Authors: David Lowe
‘I just like to know what the troops on the ground think of their bosses I’m working with,’ David said.
‘Michael McCullagh’s another good boss, but don’t call him Mick. He hates it. He only likes to be called Michael. I think it’s because he’s Irish and the terms like Paddy and Mick are no, no’s with him.’
‘Fair enough, I hate being called Dave, I prefer to be called David.’
‘I noticed that when we were introduced. Don’t worry about Michael. He’s a true Branch man. He’s spent most of his service in the department. I think the only time he spent in uniform were his first couple of years. He even got promoted from DS to DI in the Branch. He’s old school and knows how to deal with senior bosses and, fortunately for us, he gets on well with the Chief. I think he uses that Irish blarney on her.’
‘Do you reckon he had a hand in getting her on the guest list to the evening reception with Prince William?’
‘There’s no doubt he did. That’ll be to keep her sweet and off our backs. He’ll make sure she gets a good table to give her the chance to speak to the Prince. She’s that sort of boss, a useless bobby but a definite social climber. She’ll arse lick anyone to try and get a Damehood.’ Gary said as the two officers walked out of the Chester headquarters building.
* * *
‘Chloe, don’t argue with me. I’m coming up tomorrow. I thought it would be nice to spend a couple of days in Manchester to see my grandchildren as well as George. I’ve got to come up to the area next week anyway as I’ve been invited to a function in Chester. Stephen Ormerod, who was my junior at my Chambers, has invited me. He’s a district judge up there and he wants a Law Lord at the function to help give the local judiciary some clout with Prince William,’ Alan Trevelyan said over the phone to his daughter Chloe.
‘You stubborn old mule, just for once do as I ask. You know you’re a possible target for the Real IRA and yet you want to wander all around the country. Can’t you wait until you travel up next week as arranged? Both MI5 and the Branch are stretched at the moment and they feel they can’t provide you with adequate protection.’
‘I don’t want you or George to worry about me. I have total faith in the security services. I’m sure George can get David Hurst to look after me when I get up to Cheshire.’
‘He can’t, David’s been assigned onto another investigation. I can’t give you details over the phone Daddy, but they’ve got their hands full. Just trust me when I tell you that you will be in far more danger if you travel up tomorrow instead of next week.’
‘You’ve made your plea and I’ve considered the facts, so I’ll wait until next week before I come up. Are you happy now?’
Chapter Twenty-One
Declan Murphy’s House, Frodsham,
20.45 hours, Friday,
6
th
July
‘It’s me. I got your message. What have you got for me?’ Murphy asked over the phone to his associate.
‘Watch your back, they’re onto you. Authorities have been granted to watch your house and business premises. So be careful when you move about and think about who you use to move things around as well as who you’re meeting. Clear out anything incriminating you’ve got in your house as soon as you can. They’re tapping your phones, email, in fact they’re tapping into every electronic form of communication you have. They also want to gain entry to all of your premises including your home to plant recording devices. Don’t tell your wife or the kids. The more natural they behave the better. Special Branch has got liaison officers working in Cheshire and in Liverpool. The one working from Chester is Hurst. He doesn’t know you, but he knows our mutual friends very well,’ his caller said.
‘I’ve heard of him. He’s the bastard that’s been sticking his nose in where it’s not wanted. I was talking to my contact in Al Qaeda earlier and they’d love to get their hands on him as well.’
‘Hurst can’t do too much damage to our cause at the moment. I’ve managed to mess up the Cheshire authorisation requests to conduct surveillance on you. Anything they obtain won’t be legal so they won’t be able to use it as evidence. I can’t do anything over any authorities granted in Merseyside or in Greater Manchester, so you’ll still have to take great care. All my side of the arrangements are in place for next week. Have you got your part of the next phase in place?’
‘I have, they’re arriving tomorrow.’
‘Good. So far, the Branch have got no idea what the main target is. They’re only guessing at the moment, so we need to make the most of the time we have to make sure everyone and everything is in place by early next week. This costs, so have you got your end of the bargain ready for me?’
‘Call yourself a bargain? You’re not cheap, but the stuff will be ready for you tomorrow. I’ve got to go now as I’m meeting the financier this evening. I’ll speak to you tomorrow with the details of when and where you can pick up what you’re owed,’ Murphy said.
