Hunter's Revenge

by Val Penny

  “She’s all I’ve got!”

  “I’m sorry,” Hunter said.

  “Where did you find her?”

  “We can’t be sure, yet, that it is Jenny. That’s why I need you to identify the body. But we suspect that it is your daughter. The body was found in the boot of a burnt-out Volvo car on the road to the airport.”

  “The airport? What the hell would Jenny be doing near the airport? She’d no business there, she was going to Nando’s with her pals.”

  “Miss Kozlowski, the body is that of a young woman with long brown hair. She was slim and about five foot three inches in height.”

  “Oh God!”

  “May we have Jenny’s hairbrush or toothbrush please?” Tim asked gently. “It will allow us to get traces of her DNA and compare that to the DNA of the young woman we have found.”

  The woman nodded and stood up. She dragged her feet as she scuffed back along the corridor and returned carrying a small red hairbrush. She placed it into the evidence bag that Tim held. Then she lifted her jacket from the back of a chair and followed the men down to the car.

  ***

  Hunter was pleased that it was Meera who greeted them and led the way to the viewing room. He thought it was good for Miss Kozlowski to have another woman present. Meera explained that the body had been found curled up in the boot of the car. The victim’s hands and feet had been bound with gorilla tape, and a scarf had been wrapped around her mouth. Death had occurred approximately forty-eight hours previously, but a full post-mortem would be required.

  Meera stood with her right arm around Miss Kozlowski’s waist and her left hand on the other woman’s shoulder.

  “I just want you to confirm if you recognise the victim,” Hunter said.

  “Are you ready for my colleague to pull back the curtain?” Meera asked.

  The woman nodded.

  Dr David Murray pulled the cord to reveal the body.

  Ishbel Kozlowski let out a horrified scream, then fainted. Meera’s slight frame could not hold her, but with sportsman’s reflexes Tim caught Ishbel and carried her easily all the way back to the car.

  ***

  Hunter and Tim returned to the morgue to witness Jenny’s post-mortem. They watched the procedure in silence. When Meera and David had finished their work, David began to clear up the workstation.

  “You’ve had a long day, Meera,” he said. “You get off, I’ll sort this place out.”

  “I really appreciate that, David. I’m exhausted. It was awful, watching that poor woman when she saw her daughter.”

  “I will have more peace here than at home with Chrissie and the kids.”

  “Not my fault you have five children,” Meera joked.

  “It’ll be six by the end of the year,” David grinned.

  “Your wife is a game girl, David. But don’t you be asking for a raise in your salary to support all those wee ones!” Meera turned to Hunter and smiled. “DI Wilson, I hear you enjoy a good curry.”

  “I do indeed, Doctor Sharma.”

  “Want to see if we can get a table somewhere nice? The Cavalry Club, over in Coates Crescent, perhaps? It's my favourite.”

  “That sounds like an excellent idea.” Hunter handed the car keys to Tim. “Back to the ranch with you, young Myerscough. I’m going out for dinner.”

  Chapter Eleven

  When Hunter woke up, he felt really uncomfortable. It was early, he knew that, but he was not at all sure where he was. He moved his hands. What? His pillows did not have floral covers with frills around the edges. He leaned up on one elbow to try to get his bearings. He glanced to his right and caught sight of warm chocolate-brown eyes, surrounded by a mop of black hair, smiling up at him.

  “I think I have time to complete one more examination before I have to get up. Pay attention, Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson,” Meera purred as she drew him towards her.

  ***

  Hunter arrived at the morning briefing with no time to spare, nursing a strong black coffee and a stupid smile. His mind wanted to wander back to Meera, but Allan Mackay interrupted his reverie by calling the briefing room to order.

  “I need your attention, now. All of you! We have much to discuss this morning. Not least of all is the wonderful news that Superintendent Miller will be taking a short leave of absence...”

  A loud cheer went up around the room.

  “... to allow him to travel to London and collect his MBE,” Mackay finished his sentence with a growl. “We are all justly proud of and delighted for our hard-working senior officer who does so much for The Scottish Police Benevolent Fund.”

  “More like another example of My Boys’ Efforts,” Bear whispered to Mel.

  “You have an opinion, DC Zewedu?”

  Bear shook his head. “I just said we need to find George’s murderer after all his efforts for us.”

  “Good. Yes. Of course. Now, where are we with that?”

  “We have a witness who noticed a blue car outside George’s home,” said Jane.

  “And a blue Volvo missing from Thomson’s Top Cars,” Tim added.

  “And a body in the boot of a burnt-out blue Volvo on the way to the airport,” Rachael whispered.

  “All the same blue car throughout?” Mackay asked.

  “We’re still gathering that information, Sir,” Tim said. “There is a break in the identification chain.”

  Hunter moved to the front of the room. “The body in the boot is confirmed to be that of Jenny Kozlowski, who worked at Thomson’s Top Cars. Identification was made by Jenny’s mother, Ishbel Kozlowski. Jenny and the Volvo went missing the night before George was murdered. She accompanied a customer who claimed to want to test-drive the car and she was the only member of staff available to accompany him. Doctor Sharma conducted the post-mortem of the young woman yesterday. We should get the written results this afternoon. The car has also been sent for forensic examination, because Sergeant Renwick noticed a packet secured under the spare wheel. Jane?”

  “Yes, Sir. It looked as if there had also been other packets already removed from the boot. Whoever removed the other packets probably couldn’t easily get to the one under the spare tyre because of the way Jenny was lying. The poor girl had been bound and gagged, and the car was burnt out at the side of the road, on the way to Edinburgh Airport. The fire had been started at the front of the car so the boot was least damaged. Still, Jenny didn’t stand a chance. And it must have been a horrible way to die.”

  “It would be ghastly,” Rachael commented, with a shudder.

  “You noticed the car when you were just driving by, off duty, didn’t you?” Nadia asked.

  “Yes, that’s right,” Rachael said.

  “We are never off-duty, DC Chan,” Hunter said sharply.

  “At least do we know if the car taken from Thomson’s, the car your witness saw and the car the body was found in are one and the same?” DCI Allan Mackay asked.

  “Not yet, Sir,” Tim said. “The CCTV in Thomson’s Top Cars doesn’t work, and they hadn’t made a written note of the car details.”

  “Why am I not surprised?” Hunter sighed.

  “But Forensics might tell us if fingerprints from Thomson’s staff are on it,” Colin suggested.

  “Not if they were destroyed in the fire,” Tim commented.

  “And my witness didn’t get a registration number,” Jane added. “She doesn’t even know the make of the car. Just that it was blue.”

  “Fabulous!” Mackay groaned sarcastically. “Colin, Nadia, check the ownership of the burnt-out car. See if you notice it on any of the CCTV leading to or from George’s home. Hunter, can you call in a couple of favours to put salt on Forensics’ tail?”

  “I can try, Sir.”

  “Just one other thing, Sir,” Tim said. “I saw Jamie Thomson yesterday, and some goon broke his arm over that car missing from his garage. So it must be important to someone, because they obviously want it back.”

  “Does he know who did it?” Hu
nter asked.

  “The goon who came into the showroom when Mel and I were there is a chap called Brian Squires. He was the monkey who broke Jamie’s arm, but the organ-grinder was Lenny The Lizard Pratt.”

  “Really? I thought he was living in Spain with Jamie’s mum, the lovely but rather high-maintenance Janice?”

  “He is, normally, but he’s here right now, and he was furious they couldn’t get the car back.”

  “They wouldn’t want it back with a corpse in the boot,” Hunter commented. “Jane, see how much more Uniform can find out about your blue car in their door-to-doors. Your witness saw a man in a grey suit too, didn’t she?”

  “Yes, Boss.”

  “The goon, Squires, who turned up at Thomson’s when we were there, was wearing a grey suit, wasn’t he Mel?” Tim commented.

  “Yes, but that’s not the first thing you would say about him,” Mel replied. “The first thing I noticed was that he made you look like an anorexic dwarf! And Gary the mechanic said the man who dropped off the car had black hair and a beard. The photos I have seen of The Lizard make it look as though he has light brown hair.”

  “And although that can be changed, surely Jamie would have recognised The Lizard if he was the one who brought the car in to them?” Tim said.

  “So why would The Lizard have any claim on the old Volvo, if it wasn’t his in the first place? And why break Jamie’s arm about it?” Mel asked.

  Hunter spoke again. “Tim, you and Mel get back down to Thomson’s Top Cars and find out all you can about Jenny’s last hours, Jamie’s attacker and that fucking car. For a car about ten years old, it seems to be getting a lot more interest than makes sense to me.”

  The phone next to Bear rang.

  “Sir,” Bear said, “your translator contact, Doctor Gillian Pearson, is here. She says she’ll need a quiet room to work on George’s scrap books, journals and private papers. Can I offer her the small room beside the coffee machine?”

  “Good idea, Bear. You sort that out. I want to take another look around George’s home.”

  As the briefing broke up, Gillian Pearson walked into the room. Hunter greeted her fondly and introduced her to Bear.

  Hunter caught sight of Tim and smiled. It was clear he had noticed Gillian too. She was almost as tall as Hunter, with long legs, and she walked with an elegance that was devoid of affectation. She had blonde hair held back from her face in a loose bun, but the flash of green in the fringe of her hair emphasised her emerald eyes.

  Tim did not hesitate to introduce himself to Gillian.

  “I can show Gillian to her room, Bear,” Tim said. “You don't mind, do you?”

  “Apparently not,” Bear smiled.

  ***

  As Hunter walked up the pathway leading to his old friend’s home, he paused and looked at the windows. The level of security inside was belied by the ordinariness of the entry. It was impossible to tell from here that the windows were triple-glazed, and what looked like old-fashioned lace curtains were bomb-proof. He could not see the bolts and linings that secured the doors. Still, as he entered the space that George Reinbold had occupied for so many years, it became instantly clear to him that the old man was very afraid of something. The manner of his death had proved his fears had been well-founded.

  Hunter felt sad. He had never visited George here when he was alive, and now, as he wandered from room to room, he felt like a voyeur.

  Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a postcard tucked behind the clock on the mantelpiece. Hunter picked it up. It showed a scene of the Elbe near the German border with the Czech Republic. The message on the back was handwritten in capitals, and appeared to be in German. Hunter cursed himself for having touched the card, and dug a small evidence bag out of his pocket. Gillian Pearson could translate the short message for him before the card was sent off to the forensic lab.

  ***

  Mel and Tim walked into Thomson’s Top Cars to find Frankie, alone, behind the reception desk.

  “I never thought I’d say this,” he said, “but I’m right glad to see you, cops.”

  “What’s up, Frankie?” Tim asked.

  “Jamie’s arm’s right bad and he’s to get it seen to at the hospital and re-set with a metal bit in. And Gary’s quit since we’ve heard Jenny’s dead. And that big fat guy youse met the last time has been back and said he’ll kill my twins if I say ought about him. And it’s all fucking grim.”

  “What’s to say about him? We saw him here and heard him threaten Jamie. You don’t need to tell us that. Right?” Mel said.

  “Right.”

  “Do you know his name, Frankie?” Tim asked. “We believe he is Brian Squires, who lives in Spain, but he’s not on our books.”

  Frankie shook his head.

  “Okay, you don’t want to say anything?”

  Frankie gave a thumbs-up, picked the spot on his forehead, and wiped the contents of his fingernail on his sleeve.

  Tim grimaced, then said, “Is the man new to town?”

  Frankie nodded slightly.

  “Does he live in Scotland?”

  Frankie shrugged.

  “Do you know anything about him?”

  Frankie gave another thumbs-up.

  “How about you jot it down on your notepad, Frankie and go and make a coffee?” Mel suggested.

  Frankie grinned and scribbled briefly before leaving the desk.

  Tim and Mel looked at the note. They chatted quietly as they waited for Frankie to return.

  “So, the big man is Brian Squires. He runs a bar in Spain with Lenny The Lizard Pratt, doesn’t he?” Mel commented.

