Trader Jack -The Story of Jack Miner (The Story of Jack Miner Series) (44 page)

'You're lucky Dr Klugheim took an interest in you,' says Primeheart, in a quiet cold voice. 'That's why I'm here.'

He puts on a tape recorder and states the time and date. Jeremy sits next to me.

'Now let's get down to business,’
says Primeheart in a fiat tone. 'When the police interviewed you before the trial, why didn't you tell them the full story?'

He peers at me with his ice blue eyes. He seems to see right through me. I don't reply.

Klugheim opens the door and looks outside to make sure that no one is behind it. When he closes it, Primeheart continues to grill me.

'Let me ask you again, Miner. Why didn't you tell the police everything you knew? You know very well that you're not out of the loop. The Humford case is still unsolved.’

'Put yourself in my position. You know that the Russian mafia murdered at least five people: Yapolovitch, a Moscow journalist, a Swiss banker, Aram Zabkian and Hal Humford. What about me? You cops don't earn much money. Faramazov has a thick chequebook.. If you were in my position wouldn't you keep quiet?'

'We don't take bribes,' snaps Primeheart. 'If you're that worried, why did you write about it?'

'Yes, I took a big risk. I trusted Mrs Small and Dr Klugheim. They don't have an agenda. Anyway, I thought we had a deal. I would write the truth and get out sooner.'

'You did the right thing. We want you to tell us all you know Jack,' says Klugheim.

'Yes, we must question these people and prosecute them,' adds Primeheart. A quarter of a million Russians now live in London. New York has a big Russian population. They're all over the world. Moscow crime syndicates are operating everywhere. Russian crime has also become our problem.'

'What's in it for me? So far you're just offering me a short life!'

‘I don't believe that you murdered Humford,’
says Primeheart casually. I never did. One sentence in your book confirms it.’

'Jacqui,' says Klugheim. 'No way would you kill her father.’

'I'm her father,’
I protest.

'Biological father. Her mother and her grandparents look after her,' says Klugheim. 'You have to accept that, Jack. We can talk about it later.'

‘Are you prepared to help us?' asks Primeheart.

'It depends. If you're talking about the Russians, no way.’

'He can remain silent if he wishes,' says Jeremy.

Primeheart ignores him: 'Do you get on with your cellmate, Jack?’

'Yeah. They put him inside a few months ago. Nice guy. Keeps to himself. Don't know what he did. Probably fraud. Clever. Swaps books with me. Knows I'm interested in Russia so he's lending me books by Dostoevsky.
Brothers Karamazov.
Father murdered. The wild brother who didn't do it, is sent to Siberia. Bit like me.'

Then it occurs to me: 'He's one of you lot, isn't he? He's my minder!'

'You know of five people who the Russian mafia murdered,' says Primeheart. 'Do you want to know about a sixth?'

'No way.'

'From someone who believes your story, has been working behind the scenes?'

‘All right, then.'

Primeheart speaks on his mobile: 'You can come in now.'

'Detective Sergeant Sasha Melnikov,' says Primeheart, as she enters.

Instead of a uniform, she's in a smart dark blue suit. She's a stunner!

'Tell Mr Miner why he can trust you.'

'Because you're a cop?' I say sarcastically.

She stares straight at me. Steely, grey blue eyes.

'My father was the manager of a diamond mine. They wanted to take it over. He opposed them. He's now dead. We believe that he's been murdered.'

'That's terrible. I'm . . . I’m sorry,' I say, embarrassed. 'I suppose they own the mine now.'

'Yes. Do you know anything about diamond mining, Jack?' asks Primeheart.

'No, but I can learn,' I reply eagerly. 'Fred Carrender, the prospector I wrote about. He knows everything about diamonds. He can teach me.'

Primeheart seems interested. My hopes soar. If I'm prepared to help, will they let me out?

'I've got something for you, Jack,' says Melnikov, opening her handbag. She pulls out a CD, a ring and a photograph and passes them to me. The CD is the same one that belonged to Dad with his favourite numbers, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. I kiss Mum's engagement ring and turn away and stare at the picture of the three of us in Cornwall.

'How did you get hold of these?' I say, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand.

When I'm ready, I look at Melnikov closely. She's Sasha! The homeless girl I had met years before. Left her and her friend before I saw Yapolovitch hanging from the bridge. What a transformation!

'The police questioned us early in the morning and asked us whether we had seen you,' Sasha explains. 'You left your backpack, Jack. Remember? We waited and when you didn't come, we had to leave it behind. I took out these things and kept them for you.'

'Melnikov told the officers that she was Russian and that she wanted to join the police force,' says Primeheart. 'Unfortunately she didn't know where you came from, so there was no way of linking the photograph with Yorkshire, let alone Bridlington.'

'They were starting a Russian unit so they recruited me for training,' says Sasha.

'She passed with excellent results,' continues Primeheart in his matter of fact tone. 'When we read your book, we put her on to the Yapolovitch case immediately. Your DNA fitted the ones on the Yapolovitch rope and your mementoes. It was proof that you were the witness.'

I look at Dad and Mum's things, turn away, blink my eyes and face them again. They're sympathetic, except for Primeheart.

'You wouldn't mind getting out of here would you, Miner? Open prison with plenty of privileges. Five star hotel compared to this place.'

My hopes soar: 'Yes, of course.’

'Your book. A virtual hagiography isn't it?'

‘Hagiography? What's that?'

‘An autobiography that spins in favour of the author,’
says Primeheart. 'You blamed Aram Zabkian for the fraud. Are you seriously claiming that you had nothing to do with it? That he ran the fund all the time? A wife and four kids, but never went on holiday? Had a mistress to entertain? Just sat there in front of the screen day after day, without spending his money? That you were set up? Come on! I read the court records. It's very convenient that Zabkians dead, that we can't hear his side of the story.'

