Hit and Run

Chapter Eighteen

Harper’s solicitor, a bullish looking man with a bad complexion and an excellent tailor, had arrived and sat with his client facing Janine and Richard. Harper looked anxious, a frown lodged between his eyes, his fingers tangled together on the table in front of him. A small tic fretted at the left side of his jaw.

‘You’ve rather a lot of explaining to do,’ Janine told him. ‘Let’s start with Rosa Milicz, shall we?’

‘She danced at the club…’ he began, sounding weary at repeating the same information.

‘Don’t waste your breath,’ Janine interrupted him. ‘We know about your relationship. We know you were her pimp.’

His expression shifted, concern replacing the jaded look. ‘I…’ he faltered. ‘I liked her. We hit it off. She couldn’t settle, though. Some of them, they get used to being on the game but she hated it. So I let her work at the club, instead. But she still wasn’t happy.’

‘She was pregnant,’ Janine said.

Harper blinked. It backed up her hunch. ‘It was yours,’ she stated.

He looked a little uneasy. ‘She said it was.’

‘You thought she was lying?’

A moment then he swung his head, no. He pressed his palms against the table and ducked his head as if steeling himself. ‘She began to talk about going back. She had nothing over there.’ He implied her decision was ridiculous.

‘Family?’

Harper shrugged. Either he didn’t know what family Rosa had or he didn’t think it relevant. ‘I said I’d try and find a way, smooth things over. Then Sunday night, at work, she’s on about it again, getting in a state. I told her maybe I could persuade Sulikov to let her go – tell him she was seriously ill or something. But I needed some time.’ He spoke calmly, plenty of eye contact. ‘I told her to wait. I thought I’d got through to her.’ He shook his head.

Richard moved position. ‘Did you see Rosa on Monday?’

‘No,’ Harper said. ‘I told you.’

‘You were close to Rosa,’ said Janine, ‘but maybe a baby wasn’t part of the plan. Convenient for you – her disappearance.’

Harper’s face fell, his mouth opened as he reacted to the implication. ‘No, it wasn’t like that.’

‘You were sleeping with her, you were the father of her child and yet when she was murdered you said nothing.’ Janine challenged him to justify his actions.

‘I was scared,’ he protested.

‘She was dead.’

He flinched.

Janine carried on, hoping that more pressure would push him into talking. ‘Tell us, Mr Harper. What really happened? You killed her, didn’t you?’

‘No,’ a wobble of panic in his voice. ‘I didn’t touch her.’ He looked from Janine to Richard. His eyes shone with intensity. ‘I don’t know what you want me to say.’

‘The truth would be a start. How about something like this?’ In considering Harper as the killer, Janine had already formulated an account of events that didn’t stray too far from the few facts they had. ‘You did see her on Monday: she told her friend that she was going into work but she came to you and you had sex. She told you she was running away. You had to stop her leaving.’ Janine laid out each part of the scenario in a matter-of-fact voice. ‘You argued. You put your hand around her neck. How long did it take?’

In the pause she watched Harper’s Adam’s apple bob up and down, a bead of sweat break on his forehead and start to trace its path down his cheek.

‘And then you wrapped her in bin bags. Broke her face.’

‘Her face!’ He was appalled. ‘I didn’t kill her. I wouldn’t hurt her. It wasn’t me.’

‘Who was it then?’ Janine said sharply.

‘I can’t,’ Harper said fervently, shaking his head quickly. ‘It’s not safe. He…’

‘Who?’

The solicitor interrupted the exchange. ‘My client has answered your questions.’

‘He’s told me nothing,’ Janine retorted. ‘Who was it, Mr Harper?’

‘I can’t,’ he insisted. ‘Please, I can’t.’ His forehead was furrowed with lines, he grimaced, his lips pulled back, spittle at the corners of his lips. ‘I just can’t.’

Janine made to stand, fed up with pussyfooting about. She’d call his bluff. ‘Fine. If that’s the way you want it. Interview terminated.’

‘All right!’ Harper shouted. ‘All right. Sulikov, it was Sulikov. But I can’t…’ he lowered his voice. ‘It was a warning.’ He ran his hands over his face and breathed out harshly. ‘I’m sorry I can’t – he’ll kill me.’

‘What do you mean? A warning?’ Richard asked.

Harper slid his hands down his face leaving his fingertips splayed across his jaw, his little fingers covering the deep cleft in his chin. He sounded hoarse. ‘It was a warning, to the girls, to me.’ He spread his hands out now, palms upwards asking to be believed. ‘I don’t know if he actually did it or whether he paid someone else. He rang me up – on Tuesday.’

‘Sulikov?’ Richard checked.

‘Yes,’ Harper’s breath came erratically; he was panting as he gave his account. ‘He said I should have known better, helping myself to the merchandise. He said he’d taken care of Rosa.’ He stopped abruptly, wrapping his arms round himself, tucked his hands into his armpits, out of sight, hunched his shoulders. ‘I didn’t know what he meant at first – she hadn’t been found then. She never deserved-’ He stopped, licked his lips. ‘He said my car had made a lovely blaze. Any more problems, he said, and it’d be my house next, with me in it.’