‘That’s good. Before we move onto the next phase, I suggest you buy a number of pay-as-you-go phones in cash and make sure they’re from different stores. Once you have the numbers, let me know and I’ll circulate them amongst our business partners. They’ll need about four or five each. As the Branch will be trying to listen to us, the phones will only be worth a couple of calls maximum and then we’ll dispose of them.’
‘That makes sense. If I don’t get the phones in time, I’ll use a call box and pass on what I learn tonight about the investment. I’ll call you tomorrow.’
‘Call me around ten in the morning and then we can meet at our usual place. Don’t worry I’ll do my best to divert those watching you. If I do, we’ll only have about half an hour before they become too suspicious.’
* * *
‘Nice house, who says crime doesn’t pay,’ David said to Gary Baker as they took up a position by a hedgerow overlooking Declan Murphy’s home in the Cheshire countryside.
‘I know what you mean. This is going to be a tough one to stake out. There’s hardly a good spot to get close enough to have a good obs point. There’s a couple of my team trained in covert surveillance in an open terrain like this already in place. With us working in the sticks most of the time, we have to be adept at using such methods. They can dig themselves in that well, you could be sitting right next to them and you wouldn’t know they were there.’
‘Who have you got doing the covert surveillance?’
‘Andrea and Phil,’ Gary Baker said looking at his watch, ‘At least you’ve got an idea of the terrain and how the land lies around the house. We’ve got a few of the nosey types living around her. If they see anyone lurking around like we are at the moment, they’re on the phone straight away to the local nick. You go back to the car and I’ll let Andrea and Phil know that we’re going.’
* * *
George walked over to David’s desk in the GMP Special Branch office where Debbie was working and said, ‘Chloe’s talked my father-in-law out of coming up to Manchester tomorrow.’
‘I know. Jenny Richmond phoned and told me. I see he’s coming up to Chester next week to attend some bash at the Grosvenor Hotel for the local high and mighty that’s being attended by Prince William,’ Debbie said.
‘Of course, I forgot your lot are tapping his phone.’
‘That’s right. Once Jenny found out, she let me know.’
‘Will Trevellyan coming up next week still cause us problems?’
‘No. SO15 are aware. They’ll continue to keep an eye on him and that includes when he’s in Chester. Jenny Richmond’s made sure two MI5 protection officers will be with him on his journey up as well as looking after him during his stay in the north. What else have you got for me George?’
‘I heard from David and he told me they’ve got the authorities to watch all the premises owned or used by Murphy in the Cheshire area.’
‘I know and authorities have been granted in Merseyside and Manchester as well. You emailed Jenny and she told me.’
‘I give up,’ George said, ‘I think it’s best if you tell me what developments you’ve got for me.’
‘For the moment I’m still assisting on the West York’s job, but I don’t think it’s going to be for much longer. Craig MacDonald’s assigned another MI5 officer to work closely alongside West Yorks. He thinks the Irish job is too important and because I’ve been digging around on it, he wants me to give it my full attention.’
‘That makes sense.’
‘I thought I’d update you on the latest we have on our Al Qaeda friends in Prestwich. The PM’s route to the G-Mex has been and will continue to be carefully checked. One thought is that we, or should I say you, via Paul Edge, are required to ask for assistance from the Traffic department to set up a traffic survey on the Bury New Road as well as Bury Old Road. The aim is to try and catch them on the two possible routes they could take into Manchester city centre if they travel by car. They can be pulled over into the traffic survey without raising their initial suspicions that we’re onto them. Of course they may travel separately. If they do, there’s a strong possibility we can still pull them up. We shouldn’t forget they may also use the tram to travel into the city centre or the train. I’ve spoken to Alex Bullard about the possible methods of attack and she’s preparing a briefing pack for you. So act surprised when she tells you. I know she’s keen on proving to you how good a job she can do as acting DS in David’s absence.’
‘Of course I will. We’ll have to let Edge know of the progress we’ve made in relation to the Irish lads.’
‘He should be happy now the regional counter-terrorism unit has taken over as SIO on the Real IRA job and SO15 will be taking over the responsibility for the PM’s visit.’
