Dishonour Read online

  Lilly and Taslima exchanged a look.

  ‘He’s going to be very unhappy,’ said Lilly.

  Jack grabbed his coat. ‘I don’t care if he’s crying into his tea.’

  ‘No, no, no.’

  The old guy stood in the doorway to his butcher’s shop, blocking Lilly and Taslima.

  ‘Please, Mohamed,’ said Lilly. ‘It’s important.’

  He shook his head and turned the sign to closed.

  ‘It’s always important with you,’ he hissed. ‘Now go away.’

  Jack couldn’t wait around any longer. His extension was seeping away. With the Khans and the Hassans refusing to play ball, this guy was the only connection Jack had. What was wrong with everyone? Did they like having Malik stomping around their neighbourhood telling them what they could or couldn’t do?

  ‘Five minutes,’ Lilly begged.

  ‘Leave now,’ said Mohamed, ‘or I’m calling the police.’

  Jack pushed forward and jammed his foot in the door. ‘Guess what, sunshine? I am the police.’

  Mohamed checked Jack’s badge carefully, then let them in. The shop was in darkness, the fridges humming in the background.

  ‘Tell me about Abdul Malik,’ said Jack.

  Mohamed threw up his arms. ‘I’ve told these two all I know. I hear things, whispers, nothing concrete.’

  ‘And what do these whispers say?’

  Mohamed looked around him as if someone might be listening in the shadows. ‘That he’s involved in some things around here.’

  ‘Bad things?’

  Mohamed nodded. ‘Family stuff, when girls disobey their parents.’

  ‘Honour attacks.’

  Mohamed sighed.

  ‘A girl called Aasha Hassan has gone missing,’ said Jack. ‘Was Malik involved?’

  A silhouette floated across the window as someone walked past the shop. Mohamed froze.

  ‘Was Malik involved?’ Jack repeated.

  Mohamed craned his neck, watching as the figure outside moved away. ‘People think so.’

  Jack’s head began to pound. ‘What the hell do you mean?’

  ‘People come in here to buy meat and they gossip.’ He waved at Lilly. ‘What you solicitors call hearsay.’

  ‘Then why don’t they come and tell us?’ Jack roared. ‘Don’t they care what happens to Aasha?’

  Mohamed’s eyes darted from the door to Jack and back again.

  ‘A few think she got what she deserved,’ he said.

  Jack exploded. ‘She’s fifteen, for fuck’s sake.’

  Mohamed stared at Jack until Lilly stepped between them.

  ‘What about the others?’ Her tone was deliberate. ‘You said some people thought Aasha deserved it but what about the rest?’

  Jack took a lungful of air and exhaled slowly. He knew Lilly was trying to defuse things, that he’d gone too far. But it was impossible not to.

  ‘Some people are saying that Malik and his cronies are out of control,’ said Mohamed. ‘That none of us are safe.’

  ‘Tell me about these cronies,’ snapped Jack. ‘Who are they?’

  Mohamed shook his head. ‘I don’t know.’

  Jack felt rage taking over. He had to get out of there before he did something he’d regret. He stormed out of the shop, crashing the door behind him.

  Moments later, Lilly and Taslima joined him.

  ‘Jesus Christ, Jack,’ said Lilly. ‘You’ve got to calm down.’

  ‘How can I,’ he roared, ‘when all I come up against is this wall of silence?’

  ‘The PTF are bullies,’ said Taslima. ‘Everyone is frightened.’

  Jack stabbed his chest with his thumb. ‘I’ve lived in communities run by the paramilitary. Trust me, you can’t let these people dictate things. Someone has to take a stand.’

  ‘Not everyone is brave enough,’ said Taslima.

  At that moment Lilly’s mobile rang.

  ‘Hello?’ She paused, listening, her face impassive.

  ‘Right,’ she said, ‘thanks.’

  She snapped her phone shut.

  ‘Let’s thank our lucky stars that someone is brave enough to take a stand.’

  ‘No riddles, Lil. My brain is aching,’ said Jack.