‘Your car was used to carry the body,’ Janine reminded him.

‘To teach me a lesson.’ His eyes glistened. ‘I didn’t know any of this would happen. Honestly. I thought she would wait – maybe see sense about the baby.’

‘An abortion?’ she asked.

He looked uneasy.

‘You’d no intention of helping her, had you? You were just stalling.’

He didn’t answer, he was unnerved and the tic in his jaw was flickering away.

‘So, let’s see what we’ve got so far,’ she looked at Harper then at Richard. ‘You manage the Topcat Club and the brothel in Openshaw. Both businesses are owned by Konrad Sulikov. Sulikov is also behind a trafficking operation. Rosa Milicz was one of the women he smuggled over. You began a sexual relationship with her.’ Harper sat there as though exhausted; she wasn’t even sure whether he was taking in what she was saying now. ‘You arranged for Rosa to dance at the club although she continued to live at the brothel. When Rosa discovered she was pregnant she talked about wanting to return to Poland. You’ve told us that you last saw Rosa on Sunday at work when you argued about her plans. She was desperate to go back but you told her to wait. On Monday evening you reported your car stolen from home. Tuesday you received a phone call from Konrad Sulikov telling you he had taken care of Rosa and threatening you.’

Harper began to shake.

There was a sharp rap at the door which made them all jump. Richard spoke for the machine: ‘Interview suspended, 16.47,’ and stopped the tape. Janine went to see who it was, her head still buzzing with the details of Harper’s account. His story so far meshed with Marta’s; both pointed to Sulikov as the man behind the killing.

Richard followed her out. Butchers was there, his face bright with excitement. He held out a hands-free phone. ‘Lee Stone on the phone for you, boss.’

Her heart began to thud. She took the phone, walked a few paces down the corridor. ‘Mr Stone, this is DCI Lewis.’

‘Jez Gleason. I didn’t kill him. I never killed nobody. I need protection, a new identity, the lot.’

She locked eyes with Richard as she listened.

‘Where are you?’

‘Can you do it, get me a safe house?’

‘It’s possible. You’d need to come in and talk to me. We’d need to know how you could help us. Where are you Lee?’

‘You’re tracing this call aren’t you…’

‘No, wait. Please, Lee…’ He’d hung up already, the dialling tone loud in her ear.

Janine closed her eyes, released her shoulders, swore with frustration. ‘He thought we were tracing it,’ she told Richard. ‘He claims he’s innocent.’

Richard looked askance.

‘Wants witness protection.’

‘He’ll ring again,’ Richard reassured her.

He probably would but there was no guaranteeing it. Janine wondered whether there was any other way she could have handled the call that would have stopped him freaking out.

‘The guy’s on the run,’ Richard said, ‘his name’s on posters all over the place, we want to talk to him about two murders and a death by dangerous driving, of course he’s paranoid.’

‘He must think he’s got something to bargain with.’

‘He probably thinks telling us about the trafficking will cut it.’

Janine shook her head. ‘He’ll need a lot more than that. And if he did kill Rosa or Gleason, witness protection won’t touch him.’

Marta’s head ached. She wondered if the police would give her something for the pain. They were still in the cells at the police station. The police woman had told them they would be taken to a detention centre later that night. Zofia was weeping, worried that her family would find out exactly what work she had really been doing; she had told them she was waitressing.

‘They don’t need to know,’ Marta told her. ‘Just stick to your story, there was a mistake with the paperwork. You don’t have to go home anyway.’ The girl glanced at her.

‘They’ll probably dump us at Warsaw airport, get us to talk to the police to see what we know. After that – well…’

‘What will you say?’ Zofia swallowed.

Marta shrugged. ‘As little as possible.’

Marta had no intention of staying in Poland. She’d find a way back to the West. But not with the same set-up. She wanted to put as much distance as possible between herself and Sulikov, she knew that much. Harper had always warned them that his boss wouldn’t tolerate anyone causing problems. She’d heard the rumours: the girl who’d run away without paying her full fee, who’d been found and locked in with hungry dogs; the undercover police informant who had been strung from a lamp-post, his tongue posted to his widow. Knowing what he was capable of, Marta had never imagined Rosa would be reckless enough to run away.

She’d hoped that Harper would talk her round, force her to abort the baby.

How had Sulikov found out? Had Harper betrayed her? Marta wouldn’t put it past him. The way he spoke about Sulikov, he was just as fearful of the man as the rest of them.

The place was too warm. Her skin was sticky, her eyes gritty and the pulsing pain in her temples was getting worse. They had been given tea in plastic cups – it tasted disgusting – and little sandwiches with bitter lettuce and shiny, bland cheese. The custody sergeant had asked whether any of them needed to see a doctor. A precise note was made of their possessions, pitiful really, and their details had been taken. Marta wondered whether they would get anything back. Especially her savings. If this had happened back home, it would already be lining someone’s pocket.

It was noisy; there were no carpets or curtains to soak up the noise. Everything echoed off the hard surfaces. The other two were chattering away now in Polish and beyond that Marta could hear other voices, doors banging, bursts of laughter, phones and the whine of a power drill.

