Missing Read online

  ‘And you think she’ll just agree to a breakfast meeting with someone she don’t even like? What happened for you to fall out?’

  ‘It’s a long story, Shaun, but it won’t be an issue. She might not admit it, but she definitely still likes me. And I owe her a breakfast.’

  * * *

  Emily Ryker was already seated in the corner when they arrived. George made a ‘drink?’ signal with his hand as he stood at the counter. She shook her head and lifted a mug. George noticed her attention shift immediately to Shaun, who stood behind him at the till. Shaun was eyeing the occupants of the café nervously; he looked decidedly uncomfortable. George led Shaun over to Ryker’s corner and put two teas down on the table.

  ‘Thanks for coming out,’ he said.

  ‘What can I say? I’ve never been a fan of the lie-in anyway, George.’

  ‘I’ll make it worth your while.’

  ‘Fucking right you will. I’ve had a look at the menu and they do some house challenge heap for, like, fifteen quid.’

  ‘I saw the poster. You’ll never eat all that.’

  ‘Not even close.’

  ‘But you’ll order it anyway.’

  Ryker smiled. And those big brown eyes came alive as they always had when she smiled. She wore her short brown hair pushed over to one side and was dressed in dowdy jeans and a fleece top with a zip collar that was pulled right up so she could dig her chin into it. George always liked the way she was unquestionably attractive but did nothing to accentuate it.

  ‘You’re lucky,’ she said. ‘I can’t do food this early in the morning. Who’s your mate?’

  Shaun fiddled with a sugar sachet. ‘Shaun Carter.’ He smiled weakly. ‘I’m a skipper from one of the town beat teams.’

  ‘Carter, yeah. I think you might have done some warrants on mutual targets over the last few months. You’re new in, right?’

  ‘To you guys, yeah. I’m a transferee. I was Sussex for nine years.’

  A young girl appeared at the end of the table. She chewed gum, had a blue pinny and looked expectant.

  ‘I think we’re just doing drinks for now thanks, love.’ George said. The girl slunk away.

  Ryker put down her tea mug. ‘What’s this all about then?’

  George shared some eye contact with Shaun and then took the lead. He brought Ryker up to date with everything he knew. Shaun stayed quiet throughout, offering a few timely sighs and shakes of his head.

  ‘Fuck, Shaun! You must be doing your nut!’ George recognised this as Ryker’s best attempt at support.

  ‘I don’t know what to do to be honest. Bobby Leonard did what he was told and he got his family back. I’m praying they have the same intention with mine. I don’t know if it was right to involve anyone else, not George and not you. George said you could be trusted.’

  ‘Jesus! Well, okay, that’s quite a start. I mean I don’t think I could just sit and wait either. I take it there’s no one looking for your family officially? The cops rescued Bobby’s family and they’re thinking it’s job done, right?’

  ‘Yeah. It seems that was the plan all along and you have to say they did it well.’

  ‘They run the risk of them being reported missing by someone else though. They’ll be missed surely?’

  ‘Carol works part-time. She’s not due in until Tuesday. My boy starts half term. Carol speaks to her mum most days, but it will be a few days until she thinks there’s something wrong.’

  ‘And that’s the strength of it,’ George said. ‘Anybody who gets concerned about either of them would get in contact with Shaun here. He can keep any concerns at bay for a day or two without any problems. That’s obviously enough time for these people to achieve whatever it is they want to achieve.’

  ‘Do we have timescales?’ Ryker leant in.

  ‘I’m expecting something today. No idea when.’

  ‘Bobby told you that?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘How will they communicate with you?’

  Shaun took a second then shrugged, ‘I don’t know. They used Carol’s phone to send me a message so they would be able to get my number easy.’

  ‘And what do they still need from you?’

  ‘I don’t know. I could guess that it would be the same as before. Maybe they’ve got another couple of lorries coming through.’

  ‘Fair guess. They obviously chose you for your link to the port. And your girlfriend, she doesn’t know what’s going on?’