  Lilly smiled. ‘Mohamed has just given me the name of one of Malik’s little friends.’

  ‘You are joking.’

  ‘Nawed Jalil,’ said Lilly.

  Jack pulled out Malik’s scribbled note and tapped it triumphantly with his thumb. Nawed Jalil was on the list.

  ‘Come on, you beauty.’

  Jack hadn’t wanted to stop for a coffee, but Lilly had insisted. It would take less than five minutes, and anyway, they needed to gather their thoughts and decide what to do.

  They took seats at the sticky table in a café and Lilly stirred heaped teaspoons of sugar into her cup. Jack hovered outside, calling the station for Jalil’s address.

  ‘He’s not always this bonkers,’ Lilly assured Taslima.

  Taslima gave a shy smile. ‘Passion is a good sign.’

  Lilly smiled back but it felt tight on her face. She couldn’t help wondering who else Jack had been getting passionate about.

  Jack pushed his mobile into his pocket and dived into the café. He remained standing and grabbed his coffee. He took a sip and wrinkled his nose.

  ‘Full fat?’

  ‘They were all out of soya,’ Lilly winked.

  He snorted and drained his cup. ‘Right, I’m off.’

  ‘Hold on,’ Lilly held up her hand. ‘You can’t just pole up at his house.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘’Cos he’ll take one look at your ID and shut the door.’

  ‘I’ll just nick him,’ said Jack.

  Lilly rolled her eyes. ‘You have no evidence whatsoever to arrest him on.’

  ‘I’ll worry about that later.’

  ‘Jack,’ Lilly put her hand on his, ‘stop for a second. You don’t have time to get this man to the station, get him booked in and everything else. By the time you get round to interviewing him, Malik’s extension will have run out.’

  Jack’s shoulders slumped. ‘So what do you suggest?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Lilly admitted. ‘If we watch him he might lead us to Aasha.’

  ‘We could spend the rest of the day following him to McDonald’s and back,’ said Jack. ‘I’d rather take my chances going round there myself.’

  ‘I don’t think that would be wise.’ Taslima spoke in a small voice. ‘If he’s involved in these crimes he’s hardly likely to help you with your enquiries, and even if he’s not, we’ve seen how this community react to the police.’

  ‘Well, I have to do something,’ said Jack. ‘At least this way we won’t be any worse off than we are now.’

  Taslima moved her cup forward in a slow, deliberate motion. ‘Sorry, but I think it will be worse. If your extension expires while you’re chasing Jalil then Malik will be released and I don’t think that bodes well for Aasha.’

  Jack opened his mouth, then closed it. They all knew Taslima was right.

  ‘This is impossible,’ said Jack.

  ‘I could speak to him,’ said Taslima.

  Lilly and Jack exchanged looks.

  ‘How would that help?’ asked Jack.

  ‘We’ve already established that you can’t do it,’ she said, ‘and if Raffique Khan’s pregnant lawyer turns up making waves the result will be much the same.’

  Lilly and Jack waited.

  ‘But I’m an insider,’ said Taslima.

  ‘But what would you say?’ asked Lilly.

  ‘That I’ve been sent by the Hassan brothers to get Aasha out of the country.’

  ‘Isn’t that a bit far-fetched?’ asked Jack.

  Taslima raised her eyebrows. ‘Do you know how many Asian girls are whisked away each year? I’ll say the family know she’s caused nothing but trouble and want to put this all behind them by marrying her off in Pakistan.’

  ‘What if he chec
ks up?’ asked Lilly. ‘Calls the Hassans?’

  ‘I’ll say the police are round there now, speaking to them, and that it’s urgent we get Aasha out.’

  Lilly played it over in her mind. The plan was hardly flawless, but perhaps it could work. With time running out perhaps they should try.

  ‘I say we give it a go,’ she said.

  Jack sighed and ran his hands through his hair. ‘I say we don’t have a choice.’

  As the threesome went along the street past his car, Cormack slid down in his seat and hid his face in the shadows. He’d been following the woman all day but she’d been haring around from one place to the next. Cormack was knackered just keeping up.

