Ape-Man blinks, and Mislan knows he has won.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” he snarls, grinding his teeth.
Mislan smiles, releases his grip on the detainee’s shirt, and smooths the garment. “Now, that wasn’t so hard. Let’s try again.” He nods to Sherry, “Go ahead.”
Mislan switches on the digital recorder and leans back with a cigarette as Sherry administers the caution and goes through the formalities, with reluctant cooperation from Ape-Man.
“What’s your current address?”
“The same as in my IC.”
“That’s your permanent address. I mean, where’re you staying in KL?”
Mislan jots down the address and gives it to Johan, who immediately leaves the room and sends a text message to Inspector Reeziana, who is waiting at the courthouse to apply for the search warrant. Mislan leaves the interview room and comes back with a box of Kleenex, which he pushes toward Ape-Man, pointing to his bleeding elbow. Ape-Man pulls out a few tissues, dabs the blood, and looks around for a trash can. Mislan leaves the room again. A moment later he comes back with a wastepaper basket with a new plastic liner. Sherry glances at him, as if saying, why the sudden compassion? Mislan gives her a what? look. Sherry ignores him and continues with the interview.
“Between June and August, did you buy an Apple laptop from a man named Wahab?”
“I did, but I don’t know his name. He said he needed cash and wanted to sell his laptop. There’s no crime in that.”
“For your information, disposing of and acquiring stolen property is a crime,” Sherry says.
“I didn’t know the laptop was stolen. He told me …” Ape-Man rambles.
“How much did you pay for the Apple laptop?” Sherry asks cutting him off.
“Seven hundred, I think.”
“Where’s the laptop now?”
“I sold it.”
“To whom?”
“I don’t know his name. I spread the word around that I had a MacBook for sale. One day, this guy showed up and I sold it to him for a thousand.”
“When did this happen?”
“About a month ago.”
“Where?
“At the mamak stall behind BSC.”
“Describe the man who bought the laptop from you.”
Mislan listens patiently, studying Ape-Man’s face as he answers Sherry’s questions. On one occasion, he thinks he sees a glimmer of joy in the detainee’s eyes. What is he happy about? Mislan wonders. He is bloodied, probably in pain, his motorbike is damaged, and he won’t have an income for the next few days. He observes the calm confidence in the detainee’s manner and voice. Mislan moves his chair to face the detainee, leans forward, and gazes into Ape-Man’s eyes. No, that’s not joy, that’s vanity. He is toying with Sherry, taking her for a ride and enjoying it.
The interview room door bursts open, and the OCCI stands in the door. Sherry jumps to her feet. Mislan hears hurried footsteps and sees Superintendent Samsiah appear behind the massive figure of SAC Burhanuddin.
“So, this is the culprit?” Burhanuddin snarls, holding the door ajar. “What’s your name,” he barks at Ape-Man.
Ape-Man looks at him, his eyes narrowing like a diamond-head cobra ready to strike, but says nothing.
“I asked you your name!” Burhanuddin barks louder. “Do you know who I am?”
Ape-Man grins.
“Radin Yasin Radin Alang,” Sherry answers.
Burhanuddin steps closer to Ape-Man. “Look at me when I’m talking to you, you piece of garbage,” he snaps.
Ape-Man glares at him and smirks, “I know who you are. You’re the Chief Garbage Collector.”
Mislan hides a smile as Superintendent Samsiah steps in to intercede.
“Sir, the detainee is in a 113 interview. I suggest we let them complete it first.”
Burhanuddin turns to her, his face red with anger at being mocked by a detainee and interrupted by a subordinate.
Before he can reproach her, Samsiah says, “Unless you want the cautioned statement to be thrown out in court. It’s your call.”
Burhanuddin storms out of the interview room fuming and shouts for her to follow him. He stops in the hall and confronts her.
“Don’t ever tell me what to do in front of your officers.”
“It’s my duty to remind you of the consequence of interrupting a cautioned interview. This suspect is critical to our investigation. My officers and men have not slept for forty hours tracking him. I’m not about to let their efforts be wasted—”
“Watch it. You’re talking to your superior.”