  ‘No one else does. I considered it, but she’s a bit of a hothead. She wouldn’t be able to sit on her hands. If I have to involve her again I might have to reassess.’

  ‘How long have you been together?’ Ryker asked.

  ‘Nine months. It’s nothing serious, you know. We’re just messing about really. I was married a long time . . .’ George remembered that Shaun had said he still had feelings for his wife but, even if he hadn’t, it was plain to see.

  ‘And this Polish man is the only link you might have to whoever has your family?’

  George produced a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. ‘Aleksander Nowak. I had twenty minutes reading the log before I came out. He’s at Langthorne House in a cell. They’ve nicked him for murder and the two main actions for the morning are to question him and to find the body. From the log, it looks like he made some initial significant comments about drug dealers killing his brother and demanding police protection, but he clammed up when he got arrested.’

  ‘That might work in our favour,’ Ryker observed.

  ‘How so?’ George said.

  ‘If he doesn’t talk to the detectives on record, he might talk to intel off record. I can really push that angle — use it as an excuse to get in the room with him.’

  George felt encouraged. ‘That’s a very good point. DCI Whittaker’s running the show as well. He’s one of the few senior officers who isn’t hell bent on keeping me at arms’ length from police work. Major Crime are going to be stretched. They’ve got a bloke covered in a missing person’s blood. It’s their worst nightmare. I reckon they might jump at the chance of palming off the kidnap and suicide to other teams. Whittaker might have got a call and be in early this morning. I’ll get onto him.’

  ‘Did this Polish lad say anything? About what happened to his brother?’

  George’s enthusiasm drained away. He tried to avoid close eye contact with Shaun as he considered his reply.

  ‘He just made a few comments before he clammed up. The officers wrote on the log that he was in shock. He was complaining of pain in his shoulder and he had a slim cut to his neck. He was found with some pliers on his person and the running theory is that he cut something from around his neck and escaped.’

  ‘So his brother was hanged? That wouldn’t explain the blood.’

  ‘No, it wouldn’t. The log reads that he might have cut something from his neck before it took his head off. I don’t know—‘

  ‘I need some air.’ Shaun’s chair scraped and he left hurriedly, his hand covering his mouth.

  ‘Just come right out with it, George!’ Ryker said, once Shaun had gone.

  ‘We’re all coppers, Ryker. And if these people might have his family, it’s all the more reason to know what it is we’re up against.’

  ‘How’s he holding up in general?’

  ‘Who knows. He’s under a lot of pressure. He hasn’t really had the opportunity to do anything stupid yet. He’s difficult to read, actually. At least I know what he’s going through.’

  Ryker swigged at her tea but her gaze remained on George the whole time.

  ‘What?’

  ‘You know what. We never talked after you were a dick the last time. Why didn’t you tell me what was going on? You let me go and I could have helped. Then you tried to get yourself killed and when that didn’t happen I heard you got offered retirement. Pension, payoff — the whole shebang. The last time we met, you couldn’t wait to get out of this. Why aren’t you retired?’

  ‘Maybe I learnt
my lesson, Ryker. You’re the only person I’m telling this time. And it wasn’t retiring that I wanted. It was my family.

  ‘I thought that went hand in hand?’

  ‘So did I. And then it didn’t matter whether I was a copper or not, she still left.’

  ‘But surely staying in this job gives you less of a chance of her changing her mind?’

  ‘It gives me more of a chance of having something to give up for her. When she realises that, maybe everything can be all right, I’m going to need a life worth giving up. So she knows I’m serious.’

  ‘That’s some twisted logic there.’

  ‘There’s nothing logical left. I’ve tried logic.’

  ‘Maybe it isn’t meant to be with you two. Maybe she won’t come back for you at all.’ Ryker tilted her head as if in sympathy.

  George felt a flash of anger. He took a moment before he replied. ‘Maybe you’re right. This job has made me do some pretty terrible things, Ryker, and for a long time I had a real battle with myself. I felt I had become this terrible person. But I’ve made peace with myself — as best I can, at least. I worked out the difference between good and bad, between the criminal and the hero. Do you know what it is?’

