by Ian Robinson
Nash wanted to see what Moretti made of it. She didn’t need to wait long to have her suspicions confirmed.
‘Well, well, well – that’s answered one thing about why your number was on the victims’ call logs. I also have some news that will make our case much stronger,’ Moretti said. ‘I had a call back from Melissa’s mum. I’d probed, tactfully, as you asked. She remembered a vital piece of what we’ve been missing.’
Nash sat forwards.
‘Go on,’ she said.
Moretti reached behind him for his daybook. He opened it at the page where he’d made an entry of the conversation. He wanted to ensure he didn’t forget anything.
‘I asked her why she thinks Melissa may have used the phone shop rather than a regular high street phone provider. I had to allude to it otherwise I could’ve missed an opportunity. Her mum was apologetic, said she should’ve told us earlier but it had escaped her mind,’ he continued.
‘Melissa had phoned her up and confided that she’d been attacked while on her way home. A phone robbery by those on mopeds. Anyway, her mum suggested she get another phone and insisted she get software on it that could ensure she, her mum, knew that she was at home safely. The software was designed so that you could link trusted users, and they’d receive a safe message once the phone’s owner was satisfied they were not going out again. So Melissa had the software installed. She’d send her mum a message via the app when she got home and wasn’t going back out. The software also meant that if she was out, her mum could see where she was, and this brought her peace of mind. The software’s used by parents to check up on their kids’ location. They can have it downloaded on their phone and as long as you have the number of the other person, you can see where they are as long as the phone is on,’ Moretti said.
‘What was the name of the software on her phone?’ Nash asked.
Moretti flicked over the page of scrawl and ran his index finger down the page until he located it.
‘One minute – here it is… Got Ur Back,’ he said.
Nash remembered where she’d heard of that software before. It was advertised in the window at Kamal’s phone shop. Nash took out her phone and searched for the name of the software. It didn’t appear anywhere on the Internet search. She tried again and included different combinations of spelling, as well as getting Moretti to use her computer to look up all similar software used to trace a person or a phone. They both came up blank. There was software that could achieve the same results, but nothing under that name.
‘Why are we not finding any details about this software online?’ Moretti asked. As he did, there was a tap on the door and Clarke framed the entrance.
‘I’m sorry, I was on the way to the loo and couldn’t help overhearing and, well, I was interested, so stayed and listened,’ she said.
Nash and Moretti stared at her, then it was as though both realised who they were talking to, and they averted their gaze. As they did, Clarke continued.
‘I know why you won’t find it in an online search,’ she said, and stopped there.
Nash knew her well enough by now to know that she wouldn’t expand unless asked a direct question in response to her statement.
‘Why?’ Nash asked.
‘Because it’s unlicensed software,’ she said.
As the weight of her statement sank in, both Nash and Moretti looked at each other as the pertinence of Clarke’s answer hit home.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
‘Right, you lovely lot, listen up, listen up.’ Nash brought her team to attention. She’d had to call them back in again and she’d reassured them that the effort was worth it. All of them responded as she’d expected them to.
‘Thanks for getting back here so quickly. I know this has felt like I’ve had you all on a piece of elastic but, as I’m about to explain, there’s a valid reason for your attendance. I couldn’t have got this far without you. You’ve worked tirelessly under difficult circumstances. Circumstances created by Professional Standards as much as our killer. The extraction of two key staff members in the midst of a triple murder investigation isn’t easy.’
Nash moved from behind the safety of the conference table where she was sitting. She brushed her hands down her trousers and let the creases fall as she prowled the room. She was like a starving leopard. Her prey wasn’t her team. Her prey lay beyond the confines of her incident room. She’d gathered her pack together concerned with one action and one action only: the takedown of Kamal’s empire.
Her detectives had witnessed her passion for duty, but this time they were taken aback at the ferocity with which she conveyed it.
Nash stopped by two empty seats. She leaned on the backs of the chairs and ran her hands along the back of one as a butler would inspect for dust as she continued her address.
‘I was never happy with the decision to take two valued members off my team. We’re now at the stage where I need them back. We’re now at the stage where the result of their work, in addition to all of yours, has culminated in the direction we need to bring the killer in. I refuse to continue without them.’
Nash was vociferous. She didn’t like to rock the boat with other department heads, but the reasons why her officers weren’t permitted to be with her team were petty, and amounted to a clash of egos – one which DI Richards had lost by going one rank higher to his DCI. Nash had no intention of finding hers to join the fight. She’d rather stand alone. Fall on her sword if it came to that.
There was a light knock on the briefing room door. Heads turned as DC Jones tried in vain to creep in. Behind him DS Matthews followed. The room erupted in a cheer. They stood, shocked at the welcome, and took in the adulation they’d not expected. Both their faces flushed, but then broke into wide smiles as they moved along the back wall towards Nash and their respective chairs.
As they approached her they went to shake her hand, but Nash stopped them, and in an unusual move, gave them both a brief hug before they sat down. Nash turned back to her team. This was their time. Their moment to shine, and she valued having such great people with her. When she’d looked out the window at the returning cars of detectives, prior to entering the briefing room, she’d seen heads hung low and an exhausted shuffle of feet as they’d moved from their cars to the incident room. Now they looked as though they’d been given an invite to an exclusive party.