  When the man had turned up, Cormack had nearly given up. He was plod. No doubt about it. And Cormack had no intention of getting into a Q & A with a copper. What he needed to do had to be far from prying eyes.

  After a while, though, it became obvious that the man wasn’t paying attention to anything around him. He was as stressed out as a punter before a race. So Cormack kept up the tail but at a safe distance. Besides, the Pakis had promised him a pony when he got this part of the job done. God knows what all this was about, but it must be serious for them to be flashing cash like that around.

  When all three got in the same car, Cormack decided to call it a day. He let them pull away and reached for a fag. The one good thing about days like today was he’d barely even thought about smoking. Maybe that was the trick. Keep himself busy.

  He puffed contentedly and put his key in the ignition. He’d catch up with the woman soon enough.

  Chapter Nine

  April 2009

  Allah is Our Lord

  Mohammed is Our Leader

  The Koran is Our Constitution

  Jihad is Our Way

  Martyrdom is Our Desire

  I smile at the words that I diligently typed out, printed and stuck on the wall beside my bed. When I wake in the morning they are the first thing I see. They never cease to surprise me with their exquisite clarity. They are a gift from Allah, as is the person who gave them to me.

  I reach for my laptop, eager to get back to www.mujahidtoday.

  I discovered it in the course of my posting work and it soon became clear to me that many of the forum members were not teenagers swapping gossip.

  Regulars, like Light of Jeddah and Peacekeeper, left forthright and often stinging messages on any political subject. They were bold in support of the Ummah and always bumped any threads I began. A week ago I got into a long debate with Kalid42 about the co-existence of religions.

  Re: The One True Religion…by Khalid42 at 9.25 on 2.4.09

  I believe that we can live side by side with our non-Muslim brothers and sisters. The prophet (pbuh) didn’t instruct us to live apart. I choose to integrate and love all my brothers and sisters.

  This was an argument that came up often so I typed in my standard response.

  Re: The One True Religion…by Believer at 9.27 on 2.4.09

  We will not need to live apart when everyone submits themselves to Allah and it is the duty of every true Muslim to spread his wondrous word.

  Re: The One True Religion…by Khalid42 at 9.30 on 2.4.09

  Can we not all live in peace and allow each person to choose?

  I was about to explain that there would never be peace until the world accepted Allah, when someone else joined in.

  Re: The One True Religion…by Fighting4Islam at 9.32 on 2.4.09

  Choosing another religion is rejecting Allah—the worst possible sin. How can we walk by and ignore that?

  I watched with fascination as the new poster poured scorn on each suggestion that Muslims should just live and let live. His views were shouted down by others calling him ‘extremist’ but they seemed crystalline to me.

  I clicked onto his member profile.

  Name: Fighting4Islam

  Age : 22

  Location: the front line

  Way of Life: Allah is Our Lord

  Mohammed is Our Leader

  The Koran is Our Constitution

  Jihad is Our Way

  Martrydom is Our Desire.

  I hope Fighting4Islam is on line. Our exchanges have become the highlight of each day. There is great wisdom in his words and bravery. His refusal to compromise is often seen as arrogance or stubbornness but I see it as purity.

  Despite the fact that it’s so early in the morning the forum is buzzing. Someone has posted a link saying Hamas have intercepted UN trucks containing aid and distributed it amongst their followers.

  The Zionist apologists are out in force.

  Re: UN trucks intercepted…by Khalid42 at 6.05 on 9.4.09

  Why are we surprised that a terrorist organisation such as Hamas would do this? They have brought nothing but fear and violence to our brothers and sisters in Palestine.

  I skim the responses until I find what I’m looking for.

  Re: UN trucks intercepted…by Fighting4Islam at 6.15 on 9.4.09

  Don’t rely on mainstream Western media to tell you the truth. Those bringing fear and violence to Palestine are Israel and her supporters.

  They want to demonise Hamas because they know the truth…Hamas build hospitals, schools and mosques here. That is their main work and that is why the people of Gaza love them.

  I reread Fighting4Islam’s post to check I’m not mistaken. But no, there it is ‘…Hamas build hospitals, schools and Mosques here.’

