***
Rain was pouring down his jacket. But it didn't bother him. It set him free in some way. The smell of rain itself was a special kind of soothing to him. Plus rain helped him forget about the nausea he was having because of a hangover.
Milan opened the door of a tall, glass building. They went through another smaller door and found themselves in the great hall.
"Good day. Which business brought you here today?" The elder man stood behind the counter on the left side of the hall.
"Good day to you sir. Scotland Yard. On which floor is the taxi headquarters?"
The man pulled out a notebook and wrote down the time.
"Please sign here. I have to keep track of who enters and who exits the building. I really do apologize. But that's my job." There was a genuine apology on his face as he stared at Milan and Sebastian with a smile.
The door opened again and George headed to them. "I parked in the garage."
That's why it took him so long.
"Excuse me, can I look at that notebook?" Milan leaned against the counter.
The man looked away a little and then nodded. "Of course. Who am I to contradict to the law, right?" A smile spread again across his wrinkled face.
Milan picked up a black notebook and moved his finger to scroll through the names. "Thank you very much, sir. What did you say on which floor is the taxi headquarters?"
"Seventh floor." The man smiled again and sat down in his chair and almost disappeared behind the counter.
They got into the elevator and the door closed behind them. Milan turned and theatrically joined his fingers in pyramid-like shape as his gaze shifted from George to Sebastian.
"Ryan Walsh didn't show up for work today."
"And yesterday?" Sebastian narrowed his eyebrows. He just needed this too. Chasing after a taxi driver across London. GREAT.
"Yes."
"Maybe he has a day off or something." George was constantly watching the numbers changing above the elevator door as he held himself firmly to the handrail.
"Yeah, maybe. Or maybe he somehow found out we were looking for him." Milan raised and arched his eyebrows.
"You implying something?" George looked at him for the first time since they got on the elevator. But only for a second. -Can this elevator go slower?
"Relax. We are going out on the next floor." Sebastian put his hand on George's shoulder and gave him a smile, which he probably didn't see.
"I'm implying that maybe there is someone from the police on his side."
"No, no, no! You don't mean that ... do you?" George's eyes widened. "One of our boys? A dirty cop? No. You're wrong."
"We're just talking George. And it was happening before." Milan turned and left the elevator.
The room was painted in white and had yellow curtains of some thick material hung on the windows.
The desks were neatly placed in the boxes, and everything seemed to work as usual.
"Good day. What do you need?" A tall girl in a tight, leather skirt approached them and gave them a wide smile.
"Good day Mrs..."
"Miss..."
"I'm sorry, Miss. Scotland Yard. We need to ask you some questions." Milan pulled a one-sided smile and she was already slightly red in her face.
"Of course, of course. Come to my office." She moved in front of them, swinging her hips. She half turned and glanced at them. "Irina, by the way."
They sat down at a table in a glass, isolated office at the end of the previous room. Irina crossed her legs and looked at Milan. "Well, what's this all about?"
"I don't know if my colleague already talked to you or someone else. But we need to know where one of your drivers was. Because the information we originally got was actually ... weird."
"Why are you interested in one of my drivers? Is he in any kind of trouble?" Irina raised her eyebrows in genuine surprise. Although, a pretty face can be deceiving.
"We're investigating a murder, miss. So we can call it a trouble." Sebastian glanced at her through the lashes.
"Oh my God! What murder?" She put her hands on the table and leaned over to Sebastian.
"Which driver?"
"Ryan Walsh." Milan rested his elbows down on his knees.
"Ryan..what did you do now? Listen ... he may be known for his firm stance and some missteps in his life. But that certainly doesn't make him a killer. Plus, having known this man for many years ... I would never say he was capable of ..." She shook her head in disbelief, staring at one point.
"Often people in the killer's environment don't notice the signs. Maybe we're wrong too ... that's why we're here to check it out." Milan got up and came closer to the table.
"Where was Ryan on April 7th?" Sebastian twisted his head as he rolled Rubik's cube in his hand.
"Seventh, seventh ..." Irina scrolled through her computer. "Yup! Here it is. So at ten in the evening ... he had no ... call. But he reported driving. So somebody stopped him on the street and he was free."
"Did he drive to Vivian Gardens often?" Sebastian left the cube in his lap and opened his notebook.
