66
IT IS CLOSE TO 11 p.m. by the time the team drives out to the Tropika Paradise Condominium. Mislan sits at the back, next to the suspect, with Johan at the wheel and Sherry in the front passenger seat. The suspect continues to wear his smug and confident expression.
“I see you’ve decided to take me on another outing. That’s nice. It was starting to get a little stuffy in the cell,” Dr. Haliman taunts his escorts. “So, where’re we going this time?”
Mislan says nothing.
“You know what goes well with a night out, apart from the fresh air? Good company,” the suspect says with a chuckle.
Johan steps on the accelerator, heading toward the North Klang Valley Expressway. Mislan lights a cigarette. Sherry asks for one, too. He gives her his, and lights another for himself. He rolls down the window and the whoosh of wind from the open window is a welcome sound to the three officers. As Johan cuts into Subang Jaya, Mislan catches the suspect looking out the window.
“Where are you taking me?” he asks again.
Mislan notes a slight anxiety in his tone. He allows himself the tiniest bit of pleasure at the suspect’s apprehension, but remains silent. Realizing that Mislan isn’t about to enlighten him, the suspect bends forward to ask Sherry.
“May I inquire as to where you’re taking me?”
“For an outing, for some fresh night air,” she answers.
The suspect leans back, knowing he’s being mocked, and continues to look out the window. When they stop at a traffic light, Johan points for Sherry.
“That’s the condo.”
The suspect instinctively looks out the front windshield. Mislan smiles. The suspect turns toward him.
“Who lives there?” Dr. Haliman asks, trying hard to maintain his composure.
“I don’t know, you tell me,” Mislan says.
“Then why’re we going there?”
“Jo, why’re we going there?” Mislan asks his assistant, toying with the suspect.
“I don’t know. Ma’am, why’re we going there?” Johan asks Sherry.
The suspect realizes the officers are toying with him and leans back, his jaws clenched tight.
Johan pulls up to the guardhouse, and Mislan notices the suspect turning his face away from the window, pretending to look for something on the seat. Johan flashes his authority card and states their destination to the security guard. After recording the car’s registration, the guard directs them to the visitor parking bays. Mislan sees closed-circuit TV cameras at the entrance and tells Johan to get the complex manager’s contact details from the guard. The team takes the elevator to level 6 to find two detectives in front of unit 6-1.
“Anyone inside?” Sherry asks.
The detectives shake their heads.
Johan gives Mislan the complex manager’s telephone number. He puts the call through, introduces himself, and requests that the manager make his way to Unit 6-1 with a record of owners and tenants. Neighbors start coming out to investigate the noise and presence of a large group of people. Sherry approaches them, introduces herself, and asks if they know who the occupant of Unit 6-1 is. They tell her it’s empty most of the time, and that sometimes they see a middle-aged Malay man come and go. When she asks if they see that man in her group, they shake their heads and quickly disappear into their apartments.
“I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to think carefully before answering,” Mislan says to the suspect. “Who owns this unit?”
The suspect stares at him, biting his lower lip. Mislan waits patiently. His eyes are cold and emotionless.
“You know the answer to your question,” the suspect finally snarls.
“Yes, I do, but I want to hear it from you.”
“You want the satisfaction to hear me admit defeat,” Dr. Haliman says. “I’ll grant you that. It’s mine, but I don’t live here. It was rented out and now it’s empty. Satisfied?”
“Totally. Please open the door for us to do a search.”
“I don’t have the keys with me. It’s with my realty agent, who manages the apartment.”
“Who’s the agent? Here’s your phone. Please call him or her and tell him or her to come here now.”
“At this hour? I don’t think he’ll come. Anyway, don’t you need a warrant to search the apartment?” Dr. Haliman asks defiantly.
Mislan pulls out the warrant and holds it inches from his face.
“That warrant has already been executed, you cannot use it again,” he says smiling.
