They clattered down the stairs to the station foyer. Saied slipped twice. The leather soles of his shoes provided no grip on the polished stone floors. The first to burst through the double entrance doors was PC Leibnitz. She saw a taxi disappearing round the corner,
'Shit' her instinctive reaction.
Cushion grabbed a uniformed colleague
'Bob, did a load of women and some guys get in taxis'
'Four young women did'
'Shit'
'What about the others?'
'They're over there' he pointed towards the loos.
The three men were just coming out of the gents. They looked at Saied and Cushion
'You come to say goodbye. How nice' smirked Pidrik
'Yeah. How nice' grunted Morski sticking out his barrel chest.
The lawyer looked a little embarrassed and put a hand on Pidrik's arm.
'Let's just go and get a taxi'
'What is going on?' Medvedskaya had just come out of the ladies.
The three officers moved to block the entrance door. Saied took a couple of steps towards the Russians and their solicitor
'Whoah. You're going nowhere' He raised his arm palm forward in a 'stop' motion.
'have we not exhausted everything' officers said the solicitor.
'Mr Morski you are under arrest for obstructing the police in their enquiries. We also want to question you about the young woman found on Winterton beach.....'
'What the hell is this? You stop him' interrupted Morski turning to the solicitor.
'You have the right to....'
'This better be good' the solicitor attempted to talk over Saied
'....remain silent...' he failed as Saied proceeded to finish with the correct arrest procedure.
He then turned to Pidrik and Medvedskaya.
All three were led back to the interview rooms.
'I want Morski first' snapped the Asian detective.
Back in the interview room the solicitor waited until the tape was on before stating'
'On behalf of my client I wish to make an official complaint about your treatment of my client Mr Morski. I trust that this time you actually have some information'
'Mr Morski. Just so that we can get the record straight can you just reiterate for the tape that you do not know this girl and have never met this girl ever'
He nodded to Cushion
'Sergeant Cushion is showing Mr Morski the photograph of the young woman found on Winterton beach'
The Russian's eyes were darting all around the room. Anywhere but at the photograph. He looked at his solicitor.
'My client has no comment'
'Just for the record Mr Morski, under guidance, from his solicitor, has no comment regarding the body from Winterton beach. A young lady that he previously said he had no knowledge of whatsoever. Given that Mr Morski, what is your comment regarding these photographs?'
Cushion slowly and purposefully laid out three photographs in front of Morski.
The man looked at the photographs, tensed, drew in his breath and then exhaled. The power of his halitosis caused both Saied and Cushion to instinctively cough and to push their chairs back.
'No comment' the Russian spat out.
'For the record Sergeant Cushion has shown Mr Morski three photographs that feature Mr Morski with the young lady from Winterton beach. In photograph number one Mr Morski is grabbing the young lady by the arm. In photograph number two Mr Morski is raising his arm and the young lady can be seen flinching. Photograph number three shows the young lady's head being knocked back by the force of Morski's slap across her face'
He paused and allowed Cushion to take over.
'Mr Morski are you sure that you have no comment?'
'No comment'
Cushion then explained that under existing legislation Morski would be held for a another 24 hours pending further enquiries and questioning.
They then moved onto Pidrik
'Mr Pidrik you have seen the photographs of your colleague, Mr Morski, with the girl from Winterton Beach outside of 27 Pitt Street. Do you still maintain that you do not know the girl?'
'No comment' the smirk had disappeared'
Pidrik was also advised that they would be holding him for a further 24 hours.
The photographs were shown to Medvedskaya,
'So what do a few photographs prove? Where did they come from? All they show is Mr Morski having an argument with some woman. Maybe she was trying to get into the house'.
She was also advised that she would also be held for a further twenty four hours.
Saied asked Cushion for the suspects to be formally photographed and fingerprinted. Also swabs were to be taken from inside their mouths for DNA purposes.