‘Will do,’ said Carys.
‘Finally, security,’ said Sharp, and waited until he had everyone’s attention. ‘Based on what happened last time, and so no-one has to go through what Kay did with the Professional Standards investigation, this incident room will now be locked down. No-one will take work home with them. The room will be opened by me at seven o’clock in the morning, and I’ll be locking it at seven o’clock every night. All evidence will be logged by Debbie, who reports directly to me. You want something out of evidence to review, you see me first, got it?’
A murmur of agreement swept through the room.
‘We are going to get this bastard,’ said Sharp. ‘But he’s cunning, and dangerous. If anyone has reason to believe that they are in danger, or you are threatened by anyone in any way, you come to see me immediately. Is that understood?’
‘Guv.’
Sharp turned back to Kay. ‘We tread carefully. We’ve got one shot at this.’
She nodded, fighting down the adrenalin that had started to course through her veins.
‘Don’t worry, guv. We’ll do this properly. I want Demiri put away – for a long time.’
Chapter Nine
Kay pulled her car out of the police station car park, indicated right and merged into the remains of the late afternoon commuting traffic.
As she turned left and drove past the large multi-storey car park and adjoining supermarket, her mind returned to Jozef Demiri.
He had been almost within her clutches once, nearly two years ago.
She and her colleagues had gathered enough evidence to support an investigation into Demiri’s business dealings, and everything pointed to him running an extensive drugs operation between the Continent and his base in the south-east corner of England.
However, while a surveillance team was waiting for Demiri’s return from the Continent, a gun seized from a routine traffic stop and which they all thought had Demiri’s fingerprints on it went missing from the evidence locker at the police station.
The aftermath had been shocking, starting with a Professional Standards investigation that accused Kay of taking the weapon.
It had devastating consequences on her health. She had miscarried the baby girl she had only found out weeks before she was carrying and despite her best efforts, her career had never fully recovered.
She’d vowed revenge on Demiri ever since.
She fought down her excitement as she turned into the lane that led to her house, and twisted her hand on the steering wheel to check her watch.
Adam had left the house early that morning, keen to get to the clinic to catch up on paperwork before the morning’s appointments began to filter through the doors, and she hoped he’d be home at a reasonable time.
They had another day together before he flew to Aberdeen for his conference, and she wanted to make the most of her time with him.
As the car passed their local pub, a smile formed on her lips.
Pulling into the driveway of the house she locked her car and hurried to the front door.
‘I’m home!’
‘Upstairs.’
Kay bounded up the stairs and into their bedroom at the front of the house. ‘The pub looks quiet – fancy a drink?’
Adam appeared from the en suite bathroom, towelling his hair. He grinned. ‘Sounds like a great idea.’
‘Good – I’ll get changed and we’ll go straight away.’
Twenty minutes later they had grabbed a small table in the corner of the public bar at the front of the pub, each with a pint of real ale in front of them.
‘Cheers,’ said Adam, clinking his glass against hers before taking a long sip. ‘Oh, I needed that.’
Kay savoured the beer, licked a trace of froth off her lips and sank back into the soft leather of her chair. She craned her neck to look through the bar to the lounge area, but only two people sat on bar stools chatting to the landlady.
The rest of the pub was deserted; the regular evening crowd would be in later.
Kay relaxed. The only problem with being a police officer in a town rather than a large city, was that sometimes she’d see someone she’d arrested in the past walk through the door of a pub or pass her in the supermarket.
She’d given up diving behind displays of soup tins or the latest book offerings years ago and instead glared back at the offenders, but it was still a welcome relief to find none of her past encounters from successful arrests yet drank in her local pub.
She pushed her hair behind her ear and took another sip of her beer.
‘I might have to stay in Aberdeen a bit longer,’ said Adam, his voice breaking into her thoughts.
‘Problem?’
‘No – one of the other guys going to the conference has a practice specialising in the horse racing industry. I wouldn’t mind spending some time with him while I’m there, that’s all. Okay with you?’
‘Of course.’ She smiled. ‘It’d be a great opportunity for you.’
Adam’s busy clinic was popular with the local community, and he was one of the few local vets experienced with racehorses and their foibles.
He placed his half-empty pint glass on a cardboard coaster and reached out for her hand. ‘I’m thinking of expanding the business. Taking on someone else to deal with the small stuff so I can concentrate on networking more. There are some speaking opportunities on the Continent I’d like to explore.’
‘Wow.’ Kay twisted in her seat to face him.
A hopeful expression crossed his features.
She knew how good he was at his work; until a few years ago he’d been a regular contributor to veterinary journals and had participated in conferences up and down the country. Then, the business had taken off and he’d put all his energy into establishing and growing that.
‘You’re good at sharing what you know,’ she said, squeezing his hand. ‘I think that’s a great idea – as long as you don’t stretch yourself too thin. You don’t want to get exhausted from it all.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll only do a few a year to keep my hand in. We could travel together, if your work allowed it. About time we had a holiday anyway. We could turn it into a working holiday – I could do my lecture, and then we could have a few days to explore before we come home.’