“It says here house and/or houses,” Mislan says, pointing to the words. “Now, open the door or we break it down, your choice.”
“If you so much as touch the door, I will sue you for all you’re worth,” Dr. Haliman hisses at him.
“Well, I’m sorry, but you won’t get much by suing me,” Mislan chuckles, and nods to his men to open the door.
A detective steps forward and unzips his tool bag. Kneeling, he starts picking the lock. Mislan steps away, lights a cigarette, and watches the suspect. He knows they’re standing at the threshold of closure, yet the suspect’s air of confidence unsettles him. The only hint of anxiety he witnessed was when he produced the search warrant. What does the suspect know that he does not? Maybe he knows they’ll come out empty-handed again, that the apartment had been cleared of all incriminating evidence when his people were arrested.
Mislan starts toward the door and stops. You are letting him get to you. Follow your investigative instincts. They’ve served you well before. Stop over-analyzing the situation.
He squashes the cigarette and walks to the detectives crouching by the door.
“Do you really know how to do it?” he asks impatiently.
The detective nods. “I’m trying to find the second lever.”
Mislan steps back and lights another cigarette. A man appears with a security guard, coming out of the elevator. He asks for Inspector Mislan.
“That’s me. Mr. Tan?” Mislan asks.
“Yes. You said you wanted to look at the record of owners and tenants,” Tan says, handing over some papers.
Mislan riffles through the listing and smiles.
“Thank you. I noticed you have CCTV installed. How many days’ record do you keep?”
“Fourteen.”
“I’ll need a copy of all the recordings up till today.”
“Anything else?”
“That’s all for now. Thanks for your cooperation.”
As the manager walks away, Mislan calls after him, “Tan, do you have a locksmith on standby?”
“Yes.”
“Can you call him? It’s urgent.”
Tan looks at his watch. “Who does he charge the service to?”
“The Royal Malaysia Police,” Mislan replies.
“OK, got it!” the detective announces just then. He turns his metal clip slowly in the lock, there’s a click, and the door opens.
Mislan’s cell phone rings.
“Mislan.”
“Mislan, Chandramala. Where’re you?”
“Just about to enter the apartment.”
“Stop, don’t go in.”
Holding the mouthpiece, he tells Sherry to hold the team until he gives the go-ahead. He steps away from them, and as he turns he thinks he sees the suspect sigh in relief.
“Sorry, ma’am. Why?”
“I just got a call from SAC Faridah to stand down until further instructions.”
“I don’t understand. Why does she want us to stand down? We have him cold. The warrant is valid, and we’re standing at the threshold of closure. Soon we’ll have enough evidence to fry this guy and his band of rapists,” he pleads.
“She has called for an eight o’clock meeting tomorrow morning. She’ll explain then. For now, her instruction is for all activities to be put on hold.”
“But I’m gone tomorrow. I need to do it now, tonight.”
“Mislan, I understand what you’re going through and how you feel, but orders are orde
rs. Please don’t make things worse for yourself.”
“Can’t you just tell SAC Faridah you couldn’t reach me?”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“You can’t or you won’t?”
“Stop it. Let me speak to Sherry.”
Mislan passes the cell phone over to Sherry. He walks toward the elevator. Losing control, he kicks the trash can in the lobby, sending it flying against the elevator door, creating a din. Some startled members of the team draw their weapons. Neighborhood lights come on and heads peer through curtains. Johan runs toward his boss to calm him, and Sherry tells the team to holster their weapons. The dented trash can is quickly retrieved and placed in its original position. Mislan looks at the suspect, who is grinning. He moves toward the suspect, but Johan grabs him firmly. “He’s not worth it,” he whispers.
Sherry walks toward him briskly, holds his arm, and drags him to the end of the corridor.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? You want us all to get into trouble?” she snaps at him. She tells Johan, “Jo, arrange for the suspect to be sent back to the lockup.” She waits until the suspect is in the elevator, then says, “Ma’am wants me to escort you back personally, so please don’t make a scene.”
