe. He recognised him in the street and they got to chatting. Johnny seemed very taken with his new church and the pastor there, Revd Balfour, and even tried to get him to come along. 'I ain't got no time for the church you know? Not my cuppa tea.' Johnny told him that he'd gone straight and put his previous life behind him and Dagenham didn't see any reason to disbelieve him. They only met occasionally around Wycombe and as far as he could see Johnny was being up front with him, doing youth work with the church, 'Living straight-edge man, didn't even smoke the bud anymore,' nothing suspect. That is until a few days ago when Johnny called him up and said he needed his help. 'Said someone from the old days was after him, needed somewhere to lay low for a coupla days. I didn't see no harm. Johnny deserved the break. Well, that's how I saw it. He seemed on edge, but that wasn't surprising. Those boys back in the big smoke, they're not to be fucked with, you get me?'

[Mr. Handy]

"Who in particular from the old days do you know of who might be after Johnny, and why?" asks Jocelyn.

[Silver Priest]

Simon doubts that line of inquiry will get them anything, and was likely just fed to Dagenham to keep him from asking too many questions. But he listens carefully just in case.

[Mephistophilis]

Dagenham shrugs desperately. 'He didn't say who was after him. But there were plenty of them from back in the day. Bastards. Anton, Waggers, they scared me, scared me more than Johnny.'

[Philulhu]

”Anton? Waggers? Who are they?” asked Kris, as he made notes. ”We need full names, contact details. How do they know Johnny and did he say why whoever it was was after him?”

[Mr. Handy]

"Did Johnny tell you anything about his plans?" asks Jocelyn.

[Mephistophilis]

Johnny didn't tell me anything about his plans. You gotta believe me, if he'd said anything about a kid I woulda kicked him out...or, um, and told someone.' He raises his hands in the air, 'Din't say who was after 'im either. Just kinda hinted at it. I didn't want to know to be honest.' His eyes dart from side to side. 'Anton was one of the 318 Crew, real gangster type, crazy fucker. I think his full name was Anton Hayman, I don't know any address of nuffink. Waggers was the leader of the Ghetto Boys. Real name's Stephen but I don't know his surname. Couldn't tell you where any of 'em live. Honestly, I haven't been involved in any of that shit for years. I don't keep up on the gang stuff. It's not my scene anymore. Too much violence. I don't know anything else.'

[Mr. Handy]

Jocelyn isn't sure whether she does believe him, but she has no further questions.

Psychology roll (55% skill) about Dagenham:
d%