Out of control (22 page)

I introduced Pierre as M. Collard, a friend. I had brought him along to add a little weight to what I was going to say. When MacLean arrived we all sat down around the table.

Ross was polite, quiet and curious. He had the inevitable pad and pencil in front of him on the table.

“Inspector Ross,” I began. “As you know I was curious to find out a bit more about what had happened to my grandson and the suspected operation to extract information from him about Bioscope’s research work. We met again because the person who had been involved, Irina Vasilescu, was murdered not long afterwards. Sergeant Maclean told me about this girl’s history and, if I understand correctly, your conclusion was that it most likely had something to do with a drug ring. 
Is that correct?”

He nodded in agreement.

“Well, in trying to clarify whether LyonPharma did indeed indulge in industrial espionage we have uncovered certain facts which we believe might help you to resolve the murder.

“Some of the information is definitive and can be proven. Some of it is, in our view, almost certain but we don’t have proof. I, with the help of M. Collard and my brother, would like to stage a piece of theatre which we believe might settle things. We want you both to be present to witness it. If I succeed in what I want to achieve, you will have your culprit. If not you will have all the information we are going to give you and you can continue your own enquiries. Is this something you would be prepared to envisage?”

“Mr. Bruce, if you have information which could help to solve a murder it is your duty to report it to the police.”

“I agree and I will. But we don’t believe that a police investigation will get very far if it is simply based on the information we have so far. It is more likely to send out warning signals and the people who are behind this traffic of girls and drugs will cover their tracks and there’ll be nothing available to convict them.”

“I’m intrigued. Could you go on? Before I say yes or no I need to know everything you know and be comfortable that this ‘piece of theatre’, as you call it, has absolutely nothing illegal about it.”

Pierre responded to that and said very clearly to Ross that what we planned was totally above board and perfectly normal. We only wanted Ross and Maclean to witness the events and be on hand if necessary.

“OK, let’s hear you,” said Ross. He must have decided that this might take a little time because he got up, took off his jacket, hung it meticulously on the back of his chair and sat down again.

“Irina Vasilescu was distributing drugs in the central belt of Scotland under the orders of a man called Macek – a Romanian – who works for LyonPharma,” I began.

Ross started to take notes. He looked up. “Proof?”

“Nothing solid. I discovered through talking to an ex-employee of LyonPharma in Edinburgh that Miss Vasilescu worked for the company for several months before she was killed. She apparently worked directly for this man Macek.”

“Who is definitely Romanian?”

“Definitely. That can be proved.”

I carried on.

“Shortly after Miss Vasilescu’s murder Macek employed another Romanian girl, to work directly for him and she is prepared to testify if she gets protection.”

He looked up sharply. “Where is she?”

“We persuaded her to jump ship and we have her safely hidden away. She has done nothing wrong because she only arrived here in Scotland a few weeks ago and Macek hasn’t yet started to use her. Like Irina Vasilescu these girls are being forced into this by a company which is in Bucharest. We have the names of the two brothers who run this racket and proof of the link between them and Macek.”

Ross put his pencil down, sat up more straightly in his chair and waited.

“This girl – let’s call her ‘Mary’ – explained to us the whole set-up, confirming what Irina told Sergeant MacLean. They recruit the girls from small towns in Romania and fix them up with jobs in France, promising them opportunities they don’t have back home. They let them get used to a new, better-off lifestyle in France for a few months and then they put the squeeze on them. Sometimes it’s pushing drugs, sometimes it’s prostitution. They are very tough and nasty. It is made clear to them that if they don’t play ball they’ll be shipped back home and if they go to the police far worse will happen. That is what we believe happened to Irina. The girls come initially to Lyon, often to LyonPharma for their first job, and then are dispatched to other cities in France or elsewhere.

“Mary, when she was in Lyon, resisted to begin with until she was, fortunately, transferred to Edinburgh. She arrived not long ago and Macek has not yet started her working. So far she has not yet done anything wrong. Naturally she is very frightened and will need protection if her testimony is required.”