"Mmm, let's check ..." Irina's eyes narrowed as she squinted at the screen. "No, actually it's the only time he went there."
"Do you have cameras in your cars?" George crossed his arms and straightened his back.
"Of course not." Irina shook her head.
"Why is Ryan not at work today?" Sebastian also stood up, carried by their nervousness.
"He was looking for a day off. He said he had something to finish." Irina looked back at her computer. "Actually... he asked for a day off on the seventh of April ... but he didn't get a day because another driver's woman was giving a birth. There was no one to replace him."
They exchanged glances and Sebastian finally nodded. "All right, Miss Irina. We'll be in touch."
***
"George, call the station and ask for Ryan Walsh's address. And tell them to send one patrol to that address. Milan nodded to George and watched him walk toward the garage with his phone on ear.
"What are you worried about?" Sebastian looked to the other way.
"What if he really was just a taxi driver? And what if he threw a cigarette out the window and went on?" Milan took out a pack of cigarettes and offered Sebastian. Like every time he did when he as about to lit a cigarette.
Sebastian stared at the red pack for a second and curled his lips to one side. He took a cigarette and lit it. Smoke blew closing his eyes. "Maybe he turned off the taximeter and simply said he was coming back. Since they don't have cameras ..."
"Maybe... here's George. Come on." Milan sat on front seat and Sebastian took the back seat.
"Are they still working on Crawford Street?" George slowed down because of the red light.
"I don't know, maybe." Milan threw a cigarette butt in the ashtray in the car.
Sebastian looked out the window as drops of rain poured down the glass.
She liked to track which droplet would reach the end of the window first. Oh my God, how childish she was. He laughed silently for himself and shook his head. God, when I remember how boring she was when she was trying to convinced me to go out on rain and play badminton with her. I mean, the badminton itself was unbearably annoying, even when you add rain to that... I remember exactly her expression and that unarticulated sound she made when I agreed. If nothing else ... she had good persuasion power. Or I was simply agreeing to everything. I don't know.
The siren's sound made him look forward.
"Watch on the road!" George shouted out the window, letting a cold air in the car. "This is the address, lads."
They parked in front of a old building. A couple of girls were sitting underneath a canpoy to get away from the rain. Girls giggled as they approached them.
They climbed to the first floor and stood in front of the door with number 5. George knocked hard and moved away from the spyhole.
"Scotland Yard. Open the door. We have a warrant." Milan yelled behind George's back.
Seconds were ticking in Sebastian's head. He hadn't been able to overcome it for years. Each arrest made his pulse quicken.
No sound came from behind closed doors. Silence.
George knocked again, only harder. "Open the door or we will break it."
"Dad, why don't you open the door? A squeaky voice was heard through the door.
The three of them exchanged glances and George knocked again. "Open the door. In five seconds, we'll break in. I'm starting to count!" Milan grabbed his gun and gave George space to break the door.
"5...4...3..."
Around the apartment started loud banging of the door and maybe throwing furniture. Sebastian shuddered when he heard child's cry.
"Get out if he try to run away!" Milan pointed with his head toward the stairs and Sebastian sprinted down.
"George, break in! We're coming in! Move away from the door!"
George kicked the white, fragile door with his foot and paused as soon as he saw a girl crouching in the middle of the hallway holding her teddy bear in her hands.
Milan came in, holding a gun in front of him, searching the open-type apartment. His eyes stopped at Ryan skipping the terrace. "Don't worry, Mackenzie. Dad's not guilty." Then he jumped.
"Shit! George. Stay with the girl, try to cheer her up." Milan ran from the apartment to the staircase.
Sebastian was standing in front of the building overlooking the first floor windows.
Milan hammered into Sebastian and immediately started running behind the building. Sebastian went after him, pulling out his gun.
Ryan was running down to the Diamond Street, passing through crowd of people on the sidewalk.
"Scotland Yard! Move aside!"
People moved as fast as they could. Milan was passing people who failed to respond. He started to breath difficult and Sebastian ran next to him. "Ryan you have nowhere to go!"
The green light turned on at the intersection of Diamond Street and Hilltop Avenue. Ryan dug into the spot and turned halfway to look into Sebastian's eyes.
They were eyes of a staid person. Might even of calculated one. Sebastian thought.
Ryan saluted Sebastian when the red Ford Focus stopped in front and he sat at the back seat.
