Uncoiled Lies: a stunning crime thriller

by Liz Mistry

  Jessica reached for her tea and carried it to her mouth too quickly, spilling it on her jeans. She shoved her mug on the table and jumped to her feet, grabbing tissues to soak up the tea. Gus raised an eyebrow and Sadia grimaced.

  ‘Don’t know who you mean?’ said Jessica finally sitting back down

  Sadia leaned towards her and clasped Jessica’s hands in hers. ‘Come on Jess, don’t be a pain, we need your help. For Trixie’s sake.’

  Jessica threw a tissue in the general direction of the bin and said nothing.

  ‘Come on, Jessica, we’re asking about your brother, Shahid Khan.’

  ‘I’ve not got a brother.’ And tears began to roll down her cheeks.

  ‘Oh, Jess,’ said Sadia, ‘Shahid Khan is your half-brother and he pimps the girls in Bradford 3. Last week two of his girls, Camilla and Starlight, were killed just like Trixie. We need to find out if we’ve got some sick fucker out there doing this or if it’s a turf war between Bazza and Shahid.’

  Jessica sniffed and rubbed her eyes vigorously. ‘Look, Shahid is not my family. Trixie was. If he did this, get him and string him up by the balls. If he didn’t do this, still get him and still string him up because he killed my mother on his dad’s orders, so he should die anyway.’

  ‘Jessica! Come on, this is about Trixie, not your mum. Help us!’

  ‘Look, there’s no turf war going on. Bazza has a few girls that work this area but Shahid’s got the biggest business.’

  She stared Gus in the eye and continued, ‘Bazza’s happy with what he’s got. He doesn’t flaunt us in the Muslim community, so they ignore us.’ She grimaced. ‘Well, them that don’t visit us ignore us, anyway. We’re discreet. But, more than that, Bazza’s just not the sort to kill the girls. Or order anyone else to do it either,’ she added quickly, as if sensing that would be their next question. ‘Shahid, on the other hand has the morals of his father. He deals in drugs, guns, knives, organises robberies and everything.’

  ‘Don’t you and Shahid share a father?’ he asked.

  Jessica snorted. ‘Arshad Khan was no father to me… I’m glad he’s dead.’

  Gus decided to change tack. ‘How do you know so much about Shahid’s business?’

  ‘He hassles me sometimes. Doesn’t like that I work for Bazza. Doesn’t like the work I do. Says I can have an office job with him if I leave Bazza. I’d rather die than earn anything from him.’

  ‘Has he told you what he does?’

  Jessica shrugged. ‘Look, he’s capable of killing Trix. My mother damn near brought him up. He was always at our house. He hated his mum, hated his dad too but still, despite everything she did for him, the bastard poured petrol over her, threw a match on her and watched her burn. So, no, I don’t think he’d struggle too much with strangling a whore, do you?’

  Gus studied her silently and then said very quietly, ‘Jessica, why are you so sure he was responsible for your mother’s death?’

  Jessica looked straight at him. ‘He was there that night just after it happened and when I ran to help my mum, he grabbed me and stopped me. He stank of petrol. He did it.’

  ‘Did you tell anyone at the time, Jessica?’

  Jessica gulped. ‘Phew, do you think I’m stupid? No, I ran straight to Bazza as soon as I could and he’s looked out for me since.’

  Sadia shook her head. ‘Your mum wouldn’t have wanted that for you.’

  Jessica shrugged. ‘No, but I’m sure burning to death wasn’t in her plans either. You do what you have to, Sad.’

  Gus pushed his hand through his hair, and considered his next move. Could Jessica’s relationship with Shahid and Bazza be at the crux of this whole business? It didn’t really seem credible to him. Not after so long. If they’d wanted some sort of retaliation surely it would have happened when Shahid’s dad was still alive. Unless something drastic had happened that he didn’t know about, he didn’t think their animosity was enough to have them popping off each other’s girls. It just didn’t make sound business sense and these men were nothing if not business men.

  ‘So,’ he said finally, ‘Could you be a source of animosity between the two men?’

  Jessica jumped to her feet, agitated, ‘For God’s sake, I thought you were here to find out who killed Trixie not to make up stuff about Bazza and Hussain. They didn’t like each other. Khan may have wanted Bazza’s business but, he wouldn’t do owt to him… for my sake. For some reason he feels responsible for me.’