The policewoman had gone. She had a nice manner. Not overly officious or trying to bully Marta for answers. She left space instead, tempting you to fill it in. Some of the questions she had asked made Marta think they were close to catching Konrad Sulikov. When the woman talked about giving evidence against him Marta’s insides turned to water. Marta had avoided the detective’s eyes. She couldn’t do that. Not even for Rosa. It would be like putting her head in a noose. Besides, it wouldn’t help Rosa now, would it?

Marta stared at the wall, painted speckled blue and grey, graffiti gouged out of it. Danny 4eva, Stan 03/03/03. Someone had drawn a heart in blood; it looked like blood, reddish-brown and smeary.

Harper was subdued when they resumed the interview. His ashen complexion and continued breathlessness indicated he was still badly shaken. Janine wanted to get as much from him as she could before his solicitor called a halt. ‘How did Konrad Sulikov find out that Rosa was running away?’

Harper shook his head. ‘I don’t know.’

Janine stared at him until he became defensive. ‘I didn’t tell him,’ he protested. She wasn’t sure whether she believed him. ‘Who else then? He must have found out somehow.’

‘I don’t know,’ he insisted.

‘Could it have been Lee Stone?’

‘Possibly,’ he said slowly. He thought for a moment. He appeared confused. He pinched at the bony bridge on his nose, screwed his eyes shut in concentration. ‘When Rosa and I were arguing on Sunday he was waiting to lock up. He might have heard us.’ He didn’t sound very certain.

‘Would he have been able to work out what the argument was about?’

‘Erm, maybe. She was yelling at me, I’m going back, with or without your help, that sort of thing. He could have passed it on.’

‘When did you last see Stone?’

‘Sunday night.’

‘Has he contacted you since?’

‘No.’

‘What is Stone’s relationship to Sulikov?’ Richard asked him.

‘Sulikov was grooming him for the big time.’

‘The big time?’

‘Sulikov started out with a two-up two-down brothel in Leeds. He’s got a bloody empire now: places in Liverpool, Birmingham, London, clubs, escort agencies. He’s bringing in girls every month. Some of them working, some of them paying more so they can disappear. He needs people like Stone.’

‘Muscle?’

‘No limits,’ the tic jumped again.

‘Could Stone have killed Rosa for Sulikov?’

Harper shook his head, looking lost. He seemed reluctant to accuse the bouncer. Janine was intrigued. She’d have expected Harper to go the whole hog, incriminating others to prove his own innocence but perhaps he wasn’t sure and had some shred of integrity left.

‘My client can’t comment.’ The solicitor at least didn’t want any idle speculation going on.

Janine rephrased her question. ‘Did you hear or see anything that makes you think Stone may have acted on Sulikov’s say so?’

‘Lee Stone took my car,’ he said, ‘though I didn’t know that at the time. Then Sulikov rang me about it.’

‘This phone call after your car was stolen – where did Sulikov ring you from?’ said Richard.

‘His mobile. I don’t know exactly where.’

‘Poland?’ Richard pressed him.

‘No.’ Harper hesitated then added, ‘erm…he’s been over in the UK this week.’

Janine felt her heart punch; there was a batting sensation in her head. ‘What?’ she demanded. Her skin tightened with apprehension.

‘He’s been over here.’ Harper shuffled uncomfortably.

Unbelievable! All along they had assumed the man was on the continent and Harper had left it till now to disabuse them of this notion. Still trying to thwart their investigation? ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell us this?’ she shouted, ‘you think he killed Rosa but you’re still protecting him.’

‘I…’ he couldn’t answer. He blinked. The tic flickered.

‘Where’s he staying?’

‘I don’t know,’ he said dismissively, a little too quickly for Janine’s liking.

‘Where?’ Richard had picked up on it too.

‘Please, I can’t,’ his voice wavered.

She stared at him, restrained herself from raising her voice and used a steely tone instead. ‘Your silence has done enough damage already, now answer the question.’

‘He’ll know I told you. You’ve no idea what he’s like.’ Harper was becoming hysterical, his face contorted and reddening.

‘We’ll be discreet,’ she said.

‘Discreet! He’s a fucking maniac!’ Harper yelled, half out of his seat. ‘He’ll kill me.’

‘We’ve enough to arrest him, we’ll put him behind bars,’ she said. ‘Now you can help us or we can put you there with him, too. Your choice.’

Harper sank back, rubbing his face, trying to calm his breathing. He was very agitated.

Come on. Janine willed him, her heart beating hard. She knew without this they’d lose Sulikov; soon as he heard about the raid on the brothel he’d disappear. It wouldn’t be impossible to pursue him in Poland but it would be a lot more haphazard. He was here, in the country, under their noses. ‘Mr Harper?’

He blew a breath out, pressed the tips of his fingers to his temples. Bracing himself. His shoulders slumped and Janine knew she had won. ‘He’s at The Midland Hotel, Crowne Plaza. He’s probably left by now,’ he added feebly.

And you hope he has, Janine thought. Harper’s cowardice ran all the way through him like print through a stick of Blackpool rock. He was a weak man. Even Marta had shown more guts in telling them about Sulikov.