Sebastian stopped and turned to see where Milan was.
"Where did he go?" Milan grabbed his knees to catch his breath.
Sebastian pointed his finger in the direction of the red car.
Milan pulled out his phone and turned the station phone number. "Chief Inspector Holton. We have a fugitive. Ryan Walsh. Send patrols to Exton Road and Mandela Close."
"They're in the red Ford Focus. I didn't see the plates."
"Red Ford Focus! Let the traffic police stop everyone they see! I don't care how many there are!" Milan wiped the sweat from his forehead.
***
"I want every cop on the street! Find that fucking Ford Focus!" Roger yelled in the middle of the station until his vein on forehead pumped up.
He rubbed his temple and turned to Sebastian, George and Milan. "I'm proud of you guys! You're on a good trail. Maybe Chester gets justice, after all."
"Thank you sir!" Milan nodded his head in appreciation and walked to his desk.
"George is anyone looking for a list of all red Ford Focuses?" Milan turned on his computer as he jigged his leg.
"Stella and Devon."
"OK. Go pick up what they've pulled so far and get someone else to help you to browse the list."
George nodded and turned on his heel.
"That's it, Milan. It's him." Sebastian pursed his lips.
"I hope so."
"I still want to question Timothy. I feel like it's all connected."
"I promise you, Sebastian. You'll get your five minutes with Timothy. Alone." Milan lowered his hand to his heart as if solemnly swearing.
"You know we can't do that."
"I promised."
"Both patrols came in from the streets Ryan was heading. No Ford Focus fits that description..." George leaned against the table.
"Maybe he changed direction or ... the car." Sebastian thought aloud, lowering himself to his chair.
"Where's my dad?" Mackenzie whimpered behind George. She hugged her teddy bear as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Hey..." Sebastian squatted in front of her. "Everything will be alright. We're just playing ... hide and seek with your dad."
Milan raised an eyebrow and looked at Sebastian suspiciously.
"If you play hide and seek, why do you have guns?" She wiped her tears with her palm and looked at Sebastian with her watery, green eyes.
"That's how adults play."
"I've never heard of adults playing hide and seek! Especially my dad ... he is always working and always tired when he gets home."
"Is your dad always working late?" Sebastian brought a chair for the girl to sit.
"Depends. From shift. He's a taxi driver, you know." She looked to the left and to the right and motioned for him to come closer. Then she hugged his head and came closer to his ear. "But it's just his mask. Otherwise he's a superhero. So sometimes he stays longer at work. He is catching the villains."
Sebastian anointed Mackenzie on the head and exhaled heavily. "I believe he caught many of them."
"Yes!" She felt the irony in Sebastian's voice. "He caught the meanest villain ever!" Her eyes shone for the first time that afternoon.
"Really?" Sebastian acted as he got surprised. "Who's the villain?"
"Vicious Gardenman. He was the worst, I tell you." Mackenzie nodded, convincing Sebastian that this was true.
Sounds like Vivian Gardens...
"I believe he was." He smiled at her and looked at Milan significantly. "We'll find your dad."
"What are you doing?" Skyla stood over Sebastian.
He parted his lips and just blinked.
Skyla rolled her eyes and squatted beside him. "Hi, I'm Skyla! Is this man bothering you?"
Mackenzie glanced at Sebastian and smiled. "No."
"Are you sure? He's pretty boring." Skyla grimaced as if she had fallen asleep when she turned to Sebastian.
"I'm sure. Who are you?" Mackenzie twisted her head and opened her mouth slightly. "Are you his girlfriend? Are you jealous?"
Milan chuckled and Sebastian caught his eyes.
Skyla raised her eyebrows and parted her lips, searching for the right words. "No, why would you think that?"
"Because you were looking at us from afar. From there." She pointed her finger at the open door at the end of the room.
Sebastian smiled and stood up to reach Milan's ear. "I'll adopt this little one to keep Skyla away from me." He whispered.
"Mackenzie seems to be the cure for Skyla." Milan barked.
Skyla stood up and crossed her arms. "It's not nice to expose someone like that! We girls should stick together."
"It's so cliché!" Mackenzie narrowed her eyes.
George laughed "She told you good, Skyla!"
"OK! I give up! You can get Sebastian. But I warned you young lady." She looked into his hazel eyes. "He's very annoying and doesn't know how to play."
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A\N
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