“I’m fully aware of that, sir, and I’ll do the same if it happens again.” she answers firmly.
“I’ll deal with you later. I want the suspect’s details and a brief of his arrest on my table in half an hour.” Turning to leave, he says, “If you know what’s good for you, don’t delay it.”
“Sir, I have to caution you, if the suspect’s details are released to the press, it will jeopardize our investigation.”
Burhanuddin ignores her remarks and walks out.
42
THE TWO INVESTIGATING OFFICERS join Johan and Deena for lunch at a roadside stall close to Danau Rebung Apartments in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, a township about thirteen miles north of the city. Sherry decides to have lunch, too, while Mislan orders an iced black coffee.
“Who’s watching the apartment?”
“Syed and Jeff on the outer, Dorai and Mokthar the inner perimeter. We’ll take over from Dorai and Mokthar after we’re done here, so they can have their lunch,” Johan says.
“Any movement so far?” Sherry asks, returning to the table with a plate of vegetables and fish.
Johan’s cell phone rings. “Yes … OK … Stand by.” He ends the call and says to Mislan, “Dorai says a woman just came out of the apartment.”
“Tell him and Mokthar to follow her, Syed and Jeff to take over the inner perimeter,” Mislan instructs him. “Let’s get moving.”
Johan asks for the bill as Sherry and Deena hurriedly clear their plates.
“Who has the warrant?”
“Me,” Deena says, patting her pocket.
“Deena, I want you to go to the apartment and ask for Radin. Pretend you’re a relative from Kedah and ask to use the bathroom. I need to know how many people are in there,” Sherry instructs her.
“What if there’s no one?”
“Then it will be another long night for you guys,” Mislan says.
“Another stakeout? At this rate, I’ll be lucky if I’m married by forty-five,” Deena groans.
“Can you speak the Kedah dialect?” Sherry asks.
“Awat, Puan ingat cek tak tau ke?” she answers, mimicking the northern Malay dialect. Does ma’am think I cannot?
“You sounded like a duck trying to mimic a chicken,” Johan laughs.
At the apartment building, Johan follows Deena to the fourth floor and walks to the other end of the common corridor. Deena knocks on the Ape-Man’s unit door and calls out, “Brother Radin.” She waits and looks at Johan, who’s pretending to check apartment numbers two units away against a piece of paper in his hand. Deena knocks at the door again, calling out the Ape-Man’s name. The door cracks open, and a man peers through it and tells her that Radin isn’t home.
“I called earlier and he told me he’s home,” Deena says, mimicking the northern Malay dialect.
“Wh … wh … who are you?” the man stutters.
“I’m his niece from Sik. Can I use the washroom? I can’t hold it any longer.”
The man hesitates, unsure of what to do. Deena wiggles her body, bringing her hands down to her front, and shuffling with her feet.
“Please, I really can’t hold it any longer. It was very cold in the cab.”
The man unlocks the door grille and lets her in. He pokes his head out and looks out into the common corridor in the direction of the stairwell while Deena goes to the bathroom. She locks the door behind her and w
aits for a while before flushing the toilet. She turns on the tap to wash her hands before coming out.
“Aaah, what a relief,” she says, smiling. “Who’re you?”
“Ka … Karim, Di … Di … Din’s friend.”
“Housemate?”
“No, I co … co … come here ss … sssometimes,” he says, his stutter worsening. “Wh … when there is n … n … no class.”
Deena moves toward the single sofa in the living room. “What’re you studying?” she asks.
“I th …th … think you sh … sh … should leave. I’ll tell Di … Di … Din you ca … ca … came,” he manages with difficulty, blinking his eyes rapidly.
“I’m looking for a place to rent, how much do you pay for this unit?”
“I … I … don’t know, you should as … ask Din.”
“How many of you stay here?”
He raises four fingers.
“Including you?”
“N … n … no. Ca … can you please leave?”
