‘Give the man an Oscar.’
‘He’s bloody good,’ Janine said, ‘but we’re better.’
The car squealed to a halt outside the Departures Area. They raced in. They made their way through a mass of Mancunians, Scousers and Geordies returning from holidays in the sun. Dressed in thin cotton clothes, sporting red peeling noses or tans the colour of cheap wood dye, they pushed trolleys towering high with luggage and carrier bags of in-flight cigarettes. Children clung on or trailed wearily in their wake. A baby screamed relentlessly.
Heading for departures, Janine and Richard showed their badges and were waved through passport control. Glancing back she saw Shap and Butchers behind them. Gate 8 was one of the nearer boarding gates but even so a fair distance from the departure lounge. They ran along the travelators, only slowing as they came in sight of the boarding gate.
Harper was among other passengers huddled round the desk, boarding passes in hand. Janine could see him speaking rapidly into a mobile phone.
As they drew closer, she could hear he wasn’t speaking English; she guessed it was Polish. No doubt making plans to disappear once he got to Germany. He wore a warm, camel overcoat, a smarter look than she’d come to expect from Harper. His hair was slicked back too. But it was his stance more than anything that had altered. Sulikov held himself upright, he’d the assurance of a professional, he appeared energetic in contrast to the slightly shabby, gutless persona of Harper.
‘Mr Sulikov,’ she kept her tone light. He turned. His face changed as he saw them, a flare of anger then resignation. ‘Konrad Sulikov,’ she smiled, ‘I am arresting you on suspicion of the murders of Rosa Milicz and Jeremy Gleason. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Is there anything you would like to say?’
He simply stared at her, his mouth twisted in a spasm momentarily. Janine felt the pressure in her chest ease and relief edge down her spine. Got him. She nodded to Butchers who stepped forward with the cuffs.
Afterwards, as they made their way back through the airport along the travelators, Richard was teasing her. OK, she was swaggering a little. Why the hell not? It had been a killer of a case.
‘You are such a show off!’ he said.
‘If you’ve got it… You didn’t do so bad yourself, you know.’
