Babik told him that they had all been told that after 12 months they would be granted a British passport and released. They also each believed that they were being paid well, and although they were never given any cash, they were each given a statement every month, falsely showing their monies accruing.
‘So you’ve not used drugs?’ Boldo asked.
‘No, as these are top class girls for top class clients we didn’t want them all drugged up and unresponsive. Granted, we’ve had to slap a couple into submission, which worked well on the others, but since they accepted their situations they have all been compliant. We may have crushed their spirits and dreams of what life in the UK would be, but we gave them a false hope to cling onto, for once they’ve served their time.’
‘Excellent. So by removing two now, it will cement your false promise,’ Boldo said.
‘And reinforce it in the eyes of the others. How soon can you deliver replacements?’
‘I had two already over here in Manchester, in a forced servitude role. I was considering promoting them, but they have left, unfortunately.’
‘Problem?’ Babik asked.
‘Only for the idiot who allowed himself to be arrested.’
For the first time Babik felt less than 100% confident in Boldo, who must have seen it in his eyes as he answered his unspoken question.
‘Trust me, there is no problem.’
Babik decided to let it slide. To be fair, he’d had enough of his own problems with the other two premises recently, and Boldo hadn’t taken too much issue with him. Not once he’d assured him of this mill’s safety. ‘OK,’ he said, ‘we can choose two tonight and I can arrange their removal, pending permanent disposal.’
‘You can do that so quickly?’ Boldo asked, looking impressed.
‘I have a female associate the girls will trust, she can move them tonight. I know it will leave me short until your replacements arrive, but we can link it to your visit, giving it even more credibility,’ Babik said.
‘I’ve two in Calais so can have them here in 24 hours,’ Boldo added.
‘Excellent,’ Babik said, before reaching for a large bunch of keys in the glove box.
‘You sure you are only dealing with me?’ Boldo said.
Babik looked at the keys in his hand before answering, ‘You know I am, though I have used quite a few houses recently, I like to move around. In fact, I need to sort this lot out as several of my houses are no longer in commission.’
‘Problems?’ Boldo asked.
‘Only for the local fire brigade — they somehow keep going up in smoke.’
Boldo roared for a second time, and they both got out of the vehicle and headed to the main doors. Babik found the correct key fairly quickly; they both entered and he re-locked the main doors behind them. Once inside, Babik led Boldo past the main factory part on the ground floor where all the legitimate business took place during the day, to a small door at the rear of the premises. It was a nondescript door that had the look of a storeroom entrance, with ‘Private’ written on it in faded red letters.
Again, Babik quickly found the correct key and led the way. Past the door was an old set of wooden stairs that spiralled up to the second floor. At the top was a small landing, with a light above a steel door. Babik started looking for a further key and appeared frustrated when he couldn’t easily find it. Then the steel door opened inwards and the manager greeted them.
‘Saw you approach on the CCTV,’ she said.
‘Thanks, Gill,’ Babik replied, and went on to introduce Boldo to her before asking her to show Boldo around. Babik made his way to the main office-cum-flat at the end of the corridor used by Gill, and waited. As he walked past the five bedrooms en route, he noticed that the doors to numbers two and three were open.
Five minutes later, Gill led Boldo into the office. He looked satisfied.
‘Fancy a go?’ Babik asked him, largely out of mischief. Boldo politely declined. Women were definitely not his thing.
‘All looks impressive,’ he commented.
Babik then explained to Gill what was going to happen, giving her only the fake premise, and then asked, ‘Which two should we exchange first?’
Gill said that it should really be the best two, as they had probably done most to earn their freedom and bounty, but as business is business, she recommended the least popular two.
‘I like your thinking,’ Boldo said.
‘Which are these girls?’ Babik asked Gill.
‘The girls from rooms two and three. Chrystal and Chelsea, to use their stage names,’ she answered.