Mislan glares at her, his eyes red and teary. With shaking hands, he lights another cigarette and turns away from Sherry to stare at the sky.
“Look, Mislan, I don’t like it, either, but it’s an order.”
She whispers to Johan to stay close to his boss. “Give him a few minutes to calm down and then bring him to the car.”
Johan nods. He stands next to his boss, not saying anything, but making sure Mislan knows he’s there.
After Sherry leaves, Mislan looks at his assistant. Johan can see the pain, anger, and frustration in his boss’s face.
“Jo, I want you to be in charge. Arrest anyone going into the unit and confiscate whatever they have on them,” Mislan finally says.
“Sure, I’ll take care of it.”
Mislan looks at the elevator, then at Unit 6-1. In the commotion, the team forgot to close the apartment door. Johan sees the sly smile on his boss.
“What are you thinking?” Johan is suspicious.
“Watch the elevator and signal me if it comes up. Give me two minutes.”
“You’re going to jeopardize the investigation and get us into shit.”
“The case’s already down the toilet,” Mislan says. “I just need to know.” Snapping on a latex glove, he disappears into Unit 6-1.
67
AT THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS, Mislan excuses himself, saying he’s tired and wants to go home to rest. Sherry looks at him but doesn’t object. Not to arouse any suspicion, Johan follows the team up to the office. Sherry orders the team to stand down and report back by eight in the morning for a briefing by SAC Faridah. Sherry beckons Johan to follow her to her office.
“How is he?” she asks.
“OK, I guess.”
“Did he say anything?”
“No, just kept smoking.”
“What took you guys so long to come down?”
“Did we? I waited for him to decide to move, didn’t want to rush him,” Johan says, shrugging.
Sherry looks hard at him. “Was that it?”
“Unless you know something else,” Johan says with a straight face.
“I know you’re loyal to him, but don’t let him take you down with him.”
Johan smiles. “You don’t know him as well as I do. He’ll never take anyone down with him.”
Sherry nods.
Leaving Sherry’s office, Johan heads for the staircase and calls his boss.
“Where’re you?”
“Like I said, I’m going home. Why?”
“There was something in the suspect’s apartment, wasn’t there?”
“What makes you think that? I’m tired, the case is dead, and I’m going home.”
“Whatever you’re planning, you know you can count on me.”
Silence.
“I’ll wait for you at the LRT station. Jo, come alone.”
The line goes dead.
Mislan drives past the old National Palace, then to Jalan Bangsar. As they pass the National Museum, Johan asks, “You want to tell me where we’re going?”
Mislan gropes under his seat and pulls out a thin paper file labeled in bold, Subject No. 3, and hands it to him.
“What’s this?” Johan asks, switching on the cabin light.
“Read it.”
Johan reads and exclaims.
“The third rape, it’s all here.” Closing the file he asks, “What’re you going to do with this? We can’t use it as evidence; it was obtained illegally.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Mislan snaps. He lights another cigarette. “Is there a twenty-four-hour shop somewhere here with a photocopy machine?”
“Look for a KK Store.”
“I know there’s one in Bangsar Baru,” Mislan says, turning the car into Jalan Maarof.
“What’re you planning?”
“We can’t give the original away because that will lead the trail back to us. We need to make a copy and send it anonymously to ASP Luan. She’s the IO on the third rape case.”
“And what if she’s asked where she got the information from?”
“She’ll tell the truth. It was sent to her anonymously.” Mislan grins. “Possibly by someone who suddenly developed a conscience.”
Johan laughs.
“What’re you going to do with the original?” Johan asks.
“Return it to where I found it.”
68
IT IS ALMOST THREE in the morning when they get back to the city. Mislan drops Johan outside the contingent headquarters and tells him to walk to the office.
“If anyone asks, say you went out for a drink and met an old friend.”
