The Inspector Walter Darriteau Murder Mysteries - Books 1-4 David Carter (autobiographies to read txt) 📖

to look at her. Walter grinned a greeting and walked across the office, and smiled down at the slight, but pretty, kid.

‘Inspector Walter Darriteau,’ he said, offering his hand.

She took it and let his huge paw squeeze her tiny olive hand, as she said, ‘Acting Inspector Jun Woo of the Hong Kong Police Force. Am I glad to see you.’

‘And I you, Jun. We have been working on the same thing for some time.’

Walter introduced her to those members of the team present, and Jun glanced down at the desk and saw the billposters featuring Yet Kwai Dang.

She picked one up and said, ‘Who’s this?’

Karen said, ‘Yet Kwai Dang, Chinese national, murdered and found in the car park outside the swimming pool.’

‘Do you know her?’ asked Walter.

Jun shook her head, said, ‘Don’t think so.’

‘Do you want to tell us everything you know?’

‘Yes of course. But there’s something more important. I had a friend on the boat, the ship, her name is Fenfang Dong. She’s tall, for a Chinese girl. They sold her into prostitution. I can’t help but worry for her. They sent her to a club in Manchester called the Cicero Club. Can you send officers there... it’s urgent.’

Walter nodded at Karen and she said, ‘I’m on it,’ and picked up the phone and rang Manchester HQ.

‘Tell us all about it,’ said Walter.

Jun grasped the edge of the desk and suddenly looked unsteady on her feet.

‘Get her a chair!’ said Mrs West.

Jan jumped up and slipped his chair behind her.

‘When did you last eat?’ asked Walter.

Jun shook her head, as if trying to remember, as if it didn’t matter.

‘Ages ago... I can’t remember.’

‘I’ll get her a coffee,’ said Jenny, and she went to the machine.

Walter ripped open his second pack of Coronation chicken sandwiches and passed them over. Karen was talking on the phone and they all heard her say, ‘Yes, that’s right, the Cicero Club,’ and she reached in her bag and took out a bottle of peach flavoured water, and handed it to Jun and she snapped off the top and sank it almost in one go.

‘I’m all right, I’m all right,’ she said, through chewing chicken sandwich, ‘It’s a company called Minstrel Electronics.’

‘Minstrel Electronics!’ boomed Walter. ‘That’s on the bloody list! Who went there?’

‘Not us,’ said Jan in a hurry.

‘Must be Gibbons and Hector,’ said Jenny, setting hot sweet coffee on the desk.

‘You were on to it all along?’ asked Jun.

‘Yes, but not quickly enough,’ said Walter, showing Jun the list bearing Minstrel’s name. ‘Where’s Gibbons now?’

‘I’ll ring him,’ said Jan, and he took out his phone.

‘Give me that!’ said Walter.

Gibbons answered. ‘Hello, poppie-wushka, can’t you live without me? What can I do for you now, sweetie-pie?’

‘It’s me, Gibbons!’

‘Oh, hi, Guv, sorry. What’s up?’

‘Where are you?’

‘We’re in Bertie’s fish ’n’ chip bar as we speak, and bloody lovely it is too,’ and he belched as if to prove the point.

‘Have you been to Minstrel Electronics?’

‘Yeah, sure Guv, dead as a doornail, nothing going on there.’

‘It’s THE place, Gibbons! Who did you meet?’

Gibbons sat up straight and waved at Hector.

‘Just two guys, a young nervous type, and an older cocky guy.’

‘Get back there now, don’t go in, stay out of sight, we’ll be there within the hour. These guys are desperate and dangerous and maybe armed. Don’t take any risks. Don’t go near them. Just monitor who comes and goes.’

‘Sure, Guv. How do you know all this, anyway?’

‘Explain when we see you.’

‘Okay, Guv. When we were there Hector thought there was something odd about the place.’

‘Well Hector was right! Now lie low. We’re on our way!’

Walter rang off and said, ‘Jun?’

‘Yes?’

‘Are they armed?’

Jun thought back to the first day she’d gone through Minstrel’s doors. Recalled that first meeting with Pryce and Brinton and the other two men. Remembered the calls to Harry in Manchester, remembered Brinton striking her hard. But had she seen weapons? No, she had not, not that she could recall, but she wouldn’t have been surprised if they were.

‘Didn’t see any guns, but these men are ruthless, I think they could well be armed.’

‘How many people are working in the factory?’ asked Walter.

‘A hundred and fifty.’

‘A hundred and fifty!’ said Mrs West, blowing out and tut-tutting.

‘So how come Gibbons and Hector didn’t pick up on that?’ said Walter.

‘Probably thinking of his belly,’ said Karen, now off the phone from Manchester. ‘He only ever thinks of the 4 F’s.’

‘Which are?’ said Mrs West, her curiosity piqued.

‘Fags, Football, Feasting and F...’

‘Fillies, I think the last one is,’ said Walter.

‘How many British guys are we expecting to find?’ asked Karen.

Jun thought for a second. ‘The bosses, Brinton and Pryce, plus the two who picked us up from Liverpool docks, and there’s an old guy, and I think a younger one too, but there may be more, but that’s all I saw.’

‘There’s something important I want to ask you, Jun,’ said Walter.

‘Go ahead.’

‘Did you see or hear anything about a white girl being held in the Minstrel factory?’ And Walter clarified:  ‘A very special white girl.’

‘All girls are special,’ interjected Mrs West.

He gave her a look that said: I know that ma’am, but you know what I mean!

Jun thought for a second.

‘I never saw her, but there were some odd rumours, and Pryce once said when I was there...’ and she racked her brains to get the words as accurate as she possibly could: ‘I want to talk about our star witness, that’s what he said. I want to talk about our star witness, I thought it was odd at the time.’

‘You’re sure he said that?’

‘Definitely!’

‘That’s her!’ said Walter. ‘The star witness in the Barton Brothers murder trial. Jessica Stone is somewhere in the Minstrel Electronics factory!’

‘Unless they’ve sold her on to Manchester as well,’ suggested Karen.

‘Don’t even think it,’ said Walter.

‘I think you’d better get down there now,’ said Mrs West. ‘And go armed. And be careful!’

‘Organise an unmarked car!’ said Walter.

Karen stood and slipped on her jacket and left to collect her weapon.

‘Have you passed the