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THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATING OFFICER, Inspector Amita Kaur from Rawang Police District HQ, arrives at the scene with Selangor Forensics (D10). The Special Investigations Unit officers step aside and lean against their car, watching the district IO and the Selangor D10 go about their business. Mislan remembers the woman picked up by Sentul 24 and walks to the MPV. He sees her sobbing in the back seat of the patrol car.
“I’m Inspector Mislan from Special Investigations. What’s your name?”
“Jamie,” she answers despairingly.
Having lost a potential lead, Mislan is not in the mood for sympathy.
“Listen. The rule when a police officer asks for your name is to state your full name.”
“Jamilah binti Abu Sibli,” she spits out curtly. “My IC is in my bag,” holding up her handbag. “Go ahead, take it.”
Mislan unzips the handbag, sifts through its contents, and takes out her identity card.
“Good, thank you. Do you want me to address you as Jamilah or Jamie?”
“Whatever.”
“Who was Mahyudin to you?”
“What does it matter now, he’s dead,” she sneers, staring at the lead investigator.
“Look, that attitude won’t get you anywhere. Please drop it and answer my boss’s questions,” Johan says.
“I’m asking you nicely, what’s Mahyudin to you?”
“My boyfriend or shall I say my late boyfriend, thanks to you.”
“Where were you guys going before all this happened?”
“Home to have sex. You satisfied?” she barks.
“I don’t know, I’m not the one having sex with you,” Mislan replies, sneering back. “And may I know where home is?”
“Tasik Puteri.”
“Yours or his?”
“His, mine, ours, what does it matter?”
“It does matter. Whose?”
“His. Can I smoke?”
“Lose your attitude, and I’m sure I can work that in for you.”
Jamie stares at him defiantly. When Mislan holds her stare, she says, “OK, I’m sorry. Now, can I smoke?”
“That’s good enough for me, but you have to step out of the car.”
Johan opens the door and she alights, wobbling on her stilettos, holding him to steady herself, much to Johan’s delight. She sifts through her handbag and fishes out a packet of Marlboro Lights. Her hand is shaking as she lights one and inhales deeply. Glancing at the cadaver, she says, “He could have taken me with him, and I would be dead next to him. He could’ve just driven on, but he stopped to let me out.” She shivers and takes another long drag, “He said goodbye, and I knew—” She stops in mid-sentence and sobs.
Mislan sees Inspector Amita walking toward them and he steps away to meet her halfway.
“Who’s she?”
“A friend of the deceased.”
“Was she in the car when it crashed?”
“Nope.”
“How did she get here?”
“They brought her here,” Mislan says, pointing to Sentul 24.
“So she did not witness the crash?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask her?”
The IO looks at her and Jamie shakes her head.
“OK then, there’s no point in recording her statement.”
“You’re the IO, whatever you say. By the way, are you done with the deceased and the car?”
“Almost. Why?”
“I’d like to take a look. After you’re done, of course.”
“We’ll let you know when we’re finished,” Amita says and walks away.
“Are you not taking custody of the car?” Johan asks.
“It’s their territory. I don’t think we can. Anyway, it’s too late now. I’ll speak to ma’am tomorrow to see if we can get custody and send it to Chew’s place.”
“But the deceased is involved in our case. Don’t we have the right over him and the car?”
“Technically, they’ve the right over us because the deceased is only a suspect in our case but involved in a fatal accident in an area under their jurisdiction. Maybe ma’am can wangle something. Let’s not make it any worse than it is.”
“What about the woman? You lied to the IO.”
“I did no such thing! She asked a question, and I answered it truthfully. However, she didn’t ask the right question. So, if she was misled by my answers, it’s her problem, not mine. It’s all in here,” Mislan says, holding up the digital recorder, and smiles.
Johan shakes his head.
“You’ve got it all figured out, haven’t you?”
Stepping away from them, Mislan pulls out his cell phone and makes a call. “Hi, sorry, did I wake you up?”
“No shit, do you know what time it is? It better be worth waking me,” Audi retorts in sleepy voice.
“I think it is. Can you get your crew together and come down to Jalan Selayang Baru?”
“Why, what’s there?”
“Let’s say something newsworthy. You better hurry, the investigating officer is wrapping things up. If you want the exact location call Selayang police.”
“Damn it, Inspector can’t you WhatsApp me the location? What’s there?”
“You’re the investigative news reporter, you find out. And you did not get this call from me.”
He hangs up and smiles.
The district IO signals them over, indicating that their D10 is done. Mislan wonders what secret the suspect is taking to his grave.
“You got his ID?” he asks.
“Yes, here.” Amita replies, handing it to him.
“ASP Markit, can you do me a favor?”
“Because it’s Raya, anything for my Malay brother officer,” ASP Markit Singh, head of Selangor D10, jests.
“Can you swab his right hand and the steering wheel for GSR?”
“Why, was he shooting at you guys?”
“No, only to satisfy my curiosity.”
“No problemo.” ASP Markit instructs one of his team to do the swab.
“What are you expecting to find?” Johan asks.
“Miracles,” he answers with a grin.
“Steering wheel positive for lead and nitrate, GSR,” ASP Markit says holding up the test kit. “Hand . . . nothing.”
“Can you take another swab and bag it? I want to ask Crime Forensics HQ to run another test. And can I get a report of your findings?”
“My friend, is there something about this case you’re not letting on?”
“I believe the suspect was involved in a case I’m investigating. I’m trying to find evidence that can link him to it,” Mislan answers.
“All right, if it helps solve your case. Give me your contact details, and I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
“Thanks. Can I examine the wreck now?”
“Be my guest, we’re all done, but don’t take anything.”
Mislan bends over and pokes his head into the car’s cabin. The humidity and the confined space magnify the stench of stale blood. He hastily withdraws his head, banging it against the door frame.
“Dammit,” he cries, rubbing his head.
Johan chuckles. “Careful, you don’t want to add your blood to the scene.”
“Jo, can you open the glove compartment from your side?”
“Yup,” Johan reaches in.
“See if there’s a bankbook or anything with an address on it.”
“No bankbook, only an Astro bill.”
“Pocket it.”
Johan glances quickly at the investigating officer, notes that she’s engaged with the D10 team, and slides the bill into his pocket. He nods to his boss and steps away from the wreck. They walk over to the district IO and thank her. As they are walking away, Mislan asks, “Amita, did the deceased have bank cards?”
“Two. Maybank and CIMB?”
“Can I have the card numbers?”
She signals to one of the D10 technicians, asks for the dead man’s wallet, and hands him the cards. Mislan snaps a photo with his cell phone and hands them back, thanking her again. A D10 technician runs over to Mislan and hands over an evidence bag containing a tube with the swab of the steering wheel.
“Thanks, I totally forgot about this,” he says to the technician. “Jo, get Jamie. We’re taking her back.”
“You want Sentul 24 to make an arrest report?”
“No. For now, she’s a witness.”