by Val Penny
***
At the end of the meal, Hunter ordered a large Americano coffee, while Meera preferred Assam tea. He smiled at her and held her hand across the table.
“You’ve been very quiet this evening,” Meera said.
“Sorry.”
“It usually means you are cross or brooding, and I don’t think you’re cross.”
“No, you’re right, I’m not. I am never cross when I’m with you. I think I learned today exactly how and why George died.”
“Poor old soul,” Meera said.
“He was an old man, but definitely not poor. That collection of first edition children’s books he had was worth over five million pounds. It’s no wonder it came to the attention of some unsavoury people. George loved his books for the sake of themselves, but others who knew about them love the wealth they represent.”
“George never spoke about his library to me,” Meera said. “Did you know about it?”
“No. I don’t move in those kinds of circles. But my father collects first edition books. His interests lie in ecclesiastical works and those about the formation and development of the Church of Scotland, its history, that kind of thing. Basically, if I see an old boring book with the word ‘church’ in the title, I buy it for Dad for his birthday. He’s always thrilled,” Hunter smiled.
“So did your dad know about George’s library?”
“Yes. Yes. He knew of it. Not the extent of it. Apparently George was well-known in antique and antiquarian book circles. He travelled to auctions all over the country to secure books. At least, before the internet, he did. More recently, he would bid online in auctions and get the book mailed to him, as with Winnie the Pooh the day he died. I’ve managed to find out who the previous owner of that Winnie the Pooh book was, too.”
Meera took another sip of her tea and stared at Hunter thoughtfully with her large, brown eyes. “Surely he wasn’t killed because of his books? According to the CSIs there was no sign that the murderer even tried to get into George’s home.”
“There were people who knew about George’s books and wanted to get hold of them, but you’re right, he didn’t get killed because of them. However, his death did set the tom-toms beating in the world of dusty old books.” Hunter called the waiter over and insisted on paying for the meal.
“My turn next time, then,” smiled Meera.
As they were getting into the taxi Hunter said, “You’re place or mine, Doctor Sharma?”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The number of people in the briefing was smaller than usual. Jane and Rachael were still on honeymoon, and DCI Mackay had taken Nadia with him to meet June Dormer and Max Merkel at Katz and Roundall’s offices in George Street. Nadia was quiet, observant and particular. Her slight frame also provided a surprising physical match for any man. Mackay wanted that combination of skills today.
“Quiet without the girls, Boss. It must be them that makes all the noise, usually,” said Bear.
“Aye, right. Sure it is,” Mel said sarcastically.
“If we’ve got the comedy sketch over, let’s all settle down,” Hunter said. “First thing I am pleased to do today is to congratulate Colin on passing his sergeant’s exams.”
There was a short burst of applause and whistling.
“Beer, beer!” Bear shouted.
Colin blushed furiously. He nodded his gratitude to Hunter when he quickly brought the noise to an end.
“Thanks everybody. There’s a post come up in East Lothian, working out of Haddington, next month. I’m applying for it,” Colin said.
“After we become one big happy family in the unified force?” Tim asked.
“Apparently so,” Colin nodded.
“Party-time again before you go then, Col?” Bear asked.
Colin grinned. “Of course, and the drinks are on me!”
“At both, celebrations, hooray!” Bear cheered.
“Maybe we can have a chat about that, Colin,” Hunter said. “I’d be sorry to lose you.”
“Thank you, Boss,” Colin said quietly.
“Right, enough, people, enough. Are we all clear what needs to happen today?” Hunter asked.
“Yes, Boss,” Bear and Colin muttered.
“Colin, I need you, Tim and Bear to pick up The Lizard and Heinrich Reinbold from The Bruce Hotel. Check out is eleven o’clock, so you all just get away now.”
“Is Squires already locked up on remand, Sir?”
“Yes, Colin, to stop him leaving the country while on bail.”
