by Graham Brack
‘Yes, you did,’ said Peiperová, without looking up from her work.
Navrátil had not planned to say any more, but there was an awkward silence during which it was clear that absolution was going to be harder to obtain from Peiperová than it ever was from Father Antonin.
‘And I want to say I’m sorry,’ he blurted out.
Peiperová worked on. He willed her to tell him that it was all forgotten and it did not matter, but she just tapped at her calculator and ticked away.
‘I’m very pleased for you and I should have said so. You’ve worked hard for it. I hope that we’ll always be proud of each other’s achievements.’
She finally looked up. ‘You won’t act like a spoilt child again if I get promoted and you don’t?’
‘I promise.’
‘And you know if you make a promise and don’t keep it you’ll go straight to hell?’
‘Yes. But I didn’t think you were a believer.’
‘It’s not what I believe that matters. It’s what you believe. And if you believe that telling a lie means an eternity of getting your backside roasted, then you won’t tell me a lie and I don’t have to worry that you’re fibbing just to get back into my good books.’
‘I wouldn’t do that.’
Peiperová laid down her pencil. ‘Shut the door,’ she ordered.
‘Why?’
‘Because I’m not going to kiss you with the whole world watching. We Acting Acting Captains can’t be seen snogging on duty.’ She threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his mouth.
‘Do I have to call you Sir?’ he asked.
She pulled him tight against her. ‘You of all people should know I’m not a sir,’ she said.
Mucha turned the key in the lock and nudged the door open with his foot, since his hands were occupied in bearing a tray. ‘Room service!’ he announced, causing a bleary-eyed Valentin to turn his face to the wall and groan anew.
‘What time is it?’ he asked.
‘08.20. We’ve let you have a lie-in. But checkout time is nine o’clock because we have to get the room ready for the next occupant.’
Valentin levered himself to something closer to a vertical position. ‘Dear God, how much did I have last night?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ said Mucha, ‘but you’ve got a visitor who might.’
Slonský was standing in the doorway with a broad smile and an irritating chirpiness. ‘Too much,’ he said. ‘Actually about two times too much and then some. You haven’t been mugged. You spent all you had on you, and you’ve got a slate to clear next time you’re in there. Not too much — perhaps four thousand crowns.’
‘Four thousand crowns?’ whimpered Valentin. ‘Four thousand? What could I have spent four thousand on?’
Slonský shrugged. ‘It’s a combination of things really. Buying a round for everyone in the place didn’t help. Then there was the bottle of genuine French champagne. I’ve never seen anyone dunk bread in it before.’
‘Why didn’t you stop me?’ whined Valentin.
‘Because when I got there you were so damn miserable and by the time we left you were happy.’
‘Well, I’m not happy now.’
‘Hardly surprising. You must have a head like a woodpecker’s.’
‘Yes. So please moderate your volume. And why didn’t you take me home instead of banging me up in here?’
‘Two reasons. First, I can’t remember where you live, and second, no taxi-driver would take you incase you chucked up in his vehicle. To tell the truth, you nearly spoiled my cunning plan by picking a fight with Sergeant Vyhnal.’
‘Yes, he told me about that,’ said Mucha. ‘He wasn’t happy.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ said Slonský. ‘I hear Valentin was a bit noisy.’
‘I don’t think it was the noise,’ Mucha replied, ‘so much as the bad language. And the reference to Vyhnal’s parentage, which was unfortunate, because Mr Valentin wasn’t to know that Sergeant Vyhnal actually is a bastard.’
Valentin held his face in his hands. ‘I’d better apologise.’
‘He’s gone off duty,’ said Mucha, ‘but I’ll see that someone tells him when he comes in tonight. Unless, of course, he’s so upset that he tops himself.’
Valentin picked up his cap, scarf and coat and managed to drape them over himself in roughly the right configuration. ‘I’m going home,’ he announced. ‘I may have a quiet night in tonight.’