  ‘Okay, okay settle down,’ said Sadia. ‘I know this is hard but we really do have to ask these questions.’

  Jessica flung herself back into the chair and glared at them.

  ‘What about dodgy punters?’ asked Gus. ‘Any talk of a weirdo amongst the girls?’

  Jess thought for a moment and then shook her head, ‘They’re all bloody weird if you ask me, but nobody new on the scene. Nobody that we couldn’t handle. You know, just the usual.’

  ‘What about boyfriends? Did Trixie have a boyfriend?’

  Jessica picked up a tissue, blew her nose and looked down at her knees before answering. ‘Nah, no boyfriends. Not easy in this line of work.’

  Bullshit antennae on the alert, he persevered. ‘Are you sure? No boyfriends? Nobody new in the last couple of months? Somebody she might not tell you about, maybe?’

  ‘Fuck sake, what do you want me to do? Lie?’ shouted Jessica, glaring at him ‘I said no boyfriend and I meant it, okay? We had no secrets, none at all. I’d have known if she had a boyfriend, and she didn’t – right?’

  Gus raised an eyebrow. Well, that line of questioning had certainly provoked a response. ‘No need to get agitated. What about condoms? She always use them or what?’

  Jessica stared at him and then at Sadia. ‘Is he for real? Condoms? Of course we bloody use condoms.’

  Leaning closer, he said, ‘We know Trixie was an addict, and we know that addicts get desperate, and we know that, when addicts get desperate, they get careless. You get my meaning?’

  Face sulky, Jessica nodded.

  ‘So, think again. Did she always use condoms or were there times when she was so desperate for a fix that she’d let a punter do it nude for a few extra pounds?’

  ‘She was clean.’ Her voice was barely audible as she continued, ‘She’d been clean for weeks. Nearly two months in fact. She was going to do it this time. She really was.’ She looked pleadingly at Sadia.

  ‘Ssh, Jessica, ssh, I’m sure she was,’ Sadia put her arm around the distraught girl’s shoulder.

  ‘She used to sometimes do it without a condom. Just when she was desperate like. But not anymore. Not now she was clean.’

  ‘Did she owe anybody any money?’

  ‘Nah, I don’t think so. I helped her pay off her debts two months ago, so I’m sure she was clear.’

  ‘Who was her dealer? Was it Bazza?’

  She shook her head, ‘Not Bazza. He only deals in ecstasy and tranqs for raves. I think she sometimes went to one of Shahid’s fences and,’ she frowned, ‘yes, now I think about it there was one bloke with an accent I caught her dealing with a few months ago. But I think it was a one-off. I’ve not seen him again.’

  ‘What was he like? White? Asian? Tall? Short?’

  ‘White, medium– I don’t know, didn’t pay attention. Ask one of the other girls who do drugs, they’d know.’

  Gus paused. ‘You know, when she was with Bazza, did he use a condom?’

  Looking pale and defeated, she nodded. ‘Yes, Bazza always looked after his health. He’d never do it without a condom’

  Gus stood up. ‘We’re nearly finished here and you look like you could do with a good rest. We’ll get your statement typed up and someone will bring it round for you to sign tomorrow. But, before we leave I’d like to have a look through Trixie’s things, okay?’

  She pointed him towards a door leading off the living room. ‘That’s Trixie’s room.’

  Entering the room, he closed the door behind him, pulled on a pair of
latex gloves and took out a small hand-held tape recorder. Standing, by the door, he glanced around and, in a low voice, recorded what he saw.

  ‘Very small box room with a single bed against the wall under the window, dressing table against opposite wall, with a single wardrobe beside it. Barely enough room to walk between the bed and the other furniture. The room is neat but feels empty. There is no clutter and no personal bits and pieces on the dressing table... Has Jessica cleared it out?’

  He moved over to the dressing table and drew his finger through a layer of dust and then opened the drawers. ‘Thick layer of dust covering dressing table. Top drawer contains two pairs of old panties and an open pack of Tampax. Second drawer contains an assortment of pens and paper – no diary or address book. Third drawer contains two shrunk T-shirts and a jumper.’

  Since when did any woman own only two pairs of knickers, and scruffy ones at that? Moving over to the bed, he pulled back the duvet, ‘no sheet on bed… Query… washed or hidden or what? Mattress has an assortment of old stains.