“And we’ll be asking The Lizard and Reinbold to help with enquiries, Boss?” Tim asked.
“Yes, unless they resist, then arrest them for perverting the course of justice. Whatever it takes, get them here. The Lizard should have luggage. I’ll get a team of uniformed officers and CSIs into the hotel so we can search Reinbold’s office and living quarters, but you make sure to bring in his personal computer with you.”
“Will do, Boss,” Colin said. “Bear, you take one car. Tim, you and I will go in the other. We’ll need both to get the men and their luggage and computer back.”
The three men left quickly.
Hunter turned to Mel. “You and I are off to Arjun Mansoor’s flat to see Mr Kasim Saleh, or Bill, as he is otherwise known.”
“Why did Mansoor call him Bill, boss?”
“Well, it wasn’t so much Bill as bil. A code name so simple and effective it had us all fooled, and nobody knew who Mansoor was talking about. It was Tim who worked it out.”
“Clever, but what was he talking about?” Mel said. “I'm really not sure how that helped, Boss.”
“His b-i-l: his brother-in-law.”
“OMG! That is so simple!”
“Yep. You drive.” Hunter threw the keys to Mel so quickly that she had to pick them up off the floor with a grunt.
***
Mackay and Nadia arrived early for their meeting at Katz and Roundall. Nadia’s sharp eyes served their first purpose by finding a parking place within walking distance of the office.
“Parking in the centre of Edinburgh is getting worse and worse,” Mackay grumbled.
“And more and more expensive,” Nadia agreed.
“True,” Mackay said as he held the door open for her and they went in. He noticed Mr Roundall, the manager, was at the reception desk, waiting for them. He wore a blue pin-striped suit, and his matching shirt, tie and handkerchief looked a bit retro. Mackay thought Roundall looked old enough to remember when such a look was fashionable.
“Mr Merkel is not here yet, DCI Mackay,” Roundall said.
“Don’t worry, he will be. In the meantime, we will speak to your colleague, June Dormer. Ms Dormer does use her maiden name professionally, doesn’t she?”
“Yes, she always has. She asked that I attend the meeting with her.”
“I have no problem with that,” Mackay said.
“Does she need a lawyer?”
“I don’t know. Does she? It is not obligatory; Ms Dormer is not under arrest. Yet.”
“Then, let’s go through.” Roundall waved the way into the boardroom.
***
When Max Merkel arrived at the auctioneer’s office, he was surprised to see June Dormer sitting beside Roundall and opposite Mackay and Nadia. He noticed she was cradling a glass of water and didn’t look up from that when he came in. He thought she had been crying.
“Please have a seat, Mr Merkel,” Mackay said.
Nadia stood up, looking determined, and went to the door. She was going to make sure that nobody was leaving that room without going through her slim frame first
Mackay smiled and nodded at her. Nobody else except him knew she was the leading British female proponent of Sanshou, the Chinese martial art which has its background in Kung Fu and combines elements of kick-boxing and take-downs. This had proved effective for Nadia on many occasions in her chosen career.
“This interview will conclude at the station, but we are presently waiting for another police
car to arrive. You and Ms Dormer (as she is known) will travel to the station separately.” Mackay said before he informed Mr Merkel of his rights.
“Ms Dormer has given us a statement. Would you like to confirm that you and she have had a business relationship for some years?”
“That is true.” Merkel replied in good but accented English. “Ms Dormer is one of many auctioneers I work with to keep informed of items that my clients may be interested in.”
“Did all of those auctioneers become your lovers, or just Ms Dormer?” Mackay asked sarcastically.
June Dormer sobbed.
“That is not a fit and proper question,” retorted Merkel.
“Is persuading Ms Dormer to give you information about items in the saleroom, and their owners, a fit and proper way to behave?” Mackay asked.
“How dare you!” Merkel stood up.
“I’ve got a text, Sir,” Nadia said. “The car is here.”
“Let’s go, then. Formal interviews will take place at the station.” Mackay stood up.
“I am sure whatever you need to discuss can be dealt with briefly here,” Mr Roundall suggested.
“I don’t think so. Discussions will certainly not be brief,” Mackay said as he brought the meeting in the auctioneers’ office to an end.
***
Hunter and Mel arrived at Gillespie Crescent to speak to Kasim Saleh. His sister, Mrs Mansoor, opened the door and the vast number of rings and heavy gold necklaces she wore glinted in the sun. She looked inwards to the apartment and shouted something that was incomprehensible to Hunter and Mel. The only words they understood were ‘Kasim’ and ‘pigs’. The smartly-dressed man walked swiftly along the hall towards the door and waved the detectives in.
“Good morning, detectives,” Saleh said brightly.
“Mr Saleh, thank you for seeing us. We appreciate your time.” Hunter shook hands with the man.
Saleh led the detectives into the sumptuously-furnished living room. He paused at the door as he asked his sister to bring coffee for his guests. He went to sit down, but looked up as Mrs Mansoor put her head around the door. She said something in their native language: her tone did not lead Hunter or Mel to believe coffee would be forthcoming.
As Mel sat down she considered the amount of jewellery Mrs Mansoor was wearing and the lasciviousness of the contents in the room. Arjun Mansoor seemed to have provided well for his wife.
“We have spoken to Donald Blair, Mr Saleh,” Hunter said.
“Arjun’s lawyer, yes, I know him.”
“How long have you known him?”
“Not long.”
“Perhaps you should let me inform you of your rights immediately, Mr Saleh,” Hunter recited the necessary phrases.
“I hear you, but it is not necessary,” Saleh said.
“Oh, but it is. Because I believe you have known Mr Blair quite long enough to allow you and Arjun to find Blair’s weaknesses and have him work as Arjun’s courier to supply cocaine to the prison.”
“Nonsense! Blair would never say that.”
“It must be a nice little side business to make sure all Arjun’s needs in prison are met.”
“You talk through a hole in your head,” Saleh said.
“Did you take over Arjun Mansoor’s drug trafficking as soon as he landed in jail, or was there a break in time? I see you and your wife bought a new, much bigger home in Edinburgh about a month after he was sentenced,” Hunter said.
“You have made this up.”
“No, I didn’t need to. The date of your purchase is well documented, and coincides with dates your wife took off from her work. But you needed to blackmail Blair when he resisted taking cocaine into the prison for your brother-in-law during their privileged meetings, didn’t you? What did you have on him? Is he a user? Does he fiddle his accounts to the Legal Aid Board? Or perhaps it’s child porn?”
“I say no more. You liar.” Saleh stood up. He walked uneasily around the room and stood in front of the marble fireplace with his feet apart and his hands behind his back.
“Kasim Saleh, you are under arrest for drug trafficking, blackmail and murder,” Hunter said firmly. “Cuff him, Mel.”
“Murder! Are you fucking joking me? I don’t think so.”
“I know so,” said Hunter.
“How do you make that out, then, detective?” Saleh asked contemptuously. Then, as Mel approached him he glared at her. “I don't think so, lady.”
With one sweeping motion he bent down and lifted the heavy brass poker from the tiles behind him. He swung it and slammed Mel over the head.
Mel fell to the ground with blood gushing from the wound.
Saleh jumped over the coffee table between himself and Hunter, ran out of the flat and jumped into Mansoor's Land Rover.
“Stop! Police!” Hunter shouted. He followed Saleh to the door and watched him leave. But Hunter knew he would not be giving chase. He knew Mel was his first priority. He phoned for an ambulance and then he called the station to put out an alert on the car and Saleh himself. Hunter hoped it was not Bear who found Saleh. He did not want the DC to do anything stupid.
Hunter tried to reach Colin after the paramedics took Mel away to hospital, but there was no reply to his mobile. He and the big men were fully occupied.