‘A quiet night in?’ echoed Slonský. ‘Should we send for the police doctor?’
‘Ha-de-ha. I’m splitting my sides. Just leave me alone. Shouldn’t you be out finding a murderer or two?’
‘I suppose so.’ He clapped Valentin on the back. ‘Safe journey home, my friend. Take your roll. You’ll want it when you feel like eating.’
‘It’ll be stale by then.’
‘It’s stale now,’ said Mucha, ‘but it’s the thought that counts.’
Slonský bounded up the stairs but found his way blocked by Lieutenant Doležal, who seemed unusually animated.
‘I understand that you’re Acting Captain, and that’s understandable, given that you’re the senior lieutenant,’ he began, ‘but what do you mean by putting that girl in charge?’
‘She’s not in charge,’ said Slonský. ‘She’s doing some of the administrative stuff to save me some time. On top of which, she’ll do it better than me. She’s a very organised girl, and I’m not.’
‘She’s sitting in the captain’s office,’ Doležal pointed out.
‘What do you want me to do, pull her desk out into the corridor? She’s doing part of the captain’s work. People expect to hand their paperwork in at the captain’s office. Some of it is confidential, so she can’t do it in the room she shares with me and Navrátil.’
‘It’s not right to leave a young girl like that in charge of experienced officers. She handed out the duty rosters. You can’t have a junior officer preparing those.’
‘And what exactly is wrong with them?’
‘Nothing. They’re fine. It’s the principle of the thing. It’s not how things are done here,’ Doležal argued, stabbing the air with his finger to emphasise the conclusive nature of his final point.
‘Quite right,’ said Slonský. ‘We don’t normally have this level of efficiency and it’s going to take some getting used to. But we’re all going to have to try. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go and see if Peiperová has any work for me to do.’
Slonský pushed past and stomped along the corridor to his office. Navrátil was sitting in his usual place with his back to the window, and looked up as Slonský barged in, banging the door against the wall so that it rebounded but failed to close.
‘Do you have anything to say to me?’ Slonský demanded.
‘About what?’
‘Peiperová’s new job.’
‘I don’t understand why you picked her and not me. I’ve been here longer and I thought I was your assistant.’
‘Jesus Maria! Have you been talking to Doležal? It’s not permanent, it’s not important, it’s just sparing my time so I can get on with fighting crime.’ Slonský’s face was turning from tomato towards beetroot. ‘It’s precisely because I want you beside me on this case that I detailed Peiperová to do the office work. She’s good at it. She can count up to twenty without taking her shoes off.’
‘So can I.’
‘So can I too. But I’m playing this all by ear, Navrátil. I’ve got to keep the department going and solve crimes at the same time. I definitely do not need a bunch of prima donnas running to me to moan about favouritism or their hurt feelings.’
Navrátil held up his hands in surrender. ‘I asked a question, sir. I got an answer. I’m happy.’
Slonský breathed deeply and flopped in his chair. ‘Fair enough,’ he said. ‘Sorry, nothing personal.’
In the quiet that followed they suddenly became aware that there were three people breathing. Peiperová was standing in the doorway.
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br /> ‘Sir,’ she asked, ‘when can I go out and carry on my investigation?’
Slonský and Navrátil sat in silence.
‘Not hungry, sir?’
‘Not really. I thought pastry would help, but it hasn’t. Roll on the end of the day when I can get stuck in to some alcohol.’
‘We could try chasing some criminals.’
‘We are, lad. I’m not sitting here for the good of my health. I’ve got an eye fixed on that nightclub.’
‘I guessed that’s why we’d come here, sir.’
‘I want to see the doorman we met the other day. If Peiperová’s contact is right, Brukić must have been there. I want to see if there’s any evidence to back up Suzana’s story.’
‘Why would she lie, sir?’
‘No reason at all, but that’s a very different question to asking whether we can prove that she’s telling the truth.’
A familiar figure in a black windcheater turned the corner and walked jauntily along the road. Slonský sprang from his seat and grabbed his hat.