‘Sounds great. I could get used to that.’
‘Fantastic.’ He smiled, and took a long draught of his beer, a look of contentment in his eyes. ‘So, are you going to tell me what’s happening about that car crash the other night? Any developments?’
Kay checked the landlord was still busy with customers in the other bar, and lowered her voice to tell Adam what she could of the ongoing investigation.
‘The thing is,’ she said, and took a deep breath. ‘Gavin traced the vehicle identification number to a business owned by Jozef Demiri.’
Adam’s eyes hardened and he set down his glass. ‘Demiri?’
Kay put her finger to her lips. ‘Yeah.’
‘Kay, listen to me. You stay away from him, all right? I know it’s your job, but let one of the others deal with him. It’s too dangerous.’
‘I need to do this, Adam. I want him put away, and I want to be there when we do it.’
‘You know how dangerous he is. I know you want this, but for Christ’s sake don’t go anywhere near him on your own.’
‘I won’t be on my own. Sharp’ll be with me.’ Her mouth quirked. ‘I don’t think he trusts me with what I’ll do to Demiri if he lets me go alone.’
‘It’s not funny, Kay. Not with his reputation.’
She held up her hand. ‘I know. I’m sorry. I’ll be careful.’
‘I wish I wasn’t going away now.’
‘I’ll be fine. Honest.’
He ran a hand over his face. ‘You make sure you lock all the doors and windows while I’m away. And keep the security lights on around the house, too.’
‘Okay.’
‘Promise me, Kay.’
‘I promise.’
&nbs
p; ‘All right.’ His eyes softened and he pointed at her empty glass. ‘Another one of those?’
‘Thought you’d never ask.’
Chapter Ten
Kay and Sharp left the police station immediately after the next morning’s briefing, intent on interviewing Jozef Demiri as soon as possible.
Kay drove, their pace slowed by the amount of traffic on the A20 between Maidstone and Ashford – a result of a multiple collision at Folkestone, and the authorities’ decision to utilise the M20 motorway for Operation Stack, a strategy whereby all the trucks that couldn’t use the Channel Tunnel or ferries to France were parked on the motorway, thereby preventing anyone else from using it.
‘Just as well we didn’t make an appointment,’ said Sharp, grumbling under his breath.
Kay said nothing, the traffic jam doing nothing to tame her excitement at the prospect of meeting Demiri face to face.
Proving who was responsible for removing the gun from the evidence locker and bringing Demiri to justice was all that had kept her focused during her darkest moments.
She slowed as they entered the outskirts of Ashford and negotiated a series of roundabouts before she swung the car into a small business park.
Signs stacked one on top of the other like a totem pole at the entrance to the business park confirmed the presence of Demiri’s offices. It didn’t take long to find the glass-enshrouded low level unit that his software business occupied. She locked the car and they made their way towards the building, Sharp at her side.
‘I’ll take the lead,’ he said. ‘We both know we’re going to be under the microscope with this one. I don’t want to give Larch or anyone else an excuse to question this investigation.’
‘Understood, guv.’
Kay fought down her excitement and followed Sharp as he approached the double doors to the building. Her eyes fell upon a brass plaque to the side of the entrance portico.
Delight Investments.
She had been amazed DCI Larch hadn’t intervened in their plans to speak with Demiri. As it was, after delivering the report Kay had prepared for him, Sharp had had to clear the meeting with the Chief Superintendent, and was ordered to report to headquarters the moment they returned from their interview.
An intercom was set underneath the plaque, and she waited while Sharp pressed the button and announced their arrival.
A faint buzz sounded, followed by a click, and the door opened under Sharp’s touch.
The door closed automatically behind Kay, and the thick carpet under her feet silenced her footsteps as they approached a sumptuous mahogany reception desk. A chandelier hung from the high ceiling, and Kay realised with a shock that it was real crystal. It seemed out of place within a modern office building, and she couldn’t help but wonder who Demiri was trying to impress.
A young woman sat behind the reception desk, her blonde hair swept up into an efficient bun, and Kay realised the woman’s black suit probably cost three times as much as the one she herself wore. The woman looked up from her computer screen as they approached and smiled.
‘Good morning. Can I help you?’
Kay thought she could hear the trace of a foreign accent, but the woman’s English was perfectly enunciated.
‘Detective Inspector Sharp, and my colleague Detective Sergeant Hunter,’ said Sharp by way of introduction. He held up his warrant card. ‘We’d like a word with Mr Demiri, please.’
‘Do you have an appointment?’
‘No. This isn’t a social visit.’
‘Oh.’ The woman’s face fell, her smile disappearing, and she glanced back at the computer screen. ‘Well, I’m afraid he has an appointment in half an hour, and his calendar is busy for the rest of the day.’
‘We’ll see him now, if you could let him know we’re here.’
The woman bit her lip. ‘That – that’s rather awkward.’
