Authors: William David
“Get out of the car,” yelled the driver, a thin faced balding guy. “Where is Lever?”
“He's not here,
” said Jason as he got out of the car.
“I can see that, smartass,” said the driver. “I said where is he?”
“I don't know. It's true, I don't,” said Jason as the Gorilla advanced towards him. “Keep away from me,” yelled Jason.
The driver laughed and the Gorilla continued to advance. Suddenly the Gorilla lunged out with a right arm punch. Jason dodged it and the Gorilla lost a bit of balance with Jason moving away. The Gorilla advanced again and lunged, but instead of dodging, Jason ducked, got under the arm and grabbing it pulled down hard against the joint. There was a crack and a scream of pain from the Gorilla who collapsed sideways against the car.
Jason then advanced on the driver who was reaching inside his jacket, but Jason got there first and a chop across the side of the neck laid him out. Taking the gun that the driver had been reaching for he turned to the Gorilla, “when he wakes up you had better take your mate home. Keep out of my way!” and with that he pushed the Gorilla away from the car, got in and drove on up the motorway ramp.
CHAPTER 23
Dawson looked up as Naismith walked in to his office. “What have you got for me?”
“Not too good,” said Naismith. “Lever might have met up with his younger brother, and he seems to have disappeared.”
“How can that be?”
Naismith related the events of an hour earlier.
“So who was the guy driving Levers car?”
“It appears that Lever and his mate
Bell
at Control Networks have engaged a security company to provide protection and this guy was one of them. Fro
m what we have learned he is ex-
SAS and knows how to handle himself.”
“Well that's pretty obvious from what he did to your men.”
“Lever seems to have switched off his
‘‘‘phone
as does his brother, so finding them is proving difficult; however they have to surface at some stage.”
CHAPTER 24
Now what do we do, I thought?
Get so
me new SIM
cards for a start. “Adrian, there is a mobile
‘phone
kiosk just down the road from the office, let’s stop there on the way to the
office and pick up some new SIM
s.”
When we got to the office I made for Alec’s office but could not find him. He was apparently out at a meeting and would not be back until lunchtime. Sitting in my office with Adrian we discussed 'what next'.
“I think we had better update our 'friendly' policemen, and see if they have any ideas.”
I rang Lloyd who said that he was currently in the area and would be able to drop in and see us some time after twelve. I told Adrian that there were a few items of work I had to attend to, but he was welcome to wait around and meet the police with me although I had told no one of his hacking escapade and the consequences, which I was increasingly sure were at least partially responsible for what was happening. There did however seem to be an element of the problem linked to the forthcoming stock market flotation, but I could not understand why, and even less could I understand how there could be a link between that and Adrian.
“Do you have a computer I can use while I wait?” asked Adrian.
“Use mine on the desk there, I will be gone for the next hour or so.”
Later I returned to the office to find that Lloyd and Jason had turned up and were both sitting chatting to Adrian. They had both managed to scrounge some coffee.
“I see you have met my brother Adrian, and Jason my personal security man. Has any one updated you with events?” I asked.
“No, they haven't but have you heard about Jason’s happenings this morning?” Lloyd nodded at Jason who went on to describe the attack on him that morning.
“Wow, I said, this is really getting serious. I bet that the big guy whose arm you broke is the same guy who attacked me in the lane that night. The London based hard man that I identified from your photos,” I said turning towards Lloyd.
“Why are you here?” said Lloyd turning to Adrian. “Are you somehow involved or are you just visiting?”
Adrian hesitated, and I interrupted to say that Adrian was just visiting me. Lloyd looked quizzically at me over the top of his spectacles as if not totally convinced.
“I want to call my boss and br
ing her up to date can I use a
‘phone
?”
“You can use the office next door, it's empty at the moment.” Lloyd left the room.
“I turned to Jason, are you OK?”
Before he could reply Alec walked in to the room. 'Are you guys OK? I hear that it has been an eventful morning. I introduced him to Adrian whom he had not seen since he was a child, and quickly explained what had been going on, but again no mention of Adrian’s involvement. I was going to have to come clean with Alec sooner or later; he and or his family could be in danger so I owed him the truth. Alec had to leave for another meeting but he invited Adrian and I to dinner at his place. Lisa was still away, so he would be cooking some steaks on the barbecue, if the rain held off. By definition the invitation had to be open to our respective security personnel. “As he left Alec looked at me and said “I have had a call from Lucy Pageant, that meeting with Dalrymple has firmed up for Monday lunch time, don't forget.”
Jason also left leaving Adrian and I to mull over the current situation. Lloyd walked back in to the room fresh from a conversation with his boss, Chief Superintendent Fleet, and looked at Adrian and me. “Look I don't think you are telling us the whole story,” he said. “Inspector Naismith is Special Branch and there has to be a reason for them to be interested in you. His boss, Dawson has talked to my boss and while he has not provided details he has confirmed their interest. Dawson is pretty high up in the Branch, so his interests are not normally trivial. What are you not telling me? Are you really involved and not just a bystander?” he said looking at Adrian.
Adrian denied it but Lloyd did not look convinced. “Well, I would not mess around with the Branch if I were you. Dawson has some real pull and could make life very unpleasant for you both. My boss would like you both to come in to the station and see her, I will call you and set up a time when I know when she is free.” I also want to talk to your
Mr
Jason Walgrave. The traffic cameras on the motorway picked up his altercation this morning. It appears your
Mr
Walgrave can handle himself.” With that he left.