Babik told her to go and give the women the good news, and to tell them to prepare themselves to leave — hopefully tonight. He then poured Boldo a drink from Gill’s drinks cabinet and ushered him to a leather recliner. Boldo made himself comfortable and pulled the sleeves of his canvas jacket up as he sank into his chair. Babik studied the unusual tattoo, shaped like a wagon wheel, on Boldo’s right forearm. ‘Didn’t know you were a cowboy,’ he joked.
‘It’s the Romani Chakra, you philistine,’ Boldo replied, smiling.
‘A what?’
‘Chakras have a long history, but the Romani one symbolises the Roma people.’
‘Didn’t know you had gypsy blood in you,’ Babik said.
‘My family come from the Roma travellers; there is much you don’t know about me.’
Babik didn’t doubt the last comment one bit. He told Boldo to enjoy his drink while he phoned Sue in order to get things moving. ‘I hope to meet her before I leave, if time allows,’ Boldo said.
Babik nodded in reply before walking to the other end of the room and dialling Sue’s number. She answered nearly straight away.
‘You busy?’ he asked.
‘Just heading home, why?’
‘I’ve got a little errand needs doing,’ he said.
‘Sure, is Boldo getting on your nerves already?’
Babik instinctively glanced at Boldo, sitting in the easy chair at the other end of the room, and checked that he wouldn’t be able to overhear, before he answered. ‘It’s actually gone remarkably well; in fact you can see for yourself.’
‘When?’ Sue asked.
‘Maybe later, or most probably tomorrow, if there’s time, but that’s not important now. I need you to take two girls to a safe-house and stay with them, but only until the morning, probably.’
‘OK. No problems, I hope?’
‘Quite the opposite, they have earned their freedom. Stay by your phone and I’ll ring you later with the details,’ he said, before ending the call. In that split second he had decided not to tell Sue the truth about the women’s fate. She didn’t need to know, and anyway, it would make her all the more believable with them.
Before he had time to return his phone to his pocket, it rang again, but it wasn’t Sue calling back as he expected. He took the call.
‘It’s me,’ the caller started.
‘I know who you are,’ Babik said gruffly.
‘That 500 large still on offer?’ the caller asked.
‘Yes, if it’s worth it,’ he said, lowering his voice.
‘Want to know about a reporter asking questions?’
‘Yes I do, the money’s yours, go on.’
‘Well, darling, better listen up.’
*
Christine was feeling restless and was about to start the hire car’s engine and head for the hotel, when her phone rang. She picked it up and the screen announced ‘unknown caller,’ which piqued her interest as it usually meant an international call. She answered it and recognised the voice of Bob-A.
‘You alright?’ Christine asked.
‘Yes, thank you, and all because of you. I’ve not forgotten.’
‘How can I help?’ Christine asked, regretting her clumsy choice of words. She hadn’t meant to sound patronising.
‘That man; the one who came for us in Liverpool.’
‘Yes, the goon you recognised.’
‘Goon?�
� she asked.
‘Sorry, I mean the hired thug,’ Christine said, inwardly cringing a second time.
‘I told you I find his name.’
Christine said that she remembered Bob-A had promised to try and get the man’s details.
‘I not know, I’m sorry, but I have found out who he works for.’
Christine couldn’t believe it, what a breakthrough for her story! She put the phone to the ear on the other side of her head as she took a notebook and pen out of her handbag. ‘Go on,’ she said, once she was ready.
‘He works for a big secret man with many, many friends. A dangerous man,’ Bob-A started.
Sensing a touch of apprehension, Christine interjected, ‘Don’t forget I will never, ever, disclose you as my source, erm, sorry, I mean as the person who has told me anything.’
There was a short pause before Bob-A replied, ‘I know, I trust you. It’s just that this man is known of, but no one has ever seen him.’
‘Why is that?’
‘He is a big secret man, like I said. Some call him The Ghost.’
‘OK,’ Christine said.