‘That’s true. All he has to do is make sure there are enough Branch officers to assist for the PM’s visit.’
* * *
Gary Baker ran through Cheshire’s main Special Branch office towards David who was sat at one of the vacant desks studying the latest intelligence files on the Irish targets and shouted, ‘David get your jacket, we’ve got movement at Murphy’s house.’
‘With you,’ David said jumping out of the chair and placing an arm through the sleeve of his jacket. ‘Is Murphy on the move?’
‘It looks like it. Come out this way it’s quicker,’ Gary said opening a side door that led out to the rear yard where the Branch cars were parked up. ‘We’re in the blue Insignia over there,’ he said unlocking the car doors with the remote control key. Both the officers got into the car and as Gary turned on the ignition, he said, ‘I just got a message from Andrea at the obs point. She said it looks like Murphy’s on the move. The techies got some listening devices located nearby that can pick up some of the conversations in the house. She heard Murphy say to his wife that he had to go to a Rotary Club meeting this evening.’
‘My fucking arse it’s the Rotary Club. I’d put money on it being a meeting of the former PIRA members branch of the Rotary Club that he’s going to.’
‘You could be right. We can’t miss him, he’s driving that baby Bentley of his.’
‘A Bentley eh? He’s certainly done alright for himself since he’s been over here. I was looking at the websites relating to his businesses. He’s really become an upright pillar of society mixing with local politicians and many of the influential Cheshire and moneyed people. I also found out he’s an honorary president of two local charities having made major contributions to them. I wonder if they really know about his past.’ Before Gary could answer David heard members of Gary’s team relay over the radio they were following Murphy’s car. ‘It sounds like they’re passing through Frodsham now, so obviously this meeting’s not going to be there. How long do you think it’ll be before we catch them up?’ David asked.
‘It sounds like he’s coming out of Frodsham and travelling towards Runcorn, so I reckon about fifteen minutes.’
From her static obs point outside Murphy’s house, Andrea relayed to the officers, ‘Another car’s leaving Murphy’s house and it looks like Murphy’s driving it! It’s a silver Volvo S80 registration number Mike Uniform Five Nine Lima Tango Charlie. Although it’s registered to his wife, it’s definitely Declan Murphy driving it.’
David hit the dashboard with the palm of his hand in frustration and said, ‘Don’t tell me he knows already we’re watching him. I suggest we pull off the Bentley and see if we can catch up with him.’ David picked up the radio and said, ‘Pull off the Bentley, it’s a decoy. We need to follow Murphy in the Volvo.’
Andrea replied first saying, ‘Phil’s broken cover to follow him. I still have eyeball with him, he’s going off towards Delamere Forest. It looks like he’s intending to go onto the A556.’
David turned to Gary and said, ‘I don’t like leaving Andrea on her own. Are there any members of your team that could stay at Murphy’s house?’
‘She’ll be alright,’ Gary said.
Surprised at Gary’s indifference to her safety, more forcefully David said, ‘I’ve been in this situation before with these bastards. Order a couple of your team to return to Murphy’s house.’
‘I said, she’ll be alright,’ Gary replied, ‘I run this team not you.’
‘Don’t fucking start that shit with me. You’ve never dealt with the IRA before and I have. If Murphy’s been given the tip off we’re onto him, he may also know where Andréa’s hiding. I’m telling you now. She could be in danger. OK, I’ll rephrase it. I recommend that you send a couple members of your team back to Murphy’s house to watch Andrea’s back.’
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come across as a smart arse there,’ Gary said. He picked up the transmitter and ordered one of the cars following the Bentley to return to Murphy’s house to provide back-up for Andrea. ‘Phil’s picked Murphy up and as he’s heading for the M6 motorway, it looks like we’re going to have a nice summer’s evening trip to South Cheshire or even Staffordshire.’ Gary requested the north Cheshire control room to allocate a uniform patrol to stop the Bentley travelling towards Runcorn for a driving document check. ‘With luck we’ll find out who’s driving Murphy’s Bentley. Phil’s going to need relieving before Murphy gets too suspicious that we’re on his tail. We should be OK for the moment as there’s only one road in the area with very few turn offs and it’s a well used route to get to the A556 to head for the M6. But we need someone else closer by the time Murphy gets to the A556.’