  My fingers flash across the keyboard.

  Re: UN trucks intercepted…by Believer at 6.20 on 9.4.09

  Are you in Palestine, brother?

  I wait for the answer. Outside the world is turning. Cars on their way to the station for the morning commute. The electric whirr of a milk float. Even in my house a shower is running in the bathroom.

  But in my room it is as if the air has been sucked out. As if I am floating in the vacuum of space. Waiting.

  Re: UN trucks intercepted…by Fighting4Islam at 6.25 on 9.4.09

  Yes.

  ‘Are you sure about this?’

  Lilly and Jack looked behind them to the back seat of his car, where Taslima was sitting.

  She nodded her head, a slight smile playing on her lips.

  As she reached for the door handle, Lilly realised that even if Taslima wasn’t having second thoughts about their plan, she was.

  ‘Hold on.’ She grasped Taslima’s knee. ‘We need to go over this again.’

  Jack nodded but Lilly could feel his impatience. Time was flying away. Even so, this wasn’t something they could rush.

  ‘I tell Jalil that Aasha’s family have sent me to take her out of the country,’ said Taslima.

  Lilly breathed deeply. It sounded so easy and yet there were so many things that could go wrong. She tried not to recall her old boss’s face when a previous case had attracted hostile attention. Rupinder had received a beating so severe she had spent six weeks in ICU. Even after the scars had healed, she never returned to work.

  ‘What if he turns nasty?’ she asked. ‘This man was involved in a horrendous attack on a child.’

  ‘My instinct tells me that was Malik,’ said Jack.

  ‘That’s as maybe,’ said Lilly, ‘but Jalil was still part of it. And let’s not forget Yasmeen.’

  ‘What about her?’ asked Jack.

  Lilly rolled her eyes. ‘I’m pretty sure this lot killed her, remember.’

  Jack opened his mouth to speak but Taslima got there first.

  ‘I understand your point, Lilly, that this man may be dangerous.’

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘I’ve dealt with violent people before,’ Taslima said. ‘Don’t worry.’

  But Lilly was worrying. She knew that her own brand of enthusiasm often carried people along, often into trouble.

  She turned to Jack. ‘Can’t we wire her up or something?’

  ‘A wire?’ Jack laughed. ‘This isn’t an episode of Spooks.’

  Lilly put up her hands in surrende
r.

  Taslima fished out her phone and pressed a key. Lilly’s own phone sprang into life.

  ‘Hello.’

  Taslima giggled. ‘It’s me. I’ll keep it on and then you can hear everything.’

  ‘You’re good.’ Jack wagged his finger at her.

  She opened the car and stepped outside.

  Lilly watched her walk up the path to Jalil’s house and was filled with sisterly love. As an only child she had longed for a sister. Another girl who would share styling tips for their stupidly curly hair, who would gossip about boys and concoct the best mix of foundation and concealer to cover a love bite. The complete opposite of Taslima, in fact, and yet there it was.

  As Elsa would have said, ‘Feelings are feelings.’

  Taslima’s slender hand reached out to ring the bell and Lilly’s stomach lurched.

  ‘Do you think we’re doing the right thing?’

  ‘She’ll be fine,’ said Jack, but there was no certainty in his voice.

  With less than eight hours left to keep Malik inside, time was running out.

  Taslima half hoped that no one would answer the door. In the comfort of the car she’d been clear in her mind that this was the best opportunity for them to find Aasha, but as she’d approached the house, some of her bravado disappeared. By the time she rang the bell she was shaking. She checked her phone, which lay in her closed bag. The line was still open with Lilly and Jack. They would hear if she got into any trouble.

  When the door opened she murmured a swift dua that Allah would show her the way and smiled.

  ‘Nawed Jalil?’

  The guy was in his early twenties, dressed in an Adidas tracksuit. His beard needed a trim and his left eye twitched.

  ‘Who wants to know?’ he asked.

  ‘Taslima Hassan,’ she said. ‘I’m Aasha Hassan’s cousin.’