Bob-A carried on. ‘The Ghost is a man who people say can be very cruel. People are too scared to even mention his nickname. One man in the village talked about him and then he was gone, though some say he just moved away. Others say it was the goon as you call him, who took him on the orders of The Ghost.’
Christine’s neck was starting to ache, but she didn’t harry the poor woman. There was a further pause, and then Bob-A added, ‘My uncle told me, but made me promise.’
Christine said nothing, her neck was really aching hard now. But then Bob-A continued, and Christine realised she hadn’t needed her notebook, after all.
‘My uncle says that The Ghost is called Mr Boldo, I have to go now, thank you again.’ And then the line went dead.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Vinnie was getting bored driving around aimlessly. He’d checked past Grady’s known address several times; it was all in darkness with the curtains drawn back, and he noted the equally bored-looking intelligence detective parked up, watching the house. He didn’t pull over to chat; he didn’t want to draw attention to either of them. Not that there was anyone about. Vinnie checked his watch. Cowboy time; 10 to 10, time to go.
Twenty minutes later, Vinnie had booked in at the hotel’s reception and was reading the note left for him by Christine, as the author herself walked through the front doors.
‘Damn, I’ve timed this bad,’ Christine said, as she arrived at Vinnie’s shoulder.
‘Saw you coming from the reflection;’ Vinnie said, pointing at the highly-polished ornate glass backdrop behind the reception desk, and then added, ‘Surveillance training, you don’t lose it.’
‘Didn’t know you were trained,’
‘Not officially.’
‘Never mind, you can buy me a drink in the bar whilst you count out that 50 you owe me. Oh, and I might have another snippet for you.’
Vinnie looked at her, surprised but not shocked. ‘How much will that cost me?’
‘Depends if you have anything to trade with me,’ she smirked, and then started to head further into the hotel. Vinnie followed, he was looking forward to some chill time with Christine, especially after what had happened the previous night. Or not happened.
The first drink didn’t touch the sides and after getting the second round in, Vinnie duly handed over the £50. He was a little surprised that Christine took it, but he supposed a bet’s a bet.
‘I’ll get the next one in,’ she announced, as she put the notes into her bag.
‘That’s good of you, ‘Vinnie said, ‘since I’ve just bought two.’
Christine threw her hands up in the air in submission. ‘OK, let’s trade.’
Vinnie told her that Susan Grady was now circulated as wanted for murder, and explained the rationale behind it. ‘Whether she’s guilty or not, there are lots of corruption offences that she is solid on. Do you think you’d formally recognise her again?’
‘Only got a glimpse as I was more concerned about Amal being bundled out of the car, but I reckon so; in the short term, anyway.’
It wouldn’t surprise Vinnie in the least if Christine ended up being the one to find Grady, but that wouldn’t matter, he just wanted Grady locked up. Then Christine started grinning inanely; the “I know something you don’t know” look she did so well. Vinnie rolled his eyes before asking.
‘Well, I can tell you that the man behind all of your man Babik’s activities is the same man behind the forced servitude case in Manchester.’
‘We’ve worked this one out, so if you’re fishing for another £50…’
‘Don’t panic, but I’ve had it confirmed that he was behind the men who came after us in Liverpool, and that he is believed to behind most, if not all, people trafficking into the north west,’ Christine said, before she took a sip from her drink and then explained what Bob-A had told her.
‘Still waiting for something new?’ Vinnie teased.
‘Oh yes, and I’ve confirmed the existence of the mill.’
‘Not new,’ Vinnie said.
‘It is somewhere off the aptly-named Deepdale Mill Street: new enough for you?’ Christine said with a flourish.
Vinnie was impressed, she’d done it again. She went on to explain, and by the time she’d finished explaining, Vinnie had finished his second drink. ‘Are we having another?’ he asked.
‘I know it’s my round, so how about I put a bottle of wine on the room and we go and relax,’ Christine said, with a twinkle in her eye.
Then, Vinnie’s mobile rang. Not twice in a row, surely? He saw Harry’s name on the screen, pressed the green icon with a sigh and put the phone to his ear.