‘I pleaded guilty didn't I?' I reply, doing my best to remain cool.

'But you want to get out now don't you? Well before time.'

'Is that unreasonable?'

'Tell me what you think about this: A highly intelligent, cunning young villain writes a book showing that he's basically a nice decent guy. He includes sob stories about his parents and friends. The prison believes him, agrees that he's hard done by and gives him parole. Now what if he were the same as the other super rich fraudsters?'

‘I didn't just write about my good points. I showed my flaws as well,' I protest.

'Hah! That's why this sociopath is so clever. He needs to show that he's three dimensional; that he isn't Mr Perfect.'

I look straight at Klugheim. He has to counter that. He owes me big time.

'Jack's trying hard to become a better person,' says Klugheim, swiftly. 'He's a model prisoner. I've got to know him. I think he was naive and got caught up in it.'

Relief! That might do it.

No way. Primeheart ignores him and irritatingly continues to refer to me in the third person: ‘As I said, what if he's another wealthy sociopath who has enough money to get the best lawyer?'

'Jack was awarded legal aid,' insists Jeremy.

'What a joke,' says Primeheart with a sarcastic laugh. ‘A sharp young speculator who becomes a wealthy multi-millionaire loses billions, causing ordinary people like you and me to lose their money, jobs and pensions. He's such a deserving cause that he gets legal aid at the taxpayer's expense! How do you know he hasn't got money stashed away in Liechtenstein or some other funk hole? That he didn't steal from Aquarium; hasn't made deals with other crooks?'

I'm boiling inside. Typical cop! He's used me. Got what he needs from the book and is now throwing away the key.

Klugheim tries to come to my rescue: 'He's really benefitted from therapy. He's very bright, you could use him in the force. You know very well that the villains are ten steps ahead of the fraud squad.'

Primeheart looks Klugheim straight in the eye, at his designer clothes and points at the book shelf: 'Hah! 'How I made $5 million in the stock market'. You two look out for each other, do you?'

Klugheim, wincing, retreats and cowers in the corner.

As much as I hate him, I cannot but admire Primeheart. He’s a smart operator.

‘I’ve come across plenty of these people,’ he continues. ‘Most of them escape prosecution because of their lawyers and shredding of evidence; few, like this young man, do time.

‘This is what they tend to say: “Me? How can you possibly think that? I’m innocent. OK, I’m no saint, but who is? I’m a straight sort of guy. Look after my family, educate the children; I’m a school governor. Give to charities. It’s them, not me!” Well, Miner, is that you?’

I don’t bother to reply. What’s the point? No chance for parole.

‘It will pay you to tell the truth, Jack. We know it’s over,’ says Sasha, ‘Do you still claim that you were not complicit in the fraud? That you were set up? That you were innocent?’

I remain silent for a while, rubbing the photo against my cheek and kissing Mum’s ring. They wait silently as I look out the window and then turn and vacantly peer at a wide beam of sunshine, full of dust and microbes across the room.

‘You won’t believe me, but the truth is . . .’

‘The truth is what?’ asks Sasha.

‘I’m really not sure.’

THE END

NEIL BEHRMANN

About The Author

NEIL BEHRMANN, is a journalist and author based in London, Neil was a prolific London-based special correspondent of the
Wall Street Journal
for more than two decades, concentrating on commodity markets and mining. He also wrote
WSJ
features on hedge funds, personal finance, property, sports business and travel. Neil is London correspondent and columnist of
Business Times, Singapore,
a leading Asian business publication. He also writes for other UK and international publications.

Neil's major scoops and investigative stories and features include billion dollar scandals, notably the $3 billion Sumitomo copper fraud in 1996; rogue trader, Nick Leeson; international coffee market crises; the hidden hoard of former Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos; Madoff, Bayou and other major hedge fund scams and dealings in the diamond trade. He's been interviewed on radio and TV.

'I love reading and writing fiction, says Neil, 'When I write, I wake up early in the morning, meditate and let my imagination take over.'

Neil's articles can be found on
neilbehrmann.net
.
Other sites are:
thestoryofjackminer.com
and
readmore-books.com

OTHER NEIL BEHRMANN BOOKS

Due for release in 2012

JACK OF DIAMONDS

The Story of Jack Miner continues with Jack entering the murky world of diamond smuggling and double dealing.

More details about this highly original and unusual page turner next year.

BUTTERFLY BATTLE

'Butterfly Battle - The Story of the Great Insect War',

Neil Behrmann's anti-war children's book has been relaunched.

Butterfly Battle
is aimed at children between the ages of nine to eleven, but crosses the age borders. Children of six to eight enjoyed the exciting fantasy when it was read to them at school. Adults have been captivated by the story. The book is vigorously anti-war, but also shows that war is sometimes forced on us. Superwasps invade Leponea, a peaceful butterfly paradise. Robert and his sister Kim enter the insect world and join in the fight for freedom.

The Superwasp characters symbolise Nazis and other fascists. The butterfly characters and their insect allies are like our grandparents and great-grandparents, who had to make a stand and fight Hitler.

Then the anti-war message: Robert who is fascinated with computer war games, soon discovers the awful reality of an actual war. The soldiers are insects but behave like human soldiers. They fret and struggle to fall asleep before the battle. When the action begins, they fight bravely, but panic when the battle goes against them. The inhabitants of Leponea suffer alongside the many wounded soldiers.

The book promotes conservation and sparks an interest in insects. It delves into the mystery of life and death.

Illustrator
Oscar Chichoni's
art ranks amongst the top in the genre of Science Fiction/Fantastic Realism. He has received numerous awards.

Review from the
School Librarian,
magazine of the UK School Librarian Association: