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After experiencing a real criminal investigation, I became convinced that I wanted to become a detective. Richard Paige expressed surprise when I confided in him that I was looking to apply to transfer to CID. He said that he thought I fitted in very well to my role as the local Bobby and it would be a shame to leave the community where I seemed to have become trusted and respected. He said some very kind things about how useful it had been that I had already managed to build up a relationship with Anthony and his brothers and that, if it hadn’t been for me, he might never have got the story out of him.
I thought this was probably just him trying to make me feel good. Anyway, I’d made up my mind that I didn’t want to stay in uniform for my whole police career. Richard was very good about it and gave me lots of tips for improving my application, but I always thought that he had at the back of his mind that I’d missed my real vocation.
The rest, as they say, is history. I eventually got myself selected to move into CID – just about the same time that Richard was promoted to Detective Inspector, as it happens. It may just have been coincidence, but I suspect that he pulled a few strings to get me assigned to a role supporting him, which is how I came to be involved in a murder enquiry at the nurses’ home, which turned out to be the most significant enquiry of my whole career. You can read about it in a short story called “DC Johns Meets his Match”.