  ‘I have a feeling you’re about to fill me in.’

  ‘Motivation. That’s it. That’s the only difference between us and them, good and bad. Shoot a man in the face for his wallet and you’re a criminal, a bad man. Shoot a man in the face because you truly believe it is the only way to stop him doing the same thing to your family, or to the innocent — you’re a hero. I’ve never done anything for personal gain. I’m not a greedy man, I don’t want anything but a healthy, happy family life. I can’t be a bad person. And another thing I worked out is that we need more coppers like that.’

  ‘So you’re a hero now?’ The look on Ryker‘s face was playful.

  ‘I’ve ordered a cape.’

  Their chuckling had died down by the time Shaun made it back to the table. He held three new mugs. Some of the colour had returned to his face.

  ‘Sorry about that,’ he said. He sat down untidily. ‘Listen, thanks for your help, both of you. What do you need me to do?’

  ‘I ain’t done nothing yet, Shaun.’ Ryker‘s smile was warm. ‘You need to stay available. Are you due to work today?’

  ‘No. I’m on a rest day.’

  ‘Then I suggest stay by your phone and try and do what you would normally do.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘Ryker, your name was all over the file when they ran this Polish guy through,’ George said. ‘Do you know anything about him that may help?’

  ‘Not off the top of my head. I’m involved in intelligence gathering around the movement of class-A drugs. We’re currently monitoring nineteen supply lines, most originate outside of the county. If someone is stopped anywhere in the county and gives cause for the officer to suspect them to be involved in the supply of drugs, their intel report is marked up for Op Vapour. If they get stopped again after that they will automatically have the marker on PNC to contact me in office hours. It’s all part of the chief’s vision around drugs now. He has this mantra . . . make the most of every opportunity. Unless someone is a main player, though, I won’t know much about them. This bloke isn’t a main player — certainly that’s known. I need to get back into the intelligence database. I’ll see what we know about him and in what context. There might be something for you to do from that, Shaun, I’ll keep in touch.’

  ‘Whatever you need from me, just let me know.’

  ‘Let’s see what we can get done before they call again.’

  ‘Under the radar,’ George said, draining the last of his tea.

  ‘Well, if there’s one thing you’re good at . . .’

  George returned Ryker’s smile, but noticed how, as they left the café, Shaun was still stony faced.

  Chapter 14

  ‘Aleksander Nowak.’ Emily Ryker strode into his cell two hours after her meeting with George and Shaun Carter in the café. Detective Sergeant Holly Saunders stepped in after her. Aleksander looked up at Emily. His eyes were glassy, the skin surrounding them red. He looked exhausted. ‘Shit night?’ Emily said.

  ‘Very shit.’ His accent was thick, but he understood her clearly enough.

  ‘I’m sorry to hear about your brother. I can’t imagine what it was like — to be there when it happened.’ Aleksander’s head dropped. A CSI officer in a white paper suit was scraping at the underside of his nails. His hand lay flat on what looked like a large white napkin, it was designed to ensure nothing that dropped off him was lost. Emily was aware that upstairs Nowak was being referred to as ‘Scene One’; in reality, he was currently the only scene they had.

  ‘I do not know anything for you.’

  ‘Anything you know, Aleksander, is not for me. It’s for you. You’re in a lot of danger.’

  ‘Not here. Here I am safe.’

  ‘You can’t stay here forever.’

  ‘I did not kill my brother.’

  ‘Then you definitely can’t stay.’

  DS Saunders stepped in. ‘Aleksander, I’m going to interview you shortly about what happened, but it takes time. We need to get you processed here first, then we need to wait for your solicitor and your interpreter. You’ve said you need both right?’

  ‘I said this. I do not know what I need. I have not been arrested for murder before in England.’

  ‘No, I’m sure you haven’t. I’ll make sure we have these people here for you and then we’ll make a start. But before that, is there anyone in danger? Anyone that might need our immediate help?’

  ‘No. He’s dead. My brother is dead.’