‘Thanks, ma’am. Before you begin, you should know that DS Harris was three cars back from ours at the main gate and he was remonstrating with security,’ Jonesy said, as he placed a pad and pen on the table and waited for direction.
Nash smiled her thanks and cracked on.
‘Right, I’ll keep it succinct,’ she said as she pointed the clicker at the projector screen. She clicked three times and images of each murder victim appeared. Each image showed them exiting the phone shop.
‘As you can see, each of our victims had used this shop. The keen-eyed amongst you will have noticed a poster in the window. The poster is for tracking software called Got Ur Back. This is unlicensed software that we now believe is designed in-house and placed on all the smartphones they sell. It serves two purposes. I will come onto those soon. Some of you who’ve been engaged in follow-up calls to family and work colleagues of Melissa and Jade, will realise that they had issues of personal safety that weren’t known until now. Melissa and Jade were aware they did, as they’d requested the software. Jade had a client who’d been causing her problems, and her legal firm had advised her to arrange tracking software on her phone so they could be assured she was safe and found in an emergency. They didn’t stipulate where to get it from, but it’s believed Jade knew of the shop from her clients, who’d said they were legitimate and offered good deals. Her management advised her to get the software elsewhere, but didn’t follow up.’
‘Melissa was another whose mother insisted she get it after her phone was stolen in a violent street robbery. Both victims used Kamal’s shop, so they were aware of the software’s existence. Our last vi
ctim, Bryony Moore, isn’t as clear. According to friends and relatives, they’d no idea she had the software on her phone, which she does. Surveillance footage shows Bryony leaving the shop with a bag that contains the outline of a box that we believe contained a new mobile phone. An iPhone to be exact.’ Nash paused for a beat while she looked at the screen and how it was coming together.
Her team was attentive with no desire to interrupt her flow, but the door opened again. DS Harris pointed at Nash and then behind him as he shut the door.
Nash continued.
‘It’s my belief that the software has been used by our killer to remotely track where each victim lived. They’d be able to choose their moment to attend and attack. They’d have access to the app that opened the door to the blocks of Jade and Melissa, and would be able to enter their flats in the same way. They’d have everything they’d need from the victim’s phone. How? I’ll come onto that, as well as how my covert number enters the equation. I’m now in a position to explain why I think my number appeared.’ Nash paused and waited to make sure they were all up to date with note taking before she continued. This was a message she wanted them left in no doubt about. It was about her integrity as well as being part of the enquiries.
‘Earlier, DI Sharpe and myself sat up outside Kamal’s home address. Vesa was seen to conduct an exchange with the driver of a vehicle. The car was stopped by a local crime squad and when searched, a quantity of SIM cards was found. All of them believed to be cloned. I too have been using the same shop for my other role as a UC. It’s my belief that the shop sells the original cards and deals the cloned versions. The cloned version of a SIM card I’d bought there was used by someone to make contact with each victim. That someone is our killer. That’s whom we need to find, and hopefully recover the cloned SIM card at the same time, along with the phone it was in when the call was made. The phone I used with the SIM on the restricted log has a different IMEI number to the one on the billing data from the victims. In other words, it didn’t come from my phone although the SIM card number showed the same.
‘I said there was more than one reason as to why I’m thinking the shop is key to finding the killer. The shop is a hub for the proceeds of crime. It takes in stolen phones from many different routes, but one is robbery. Robbery of the latest models from warehouses, as well as personal robberies on the street. It’s my belief that each customer is sold a phone with the software pre-installed. Kamal insists on setting up the phones for customers as part of the personal service. This enables him to remotely access each phone when it’s live, and to see where the victim is. Contact is made with the robbery gang on mopeds. They are dispatched to the area where they steal the phone, bring it back to the shop for a commission, and the phone’s resold to the next mug and so on. I don’t know who our killer is, but I’m certain the shop is key. The way they operate means that they can easily clone a phone or remote access it once it’s live. This is how they’ve been able to enter the victims’ blocks and main flats undetected. The cloning of the phone and app for Melissa’s and Jade’s flats at least. Bryony’s was key entry. We’re going to raid the shop and Kamal’s home address. First, though, I need to be certain where Kamal and Vesa are. I want them contained.’ Nash finished speaking and waited for the questions.
There weren’t any, and Nash was surprised as she’d taken a leap of faith with what amounted to supposition as to how the killer could access the victims and the premises. She had no proof, and she hoped the proof lay in the house or the shop. By busting the shop, she hoped one of them would confess to whom they’d been dealing with or sold the software on to, and the investigation would roll on. If they didn’t then she’d ensure they’d never leave prison on anything else she uncovered in addition to DS Harris and his team. She nodded at Moretti to continue with the logistics while she left to talk with Harris.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Harris was pacing Nash’s office when she entered. He stopped and faced her. She closed the door.
‘So, is it true?’ Harris asked.
‘What?’
‘That you intend to crash my party and bring unwanted guests,’ Harris hissed through clenched teeth.