***
Saleh wanted to get to the airport and out of the country before the police could stop him. He patted his pocket to check for his passport and credit cards. Then he drove at speed, but decided against the most obvious route to the airport. He decided to drive via Queensferry Road. No way would the police think of that.
***
As Bear, Colin and Tim arrived at the car park of The Bruce Hotel, Lenny The Lizard was at the front desk settling his account with Heinrich Reinbold.
“It is always good to see you at Gemuetliche Erholung hotels, Mr Pratt. I am sorry that you did not recover your car,” Reinbold said.
“Yes. That did not go well. Thank you for all your help, anyway, and congratulations on your promotion, Heinrich. This general manager’s job is a big step up from Barcelona.”
Tim positioned himself on one side of The Lizard, Bear on the other. Colin stood behind them and spoke softly.
“Mr Reinbold, may we all move into your office? We require to speak with you and this guest.”
The Lizard turned and tried to make a run for it. Bear stuck out his foot and the man fell heavily to the floor.
Colin shook his head and as Bear and Tim lifted him off the floor and dragged him into Reinbold’s office. They flung The Lizard on to a chair while Reinbold stood staring at the detectives.
“What on earth is going on?” Reinbold asked.
“Sit down, Mr Reinbold,” Tim said.
Colin informed the men that they were to be interviewed under caution at the station and that their personal belongings would be examined.
“Uniformed officers are going to search your office and your accommodation, Mr Reinbold.”
“Do you have a warrant?” The Lizard asked.
“We do.” Colin pulled the document out of his pocket.
“We will take your personal computer with us now, Mr Reinbold. Let’s get the cuffs on you and go.” Tim stood up and lifted the laptop off Reinbold’s desk. “The station cells will be busy tonight,” he remarked, as The Lizard and Heinrich Reinbold were led away out of the hotel and through the car park in handcuffs. Heinrich got into the car with Bear and watched in sullen silence as Tim put his computer on the back seat.
Colin bundled The Lizard into the back seat of the other car and took up his position in the driver’s seat. Tim climbed into the passenger seat beside him.
“Ian Thomson told me you were just a gun for hire, Lizard. Did you do the business on George Reinbold for Mansoor?” Tim asked.
The Lizard stared furiously at Tim from the back seat, but said nothing.
As they were stopped at the lights, Colin noticed his phone and the missed call.
“Can you check t
hat for me, Tim?” he asked.
Tim picked up the phone and listened to the message. His face went white, first with fear and then with rage.
“What's the matter?” Colin asked.
“It’s the boss. That piece of shite, Saleh, has attacked Mel with a metal bar or something. He knocked her out and she’s on her way to hospital.”
“Oh God, no! Where is Saleh now? Does the boss need a hand bringing him in?”
“No. The turd has made off in Mansoor’s Land Rover. There’s an alert out for both him and the car.”
“We’ll get this pair dropped off at the station and join the hunt. I just hope for Saleh’s sake Bear doesn't get to him first.”
Colin looked back through his rear-view mirror and nodded at Bear in the car behind them. Then he drew up at the crossroads on Queensferry Road, he looked to his right. Colin had spent hours watching CCTV footage of Kasim Saleh. He saw the man in his sleep. Then he did a double-take.
“Tim! That’s the bastard in the car beside us!”
Tim glanced over. He saw Saleh out of the corner of his eye. The traffic was too heavy. Neither car could move. Reflex overtook thought, and Tim jumped out of the car and stood in front of Saleh. The man made to accelerate, but Tim did not flinch.
“Come on, Saleh, pick on someone your own size!”
Colin was engrossed in the conflict between Tim and Saleh when he noticed Lizard out of the corner of his eye. He watched as Lizard had a flash of idiocy and managed to open the rear door of the car. He tried to make a run for it, but evidently had not given any thought to how poor his balance would be with his hands fixed behind his back. He fell over. Colin looked over at him and laughed because he was quite unable to get up again. Lizard looked furious.