‘You busy?’ came Harry’s first comment.
‘You wouldn’t believe how bad your timing is becoming,’ Vinnie said.
‘Uh?’
‘Forget it. Go on.’
‘There have been developments. Can you get in straight away?’
‘Give me 15; I’ll need to walk in.’
‘See you in 10,’ Harry said, before ending the call.
Vinnie turned to face Christine and they both burst out laughing. Then she said, ‘But wake me when you get back, if it’s really juicy.’
‘Is that the only reason to disturb you?’
‘Be too late for any other malarkey; but I can’t wait to find out what Harry wants. Didn’t he give you a clue?’
‘Sorry, not this time.’
Vinnie thought that he would probably have been OK to drive, but didn’t want to risk it. That said, after a 10-minute power walk across the city centre he was sure he’d be good to go if needed. He walked into the incident room, which was all in darkness but for the secondary illumination cast into it from the lights of his and Harry’s office. He walked in to find Harry at his desk, but Vinnie was surprised to see DI Jim Day sitting at his own place. Jim started to rise, but Vinnie waved him to sit back down, which he did.
‘I’ve asked Jim to join us as it involves his staff,’ Harry started.
‘What does?’ Vinnie asked, and Harry turned to look at Jim.
‘It’s Grady.’
‘Locked up?’ Vinnie asked.
‘Not quite,’ Jim said, before going on to explain. The intelligence detective whom Vinnie had spotted earlier had reported in that Grady turned up at her rented address and rushed straight in through the front door.
‘Looked like she was in a hurry,’ Jim said, adding that as he was reporting the sighting to comms and requesting back up, Grady left — after only an couple of minutes — and took off again.
‘Your man follow her?’ Vinnie asked.
‘As best he could on his own,’ Jim said.
Vinnie could feel a ‘but’ coming. And he was right. Apparently, she had driven off swiftly and the intel detective had done his best to stay with her, without her releasing she had a tail. Vinnie sympathised, he knew how difficult that wou
ld be. Jim went on to explain that his man lost her near Fletcher Road in the Deepdale part of the city.
That made Vinnie take note. ‘That’s a shame,’ he said.
‘It’s not easy being a one-man surveillance,’ Jim started, defensively.
‘I know, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve just been told that the mill might be somewhere near to Deepdale Mill Street, which as you know, is itself off Fletcher Road.
Now it was Harry’s turn to take note as he leaned forward, and said, ‘Where’s that come from?’
‘Just got it from Christine — fill you in in a bit.’
‘Well, we flooded the area with all available patrols, but nothing, so my officer headed back to Grady’s address, and as you were on your way over he rang in to say Grady had returned home,’ Jim said.
‘Excellent, have the cavalry gone in to get her?’ Vinnie asked.
‘Not exactly,’ Harry answered for Jim. ‘But we have the front and back covered covertly.’
‘Why the delay?’
‘Because we have complications to risk assess,’ Harry said.
And before Vinnie could ask, Jim answered. ‘As my man was pulling up, down the road from her address, he noticed her car approach so ducked down. When he risked a glance, he saw Grady leading two women of eastern European appearance into the house.’
Vinnie tried to compute what Jim had just said, but wasn’t sure exactly what was going on, though he could guess what the women might be for.
‘So do we send the troops straight in, or sit and wait to see if Babik turns up?’
‘Exactly,’ Harry said. Adding, ‘which is why I wanted you both in here.’
The next five minutes were spent discussing the pro and cons of both options, and as it would take too long to get a full surveillance team down there, the sit and wait option lost voice.
‘If she leaves again, we might not get another chance,’ Vinnie argued. Harry and Jim both agreed, so the joint decision was to send the watchers in straight away, arrest Grady, free the women and bring them all into the nick whilst leaving an arrest team inside the house as phase two, in case Babik turned up. None of them really expected the latter.
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