Sharp smiled. ‘I understand. We can wait here until he’s finished his other appointments, if you like?’
A look of horror spread across the woman’s face, and Kay couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.
Evidently the thought of two plainclothes police detectives sitting in her boss’s plush reception area filled her with dread.
Despite knowing Sharp was bluffing, Kay relished the thought of sitting in Demiri’s office all day so she could find out who his other appointments were with. It would surely make for interesting updates to the HOLMES2 database.
‘Wait here,’ said the receptionist, rising from her chair. ‘I’ll be right back.’
‘Thanks.’
Sharp turned away from the desk and winked at Kay.
‘Don’t look too happy,’ he murmured. ‘There’s a camera up in the corner to your six o’clock position.’
Kay brought her fist to her mouth, and cleared her throat. ‘Seems quite fond of those.’
‘Steady.’
She’d never told anyone about the cameras she’d found hidden in her house a few months ago, no-one except Sharp who, with his ex-military background, had somehow managed to have the devices removed without alerting the perpetrators to the fact they’d been found. The equipment had simply ceased to work one day. Kay suspected Demiri was responsible, but she had no proof and given her workload over the months since, she hadn’t had a chance to investigate further.
Not that she’d tell Sharp if she had.
They both turned at the sound of a door opening to their left, and the receptionist reappeared, closely followed by a man in his late fifties.
Kay took a step back, her heart ratcheting up a notch.
Jozef Demiri exuded evil, as far as she was concerned.
His bulk ensured he dominated the space, his deep brown hooded eyes boring into hers as he strode towards them. Immaculately dressed in a black suit that accentuated his collar-length white hair, he let his tanned skin crease as his brow furrowed.
‘Detective Hunter. I’m surprised to see you here.’
‘Mr Demiri, we have some preliminary questions we’d like to ask you in relation to an ongoing enquiry,’ said Sharp, not bothering with introductions again. ‘Is there somewhere we can talk in private?’
Demiri chuckled, then checked the solid gold watch on his wrist and sighed. ‘All right, Detective Sharp. I’ll play your games. Beatrice – I’ll use the conference room here. Knock on the door five minutes before my next appointment.’
‘Yes, Mr Demiri.’
‘Shall we?’
He crossed the plush carpet to a panelled door, held it open and gestured to Sharp and Kay to enter.
Kay shivered as she squeezed past him, the warmth from his breath tickling her face as she entered the room.
‘I’ve been waiting for you, Kay,’ he murmured.
Chapter Eleven
Kay waited until Demiri moved to the head of the oval conference table, grateful that Sharp took a minute to pull out a chair for her well away from where the Albanian sat.
A mixture of excitement and trepidation swept through her.
Professionally, she wanted justice for everything the man had done to her and others, but his comment as they’d entered the room had unnerved her.
As he moved an upside-down water glass away from his elbow, she wondered what he’d meant by his words.
Was he talking about the car crash and subsequent discovery of the woman’s body, or something else?
Was he simply trying to gain the upper hand on the interview?
‘Mr Demiri, we’ll keep this formal,’ said Sharp.
Demiri nodded, and leaned on the table, his hands loosely clasped together. ‘As you wish.’
His eyes never left Kay’s as Sharp read out the formal caution and then opened a plastic folder he’d brought with him and slid a photograph across the table.
Demiri’s hand slapped it to a standstill, then spun it around. He glanced up at Sharp. ‘Explain.’
‘This vehicle was involved in a motor vehicle accident two nights ago on the M20. Tracing the ca
r’s movements using CCTV, we’ve located the property rented by the driver.’
He pushed a copy of one of the photos discovered at the property across the table.
Demiri’s face remained impassive.
‘Does this person look familiar to you?’
‘No. Should he?’
‘The thing is, this man is a known associate of yours, Mr Demiri,’ said Kay. ‘He drives for you.’
Demiri’s eyes sparkled as he leaned forward, and then he shrugged. ‘No. I do not know him. You must remember, Detective Hunter, I am a busy man. I have many people who may have worked for me at one time or another. I cannot recall all of them.’
‘Mr Demiri, do you recognise the woman in the photograph?’
‘No.’
‘If you could take another look at the photograph, please.’
Demiri sighed, and took the photograph Kay shoved across to him. He glanced at it, then passed it back with the others. ‘I don’t know her. What’s she got to do with him and a car accident?’
‘Her body was found in the boot of the car,’ said Sharp.
‘Maybe it was a domestic argument gone wrong, you think?’
‘It’s one of the avenues of enquiry we’re pursuing, yes.’
Kay slipped the photographs across the desk to Sharp and watched as he extracted a further image from the folder.
‘This is a photograph taken at the scene of the accident,’ said Sharp. ‘Having checked with the licensing authorities, it seems the car belongs to you. If this man was no longer driving for you, can you explain why he was in your car two nights ago?’
‘I’ve no idea, really. Perhaps he was running an errand for one of my members of staff.’
‘Wouldn’t you have told them he no longer worked for you?’
Hell to Pay Page 4