  “That’s what I’ve heard,” Tim said.

  “Looks like he’s come over as The Lizard’s muscle man. The only reason The Lizard would need muscle is if he’s up to no good,” Mel said.

  “The Lizard is breathing, of course he’s up to no good!” Tim said. He began to wander around the showroom.

  “I think this is the only showroom in the city where you would find this Bentley next to that Porsche,” he said to Mel.

  Mel shrugged. Tim was the only person she knew who could afford either car, or both if he wanted them. She turned and noticed Frankie was only carrying one cup.

  “I meant you could make a coffee for each of us too, Frankie,” Mel said as he walked back towards them from the office.

  She saw Frankie had the good grace to blush.

  “Is Jamie’s mother still dating The Lizard out in Malaga?” Tim asked him.

  “Yeah, but I’ve heard The Lizard’s over here to visit his mam. She’s poorly and in hospital.”

  “Interesting. The Lizard is in Scotland visiting his mother, is he indeed? Well, well, well,” Tim said.

  “I wonder if he has any other reason to visit, apart from his dear old mum?” Mel said.

  “Frankie, we’re going to have to do some investigating. We’ll do our best to keep your name out of it, but do you want some security around the girls?” Tim asked.

  “Tim, way above our pay grade to offer that, pal,” said Mel.

  “I will provide it, if the force won’t,” Tim said quietly. “It needn’t come out of the public purse. If your kids need protection, Frankie, say the word; I will pay for it personally. Family matters.”

  “I don’t want anything to happen to the girls. I need them to be safe. And the lassie who minds them.”

  “I’ll see to it that that gets sorted this afternoon, one way or another. Phone me if you need me, Frankie.” Tim handed Frankie his card, and he and Mel left the showroom.

  “Tim, I know you’ve got your Mum’s trust fund money now, but do you really want to spend it on Frankie Hope and his sprogs? They’re not your problem.”

  “Maybe not,” Tim said firmly. “But family is important, and Frankie and I haven’t got that much family left. It is my bloody money and I’ll spend it as I see fit.”

  “Up to you,” Mel said solemnly, “but it's not a good idea.”

  Chapter
Twelve

  Hunter made Gillian his first port of call when he got back to the station. He handed her the postcard and asked the meaning of the brief message on the back.

  “It means, Beware your sins will find you out,” she said. “The postmark is back in 2010, but it’s not signed. I don’t suppose you know who sent it?”

  “Unfortunately not. But I am going to send it over to see if the card itself can offer any forensic evidence that might be useful to us. The problem with a postcard or envelope is that so many people touch it, so we are not likely to get anything. Still, it’s worth checking.”

  Tim came into the room and smiled at Gillian. “A few of us are going out to the Golf Tavern in Morningside this evening, if you fancy joining us, Gillian?”

  “That would be nice. I’d like that,” Gillian said.

  “We’ll meet at the door and I can give you a lift up,” Tim said.

  “If I may interrupt your social life, young Myerscough, why are you here?” Hunter asked.

  Tim smiled at Gillian before speaking seriously to Hunter. “When Mel and I were at Thomson’s Top Cars today, we spoke to Frankie Hope. He’s had the frighteners put on him by The Lizard and his gigantic side-kick, Brian Squires. Apparently The Lizard is back in town to visit his ailing mother.”

  “Is he indeed? I’ll get Colin and Nadia to check the airports and sea ports and perhaps even Eurostar to find out when The Lizard arrived here. Do we know where he’s staying?”

  “Not yet. Maybe at his mother’s house?”

  “Get me an address, will you, Tim?”

  “Of course. Just so you know, Boss, I’ve offered to provide safety for Frankie and his girls, since Lenny threatened them.”

  “Alright, son. Not your call, but seen as it’s The Lizard, I agree. I’ll get some of our boys allocated while we sort this out. But remember, young Myerscough, never let it get personal.”

  “Family is important, to me, Sir.”

  “I know, lad. Just don’t make it personal. Not with my Cameron, not with Jamie Thomson...”