‘No, thanks,’ Kate said for them both, returning her eyes to the screen.
Laura, who had been reading the screen over Kate’s shoulder, suddenly gasped. ‘I remember this guy. I interviewed him with Patel… must be three years ago maybe… yeah, that’s him, charged for his involvement in an armed robbery.’
‘Armed robbery? And out already?’
‘From memory, he was given a reduced sentence for cooperating and giving up the rest of the gang. His evidence helped secure convictions against the other five members.’
‘Revenge attack, then?’ Kate suggested. ‘One of the other gang members?’
‘I wouldn’t be so sure,’ Laura said, taking control of the laptop and running a search. ‘Look here: the rest of the gang are still behind bars. I remember the case now.’ She began to read, sharing the salient points. ‘Nowakowski was the getaway driver… but was only brought along at the last minute when the original driver wasn’t able to make the heist… The original driver was being questioned in relation to something separate, but the job they were planning was time sensitive, so they proceeded with Nowakowski… The raid was on a security depot in Fareham.’ Laura paused and looked up at Kate. ‘It was a couple of months before you joined the department, ma’am. I was still in uniform back then.’
‘Explains why I don’t remember it, then. What else can you recall?’
Laura focused back on the screen. ‘They kidnapped the depot’s manager and her family, and forced her to help them gain entry… The leader escorted the manager into the building – signed in as a visiting regional manager or something, I think – while the others waited in a lorry to take delivery of the cash trolleys. Nowakowski was supposed to be waiting in a fast car in case something went wrong, but he was running late and got pulled over for speeding…’
Laura stifled a chuckle. ‘They’d hit the place on a Wednesday, oblivious to the fact that the depot was due to test its fire evacuation procedures that day. Suddenly the fire alarm sounds and the workforce spill out and gather at the muster point, which just happens to be outside the loading dock where the gang are filling the lorry.
‘The patrol car following Nowakowski has now sussed what’s going on and called for backup. Within minutes, the place is surrounded by blue lights. Nowakowski confessed everything he knew, wanting to spare himself hard prison time… According to this, he served eighteen months of a four-year stretch.’
Kate didn’t see the funny side. ‘Was anybody hurt?’
Laura composed herself before continuing. ‘No, ma’am. I think everyone involved was pretty shaken, but the gang saw sense before shooting anyone.’
‘Just because the rest of the group are inside, doesn’t mean they couldn’t arrange for someone on the outside to complete the deed. You know what modern prison is like: operations are still run, regardless of whether the leader is inside. I think our first port of call should be the front runner to see what he has to say about it.’
‘So why send you the heart? You weren’t involved in the arrest.’
‘He grassed them up, so maybe the heart is symbolic of him turning on them… I don’t know. But they wanted us to know that they’d got to him, and I guess it sends out a message to the criminal underworld: grass and you know what’ll happen to you.’
‘So, where’s the rest of him?’
‘Your guess is as good as mine: burned; buried; chucked in a river. Who knows? We may never find the rest of him if this gang were involved. We’d better brief the team. I’ll send Patel to the prison to speak with the crew.’
Ben was just returning as they were leaving, and held the door open.
‘Thanks for this, Ben,’ Kate said. ‘Can you email me what you’ve got?’
He smiled. ‘Of course. Glad I could help.’ Moving closer to her, he whispered, ‘Come to mine for dinner tonight?’
After the last two nights of worrying about Tara, nothing sounded better. ‘I’ll bring wine.’
28
‘You think she’s home?’ Laura asked, as they pulled up at the mid-terrace property.
Kate looked at the overgrown lawn beneath the windows, which were covered by mildew. ‘How would you know?’
Having briefed the team on Petr Nowakowski, Kate had chosen to bring Laura with her for support. It was hard enough breaking the news that a relative had died, but they needed to ask Nowakowski’s sister, Ana, some questions about her brother’s recent activities too.
Laura was first out of the car, darting to the door and ringing the bell, relieved to get out of the rain and under the porch cover. She was just turning to shrug at Kate in the car when the front door opened and a large woman in a pink tabard appeared. Kate watched as Laura and the woman spoke, before the door was closed and Laura hurried back to the car.
‘I take it that wasn’t Ana?’ Kate asked when Laura was back inside.
‘No. That woman owns the house, and Ana rents a room from her. The woman said Ana’s at work, in the Sainsbury’s in Portswood, just up the road.’
Kate took another look at the rundown property, before starting the engine and completing a U-turn.
* * *
‘Oh, I see,’ said the store manager, the blood draining from his face as they informed him why they wished to speak to Ana Nowakowski somewhere private.
‘Y-y-you must take my office,’ he offered.
‘That’s very kind,’ Kate said with an appreciative nod. ‘Would you mind bringing Ana in here? It would be more discreet if you collect her from the floor than us.’
He stood and made his way to the closed door. ‘Of course, of course, don’t want to set tongues wagging.’
Kate waited until he’d left before closing the door. ‘I’ll break the news to her, but I want you to watch her reactions as I do. Is she shocked, or does she already know; that kind of thing. Okay?’
Laura nodded, taking the store manager’s chair, allowing Kate to sit next to the remaining vacant chair where Ana would sit.
A knock at the door a moment later was followed by a frightened looking young woman entering. Ana Nowakowski couldn’t have been much older than twenty-five, a slight, gaunt frame with dark blonde, greasy hair pinned back in a ponytail. With no makeup, the skin on her face was smooth, but the supermarket uniform hung from her body.
‘Is everything okay?’ she asked, clearly sensing they were police.
‘Please take a seat, Miss Nowakowski,’ Kate encouraged.
Ana looked back at her store manager, terror in her eyes. ‘Have I done something wrong?’
He rubbed her arm. ‘No, Ana, it’s nothing like that. These detectives just need to ask you a few questions.’ He looked over to Kate. ‘I’ll make myself scarce,’ he said, closing the door behind him.
Ana stared at the door, as if trying to determine whether she should run. Was it the reaction of someone with a guilty conscience or someone with too many brushes with the law? ‘What sort of questions?’ she finally asked, looking back at Kate.
‘It’s about your brother,’ Kate said, patting the cushion of the vacant chair. ‘Please take a seat.’
‘Petr? Is he in trouble again?’
‘What makes you think that?’
Ana perched on the seat, ready to bolt for the door at the first sign of trouble. ‘Why else would you be asking about him? Once a criminal, always a criminal: that’s what you people think, isn’t it?’
‘Actually, that isn’t a view I subscribe to, despite the common level of reoffending we witness in this country.’
‘What’s he done this time, then?’
‘When was the last time you saw your brother, Miss Nowakowski?’
A dimple formed in her chin as she considered the question. ‘Two weeks ago? He was due to sail the Thursday before last and we went out for dinner the night before. If you’re looking for him, he isn’t due to dock until Thursday morning.’
Kate reached out and took the young woman’s hands in her own, surprised by how cold they felt, but forcing eye contact. ‘I wish there was an easier way for me to say this, Miss Nowakowski, but your brother Petr has passed away. I’m so sorry.’