Bill Franks: Jesuit

With military precision, the prisoner was handed over to the officers in the van and the doors closed with an unnecessarily loud bang, followed by a couple of smacks against the doors to signal to the driver that the prisoner was aboard. Ignatious was just able to catch sight of Sampler and his assistant, Miller, in a car with its engine running, waiting to lead them to Woburn Safari Park, before the doors shut. He also took note that the woman, Dunning was with them.

The windows of the van were darkened so that no one could see into it but they allowed perfect vision looking out. Ignatious was now handcuffed by his right hand to a steel rail running along the interior and he was placed between two officers once more. Looking through the rear windows, he noticed another van but was unable to identify it. In fact, it contained six forensic officers, ready to do a detailed search of the area where the body was to be found. Behind that vehicle, there came a police car, which served as an escort.

The convoy began the journey, feeling confident that the roads would be relatively empty at that early hour and that was the reason for planning it. Even the very well used motorways that led to and from the Capital would make for easy travelling. And so it proved; they arrived at the Park within the hour, occupants of the M1 consisting mainly of heavy, slow-moving trucks that were passed with ease.

Driving through the ready-opened gates, the party came to a halt and Graham got out. The gates were then re-closed. The Park would not be opened to visitors until the police crews had left.

He was met by the park manager, a tall, slimly built man in his early fifties, a Mr. William Shankley-More. Streaks of silver-grey protruded from the otherwise impressively black hair and the brown, intelligent eyes oozed confidence. His handshake was dry and firm as he took Graham’s offered hand.

“Good morning, Detective Inspector,” he opened. “Sorry that you have to visit us on such a distasteful mission. Most people come here for pleasure.” He smiled warmly.

Graham took to Shankley-More immediately. “Yes. I’m sorry too. However, we hope to get this thing sorted very quickly. Our prisoner is an intelligent man who is not likely to waste our time.” He then asked: “Is it likely that a body could have been hidden inside there,” he pointed to the enclosure, “without the animals getting scent and going for it?”

“Generally, I would say no. I would expect any animal to pick up the scent of a human, especially a dead one. However,” Shankley-More stroked his chin, “it is also likely that our Rangers would have spotted the extra activity that would certainly have taken place. Predators, you know. Of course, we keep the animals within their cages or compounds from late evening until morning.”

“Well. Let’s get the thing done and dusted. How do you propose we go in, Mr. Shankley-More?”

As he spoke, the manager signalled to his Rangers to come over with their vehicles. “As you can see, the Rangers travel in a canvas covered Jeep. There is also the Range Rover that you will observe, also canvas-covered at the rear and I suggest that you, the prisoner and up to six others follow in that.” He squinted his eyes as he looked at the other van and the police car. “Did you intend to have the occupants of the other van enter the enclosure?”

“Yes.” Answered Graham, “They are the forensics team and they will want to sift the spot for clues.” That brought Graham to his main point of concern. “Will my team be safe, Mr. Shankley-More? I know you will have taken all precautions but, after all, these are wild animals.”

“Oh, you have no need to worry on that score,” he said hurriedly, eager to assure. “The dangerous ones; the Lions and the Tigers will remain locked in until the search is completed. My Rangers will be carrying rifles with tranqilliser darts, anyway, and the animals have all been fed so they are more likely to be drowsy than anything else. The forensic people will be able to travel in their own van. Unfortunately, I have no other vehicles to spare as we have to keep two on stand-by in case of problems.”

That being agreed, Ignatious was brought from the prison van and seated in the Range Rover, behind the front passenger seat, Graham next to him with Sallie and Clive immediately behind them. Two of the prison officers took up the two rear seats and the remaining officers made up the driver and mate.

“Right, Brother Saviour,” said Graham, “How far in the enclosure is the body?”

Ignatious was quite unruffled by the occasion. “About two miles, I would guess. I’ll be able to spot the particular bush under which I hid him; it’s quite distinctive. Just follow the Drive.”

With that, the Rover trundled forward and into the enclosure, followed closely by the forensic van and escorted by the Jeep, which was driving on the short, grassy parkway alongside. The police car brought up the tail. Two Rangers closed and locked the gates as soon as the vehicles were clear and stood watching as they moved slowly along the route.

There was a plentiful smattering of animals dotted about, mostly Gazelles of varying kinds grazing casually under the rays of the gradually warming Sun. Here and there could be seen a number of Giraffes, some Elephants, Zebras and a couple of Rhino’s. All went about their business in a quiet and unconcerned manner.

The convoy had travelled only a hundred and fifty yards or so along the road, when they were halted by a group of docile-looking Antelopes that had wandered across the path. Instead of grazing, as they had been, all were looking towards the lead vehicle. The Rangers drove toward them, shouting as they went, with the intention of frightening the timid animals away. To their surprise, they remained where they were. Reacting to this, the Rangers inched the jeep forward until it was touching the nearest Antelope, nudging it gently out of the way. The convoy moved again, following the jeep and making a way through the assembled herd.

In the distance could be heard the roar of the lions and tigers. To the experienced ears of the Park Rangers, the roars were more of a desperate kind; more disturbing. As they listened, still moving forward slowly due to the Antelopes re-grouping and persistently bunching in front of the vehicles, they noticed the Elephants and the Rhinos slowly ambling in their direction. It was something of a puzzle as the usual reason for moving towards visitors was in the hope of food and all had recently been fed. Sometimes, curiosity attracted the beasts to visitors but this movement seemed wrong somehow.

Ignatious, from his position in the Range Rover, smiled; his mind was at work, disturbing the animals, encouraging them to a frenzy. Looking in the direction of the increasing sounds of the lions and tigers, he directed the two rhinos to the place. They trotted unhurriedly away from the convoy and in the direction of the big cats, watched idly by the Rangers as they became swallowed up in the mist that was rising.

After making slow headway for about a mile, the vehicles came once again to a halt, this time due to a large Bull Elephant standing in the way, its little tail swishing and its trunk swinging left to right in an agitated manner. It began to stomp on one front leg then the other, trumpeting loudly as it did so, as if warning the crew not to go any further.

The occupants of the Rover began to get nervous; this magnificent beast was, close-up, bigger than any of them had ever imagined. He was awesome! Just then, uncharacteristically, a Gemsbok Antelope leapt onto the bonnet of the Jeep, its hooves clattering against the warm metal. It stared into the cab for several seconds before leaping off again and bounding away.

One of the Rangers fired a dart close by the Elephant’s head, knowing that, big as they were, Elephants were upset by noise. It had the desired effect and the beast lumbered slowly out of the way, snorting as it went, with its companion striding slowly behind.