‘Remember the plan, son.’
Navrátil sprinted across the road and took up his position in the alley. The doorman tensed as he recognised the young detective and stopped walking, only to feel Slonský’s hand on his shoulder.
‘You do well to avoid him,’ he said. ‘He’s not happy with you.’
‘Why? I’ve done nothing.’
‘You didn’t tell us everything you knew. I gave you my number and you didn’t ring me.’
‘Oh yeah? What didn’t I tell you then?’
Slonský whistled and Navrátil started to walk towards them, one hand swinging freely and the other jammed in his jacket pocket.
‘What’s he got in his hand? I told you everything I know. I swear I did.’
‘I don’t think you did,’ said Slonský, ‘but I’m prepared to tell Navrátil to hang on a minute or two before he teaches you a lesson.’
The hoodlum tried to make a run for it, but Slonský grabbed his collar and hooked his legs away with a sweep of his foot, leaving him sprawling on the ground.
‘That’s no good,’ said Navrátil. ‘I can’t make them drop down his trouser leg if he’s lying on the ground.’
They dragged the doorman to a low wall and sat him down there.
‘They’ll be missing you soon, so you’d better talk fast,’ said Slonský.
‘Don’t let them see me talking to you,’ hissed the doorman. ‘If they see me it won’t matter that I’ve said nothing. That Bosnian pig will have me gutted.’
‘That would be the Bosnian pig your mate said hadn’t been in the club?’
‘I don’t know about that.’
Slonský unfolded the fax once again.
‘I asked him about this one. Now I’m asking you about that one.’
‘They’ve both been there.’
‘They bring the girls in, don’t they?’
The thug nodded.
‘Good. Now we’re getting somewhere. Do you know when they’re coming?’
‘No. They’re not going to tell the likes of us.’
‘Fine. If you hear anything, you’ve got my number. Calling me would be a very good idea.’
The bouncer made as if to get up, but Slonský pushed him back down.
‘You didn’t tell us about the girl who killed herself.’
The look on the thug’s face was easy to interpret. It was naked fear.
‘I had nothing to do with that.’
‘That’s not what I heard. Did she squeal when you raped her?’
‘I didn’t do anything of the sort! I never laid hands on her while she was alive.’
‘While she was alive. So you did when she wasn’t alive any more?’
‘They made us carry her out to the truck.’
‘Where was this?’
‘The girls live in an old student hostel. They have a dormitory there. It’s good because it was built to keep the men students out so there’s a concierge’s kiosk by the front door. Nobody can get out without being seen.’
‘Address?’
‘I don’t know the address. I could take you. Or I could draw a map,’ he added desperately.
‘A map would be fine. We don’t want you taking time off work, do we?’
Slonský released his grip on the man’s shoulder and motioned him to go. He looked at Navrátil for reassurance that he was not about to be stabbed in the back. Navrátil just scowled at him.
‘You’re enjoying that part far too much,’ said Slonský. ‘Ought I to be worried?’
‘Just obeying your orders, sir. You said to act hard, so I did.’
‘There’s a side to you that would surprise Peiperová, lad.’
Peiperová had come to the Padlock Club earlier, which was how Slonský knew that the doorman had not started his shift. She had loitered around the district but had not been able to find Suzana again. She had, however, spotted another likely dancer and had followed her as she bought a few vegetables and a small piece of chicken. As the shopper waited to cross the road, Peiperová cautiously stepped alongside her.
‘You should close your bag,’ she said. ‘There are a lot of sneak thieves around this area.’
The girl nodded her thanks and tried to close her bag, which was rather full.
‘Allow me,’ said Peiperová, who did not wait for agreement before pulling the zip shut.
‘Thank you,’ said the girl in heavily accented Czech.
‘Ah, you’re a foreigner! Where are you from?’
‘I am from Bosnia.’
‘Bosnia? You’re a long way from home. Do you work here?’