Deena briefs the team on her observations inside the apartment and her conversation with Karim.
“Notice any laptop?” Mislan asks.
“Not in the living room. The bedroom doors were closed.”
“What do you think?” Sherry asks.
“We need some evidence on Ape-Man or he won’t break. Notice how he was messing around with you during the interview?” Mislan asks.
Sherry nods.
“If we go in now and there’s nothing there, we’ll show our hand,” she cautions.
The team is silent.
“What about the woman who left the apartment?”
“Sherry, call Dorai to find out what they have.”
Sherry tells them to intercept the woman before she reaches her destination. “I want her and the car at the office. She may be helping them remove evidence.”
“Deena said Karim was nervous, edgy. I think he must have heard about Ape-Man’s arrest and is cleaning up for him,” Johan says.
“Jo and Deena, come with us,” Mislan jumps in. “Syed and Jeff, I want you guys to stay on the perimeter. Allow in anyone approaching the apartment, and only detain them if they try to walk or run away. OK, let’s go in.”
At the apartment, Sherry introduces herself to Karim and serves him with the search warrant. The team searches the two bedrooms for a laptop and a video camera but comes back empty-handed. Mislan tells them to go over the bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom again. He pulls Karim into the living room.
“Who else lives here?”
“M … M … Man, R … R … Reza, and A … A … A … Ali.”
Mislan draws his sidearm, and it shocks Karim into losing his stutter. “Where’re they now?”
“Class, I think. I don’t know.”
“That’s better,” he says, holstering his sidearm. “Where’s class?”
“Ma … Man and Reza go to K … KLCAC.” Karim pauses, breathing in deeply. “Ali to INTI.”
“I want you to call them back now.”
Karim gawks at the inspector.
“Tell them the house has been broken into, and that they need to come home immediately.”
Karim’s eyes follow Mislan’s hand pointing toward a cell phone on the coffee table.
“Do it now,” Mislan snaps at him.
Sherry comes out, shaking her head. Mislan puts his finger to his lips, pointing at Karim on the cell phone. Sherry jerks her head in surprise.
“Calling his housemates to get them to come home,” Mislan whispers. “Can you get D10 here?”
“Why?”
“I need them to bag Ape-Man’s pants.”
“Why?”
“The rapist didn’t dispose of the condom at the vics’ houses. Meaning he would have to zip up his fly with the condom still on his dick.”
“So there could be vaginal fluid transferred to the pants,” Sherry says. “That’s a brilliant deduction, Inspector Mislan. I’m impressed.”
“Thank you, Inspector Sherry.”
“I also think we should get him a clean set of clothing. We don’t want him going on remand wearing bloodied clothes and telling the magistrate he was tortured.”
Mislan laughs. “You’re getting good at this.”
Johan comes out and whispers to Mislan that Dorai and Mokthar have lost their suspect. Mislan gestures to his assistant to follow him outside.
“How did that happen?”
“She took the expressway, and the boys couldn’t keep up with her on their moped.”
“I hope they got the car number.”
“They did, and I told them to go to the JPJ office to obtain the owner’s details. Do you want them to come back here or go back to the office?”
“We’re about done here. Check with Sherry.”
Sherry, Johan, and Deena are going through the rooms again just in case they missed something. Mislan stays outside looking at Karim. He cannot be one of the perps. His stuttering is too obvious, and that could easily be a giveaway.
The walkie-talkie crackles with Syed’s voice warning them of two men approaching the unit. Mislan and Sherry take cover, one on each side of the door. Johan and Deena take Karim into one of the bedrooms.
Two men barge in calling for Karim. Mislan’s frame fills the doorway behind them, blocking their exit. Sherry introduces herself and tells them to sit on the sofa. Johan and Deena bring Karim out and seat him at the dining table. The two men stare at Karim menacingly.
“There’ll be another one coming,” Mislan tells her.
43
THE CHIEF POLICE OFFICER’S secretary nods at Superintendent Samsiah Hassan and tells her she can go in. She knocks lightly on the door, opens it, and stands to attention. “Good afternoon, Datuk.”
