The headquarters of the Hepworth fashion empire was in Albany, a large factory/warehouse in an industrial area with an attached office suite.
Mike opened a rear passenger’s door and slid into the back seat of the Outlander. Dan was behind the wheel, Molly beside him.
‘So you met the old man?’ Mike asked.
‘We did.’ Dan noted his friend’s dismissive tone. ‘Seemed like a reasonable sort of a rooster.’
Mike grunted. ‘He’s obviously loaded.’
‘Obviously.’
‘That’s gotta count for something.’
Dan said nothing.
‘They seem very tight,’ Molly remarked.
Mike said nothing.
‘He seems very protective of her,’ she remarked.
Mike shifted in his seat and looked out the window.
Dan gave Molly a sideways glance and cocked an eyebrow. She gave an almost imperceptible shrug.
‘So what does the old man want to talk about?’ Mike finally said.
‘Wants to sort it out,’ Dan said. ‘So here we are.’ He turned in his seat to look back at Mike. ‘So nothing doing with the bar?’
‘Na, just the usual movement of punters and losers.’ Mike rubbed his knuckles and picked absently at a graze. ‘I’d like a return visit, make up for last time.’
‘I’d rather not,’ Dan said. ‘We got out by the skin of our teeth last time.’
Mike set his jaw. ‘I don’t like running away.’
‘Better to live to fight another day.’
‘That’s what I want,’ Mike retorted. ‘Another day.’
Dan turned back and opened his door. ‘Let’s go.’
A receptionist escorted them upstairs to Liam Hepworth’s office. It was large and airy and sparsely but expensively furnished. A huge table dominated one end, covered in various pieces of fabric and sketched designs. One wall was covered in photos of models in Hepworth outfits and the man himself with celebrities at different events.
Hepworth ushered them in and offered mineral water. ‘Or something a little stronger?’ he inquired, ‘a Scotch perhaps?’
‘Water’s fine, thanks,’ Dan replied on everybody’s behalf.
They took the plush armchairs arranged in a circle with a glass-topped coffee table in the centre.
‘Firstly,’ Hepworth began, crossing his knees and smoothing the leg of his trousers. ‘I must thank you for all you’ve done for Stacey. She speaks very highly of you and it seems you have certainly made some great progress on her behalf.’ He collected his thoughts for a moment. ‘It’s been a most stressful time for her, and I just wish she had told me.’ He gave a dismissive wave with one hand. ‘The past is the past; I couldn’t care less what happened twenty years ago. It’s extremely difficult not to let the odd thing slip when you love someone, so I had a pretty fair idea anyway.’ He nodded firmly. ‘And I do love her, I love her a great deal. Stacey is the greatest thing to ever happen to me.’
Mike shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
‘So great in fact, that I am considering stepping back from the business when we marry. There is more to life than designing clothes and making money. I’ve made my fortune; it’s now time to enjoy it while I still can.’ He gave a warm smile, a smile that hinted at memories only he could see. ‘I’m not a young man anymore but by God, I’m not dead yet!’
Dan nodded. ‘So as part of our investigation, we had a look at some of your family…’
Hepworth gave a brief snort. ‘Let me guess-Callum and Karen? I’m not surprised, but trust me, they’re small fry. Brainless, but harmless.’
Dan cocked his head and went to speak, but Hepworth stopped him.
‘I know Callum wants to get his hands on the business, and although I love my son-of course I do-there is no way in hell that’s ever going to happen.’
‘Fair enough.’
‘I won’t have him and his idiot wife run my good name into the ground. I’d rather sell it to a Chinese sweatshop and walk away.’
‘We believe Karen is involved in drug dealing,’ Dan said as diplomatically as he could. ‘And Callum is hanging round a gang bar named Wild Bill’s, which we believe is linked to whoever the blackmailer is.’
Hepworth was silent for a long time. Finally he stood and crossed to his desk. He punched an extension number into his phone and spoke tersely.
‘My office. Now.’
He remained standing and it was only a minute before the door opened and Callum Hepworth entered. He was dressed casually but stylishly. He paused when he saw the three visitors there.
‘Yeah?’ he said, ‘what is it?’
His father contemplated him for a moment, saying nothing.
‘C’mon, I’m real busy down there.’ Callum’s eyes flicked to the visitors again, and his tongue darted out to wet his lips. His gaze lingered on Mike for a second before returning to his father.
‘What’s this about you hanging round a gang bar?’ Hepworth said coldly.
Callum tried to give him confused. ‘What? A gang bar?’ He gestured towards the three seated visitors. ‘What is this, Dad? Who are these guys?’
‘They are private investigators who have been investigating some worthless piece of scum who was trying to blackmail Stacey.’ Liam Hepworth’s voice was cold with rage. His shoulders were tense and his eyes were locked onto his son like laser sights. ‘Now answer the question.’
