‘Muscle?’
‘No limits,’ the tic jumped again.
‘Could Stone have killed Rosa for Sulikov?’
Harper shook his head, looking lost. He seemed reluctant to accuse the bouncer. Janine was intrigued. She’d have expected Harper to go the whole hog, incriminating others to prove his own innocence but perhaps he wasn’t sure and had some shred of integrity left.
‘My client can’t comment.’ The solicitor at least didn’t want any idle speculation going on.
Janine rephrased her question. ‘Did you hear or see anything that makes you think Stone may have acted on Sulikov’s say so?’
‘Lee Stone took my car,’ he said, ‘though I didn’t know that at the time. Then Sulikov rang me about it.’
‘This phone call after your car was stolen – where did Sulikov ring you from?’ said Richard.
‘His mobile. I don’t know exactly where.’
‘Poland?’ Richard pressed him.
‘No.’ Harper hesitated then added, ‘erm…he’s been over in the UK this week.’
Janine felt her heart punch; there was a batting sensation in her head. ‘What?’ she demanded. Her skin tightened with apprehension.
‘He’s been over here.’ Harper shuffled uncomfortably.
Unbelievable! All along they had assumed the man was on the continent and Harper had left it till now to disabuse them of this notion. Still trying to thwart their investigation? ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell us this?’ she shouted, ‘you think he killed Rosa but you’re still protecting him.’
‘I…’ he couldn’t answer. He blinked. The tic flickered.
‘Where’s he staying?’
‘I don’t know,’ he said dismissively, a little too quickly for Janine’s liking.
‘Where?’ Richard had picked up on it too.
‘Please, I can’t,’ his voice wavered.
She stared at him, restrained herself from raising her voice and used a steely tone instead. ‘Your silence has done enough damage already, now answer the question.’
‘He’ll know I told you. You’ve no idea what he’s like.’ Harper was becoming hysterical, his face contorted and reddening.
‘We’ll be discreet,’ she said.
‘Discreet! He’s a fucking maniac!’ Harper yelled, half out of his seat. ‘He’ll kill me.’
‘We’ve enough to arrest him, we’ll put him behind bars,’ she said. ‘Now you can help us or we can put you there with him, too. Your choice.’
Harper sank back, rubbing his face, trying to calm his breathing. He was very agitated.
Come on. Janine willed him, her heart beating hard. She knew without this they’d lose Sulikov; soon as he heard about the raid on the brothel he’d disappear. It wouldn’t be impossible to pursue him in Poland but it would be a lot more haphazard. He was here, in the country, under their noses. ‘Mr Harper?’