  He spun on his heel and glanced round. Never had he been in a room so lacking in personality. Seemed like Trixie was a minimalist but, even to Gus’ male eyes her lack of belongings seemed extreme. Maybe she’d packed up ready to move. Without telling Jessica? That could explain it and it would certainly put a different complexion on things. He didn’t get the impression from Jessica that Trixie was planning on moving out.

  Opening the wardrobe door, he moved a few empty hangers around and studied the two pairs of old jeans and the parka jacket that hung there. Then, he stepped to the foot of the bed and stopped, slowly turning in a circle, taking in all that he saw. ‘Query: where are all the posters and pictures on the walls, the cuddly toys, make-up, shoes?’

  On a whim he fell to his knees and looked under the bed. Nothing. He stood up and went towards the door then, nodding to himself, he went back and lifted the mattress up. There flattened against the wooden slats was a Morrison’s bag. He picked it up and opened it. Inside were two cards. One was a Valentine’s card with ‘To T luv S xx’ on it. The other was a birthday card addressed ‘To Trix’ and signed ‘Love forever Shahid xx’.

  Gus sprang to his feet flipped his hand in the air and said, ‘Gotcha!’

  12:15 Oak Lane

  Glancing at Jessica for the fifth time, Sadia wondered what the hell was keeping Gus. Jessica looked ready to drop off and she felt guilty for keeping her up when she was so clearly exhausted. ‘Come on, Jess,’ she said, pulling the girl to her feet, ‘Let’s get you to bed, huh?’

  Jessica made to protest, but Sadia said, ‘Look you’re knackered. A sleep will do you good, okay?’

  With a quick nod, Jessica got to her feet. As she turned to head to her bedroom she turned and gripped Sadia’s arm, her fingers pressing so hard Sadia was sure they’d leave a bruise. ‘Sad, will you do me a favour? For old time’s sake?’

  Sadia felt her heart sink. She had a sneaking suspicion about what Jessica was going to ask and she just didn’t know how she’d be able to refuse this girl; the girl whose mother she’d seen burn to death outside her childhood home.

  Before she had a chance to respond, Jessica continued, her voice earnest. ‘I need you to look into it for me, Sad. I need to know for sure. No-one else will take me seriously but you were there. You saw it.’ Tears welled up in her eyes. ‘I need you to prove once and for all that Shahid did it.’ She let go of Sadia’s arm and began kneading her hands together. ‘Especially now, Sad. Especially now I’ve lost Trixie too. I need to know.’

  Sadia took a deep breath. What could she say to this girl who’d already been through so much? She glanced at the closed door of Trixie’s room cursing Gus for taking so long. If he’d been quicker she could’ve avoided having to answer. However, one look at the girl’s anguished face and she knew what her answer would be. Jessica needed closure. She handed the other girl a tissue and said, ‘Dry your eyes.’ When Jessica had wiped her face and blown her nose, Sadia continued, ‘Okay, Jess, this is what I’ll do. I’ll look into it. I can’t promise anything but, I’ll have a look at the old files and see what I can find out.’

  Jessica began to thank her but Sadia interrupted, ‘Look, I’m not promising I’ll find proof that Shahid did it. Personally, I don’t think he did but, I promise you, I’ll look into it and if I find something – and I’m telling you now, Jess, it’s a very big if – I’ll try to pressurise the powers that be to reopen the case. This is a real long-shot. Do you understand that?’

  Jessica nodded but Sadia knew that she didn’t really believe it. She knew Jess had pinned her hopes on Shahid being discovered culpable for her mother’s death. The thing was, she knew how unlikely that was. Shahid had been pretty much a kid himself when it happened and Sadia knew he’d loved Millie to bits. No, she didn’t think he was responsible but, if she could find something to prove his innocence then at least Jessica would have closure and perhaps she, Shahid and Imti could be reunited.

  ‘Now, bed for you.’ Sadia pushed open the door leading to the second bedroom and guiding the girl into the room, she gently pushed her onto the huge double bed that stood against the central wall. Eyelids already drooping, she scootled over to the far side of the bed and, pulling the duvet up to her chin, fell asleep.

  Feeling sorry for her, Sadia studied the sleeping girl for a second before turning to look round Jess’ room. Two bedside cabinets with matching alarm clocks stood on either side of the bed. The room was filled with pictures, cuddly toys and junk ornaments, the sort you could win at fun fairs. Two slim wardrobes stood side by side with a dressing table beside it covered with make-up and bits and pieces of jewellery. Sadia was glad that Jessica’s flat was at least homely. She thought momentarily about setting one of the alarm clocks, decided against it and left the room to find Gus waiting for her by the door.