Mislan gives his detective sergeant a twenty-minute lead before driving into the parking lot. Walking into his office, he throws his backpack on the desk and drops heavily into his chair. The duty investigator, Inspector Reeziana, raises her eyebrows at Johan, and he shakes his head. He sits at his desk and watches as his boss squirms and twitches in his chair. In a few hours it will be daylight, and his boss will be suspended from active duty, ending his hope of getting closure. They were so close to nailing the suspect.
It is 3:15 in the morning, the sun is still sleeping but the streets of the city are waking up, traffic noises filter through the building walls. Reeziana and Johan are just about to take their catnaps, when suddenly Mislan sits up, drawing his sidearm. Reeziana and Johan’s hands instinctively drop to their own sidearm, eyes watching the inspector unblinkingly. Mislan raises his Beretta, unclips the magazine, and clears the chamber. The sound of metal rubbing against metal is loud and eerie in the early dawn. The two officers sigh as Mislan lays the Beretta on the desk, next to the magazine.
“Jo, can you call the armorer and surrender these? I don’t want them with me when they serve me the letter, I might just lose it and use them,” he jokes.
The two laugh, a tense laugh. Johan calls the armorer and, replacing the phone, he says awkwardly, “It’s all going to be all right.”
“Thanks, Jo. I marvel at your naivety and your faith in the system.”
The armorer arrives, and Johan hands over the Beretta and magazine to him. The armorer asks why Mislan is surrendering his service weapon, and Johan tells him his boss is going on a long-overdue vacation abroad. However, he knows all sorts of speculations and rumors about his boss will be flying around soon. As the armorer leaves, Superintendent Samsiah walks in, surprising them. She beckons for Mislan and Johan to follow her.
A tired-looking SAC Faridah, DSP Chandramala, Inspector Sherry, and Detective Deena are all seated in the task force room when they enter. Faridah greets them.
“Samsiah said you’re here. I know I said I’ll call for a meeting at eight, but since you’re all here, let’s do it now. Mala can use the eight
o’clock meeting to brief the task force team. Before I start, please help yourselves to the terrible coffee Deena made,” she jokes to lighten the mood. “Mislan, I understand you survive on nicotine, so feel free to pollute the room and share some of your secondhand smoke with us.”
The others smile.
“The director and I have just come out of a meeting with the AG and several others.” She pauses, scanning the surprised faces of the officers. Six pairs of tired eyes instantly widen. “Yes, at this hour, and I’m sure you can guess the subject of the meeting.”
Mislan lights a cigarette. Sherry reaches out for it and he lights another for himself.
“The long and short of it is that Dr. Haliman will be released unconditionally by nine and there will be no further investigations carried out on him.”
Mislan chokes on his cigarette smoke and coughs. It feels like ten minutes before Faridah continues.
“That is, until we have solid concrete evidence against him.” She sips her coffee. “At which point, the AG will review the evidence and, if found to be sufficient, will arrange for him to surrender. That is the extent I’m authorized to brief you. Mala, please stand down and disband the task force. I thank you for your dedication, especially Mislan, Sherry, Johan, and Deena. I’ll make sure your exemplary performances will be documented in your personnel records.”
“That’s it?” Mislan hisses, unable to control his anger any longer.
“Yes, Inspector Mislan,” Faridah answers.
Mislan jumps to his feet, “I—”
Samsiah immediately snaps at him, “Sit down and behave yourself.”
Sherry tugs at his hand, pleading with her eyes for him to calm down.
He slowly sits down, murmuring, “I’m sorry.”
“No need to be sorry, I would have reacted the same way in your position.”
Johan catches up with his boss and offers to drive him home. Mislan declines, saying he’s all right and wishes to be alone.
“You sure?”
“Yes, thanks. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? I’ll see you later.”
“Call me if you need company.”
Sherry and Deena catch up with them at the elevator.
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