After a brief silence Adrian said, “I have some thing else.”
“Not another confession I hope!”
“No. I was doing some research earlier using your computer and I think I might have come up with something interesting. I did not realise it until Alec mentioned the name Dalrymple. I was doing some research in to Mendip Finance, you said you had done some, but I think I got quite a bit further than you.”
I squirmed, “legally I hope?”
“As you know, the ownership structure of Mendip Finance is extremely complex and convoluted, hiding behind various shells and off shore barriers. Ultimately a substantial proportion, if not all of the beneficial ownership, is connected to a guy called Asimov.”
“That's the name the police came up with when following Plavsic but could prove no actual connection.”
“Maybe,” said Adrian, “but what is more interesting perhaps, is that when I delved in to Asimov’s interests, and the tentacles are also long and tenuous, I came up with the name Dalrymple.”
“Yes, our chairman has been doing some research on Mendip and has come up with the same information.”
We both sat there in silence for a few moments.
“This is crazy I said. Are we saying that Dalrymple and Mendip are part of a plot to stop us floating the business? Why? And what has this to do with you. The link of your video hacking seems a great coincidence.”
“My involvement could just be a coincidence,” said Adrian. “Coincidences do happen. Maybe they, whoever 'they' are, think that it gives them more leverage with you.”
“Maybe, but I am not convinced. By the way what have you done with the copy of that video footage? Is it safe, I hope you are not carrying it around?”
“No, of course not. Not only is it safe, if anything happens to me I have arranged for it to go viral on the Internet. I thought that would give me some bargaining power if it is needed.”
“Yes, OK,” I said uncertainly, “but whatever happens make sure it is not published inadvertently. If it did get out you would lose that
bargaining power
and you never know what might happen then. Perhaps you should also let me know where a copy is in case I need to be able to use it?”
“OK,” said Adrian. “If you think so, I was just trying to avoid getting you in even deeper.”
“Bit late for that,” I said.
Alec stuck his head around the door. “Come on Lisa has the food ready and is chasing to know when we will get there.”
“I thought she was in Manchester?”
“She was, but she had to come back for a day to get a briefing connected to the case she is on.”
“Ok, we are coming.”
We spent the evening with Alec and Lisa. Before dinner I apologised to Lisa and said that I needed to spend a few minutes with Alec on some business so we disappeared in to his study. I had decided to tell him about Adrian’s situation. I did not show him the material that Adrian had downloaded or whom it had identified, I merely described it to him. Telling him the detailed identity of the people in the video would serve no purpose and could only endanger him further.
“So as you see it is very difficult and I am not sure what is the best way forward. Jason disabled their thugs but they will come again until the issue is resolved and there is also a possible link with Dalrymple.”
Alec sat quietly and listened, obviously shocked by what I was telling him, but quiet all the same. Eventually he said. “Look, I need some time to absorb this, but what strikes me straight away is that we are out of our league here, and we need to get some heavyweights on side to help. The only ones I can think of are the Bristol police, Fleet and Lloyd, although I am not sure how much they will really be able to help if it comes to the crunch. I think it is obvious that Adrian needs to be protected, they are obviously searching for him.”
“Let's talk again in the office in the morning, but my gut feeling is that you are right and the three of us should go and see Fleet tomorrow
and confess.
Ron Cheadle gave me the name of his partner who is a criminal lawyer and also has experience of these issues. I could call him and find out if he would be available to accompany us?”
“Good idea, do that.” Let's go back in and join the rest, I have some steaks to cook!”
Lisa looked daggers at me as we walked back in to the main living room, but Alec bounced over, gave her a peck on the cheek and demanded to know where the steaks were. He was planning to cook them on the barbecue out on the deck.
The tensions soon dissipated, and the rest of the evening was relaxed with no further discussion of business. Alec was cooking marinated filet steak. Two types of marinade, a spicy Indonesian style peanut marinade, and a plain garlic and mustard marinade. Served with salads and a baked potato with a mayonnaise garnish, the steaks were spectacula
r, and a glorious Italian
red wine to accompany them finished it all off well.
The woman PC was present and Alec made sure to include her and our two security personnel, Jason and Sue, in the evening. I had already discovered that Jason could be pleasant company and Sue proved equally engaging once she relaxed.
At about 11pm I made a move to go and Jason got up as well.
“See you in the office in the morning Alec?”
“Yes, OK,” said Alec.
Giving Lisa a hug and a
thank you
for the meal, we left for the lift down to the car park to pick up the Range Rover.
Arriving home it was good to see that we had no welcoming party and the house looked undisturbed. I went straight to bed.
During breakfast the next morning, Lloyd called and asked us to come in at 10am to see him and Fleet. “Can we make it a bit later?” I said, “Alec
Bell
would like to join us and I would also like to bring a lawyer if I can.”
“You think you need a lawyer do you?” said Lloyd, sounding surprised.
“We have a few things to tell you and I think it only best to be prepared, can I call you back?”
“Fine” he said, “but make it quick
please
.”
I called Ron Cheadle in his office and asked him if he could make the introductions to his partner Dave Withers. We were due to have another session with police today.