Cath Staincliffe - Hit and Run

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.

The Midland was one of the ritziest hotels in town. Janine and Pete had spent a weekend there in their courting days. The café and restaurant were popular meeting places and the doormen in their black top hats and red livery gave a classy feel to the place.

The receptionist, whose face fell with consternation when she saw their police identification, confirmed that Mr Sulikov was staying there. ‘Polish gentleman. He checked in Wednesday evening.’

‘Wednesday? Not earlier?’ Janine was puzzled. Rosa had been killed on Monday. Where had Sulikov been that night, or on the Tuesday? Visiting other parts of his operation? Leaving the dirty work to Stone?

‘He’s still here?’ she asked.

‘That’s right.’

Relief sluiced through her – they weren’t too late.

‘Is he in his room, now?’ asked Richard.

The receptionist turned to check the keys, then back to them shaking her head and Janine felt a lurch of disappointment.

Janine told her they needed to see the room; the woman got someone to cover the reception desk while she took them up in the lift.

Shap was just arriving as they went into the room. While the receptionist watched, Janine, Richard and Shap examined the place. It barely looked occupied: a hold-all at the foot of the bed, ruffled covers and a small toilet bag in the bathroom the only signs that Sulikov was staying there. Shap riffled through the bag in search of any documents but it held only clothes.

‘Travels light,’ Janine observed, finding it hard to keep the frustration from her voice. Too impatient, she chided herself. At least now we know where he is we’ve a damn good chance of picking him up which is a much better state than we were in three hours ago.

Janine spoke to the receptionist. ‘We’ll be leaving Sergeant Shap here to wait for Mr Sulikov. He can sit in the lobby. Now, if you can let him know once Mr Sulikov is back, other officers will be on standby and we’ll make sure there’s as little disruption as possible. And please don’t mention our visit, to anyone.’

The receptionist nodded, wide-eyed, keen to help.

Janine looked at Shap. ‘And as soon as Sulikov steps in that lift I want to know.’

Shap nodded. ‘My pleasure, boss.’

Driving back, Janine aired her thoughts with Richard. ‘He didn’t check in until Wednesday – where was he Monday night when Rosa was killed?’

‘No idea. Staying somewhere else? Upped sticks to try and cover his tracks?’ Richard braked. The traffic on Deansgate was backed up. ‘We’d have been quicker walking,’ he pointed out.