Ross picked up his pad and started to doodle. He drew three circles, naming them Edinburgh, Lyon and Bucharest. Then he drew two arrows from Bucharest to Lyon and on up to Edinburgh. He scribbled Macek’s name in the Edinburgh circle and wrote ‘Company’ in the Bucharest one.

He put the pad to the side slowly, tapped it with his pencil a couple of times, brow furrowed in thought and looked up.

“And how have you found all this out?”

“I can’t remember if I told you but LyonPharma is the company that effectively stole Bioscope’s patent. We have proof that their Managing Director organised it.”

“So that’s why you started to look at LyonPharma and came across this Macek character and discovered that Miss Vasilescu used to work there?”

“Yes. And we are sure that he murdered Irina and, by the way, made an attempt on my life.”

Other than a raising of his eyebrows he didn’t react to that one. He remained still, waiting for me to go on.

I described to him what had happened on the road to Lindores.

“Why didn’t you report it to the police?”

“Apart from Liam’s ankle, nobody was hurt and I had absolutely no evidence or witnesses. They would have had nothing to go on. But I’m sure Macek is responsible for my accident and Irina’s murder.”

“But no proof?”

“No, I met Macek when I went to LyonPharma’s Edinburgh office to speak to someone about the patent business. He must have made the connection between me and Liam through our surname. And if he thought I suspected him of Irina’s disappearance that would give him reason enough to want us out of the way.

“In terms of evidence the only thing we have is a cryptic reference on his mobile phone which seems to us to be a relevant connection. And it seems logical. Irina was arrested by the police. Macek wouldn’t want any contact whatsoever between the police and her so he removed the possibility that she might talk. Either on his own initiative or on orders from further up.”

“You said ’on his mobile phone’? How did you get that?”

“Let’s just say that we found it.”

Again eyebrows raised and furrowed brow.

We had brought with us certain documents which I now pulled out of a folder and passed them, one by one, across to Ross.

“These are the details of the company in Bucharest with the names of the two owners and directors.”

He looked at them and put them to one side.

“This is the list of phone numbers in the ‘Contacts’ section of Macek’s iPhone. As you will see the two men in Romania are listed.”

I handed him the list.

“This is an extract from Macek’s notes from the same source. We’ve also tried to guess what the letters might mean and added them. We could be wrong but you can see the letters IV are noted on the day before you discovered the body of Irina Vasilescu and BB on the day of my so-called accident.

“We also have a statement from the ex-Sales and Marketing Director of LyonPharma in Edinburgh confirming that she was employed by them.”

“And the last one?” he asked, indicating the final sheet of paper.

“The man who is the Chief Executive of LyonPharma in France is called Bernard Dugain. Macek reports directly to him. He is the man who we know planned the theft of information from Bioscope. He has also purchased forty per cent of Bioscope’s shares from a venture capital company in Edinburgh and has made an approach to acquire the shares of the managing partners. We don’t know why but we think he wants control to eliminate any possibility of them kicking up a fuss. But the reason is irrelevant. I have a friend in France who obtained this information.” And I passed him the last piece of paper. He glanced at it for a moment, picked up the others and scanned them and sat back thoughtfully.

“I see. So you think he is the orchestra leader?”

“We do.”

“Even if you are right this is not enough proof.”

“I know, but we are hoping to get more.”

“How?”

“By using a bit of psychology.” And I explained what I intended to do and the part I wanted him to play.

“If I can give you a reason to arrest Dugain and hold him for at least forty eight hours we have someone in the police in Lyon who is prepared to raid the offices of LyonPharma and hopefully find more evidence that would allow you to get a conviction either for drug dealing, trafficking girls or even for accessory to murder.”

Ross thought for a few moments.

“Mr. Bruce, I can’t stop you doing what you intend to do. It is certainly not illegal.”

He drummed his fingers on the table, lips pursed, thinking it all through. We waited for a couple of minutes, not saying anything. Then he looked up at Sergeant MacLean questioningly.