  ‘I’m sorry Aleksander. I know you’ve told us that but can you be sure? Maybe if you tell us what you know now about where this happened we can send medical assist—’

  ‘No! He is dead! Very dead.’

  ‘We haven’t found him, Aleksander. Can you help us with that?’

  ‘Without my solicitor? Is this right?’

  ‘This isn’t an interview. I just thought you might want to help us. You say you didn’t kill your brother. The sooner we find him, the sooner we find out who did.’

  ‘Not without my solicitor.’

  DS Saunders checked with the CSI officer, he needed twenty minutes more. She led Emily out of the cell. ‘I’ll make sure we are ready to go as soon as he’s processed. I don’t expect him to talk in interview but we will need to give him that opportunity before you speak to him.’

  Emily nodded. ‘Understood.’ She pulled her phone from her pocket as she mounted the steps leading away from custody. George Elms sounded hassled.

  ‘You okay, George?’

  ‘Yeah, I’m okay. I spoke to Whittaker. Offered him assistance on the kidnap and suicide case. He turned me down flat.’

  ‘Turned you down?’

  ‘Yeah. Seems he’s passed this over to the local CID. He said that he just needs it to be ticking over for now, until they get a handle on our Polish friend downstairs. Maybe I’m reading between the lines, but he certainly seemed less enthusiastic about working with me today. I’m guessing he dropped my name somewhere and he’s been given a pill.’

  ‘Okay. We can still keep up to speed on that investigation between us, I’m sure.’

  ‘Yeah, it just means I don’t quite get the access to Bobby’s family I could have done with. I’ve got a feeling our blood-soaked man is our best bet anyway. How did you get on with him?’

  ‘Well, he’s not blood-soaked anymore. CSI are just about done with the washing, seizing his clothes and scraping. His interview’s imminent, but no one’s holding their breath that he’s going to talk. Are you in the building?’

  ‘Yeah. My office.’

  ‘Sounds grand.’

  It isn’t. Third floor. I’ll put the kettle on.’

  * * *

  George’s office was small and the furnishings were a mishmash of whatever the property team could find. He’d stopped a
pologising about the broken chair on the visitor side almost immediately.

  ‘So, what about the intel approach?’ George asked. Do you think he’ll talk to you?’ He tipped milk into two cups from a flask. Emily perched gingerly on the chair opposite.

  ‘I’m not convinced. I’ve had a look at him on our systems. He first came to our attention ten years ago. He’s twenty-eight now and he’s been arrested twelve times in those ten years. Eight of those arrests were in London. That means they will have intelligence on him too — I’ve already requested it. As long as they don’t demand a guv’nor to sign off the request it won’t be a problem.’

  ‘Are you expecting that?’

  ‘No. A month ago and it would have been a different story. Now I’ve been on Op Vapour a while, I’ve got a contact or two in the Met. They shouldn’t even blink. I’ve also put in requests with the European Liaison Unit. You can bet he’s got form in Poland too but that might be much slower in coming.’

  ‘You mean you don’t have an ELU contact? Is that a first, Ryker?’

  ‘Yet. I bet they’ve heard of me though,’ she joked. ‘I would certainly bet they’ve heard of you!’

  ‘Yeah, my name is the last one you should drop, though, Ryker. Seems everything I do is destined to be questioned forever.’

  ‘Means you need me, George. So you have to be nice.’ George felt her lingering gaze as he turned to finish the drinks.

  ‘So what sort of thing is Nowak known for?’

  Emily cleared her throat. ‘Robbery and theft from person to start with. Drugs more recently — only ever possession. He’s on the watch list for Vapour because he has links to the T Line, him and his brother.’

  ‘What’s the link?’

  ‘A combination. First he was found at warrant on a house full of Eastern European workers employed by a salad factory. They were thought to be dealing Pico to other Polish and Slovakian workers from the premises. Nowak wasn’t named personally, he was just noted as living there with his brother.’

  ‘Did they find anything?’

  ‘Some evidence of Pico preparation. But nothing that would stick — they didn’t get lucky with the timing.’