  ‘What?’ She whispered when she saw his smile

  ‘Love letters from Shahid.’

  Sadia grinned back and then with a finger to her lips, she gestured to the door. Setting the lock they left the flat.

  12:30 Off Ingleby Road

  The courier had delivered, not just the guns as scheduled, but also some unexpected news. News that upset The Old Man very much. When he’d enlisted Anastazy’s help, he’d known he was taking a risk. The man was unpredictable with no boundaries and, despite being made aware of the benefits of keeping a low profile, he’d gone and done something stupid. The Old Man knew it was because of Serafina. From the minute Anastazy had set eyes on the girl he’d been besotted and that had been all right… until now. He had no quibble with Anastazy pursuing her; the girl meant nothing to him and, if it kept him happy, then that was a bonus. But now he’d gone and drawn attention to himself by stabbing the boy. Serafina would not keep quiet about Anastazy… it wasn’t in her nature. They’d have to come up with a solution quickly. Things were still too fragile for him to dispose of Anastazy and, unfortunately, Anastazy knew too much about his operations for The Old Man to allow him to be caught.

  Packing the guns away in the storeroom at the back of the warehouse, The Old Man was content. The smell of gun oil and metal had always soothed him and, as he checked each gun to ensure the serial numbers had been properly removed, he felt relaxed. Putting Anastazy’s stupidity to the back of his mind, he reflected on his life. His moniker, The Old Man, was misleading in itself, something the stupid Polish police hadn’t realised. For thirty years they’d been searching for an old man, never stopping to consider that the nickname was designed to mislead. He wasn’t old now and he certainly hadn’t been old when he first started out. It had taken them thirty years to even get close and in that time he’d amassed a wealth that should have taken him gracefully into his retirement. That was until that Detective Jankowski had begun to peel away the layers and close in on him. He spat on the concrete floor. Now, most of his wealth was tied up in Poland and he had been forced to escape to the UK. He’d started from nothing before, so this time it would b
e easier. He had contacts, he had some money, maybe not the huge wealth that was unavailable to him at the moment but enough to make a dent. Most importantly though, he had knowledge… information that afforded him certain benefits that he fully intended to exploit. He’d chosen Bradford because he wanted to hide among his own community. Only a few people knew who he really was and, of course, he had leverage… they all had people they cared for and that was their weakness, one he had no compunction about exploiting.

  He himself had no time for women and family. He considered them a distraction. Yet getting married and fathering children had provided the smokescreen he had needed in Poland and again when he’d had to uproot. He had always maintained the illusion of a perfect family with almost religious fervour. The fruits of his many enterprises had, until recently, provided his wife and children with a near decadent lifestyle. The only proviso he made of his wife was that she keep their sham of a marriage secret from the children and uphold their pretence. He didn’t love her, or the children… was that strange? He didn’t dwell on that much, preferring to concentrate on how useful they were. When the Polish authorities had gotten a little too close he’d been able to utilise the privilege of family to keep them off the scent long enough for him to flee.

  Of course, Anastazy, with his ability to transfer his assets, had been an essential requirement. Sometimes he wondered if, perhaps, he’d overestimated the influence he held over the younger man. He knew that as soon as Anastazy had outlived his usefulness, he would have to be disposed of, before he tried to dispose of The Old Man… but, for now, he needed him. He needed Anastazy to implement every stage of the takeover, whilst he himself fine-tuned the planning. From a safe distance

  Guns counted, The Old Man entered his office space. When they’d taken over the old supermarket warehouse, he’d spent a lot of money having it soundproofed and secured. He felt completely safe here. When he needed to, he could bring reluctant contributors here to convince them of the error of their ways, secure in the knowledge that they would not be interrupted. It was distant enough from the squalid little terraced house that was his temporary home, yet close enough to get to quickly. He was satisfied with his headquarters. Now, as he waited for the drug delivery that was due shortly, he considered how to minimise the damage caused by Anastazy’s rash actions. He trusted Anastazy not to have revealed himself to the boy so, that only left Serafina to consider. He needed to make sure she would keep quiet and there was only one way to do that.