“Why not, sir?” he said. “It can’t do any harm and it might work. I’m prepared to go along.”

“OK, let’s go for it. As you say, Sergeant, if nothing comes of it there’s no harm done.”

He turned to me.

“When is it to be?”

“Next Tuesday at two o’clock at the Bioscope offices. You would need to be there well in advance.”

“Sergeant MacLean, is that all right with you?”

“No problem, sir.”

“Before you go, Mr. Bruce, one last thing. Depending on what happens we’ll need to discuss with you what charges, if any, we think we can press and what we might need as evidence. I presume I can count on your assistance.”

I assured him on that point. If we could nail that bastard I would help as much as I could.

Pierre and I left and drove back to Doune which was starting to become our headquarters.

I phoned Mike straight away to tell him that Inspector Ross had agreed.

“Great. I’ve warned Mac and Doug and they’re up for it. Doug can get all the gear we need and I’ll call Helen to arrange for the installation over the weekend.”

I then had to confirm to Helen that it was ‘all systems go’ and she promised to call me as soon as she had confirmation that Dugain would be there next Tuesday.

Over supper I told Oliver and Heather.

Heather had obviously been thinking about things while we had been away. In addition to her occasional grump about being eaten out of house and home I could feel she was a bit bothered. It took her until after supped to come out with it and even that needed a little pushing. Oliver and Pierre were through in the sitting room and I was helping with the washing up when I asked her what was bothering her.

It turned out that she was worried. The other evening when I had asked everyone if we should go ahead with my plan she hadn’t wanted to be the odd one out.

“Mike will do anything for a bit of adventure. We know that and fair enough. It’s up to him. But what about Sophie You bloody men. You’re so selfish and you never think about us women,” she said.  “I know you. You’ve got this romantic sense of adventure and look where it got you last time. Again that’s up to you. But there’s Maggie to think about, you know. How does she feel about it?”

I assured her that we had discussed it and, although she wasn’t too keen, she understood that I felt it was something I wanted to do.

“I keep thinking about these poor girls. You should meet Ana. She’s a lovely wee thing and I hate to think what might have happened to her if we hadn’t got her out.”

“And what will happen to her if your plan doesn’t work and these guys are still running around loose?”

“We’ve thought of that. Sophie can fix her up with another job in another country where they’ll never find her.”

I put my arm around her affectionately.

“Don’t worry. It’ll all be fine, believe me.”

We finished up with Heather partly convinced and trying to put a brighter face on things and we went through to join the others.

I just needed one phone call from Helen to set things in motion.

That call came the next day, late morning. She told me that Dugain had sounded pleased and was happy to come over and wrap things up. She also said that Mike had called and they had arranged to meet on Saturday morning.

“I’ll be there as well,” she said. “I can always get on with some work in the lab.”

I proposed to Pierre that we go back to Letham, pick up our clubs and get in some golf over the next couple of days. There were still some courses I wanted to show him.

On the drive through he asked me, “Have you thought out exactly how you’re going to do this, Bob?”

“Mostly,” I replied, “but there will probably be a bit of improvisation. We’ll see. Anyway let’s forget it for a couple of days.”

So we did. The golf was good and the concentration it needs drove everything else out of our minds.

Helen was organising documents and figures with her accountant and tax adviser for the supposed sale of her shares. Mike was gathering together the bits of equipment we needed and testing it in Forfar. Sophie, Ana and Liam were presumably safe up in Lochbervie with Maggie. The document I was waiting for from Antoine had arrived and Ross was getting in contact with his friend in the police in Lyon to brief him.

I treated Pierre to nine holes of golf, nineteen twenties style, at KIngarroch. There had been an old private nine hole course before the war but it had fallen into neglect. Recently it had been resurrected and now you can play it again as it used to be but only with old hickory- shafted clubs. It’s a journey back into the history of golf as it was played at the beginning of the last century. A very humbling experience.