‘Sit down before you fall down,’ Nash said, as she moved behind her desk.
Harris remained in his occupied territory. Nash moved in front of her desk.
‘I have three murders, Carl, and Kamal’s shop is linked. I cannot and will not ignore it. Murder trumps robbery, as you alluded to, need I say more?’ Nash said.
She saw no requirement to defend her actions, and if Harris took a step back from his ego, he’d realise she was right. Harris wagged his forefinger as he willed his mouth to find the appropriate words. He couldn’t and had struggled to prior to his arrival.
‘Look, can’t we come to a compromise? How about leaving it a couple of days before you hit it? For old times’ sake?’ Harris said, a note to his voice Nash hadn’t heard before. A child-like note that only reinforced her position.
‘No. I’m hitting them today. I need to know where Kamal and Vesa are though. I’m sorry, but you’ve got enough to charge Kamal. A couple of days isn’t going to make a huge difference either way,’ Nash said.
By way of peace offering she motioned at the door with her arm. Harris wiped his hair with his sweaty palm, then ran it over his face as he let out a long breath. He turned towards the window that overlooked the parade square. He knew he didn’t have a leg to stand on when it came to three murders over his robbery operation. He knew the operational team were keen to enter the arrest phase too. This meant his role was no longer necessary or proportionate, and they should go ahead and arrest and charge with what they had.
‘When do you want to do this, and where?’ Harris asked, calmly.
‘I’d prefer both Kamal and Vesa to be at the shop,’ Nash said. There was no sense of victory, just a need to get the job done.
‘How about I put a call in to Kamal and arrange a meet. Kamal was asking for another one anyway, so it won’t look too suspicious when it all comes on top. I’ll drag you along too. That way the letch is bound to agree on the short notice and hopefully bring his sidekick of a son too. I can’t guarantee that though, but it’s the best I can do. You’ll have to disappear before the main event though. You can’t waltz in with the door crashers and hope he won’t put two and two together. You’re either in my way, or not at all, ma’am,’ Harris said, his tongue firmly in the side of his cheek.
Nash nodded her agreement and Harris left her office closing the door behind him. She understood his logic. Her undercover role had blurred boundaries now that her murder investigations had overlapped with the covert operation. She didn’t wish to show out, as was the terminology in the police, but she’d happily give evidence behind a screen, or by any other measure that protected her anonymity.
She didn’t dwell on that though. She’d seek advice from counsel, and was confident a way forward could and would be found that was legal. The waters were murky enough. Only time would tell whether this was her last role as a UC, due to circumstances that were beyond her control. To bring justice for the victims was her main priority, and always would be the overriding factor in her role. Harris left her to make his calls and prepare.
* * *
She laid out the clothes for her meeting with Harris. He’d texted saying it was on. She had three hours. She’d met with Moretti and DS Matthews and briefed them as to their roles. Moretti would manage the outside team, and Matthews the inside team. She’d flicked on the radio once they’d left. Radio X back home. How I made my Millions by Radiohead was the song she listened to as she changed her skin as she saw it. Moretti would speak with the operational team’s DS for Harris’s phone job, and co-ordinate resources with them.
She took the phones, including the Nokia from Harris, from her drawer. She’d have no radio. All Moretti could do was wait to see her leave, and give it three minutes before he sent the message for the Ops team heavies to storm the buil
ding and secure the place. At the same time, another wing of the Ops team would be at Kamal’s home address doing the same. Now wasn’t the time for pumping beats to raise Nash’s adrenaline. She noticed a dull ache in her stomach she hadn’t expected.
She took her car keys from the desk along with her clutch bag and placed her phones in it. With one final sweep of the room she closed the door as the song faded into Idles’ Benzocaine. She left the radio to play her out as she made for her car and the arranged link up with Harris.
CHAPTER FORTY
They sat in Harris’s car in a side street while they watched London life flow past them. Exhaustion had crept up on Nash and as she leaned onto the doorframe, she longed for the comfort of her own living room, a takeout curry, fresh pyjamas and a decent film.
Moretti had messaged to say all was in place. Nash felt a small comfort having read that. Harris had been stoical on the journey. They’d made conversation, but he too sounded as though he needed a break from it all. A chance to kick back and be himself rather than play the criminal and live the life. He’d even spoken of retirement. A subject he rarely mentioned as it frightened him too much. He’d moan about the police, as did everyone, but he never really engaged in that type of conversation beyond the odd grunt of agreement.
‘You ready?’ he asked as he turned towards her.
‘I’m ready,’ she said, giving him a weak effort at a smile.
Harris didn’t move and continued to study her face.
‘Look, Pip. I’m with you on this but you appear distant. What’s wrong?’ Harris said as he adjusted the internal blower away from his face.
Nash didn’t reply and stared out the window as she thought.
Harris continued, ‘What I mean is, if we’re to go down into the basement, I need to know you’ve got my back as much as I have yours. This is it, the final push, the team’s going over the top tonight – to glory and beyond. You look as though you’ve been posted to traffic with no option of a return to detective duty. Cheer the fuck up will ya, and let’s get this shit done. Here, have a line before we go in,’ Harris said, as he reached into his pocket.