‘What kinda crackpot crap is she tryin’ to pull now, Dad?’ Callum gave a pfff. ‘I can’t believe you…’
‘Can’t believe I what?’ Hepworth snapped. ‘Love someone enough to trust and believe in them implicitly? Love someone with a past? Love someone who’s not running round peddling drugs and constantly getting bailed out by their father?’
Callum’s face dropped and Hepworth pressed harder.
‘Yes Callum, I know all about it.’ He waved his finger at his son. ‘Who was the brains behind this little escapade, you or that scatter-brained wife of yours?’
Callum stiffened and opened his mouth to retort. Suddenly he glanced down and reflexively touched his pocket. He looked straight at Mike who stared back.
‘Answer it,’ Dan said, waggling his own phone at him. ‘I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to keep the phone you were using to blackmail Stacey.’
‘Dad, I don’t know what game these guys…’
‘Shut up! Show me the phone.’ Hepworth’s face was white with anger now, and he hurled his water glass across the office. It exploded against a wall. ‘Show me the phone!’
His son slowly drew a cheap burn phone from his pocket, and they could all hear it quietly humming now. His face was turning blotchy red and white.
‘I think that answers it, so to speak,’ Dan said, pushing up to his feet and pocketing his own phone. ‘If you want to call the Police Mr Hepworth, now’s probably the time.’
‘No.’ Liam Hepworth’s tone was softer now. ‘No, no Police. I’ll deal with this my way. You’re out,’ he said to his son. ‘You’re cut off and you’re out. Go and get your things and go. And don’t,’ he hissed, ‘ever darken my door again.’
The air was heavy in the room. Nobody spoke for a long moment.
‘You’ll regret this,’ Callum said with as much force as he could muster. He jabbed a finger at his father, and then at the three visitors. ‘I know people.’
Dan stepped forward, his face stony. ‘Don’t threaten us, boy,’ he said quietly.
Callum tried for derision and when it didn’t work, he jabbed his finger at Dan again, poking him in the chest.
‘You don’t scare me,’ he sneered, ‘I know people.’
‘Yeah? Well I am people,’ Dan grated. His hand came up fast and clamped onto Callum’s. ‘And the people you know…won’t want to know you…when they hear you narked them all out.’
Callum paled. ‘You wouldn’t,’ he said shakily. He strained to get his hand free, without luck.
Dan pulled him in closer, face to face. ‘Try me,’ he grated, ‘I dare you.’
Callum flinched and pulled away. He turned without another word and left the door open behind him.
‘I better get Security to make sure he goes,’ Hepworth said, a tremor sounding in his voice. He turned to his phone and punched in another number, directing someone called Shane to come to his office.
A minute later they heard footsteps ascending then a man entered the office. He wore a security guard’s uniform and had a 6-cell Maglite hanging from his belt. He was solid and clean shaven. He looked warily from Hepworth to the three visitors.
Dan watched him, getting a vibe as soon as he laid eyes on him. The way Shane was deliberately not looking at them spoke volumes. The trickle of sweat he could see making its way down the guy’s thick neck spoke more.
‘Shane,’ Hepworth was saying, ‘I want you to escort Callum from the premises, and take his access cards and company phone, alright?’
‘Yes sir,’ Shane said, hooking a thumb onto the belt loop holding his big Maglite.
When Dan was a cop, he and most of his colleagues carried 4-cell Maglites. Anybody carrying anything bigger didn’t have it as a torch. He looked harder at Shane now.
The trickle of sweat made it to Shane’s tight collar. Another one started to inch its way from beneath his cap.
Dan shot a look to Mike, who was starting to rise.
Shane turned away to leave, and Dan stepped forward.
‘How’re your baseball skills?’ he asked.
Shane hesitated, half turning. ‘Dunno what you mean, mate.’
‘Last time we saw you, you were in Titirangi smashing up my mate’s car with your baseball bat.’
Shane lunged at him, driving an elbow into Dan’s chest as he yanked the big Maglite from his belt with the other hand. Dan took the impact and staggered back, grabbing for the arm. The Maglite came swinging round fast and he pulled his head back a nanosecond before it got taken off. He got his feet stable and slammed a double jab combo into Shane’s exposed ribs.
The Maglite came back and caught him across the hip. Dan moved with it, ignoring the burst of pain, and steadied himself. He drove his right foot out hard, smashing into Shane’s gut and propelling him backwards.
The security guard staggered into an armchair which stopped his legs, but his momentum carried his torso back. As he fell Mike snatched the Maglite from his grasp and tossed it aside. Shane flattened the glass coffee table with a thunderous smash and hit the deck. He rolled and started to get up but Mike was on him, grabbing his shirt front and slamming a big hook to his jaw. He dropped back to the floor and groaned.
Mike straightened up. Dan dusted himself off. Molly gave an apologetic look to Hepworth.
‘Sorry about the coffee table,’ she said. ‘I can’t take them anywhere.’