‘I’m sorry, I am in a hurry. I have no time to talk.’
‘That’s a pity. I have lots of time. I also have this.’ Peiperová showed her police badge. The girl looked very agitated. ‘I should ask to see your visa.’
‘I don’t have with me. I can bring to you.’
‘No, you can’t. You don’t have one, do you?’
The girl’s eyes filled with tears as she mutely shook her head.
‘Don’t worry, I won’t arrest you. But we need to talk. When are you due at work?’
‘At eight o’clock.’
‘Then we have time. Let’s go and have coffee together and you can answer my questions. Or we can go to the police station.’
‘Coffee is better.’
‘Coffee it is, then.’
Slonský rotated his notebook and squinted at the street sign. ‘He’s not Picasso, is he? This isn’t much of a map he’s drawn. But I think that’s the road we want.’
‘Should we call for backup, sir?’
‘Is that your favourite phrase, lad? You always want to call for backup. If you were in charge the entire police force would be following each other around. We might as well hold hands.’
‘I just thought he may have called ahead and they’ll be waiting in ambush for us.’
‘Navrátil, if he called ahead he’ll have told them to watch for your deft work with the penknife and they’ll all be cowering in corners cupping their groins.’
‘Or waiting to shoot me as soon as I step inside the door.’
‘Don’t be a pessimist. I haven’t got you shot yet, have I?’
There’s always a first time, thought Navrátil.
Slonský looked up at the facades of the buildings, and instantly spotted the old student hostel because it had a sign saying Student Hostel over the door. He climbed the steps and paused at the top. ‘This could be dangerous, lad, so make sure you stand to one side when you open the door.’
Navrátil tried turning the large brass knob which filled his hand. Surely small ladies’ hands would never be able to grasp it, he thought. The door creaked open and they stepped inside. A little kiosk stood against the wall to the right. The appearance of visitors came as a surprise to the man sitting there, who bounded to his feet and quickly put a black peaked cap on his head.
‘This is private property, gentlemen.’
‘We’re not planning to steal it. It won’t fit in our pockets,’ said Slonský. He waved his badge and put it away before the doorman had any chance to look at it. ‘Slonský, Acting Captain, and Officer Navrátil. You’re in luck — till the other day I was a lowly lieutenant, but you get the privilege of being raided by a proper officer. I want to speak to the girls you have here.’
‘Girls?’
‘Yes, girls. Men with lumps. You must have seen them around the place.’
‘I’ll have to ask the boss.’
The doorman picked up the telephone receiver to dial but Slonský quickly slammed his hand down on the rest and held it there. ‘Phone calls are expensive. Why don’t you make it later? When we’re gone, for example.’
‘The boss wouldn’t like that.’
‘The boss doesn’t get to choose,’ Slonský replied, keeping firm hold of the doorman’s wrist.
‘What do you want to see them for?’
‘We’d just like to check their visas. I’m sure they’re all in order, aren’t they?’
‘I really think I ought to call the boss.’
‘No, you really ought to call the girls. If we do you for shoplifting, we don’t let you ring a mate to put the stuff back on the shelf. Navrátil, send for a big wagon. A number of young ladies will be spending the evening with us.’
‘They’re due at work in a couple of hours,’ the doorman protested. ‘How can you have a strip club with no strippers?’
‘Better get practising,’ Slonský called over his shoulder as he bounded up the staircase. ‘It looks like you may have to fill in.’
Slonský told Navrátil to stand at the top of the stairs as he walked along the hallway banging on each door in turn and yelling ‘Out! Police!’ When he reached the far end he turned round and opened each door. Women in various stages of undress tumbled into the corridor, and he shepherded them towards Navrátil.
‘It’s as well you didn’t go in there, lad. Could have been too educational for a young man with a delicate upbringing. Now, ladies, let’s see your papers please.’
Amid the general consternation a brunette was pushed to the fore.
‘Please, we don’t have,’ she said.