“Samsiah, how have you been?” the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Datuk Zaid Zainal, greets her.
“As well as can be, under the circumstances,” she replies, smiling.
“The UTube Serial Rapist cases swamping you?” He smiles back. “My secretary says it’s urgent, so let’s hear it.”
She hands him the case brief and waits as he reads it. He lifts his head from the case brief and laughs. “Burhan?”
“How did you figure that?”
“It’s not that difficult, Sam. No way would a publicity junkie like him let this one pass. He’ll go into withdrawal for days,” Zaid jests heartily. “Do you want me to stop it?”
“In my opinion, it’s good to hold a press conference. The newspapers are talking about serial rapists on the loose. It’s good to keep the public informed and contain the growing panic. However, I don’t think we should reveal the identities of detainees or that they’re members of anti-LGBT movements. That could spark a confrontation.”
The Chief Police Officer nods in agreement.
“May I suggest that you conduct the PC?” she asks.
“When is it scheduled?”
“I was told that it’s at four today.”
Zaid calls his secretary. “What do I have today at four?”
“You’re scheduled to officiate the closing of the refresher training for the general elections.”
“Get my deputy to close it. Call Burhan’s secretary. Move the scheduled four o’clock PC to the conference room. Tell her I’ll be doing the PC. I want Burhan, Samsiah, and Lillian to be present.” Then, turning to Samsiah, he says, “Give me what you want made public.”
“Datuk, I’m sorry I have to come to you, but …”
“Don’t be. I’d do the same in your position. Just be prepared for more heat from him,” he warns with a chuckle.
“Always am, Datuk, thank you.”
44
THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE becomes crowded with detectives and detainees as the four men are brought in. The escorting detectives ask the front desk clerk where they can hold the detainees. The clerk shrugs and tells them to check with Mislan. A detective disappears and, coming back, he signals for Karim to follow him and shouts to his colleagues t
o hold the rest in the detectives’ room.
“Make sure they’re kept apart, and no talking.”
The detective escorts Karim to the investigators’ general office.
“Jo, have we got the details of the car owner yet?” Mislan shouts from across the room.
“They’re on the way back.”
“Put Deena in charge of processing and remand. I want you to work on him,” he motions to Karim. “Keep the rest in the detective room until we need them.”
“Never had so many of them in the same time. This looks more like Ops Sapu,” Johan says, referring to the periodic cleanup operation conducted on druggies or beggars and the homeless.
“I need to speak to ma’am to see if she can get Yana to assist us.”
“I’ll come with you,” Sherry offers.
“Who’s sending Ape-Man’s pants to Cheras?” Johan asks.
“Check with Kevin, maybe he can send us one of his boys,” Sherry suggests.
“I need to pass this on to Chew for DNA testing,” Mislan says, taking an exhibit bag out of his drawer.
“What’s that?” Sherry asks.
“Bloodied tissue from Ape-Man.”
“So that’s what the display of compassion was all about. And I thought you had gone soft,” she laughs. “Didn’t the high court throw out the DNA evidence in Anwar’s case because it was obtained from a towel offered by the police?”
“Ape-Man disposed of the tissues on his own accord, so it’s public property. Anyway, the DNA of the sample at the accident scene indicated a female.”
“So why do you want his DNA?”
“For now, I don’t know, but since the opportunity presented itself, why not? Let’s hope Ape-Man’s pants will yield traces of DNA of one of the vics. That may be our silver bullet. Tell me when the exhibits are delivered, I’ll call Chew to rush it.”
Superintendent Samsiah lifts her head from her laptop as the two investigators stand at her door. She beckons them in. “Good work by your team.”
“Thanks, but it may be a little premature. We have many bodies but nothing to nail them with,” Sherry answers.
“Good work, anyway.”
“None of them are on our records. Sai has been through their laptops. Nothing,” Sherry says, sounding tired and frustrated. “I was sure we were on the right track, but it looks like we were chasing the wrong lead.”
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