Private Investigation

Can't Escape the Past

Tw:  swearing.  

Light drops of rain fell from the night sky making Hort pull up the collar on his jacket to shield himself as best he could from the autumn night. If his mind wasn't so preoccupied with threats towards Kei, he would have noticed how abnormally quiet the streets were. Normally people would be returning home after a night at the pub or after visiting a friend but tonight not a soul dared step outside. 

A few paces ahead, Kei was engulfed by the thought of finally finding the killer. If anyone knew who it was it would be Rafal. Nothing happened without him knowing. Ready to confront his former employer, Kei marched on ahead only to pulled into a dark alley way by his collar. "What the hell are you doing?" he hissed before Hort put a hand over his mouth. Without a sound the Hort pointed towards the doors of the pub where two men stood. The tall bald man dressed in a sharp pinstripe suit was illuminated by the streetlamp above but the identity of the second was hidden by a black hood. 

"Who on earth is that?" Hort only shrugged in response. They remained silent for  few moment and could just make out the voice of he mysterious figure. 

"You told me he would protect me." They spat. It was too quiet to accurately identify but it was definitely a man. 

"You idiot! If he finds out what you've done he'll kill you himself." Manley then pushed the stranger away and they disappeared down the street. 

Utterly confused, Hort and Kei elected to wait a few moments before walking into the pub. Manley didn't say a word to them, merely stepped aside and let them in. Once upon a time they had worked together and they both knew he was the last person you wanted to question aside from Rafal. He had fought during the war, some say he was a spy while others claimed he was captured by the enemy. Whatever it was it made him the fearsome man he was today. 

Hort felt his heart drop and his stomach churn as he stepped into that pub. It was filled with familiar men, and a few that he assumed were new recruits. In the centre of the room Rafal sat at a table with a dark skinned, bald woman. A woman that had killed more men than any of the men in that room. A woman that seldom saw eye to eye with Rafal. But Hort knew she wasn't sent here by him, she was sent by Sader. 

"Long way from London, aren't we Sheeks." Hort asked as Kei appeared to have gone mute. 

"You can't trust men to do anything right." Yep, she was definitely sent by Sader. 

"Boys, please take a seat." Rafal gestured to the two chairs opposite him and the apprehensively accepted. Neither of them wanted to be here any longer than they needed to be. "So, what can I help you with?" 

"We're here about Rhian's murder." Kei just about managed to say. Sheeks leaned forward, intrigued while Rafal narrowed his eyes at the two before him, analysing every move they made, every words they said. 

"What makes you think I care?" 

"Because you wouldn't still be here if you didn't want the truth." Hort observed. He was not going to sit here and play the usual games, Sophie's life was at risk. He wanted answers and then he wanted to leave. "The bullet used was a .22 which is the same as the ones you use in the standard issue guns." (I know absolutely nothing about guns sorry if this is rubbish) 

"Not anymore." Hort turned to his old friend amongst the crowd of men. It was clear that Ravan had moved up through the ranks since they last saw each other. "We stopped using them five, six months ago after what happened in Poplar. They were all destroyed apart from. . ." Ravan trailed off and turned to Rafal whose temper was clearly rising. 

"That bastard." he muttered. "You find out anything else you come to me got it." 

"We don't work for you anymore Mistral." Hort argued, he was not going to get lured back into the world he fought so hard to escape. But ten he realised Rafal wasn't talking to him, he was talking to Kei.  

And Kei had already proven he was desperate.  

"You want revenge don't you Foxx. You know you can't trust those cops right? They wont give you the justice you want. But I can." Kei nodded and without another they both left, conflicted and once again fighting between what they wanted and what was right. 

"Bill!" Rafal called out and Manley came into the pub, those closest to the door shying away. "Did he give you the gun?" 

"'fraid not boss. He muttered something about hiding it himself." 

"Crap." 

***

The three detectives returned to the study the next morning, urge on by the new evidence. Well two of them were. The analysts had confirmed after many hours of waiting that the letter in the box was infact written by Rhian which had sparked more questions. As for the second they still didn't know who sent it but it contained very strict orders directed at Japeth. 

'Japeth, you are to leave your brother alone. If it comes to it your mother will come over to help him see sense. You are not to act until then.' 

"But that doesn't make any sense. If what Tedros says is right then their mother is dead." Anadil said reading over Tedros' statement. 

"If I'm honest he didn't seem that convinced, maybe he doesn't believe they are really her sons." 

"Or he is still in denial that his father had an affair." 

"It was before he got married." Dot corrected before waiting for Hesters usual sarcastic remark but it never came. They both turned to the tattooed detective who was staring at a newspaper article. She wasn't reading it, she didn't need to because she already knew everything about the case of Yara Winters. "It's not your fault Hester." Dot tried to comfort her friend. 

Hester looked up at the sound of her name. "What?" 

"You can't keep blaming yourself for this."

"It's my fault. I stopped fighting them, even though I knew she was innocent. I just stood by and watched as Aric arrested her. She is facing the death penalty because of me." Hester hurled the paper at the wall and it collided with a frame sending them both onto the ground with a thud.  

"Do you know who did it?" Anadil asked. Anadil had never worked with Dot and Hester while they were police officers so there was still a lot about their past she didn't know, especially when it came to Hester. 

Since Hester remained silent Dot stepped in. "There was a phone call to the station three hours after a suspect was arrested. They said they had information but if we wanted it an officer had to go to see them, they wouldn't come in. So, Aric went and when he came back he had a name, a location and a supposed motive. The suspect was then released." 

"It was bullshit." Hester interrupted. 

"He never told anyone who the tip was from but Hester and I went back to the scene of the crime that evening." 

"We found a tiepin with a feather quill emblem." 

"Rafal's men." Anadil sighed 

"What ever is going on here definitely has something to do with his mob. Everything is pointing towards him." Hester collapsed into the chair behind the desk as Anadil leaned against the desk. 

"Do you think he killed Rhian?" 

"I don't know, but. . ." Before Hester could carry on the door burst open and Kei stumbled in, panting from a lack of breath. "Can no one in this place knock?" 

"You need to come and see this."